DENR Photo release: World water Day 2011

Ensuring clean water. DENR Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus Fragada addresses participants to the National Executive and Legislative Dialogue in observance of World Water Day on March 22, 2011. He points out the importance of keeping the watershed system in good condition to ensure a stable supply of clean water for all. Presently the DENR is implementing the National Greening Program which aims to plant at least 1.5 billion trees in some 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016. (Photo by JESSEL BASANTA)

Provincial-LGU, NGO conducts 4-day community-based DRR planning/workshop for high risks barangays in Sorsogon

News Release

Provincial-LGU, NGO conducts 4-day community-based DRR planning/workshop for high risks barangays in Sorsogon

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, March 22 (PIA) – A four-day live-in Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Contingency Planning/ Workshop for members of Barangay Development Council/Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee has formally started at El Retiro Brgy. Cabid-an, this city, on March 21 and is set to finish on March 24, Thursday.

Sorsogon Provincial Disaster Risk Management Office (SPRDMO) Information Officer Von Labalan said that the planning-workshop was organized by the provincial government of Sorsogon through the PDRMO in partnership with the Green Valley Development Program/World Vision, an active combined non-government forces that have long been partners of the government in its disaster response efforts.

“Some 70 participants from ten barangays that are considered vulnerable to various hazards including Embarcadero and Binanhuan in Juban town, Timbayog and Sumalot in Casiguran, Pili and Hubo in Magallanes, San Eugenio and La Espreranza in Santa Magdalena, and Gimaloto and Cabarbuhan in Sorsogon City including their respective Municipal Information Officers joined the said planning-workshop to make themselves equipped with well-built capacities, preparedness and strategies appropriate in giving response every time calamities occur,” said Labalan.

Sangguniang Panlalawigan Member and Climate Change Adaptation Chairman Honorable Benito Doma in his opening message assured the participants of the availability of the government to assist affected communities. “However, nothing is best but for each community to know how to stand independently every after a calamity and not at all times dependent to the government,” he stressed out.

Phivolcs Bicol resident volcanologist Ed Laguerta also shared his expertise and ardently discussed the importance of early warning to avert further damage to life and properties. He also presented the Philippine Vulnerability Map showing the geographically prone areas to typhoons, volcanic activities and tsunamis including active faults and trenches specifically in the Bicol region and discuss as well, important facts about earthquakes and its destructive effects.

Laguerta also explained why there are areas that are hardly hit by volcanic explosions and the scientific details of Mt. Bulusan’s recent activities, as well as the necessary precautions that affected residents must do.

Jun Pantoja of Juban DOST-Pagasa synoptic station, meanwhile, said that bad weather condition is but a natural phenomenon. “It will happen and no one can stop it, but we can prepare for it,” he added.

Pantoja discussed the Science of Meteorology that explains weather and climate. “And due to the continuous La Niña episode, it is normal that the country will experience wet summer,” he said.

He also explained to the participants how to forecast weather and the weather causing phenomena such as thunderstorms, lightning, tornado, hail, inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ), cold front, tropical cyclones, south-west and north-east monsoons, low and high pressure weather systems, storm surge and the necessary precautions that should be done.

Issues on global warming and climate change were also discussed by the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office through its representative Dante Bonos. “Weather and climate are affected by greenhouse gases and the global warming which is said to be caused by human activities triggers various calamities and disasters, which are now experienced elsewhere in the world,” he said.

At the end of the planning-workshop, participants are expected to make a hazard map and craft a Barangay Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Plans with a clear emergency preparedness, communication and strategic evacuation. (PIA Sorsogon)

Sorsogon Bay now free of red tide contamination

News Release

Sorsogon Bay now free of red tide contamination

By: Bennie A. Recebido

Sorsogon City, March 23 (PIA) – After barely eight months of waiting and craving for shellfishes, residents here particularly those dependent to shellfish industry from Sorsogon Bay have now reason to celebrate following the declaration of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) that Sorsogon Bay is now free of the Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP).

This means, all marine products from the said bay are now safe for human consumption and can already be harvested, transported and sold.

BFAR’s Shellfish Bulletin No. 7 dated March 21, 2011, finally remove Sorsogon Bay from the list of areas positive for red tide toxin.

Shellfih Bulletin says only Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental and the coastal waters of Bolinao and Anda in Pangasinan are positive of PSP which is beyond the regulatory limit.

