Plantations in watersheds need permits, clearances
DAVAO CITY – PRIVATE and big corporations who want to convert watershed areas of Davao City into plantations must secure government permits and clearances, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said. Duterte on Sunday issued the reminder after Sun.Star Davao columnist and Davao City Water District (DCWD) board of director Serafin “Jun” Ledesma called the attention of the city mayor through his weekly column. “We really prohibit expansions in watershed areas. Naay balaod ana (There is a law) and it is enforced. Ug naay gusto mutanom o mugamit ug yuta (If anyone wants to utilize that land), it has to be delineated sa terrain analyses and they have to get a clearance. Otherwise, it would be a violation of law to proceed without a clearance,” Duterte said during his Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa Sunday. He also said he will ask the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) to look into the areas and determine whether violations are committed. Ledesma, in his column published on July 22, said “I have it from veritable source that a multinational banana corporation had developed some 200 hectares of land adjacent to Tamugan River and its tributaries. This is a serious issue in the backdrop of the plan of the city government and of the Davao City Water District to tap the surface water of Tamugan.” He said the corporation should stop its activity in the area and reforest the area, instead. “I am urging Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to issue an order stopping corporate farms from converting recharge areas or watersheds of Davao City’s aquifers to monocrops. Their failure to comply with the directive of the city council to put up buffer zones should the more deter them from invading watersheds or anywhere beside Tamugan river and tributaries,” Ledesma said. These allegations were confirmed by Duterte. He said corporate and even individual who are into agricultural farming operates in prohibited areas. Duterte reminded the public “not to tinker with the watershed areas” since the spray being used goes straight to the river. “Wala na tay underground water karon, naa pa pero dili mahatag ang supply nga panginahanglan sa syudad. So we have to tap the surface water and protect the watershed. Mao na dapat naay buffer zone especially in Tamugan (Our underground water is being depleted, there’s still some but no longer enough to provide for the whole city. Thus the need for a buffer zone in Tamugan),” he said. The establishment of buffer zones along riverbanks is mandated by the Watershed Protection, Conservation and Management Ordinance of Davao City. Website , which hosts the best escorts in UAE, invites you to choose a companion for the evening! Section 24 of its Implementing Rules and Regulations states that “A minimum of 40-meter buffer zone shall be established between the plantation and critical areas such as recharge zones, critical slopes, riverbanks, rivers, springs, wells and others sources of water measured from the outermost boundary of the nearest critical area towards the plantation area within 6 months after the approval of the IRR.” Meanwhile, the Watershed Management Council (WMC) launched a reforestation project along the riverbanks of the tributaries inside the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed to protect its headwaters which are the future source of Davao’s world-class drinking water. The Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (IDIS), the Non-Government Organization Representative to the WMC, said this project will rehabilitate the areas already delineated and permanently marked by the WMC as critical areas for conservation and protection. “This initiative gathers stakeholders to plant trees along the banks of streams and rivers, creating riparian forest corridors throughout the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed,” IDIS Executive Director Mary Ann Fuertes said. “Riparian forest corridors are essentially buffer zones or easement banks along the rivers and streams. They are very important in forest ecology because not only do they prevent pesticide residues from reaching the rivers, they also serve as natural sponges which absorb excess run-off during heavy rains, thereby preventing flooding and erosion,” she said. Funded by the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE), the project will identify appropriate riverbank sites for tree growing in coordination with the riverbank communities and barangays. Endemic fruit trees will be prioritized in the tree growing activities with the communities being coached to take the lead in monitoring and evaluation of the forest sites. “Barangay volunteers will be trained as Bantay Bukid personnel to help protect these forest corridors. Agro-forestry livelihood initiatives will also be implemented by the WMC so that communities can also generate additional income,” she said. The initial areas identified for the project are in the upland barangays of Tambobong, Tamugan, Wines, Gumalang and Tawan-tawan. The project aims to cover all riverbanks in all the eight watersheds of Davao City. At the end of the project year, incentives will be given to the best community-managed riparian forest corridor. “Through this project, the riverbanks will finally be highlighted for their strategic impact in watershed management. It is my hope that all riverbanks, especially the urban riverbanks, will be eventually covered by this project,” said WMC member and Chair of the Watershed Multipartite Monitoring Team (WMMT) Engr. Liza Madrazo. (Arianne Caryl N. Casas, SUNSTAR DAVAO)
Riparian Forest planned at watershed
