Reforestation revives ‘baboy ihalas’ population in Davao watershed
MEMBERS of the Bantay Bukid, a Watershed Management Council (WMC)-deputized forest guard volunteer group, have reported frequent sightings of the native wild pigs along the slopes of Mt. Tipolog, in Barangay Tawantawan, in the Panigan-Tamugan Watershed. “In previous years, we have rarely seen the baboy ihalas in these parts. Now, we encounter them frequently, especially when we conduct our regular inspection trek of Mt. Tipolog,” said Stephen Matondo, Bagobo tribal elder and Bantay Bukid team leader for the Sumpitan area. The Philippine warty pig, Sus philippinensis, is categorized by the International Union of Conservation for Nature (IUCN) as a Vulnerable species due to habitat loss, over-hunting and genetic hybridization.
Envi group urges Dabawenyos to save rainwater
DAVAO CITY- The Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) urged Dabawenyos to take advantage of the rainy season by harvesting rainwater for household use. The local government passed a Davao City Rainwater Ordinance in 2009, mandating the establishment of rainwater catching systems (RCS) in newly built residences and buildings. The policy was formulated to promote the storage and usage of rainwater for non-potable use.
Take advantage of rainy season, catch rainwater
DAVAO CITY—An environmental group has appealed to residents to take advantage of the wet season “by harvesting rainwater for household use.” “Harvesting rainwater for domestic or industrial use will lessen our water-utility bills, since we won’t waste drinking water for flushing toilets, cleaning households or for watering gardens,” said Mark Penalver, policy advocacy specialist of the Interface Development Interventions (Idis), a non-governmental representative to the city government-formed Watershed Management Council. Penalver said the stored water from the rains “can reduce the effects of storm water peak flow and surface runoff.” “Imagine if every building in the city has a rain-catching storage, there will be less flooding in the streets and less erosion of floodwater canals,” Penalver said.
How to save water? Harvest rainwater
DAVAO CITY – An environmental group urges residents here to save water by harvesting rainwater and storing it for household chores. Mark Penalver policy advocacy specialist of the Interface Development Interventions (Idis) said “harvesting rainwater for domestic or industrial use will lessen our water utility bills since we won’t waste drinking water for flushing toilets, cleaning households or for watering gardens.” The local government passed a Davao City Rainwater Ordinance in 2009, mandating the establishment of rainwater catching systems (RCS) in newly built residences and buildings. The policy was formulated to promote the storage and usage of rainwater for non-potable use.
Ban of GMOs in Davao pushed
Councilor Rachel Zozobrado, the City Agriculturist Office and environmental groups joined calls for the city council to totally ban Genetically Modified Organism (GMO) starting with GM hybrid corn in the city and support thrust in promoting Organic Agriculture. “If it is ok with the mayor (Rodrigo Duterte) to totally ban GMO then we will push for that since there are already cities and municipalities doing that,” Zozobrado said in an interview during the Policy Forum on “Protecting the Rights of Organic Agriculture Practitioners in Davao City Against GMO Contamination” held yesterday in the city. The Forum, which was initiated by the City Agriculturist Office and Go Organic Davao, tackled the various threats posed by GMOs not only to the environment but also to health and to the livelihood of farmers. The call to ban GMO was triggered after white corn called “sige-sige” is reported widely planted in Davao City, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, North Cotabato, South Cotabato, Bukidnon, Sarangani, and Agusan del Sur.
Group warns GMO contamination of Mindanao cornfields
DAVAO CITY – Groups advocating organic farming worry on the possible contamination of cornfields in Mindanao after a study conducted by farmers’ group Magsasaka at Siyentipiko para sa Pag-unlad ng Agrikultura (Masipag) showed a white corn variety in Bukidnon tested positive with the genetically modified Round-up Ready (RR corn) hybrid traits. The study was conducted on sige-sige corn samples in September last year by Masipag Mindanao. A similar test was reportedly conducted by the non-government environmental organization, Greenpeace, which had similar results. Go-Organic Davao City (GODC) said Sige-sige refers to a white corn variety in which the seed can be used again during successive planting seasons.