It can be noted that on March 2010, Sorsogon Bay was declared negative of  PSP but again recorded a high toxicity level beyond the tolerable limit of 60 microgram per 100 grams of shellfish meat in July 2010 prompting authorities to hoist anew a total shellfish ban.

Meanwhile, prior to the declaration of Sorsogon bay as free from red tide toxin, BFAR has declared ahead Juag Lagoon free of the deadly toxin on September 9, 2010 to present. The new declaration now clears all waters of the province from the threats of PSP.

BFAR in its advisory, however, maintains its call to the public in spite of the new declaration to continuously keep an eye and regularly monitor latest development and announcements on the condition of Sorsogon Bay and Juag Lagoon as well.  “The public has also to ensure their own safety by cleaning well the fishes and shellfish before cooking them well and make sure that the sea foods they are going to cook are fresh,” the advisory further says. (PIA Sorsogon)

4-day community-based DRR planning/workshop sa high risks barangay sa Sorsogon isinasagawa

Tagalog News Release

Sorsogon City, March 22 (PIA) – Pormal nang nagsimula kahapon ang apat na araw na live-in Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction Contingency Planning/ Workshop para sa mga kasapi ng Barangay Development Council/Barangay Disaster Risk Reduction Management Committee.

Pinangunahan ang planning-workshop ng pamahalaang panlalawigan ng Sorsogon sa pamamagitan ng Provincial Disaster Risk Management Office at sa pakikipag-tulungan ng Green Valley Development Program/World Vision.

Magiging kalahok sa gagawing pagsasanay ang mga kinatawan mula sa tig-dadalawang high risk barangays ng mga bayan ng Casiguran, Juban, Magallanes, Sta. Magdalena at Sorsogon City.

Layunin ng pagsasanay na maturuan ang bawat komunidad ng mga dapat nilang malaman sa mga patakaran ng Community-Based Disaster Risk Management na tampok sa RA 10121.

Sa pamamagitan ng aktibidad, nais din ng mga organizers na  pagyamanin ang kaalaman, kakayahan at kapasidad ng mga kalahok ukol sa pagbawas sa panganib dulot ng mga sakuna, kahandaan sa pagtugon, pangangasiwa at ang pagbalangkas ng isang Barangay Disaster Preparedness and Contingency Plans na mayroong malinaw na uri ng maagap na babala, pagsasagawa ng komunikasyon at pamamaraan ng paglikas.

Ang aktibidad na isinasagawa sa El Retiro, barangay Cabidan, Sorsogon City ay magtatagal hanggang sa Huwebes, March 24, 2011. (BARecebido/VLabalan/PIA Sorsogon)

Tulong para sa special children ng SPES natanggap na

Tulong para sa special children ng SPES natanggap na

Ni: Francisco B. Tumalad, Jr.

Sorsogon City, March 22 (PIA) – Malugod na tinanggap ni Gng. Virginia Diaz principal ng Sorsogon East Central School noong Huwebes ang sampung libong pisong cash bilang tulong sa mga mag-aaral nitong may kapansanan.

Ang cah assistance na iniabot ni Grace Boca, kinatawan ng Padaba – FM radio station ay ang nalikom na halaga matapos ang ginawang Alay Lakad na tinaguriang “All About Love” noong March 5, 2011.

Matatandaang nagkaroon ng kasunduan o MOA ang Department of Education City Schools Division sa pamamagitan ng City Schools Division Superintendent Virgilio Real, Sorsogon east Central School sa pamumuno ni school principal Virginia Diaz at pamunuan ng DWOL-Padaba station sa pamamagitan ng station manager nitong si Robert Garcia upang bigyang tulong ang mga batang may kapansanan ng SPES sa pamamagitan ng “All About Love” Alay Lakad.

Nakasaad sa kasunduan na lahat ng malilikom na halaga mula sa mga pledges at registration ay ipambibili ng mga kagamitan ng mga mag-aaral sa tatlong section ng SPED center tulad ng mesa, visual aids at ilan pang kakulangang kagamitan.

Sa pamamagitan ng suporta ng iba’t-ibang mga private at government sector ay matagumpay na naisakatuparan ito dahilan upang makalikom ng sampung libong piso.

Labis-labis naman ang ipinaabot na pasasalamat ng principal, SPED teachers at maging magulang ng mga batang may kapansanan sa lahat ng mga bumuo, nagplano at sumuporta sa isinagawang Alay Lakad dahilan upang mabigyan sila ng cash assistance na aniya’y malaking tulong para sa pag-aaral ng kanilang special children. (PIA Sorsogon)