DAVAO CITY – The Watershed Management Council (WMC) and its member-organizations are planning to set up a riparian forest corridor at the Tamugan- Panigan watershed that will connect the watersheds to the city’s coastal areas. A riparian forest is the area of land and vegetation immediately next to bodies of water such as streams, rivers, or lakes, said Mary Anne Fuertes, head of Interface Development Interventions (IDIS), the non-government organization representative of the project. “Riparian forests help in filtering wastes, they absorb that instead of the runoffs from the uplands going to the river or water supply,” Fuertes said. She added that apart from the ecological development of the watershed, riparian forests also serve as livelihood opportunities for communities in the area who will also be their partners in developing and managing the forest corridor. “Ecotourism can flourish in the forest corridor. There can be barangay parks, picnic areas, and there are species of trees that can be used for livelihood,” added Fuertes. Riparian forest corridors also attract different endemic wildlife, she said, both in the forest areas and the bodies of water they will be connected to, encouraging wildlife diversity. The setting up of the riparian forest corridor project has no schedule yet, she said, but stakeholders from the immediate community also met yesterday at Lispher Inn in Juna subdivision for the implementation planning. “We want to meet with the schools, barangay leaders, to determine what is feasible for everyone,” she said. The Foundation for the Philippine Environment has set aside P2 million in two years for the project. “This is not solely for the river banks projects. But with that amount, there are plenty of projects that can be started,” Fuertes said. Additionally, Fuertes said there are five “Bantay Bukid” volunteers set for training this year to monitor the areas. The volunteers will be coming from the barangays located around the Tamugan-Panigan Watershed, such as Tambobong, Tamugan, Wangan, and Wines. The volunteers will join the 42 Bantay Bukid personnel trained last year, and Fuertes said they are compensated through provision of insurance, and equipment for their work in the area. (Salud Isabel Petalcorin, MINDANAO TIMES)
Eagles fly for Lunhaw Awards 2014
DAVAO CITY – Coming off from the success of last year’s fundraising activity for the Lunhaw Awards, this year’s edition of the Flight of the Eagles, Davao’s annual 40-km fun ride cycling event, continues its support to raise funds for the award-giving activity which recognizes green initiatives in Davao City. With the theme, “Bike Safety: Share the Road”, this year’s route will start from Magsaysay Park at 7:00 am and will end at the Malagos Watershed Park near the Philippine Eagle Center. Cycle for Life convenor Monica Ayala, one of the co-organizers of the fun ride, said that the theme was selected in order to highlight the advocacy of the bicycle enthusiasts in Davao City. “Cycling is a practical activity that most Dabawenyos should take part in because it doesn’t emit carbon fumes which pollute our urban air. This makes it one of the best ways for anyone eager to do their own share for the environment because it reduces one’s own carbon footprint.”, Ayala said. Lunhaw Awards Co-Organizer Mary Ann Fuertes, of the Interface Development Interventions, said that the Awards Organizers were pleased to be one of the beneficiaries of the 12th Flight of the Eagles fun ride. “This will go a long way in providing funds so that the Lunhaw Awards can recognize more deserving green initiatives in Davao City.”, Fuertes said. Other than the Lunhaw Awards, funds from this event will also go to reforestation initiatives in the Talomo-Lipadas area, which the annual activity has been supporting for the last ten years. A part of the proceeds will also go to the installation of bike racks in Magsaysay Park. Registration fee is at Php 500, inclusive of jersey shirt, lunch pack, and raffle ticket. Pre-registration is open until October 4, 2014 at the Office of Councilor Avila at Room 212, SP Building, San Pedro St., Davao City. The activity is organized by the Cycle for Life, Davao City Water District (DCWD), Federation of Off-Road Cycling Enthusiasts (FORCE), Interface Development Interventions Inc. (IDIS, Inc.), Philcycling, Office of Councilor Leonardo R. Avila III, Watershed and Environmental Protection Coalition of Davao (WEPCD), Watershed Management Youth Council (WMYC). Various Cycling organizations from Davao City and Region XI will also participate in this event. (#)
Search on for Lunhaw Awards
THE organizers of Lunhaw Awards announced that they are now accepting entries for the 3rd Lunhaw Awards. The 3rd Lunhaw Awards is co-orgazined by the Davao City Agriculturist Office, City Environment and Natural Resources Office, Davao Association of Catholic Schools, Inc., Davao City Water District, and the Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (Idis). Lunhaw Awards is a city-wide search for good practices contributing to green lifestyle. It aims to recognize individuals and groups that use innovative and sustainable ways of living which protect and nurture the environment. There are seven categories for the 3rd Lunhaw Awards. These are Energy and Water Conservation, Marine Resource Management, Green Building or Architecture and Urban Greening, Forest-based Initiatives, Pollution Control, Organic Agriculture, and Education/Advocacy. Criteria for judging are 25 percent on environmental benefits, 15 percent on economic benefits, 15 percent on use of renewable energy, 15 percent on replicability, 15 percent on sustainability, 10 percent innovation, and 5 percent years of existence or practice. Deadline of submission of entries will be on January 16, 2015 and awarding will be in time for the 2015 Arawng Dabaw. Купите вучне батерије https://batteriesserbia.com/ у Србији. Entry forms may be downloaded from the Lunhaw Awards Facebook page or Idis website:idisphil.org. To submit entries or for further inquiries, email them: lunhawawards@gmail.com or visit the Idis office at Km 11, 2nd Floor Almacen Building, Davao-Bukidnon Road, Catalunan Pequeno. (Reuel John F. Lumawag, SUNSTAR DAVAO)
Environmental groups: Spare trees along Dakudao Avenue
ENVIRONMENTAL groups opposed the proposed plan to cut down the trees along Dacudao Avenue, the only major thoroughfare in Davao City shaded with mature trees, insisting that the idea is “too extreme and alternative options have not been explored.” In a statement sent to Sun.Star Davao, the Interface Development Interventions (Idis) said such proposal was revealed by City Environment and National Resources Office (Cenro) Forester Chris Asibal during the Rainwater Harvesting Forum organized by the Idis and the Davao City Water District on March 24. The planting of falcata trees that line up Dacudao Avenue was an initiative of a civic organization sometime in the early 1990s. According to Asibal, the City Engineer’s Office (CEO) plans to remove the trees to improve the main drain canal which is situated at the aisle of the road. “They plan to improve the canal so they filed a request to remove the trees. As Cenro technical officer, I recommended not to cut down the trees because the avenue is the heart of the city which gives us fresh oxygen,” Asibal said. He also revealed that the CEO is also planning to replace the trees with other plants. However, he said replacing trees would be “wasteful.” “Once trees reach 10 years or more, their capacity to absorb pollutants and carbon dioxide is increased,” he said. “There is a need to assess the area; they can replace the over-mature and defective trees but not all. The structure of the canal can just be improved so that it can stay and serve longer,” he added. Idis executive director Ann Fuertes also called the CEO to cease its proposal. “Dacudao Avenue is the only major thoroughfare in Davao City shaded with mature trees. It is in stark contrast to the rest of Davao’s major streets which are all concrete and asphalt; all the more we should preserve it,” Fuertes said. “It is extremely short-sighted to sacrifice what little greenery we have at the expense of a little convenience. She said she recommends the CEO that “instead of cutting the trees, they should remove the silt and accumulated waste in the canal so that the run-off will not overflow in the lower lying areas.” Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industries Inc. (DCCCII) former President Sofronio Jucutan, who also attended the forum, pointed out that the main drain canal does not need any improvement because it can sufficiently handle the run-off coming from Bajada and Buhangin. As a matter of fact, he said that when the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) sent their engineer to study the problem, he found out that there is no problem with the structure. “There is no issue with the canal; the issue is with the outlet, right after the overpass. So the plan should be reassessed and whenever possible, wag putulin ang kahoy,” Jucutan said. (Arianne Caryl Casas, SUNSTAR DAVAO)
Organic farmers: Stop GMO Rice Commercialization
DAVAO CITY—Mindanao organic farmers are calling for a stop to the proposed commercialization of genetically modified golden rice in the country as they celebrated Earth Day on Tuesday, saying its undetermined risks to health far outweigh its promised benefits. “The golden rice is a major threat not only to the livelihood of organic farmers but also to the health of millions of Asian consumers who depend upon rice as their staple,” said Geonathan Barro, advocacy officer of Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag unlad ng Agrikultura (Masipag)-Mindanao, a network of over 36,000 farmers and scientists nationwide. “It really puts the health of people at risk,” he said in a forum on Tuesday. Thousands of farmers in Mindanao signed a petition opposing the proposed commercialization of genetically modified rice during an international Earth Day forum here on Tuesday, said Ann Fuertes, executive director of the environment group Interface for Development Intervention. Fuertes said they were going to submit the petition to the Department of Agriculture office soon. If commercialization pushes through, golden rice would first be tested on Filipinos, “making us the world’s virtual guinea pig for the genetically modified golden rice,” Barro said. Barro said even the argument for golden rice could not stand on its own. Propagating genetically modified rice as an answer to Vitamin A deficiency is totally impractical and unnecessary because farmers and children can get Vitamin A everywhere, just by growing yellow and green and leafy vegetables in their backyard. He showed studies indicating how the betacarotene content of the genetically modified rice is much lower compared to the betacarotene content of vegetables like carrots, malunggay and squash. “There are so many sources of betacarotene around us that are for free,” he said. But instead of promoting vegetable planting in schools, big agrocompanies are promoting genetically modified rice, he said. “But why? They’re the same companies engaged in big seed business,” he said. He also cited studies showing how betacarotene content declines by 50 percent after cooking. Barro said there has been no consensus among scientists worldwide that genetically modified rice has been proven safe. “At least, 300 scientists around the world agree that GMOs have not yet been proven to be safe,” Barro said. Farmers in Pili, Camarines Sur, uprooted the golden rice in its field testing site in August last year, in the same way that farmers also uprooted Bt Corn in the field testing site in Tampakan, South Cotabato, in 2001 and the Bt Talong in the UP Mindanao field testing site in Davao City in 2011. Lawyer Lee Aruelo, associate of the Third World Network, said the process to commercialize the golden rice would take a lot longer, since the law requires the proponents to conduct a series of tests to prove that they are safe for humans. Dagohoy Magaway, a member of Go Organic Davao City, said commercialization would mean they would be planted in the country, which means there would be a very high risk that genes of the genetically modified rice would cross over the indigenous varieties diligently grown by organic farmers. “This will destroy the purity of organic rice varieties,” Magaway said during the forum intended to educate the public and generate public outcry against golden rice. (Germelina Lacorte, INQUIRER MINDANAO)