by admin | Oct 21, 2015 | Headlines, National News
MANILA October 20, (PIA)—Lessening the tension of fishing and opening up alternatives to fish-bank and reduce pressure on the overburdened sea is a direction the Provincial Government picked as moves to highlight in fish conservation ripple across the province.
Overfishing and the recent spate of calamities hitting Bohol’s crucial fishing communities delivered the coup de grace for fisheries which has been allegedly burdened by diminishing catch, unsustainable harvest fishing and environmentally destructive methods, according to fishery stakeholders as shared by EcoFISH project through Aniceta Gulayan.
And to this, fishery sector chief of the office of the Provincial Agriculture Remedios Regacho said the earthquake of 2103 and the series of typhoons hitting coastal communities in Bohol triggered the flow of government assistance for communities.
For Bohol fisheries and the goal to lessen fishing pressure, the earthquake rehabilitation assistance project as well as the Yolanda, Queenie, Ruby and Seniang, the government looked at the issue of fish conservation as opening up alternatives.
Regacho shared that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources funded in Bohol the restoration of ruined seaweeds farms which the three last quarter storms ravished.
She reasoned out that the OPA believes if people have seaweed farms to tend, we urge people to farm than fish.
About 64 people’s organizations received seaweed planting materials as well as technical support for the rehabilitation of ruined farms, she narrated.
Moreover, in areas in Talibon, Loon, Tagbilaran, Candijay, Dauis and Panglao, the government handed in 50 fish cages while it also supported the fish supply of bangus fry for the cages, she said.
Even then, the fishery sector chief revealed that BFAR also handed tilapia and bangus fingerlings even as BFAR Bohol officer-in-Charge Leo Bongalos said they also hands in certificates of awards to cross-matched Department of Social Welfare and Development to Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program beneficiaries.
All we need to have are these fishermen 4Ps beneficiaries registering in the national fisheries registration so we could get the assistance going their way, Bongalos explained at Kapihan s PIA on fish conservation last week.
For generations, our idea of fisheries is still that of a hunter, who may end up after a day with nothing for the table, this idea of fish farming and fish production elevates us from the crude time to a more organized human community, BFAR said. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Oct 21, 2015 | National News
The Philippines had two calamities sweeping across it yesterday. Storm Lando did not come unannounced.
Since its presence got into the weather watch radars, people did not believe it packs something as dangerous as its doomsday prophets project.
Every local government unit swore they knew what this typhoon packed in its over 600 kilometer cloud cover.
Everyone of them also professed they warned communities of the impending threat: real or imagined.
That still however resulted to millions of people evacuated, billions of agricultural losses and at least 18 deaths.
Then on the same day, a friend texted us about the earthquake happening in Manila.
No, it was not the feared Big One. It was even way too little some people in the city literally walked through it. Those on pretty stable positions however perceived the movement and smirked.
Seconds later, people spilled into the buildings corridors, out to the streets, impervious to the usual protocols that must be activated in cases like this.
The earthquake drills that they showed on television and documented on newspapers hardly happened. Hotels and residential tall edifices did not stir. Hotel and establishment workers did not shift to alarm mode. All they did was just allow people to slide back to normalcy.
Good no one was reported hurt as the earthquake which occurred in Looc Mindoro was too far out at sea and did not trigger the Marikina fault.
Of the two incidents, one gave us a preview of what would be the people’s response to a government warning during a storm.
Another gave us an idea how useless this educating people have become, especially for a threat like the big earthquake.
There is however a bigger and more calamitous event from these two unfortunate incidents happening a day.
When these popped up in the same day, no less than the government cashed in on it like it allegedly did during the past calamities. It has been proven to work in deaths. Now this must be like it.
On national television, we had flooding victims, people rendered homeless by Pablo’s wrath. They lined up for food and social relief.
And we had presidential candidate Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo roro-ing their way into the deluge sheepishly handling out food stuffs.
There should be nothing wrong with it if both were not filing for any posts. And if this government had opted for a non-political entity dishing out food packs.
But Roxas has ceased to be the Interior and Local Government Secretary and, the allegedly meek and mild Robredo has just morphed into that dish-rag of a trapo.
You see, if she did hand goods for her brother Bicolanos, it can be overlooked as human nature.
But she knows it is going to draw her flak and she still did it because her party is that which dances to the upbeat of death and suffering.
In a country where its leaders profess to stick it to the rule of law, and simply thrashes an election law flaw, because it does not apply to them is an incident sadder than sorry.
We have just created a calamitous situation when our aspiring leaders can as casually toss the law. Now, would you expect the people to believe in the government’s fair warning?
by admin | Oct 19, 2015 | Editorial
We have seen it happen and are seeing it again now.
Every time a storm threatens to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility, we know something would be up and every tourism stakeholder would be crossing their fingers again.
A storm entering the PAR would almost always mean flight cancellations and suspension of sea trips.
This has always been bad for Bohol, who broadcasts to the whole world that it is a tourism paradise which aspires to feed its economy with the revenues the industry generates.
Then, the shippers and sea travelers also hold their breaths. You see, a storm-induced flight or sea travel cancellation nullifies the carrier’s responsibilities. This also burdens the traveler with the discomfort of losing another holiday, and everything which he has invested in a much sought after dream vacation.
Well, for some of them, the sound of a storm brewing in the Pacific is enough to get them the latest updates from orld weather watchers and bulletins.
The wonders of today’s technology however prove to be so much for the world. Less.
The changes brought about by today’s climate makes science seem like a dart game where players hit more or less.
And when the national weather bureau failed to declare a gale warning while the coast guard saw fit to suspend trips, all the more people got confused. The Coast guard is also so mandated to call the shots when they see waves making sea trips by small crafts dangerous.
Fast crafts, Bohol’s aces on the sleeves headed off to safe harbors while the angry seas played to the stirring tempests.
But the planes, only very few are affected.
Which really states one thing. This is that which we have been saying since then.
Bohol’s precarious position in beckoning tourists can be as fickle. An inclement weather is all it takes to make this position sour.
Which pushes us to reiterate that which we have been insisting that should happen to Bohol.
While Panglao Airport is still in the beginning stages of construction and the only visible work done on it is the agitation it has caused tourism stakeholders, the need for Tagbilaran emergency apron to operate is in dire.
When planes are the only link of Bohol to the outside world when the seas get rough, then Bohol must assert to fortify this link.
Election season may be bad time for this, but it may also be a good time.
When election gives politicians the perfect reason to keep off projects, it is also elections when people can force politicians to perform better than ordinary.
So, when local leaders can always have elections as reasons for non-performing, voters can also compel politicians to finally work.
And let’s not keep the waiting, waiting.
by admin | Oct 19, 2015 | National News
MANILA, October 19, (PIA)—To make marine resources sustainable, the government opens up option for fishermen to sell their catch which may be on the stage of spawning.
Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) through Leo Bongalos said the government is offering to buy bycatch which have been found to be spawning, the price is that of its market value.
The move, according to the BFAR is in support of the effort to keep the these resources into producing their offsprings by keeping them in laying pens to keep these fish or crustaceans into keeping its young.
This too as the government also implements close and open seasons for fish and crustaceans who are known to spawn in specific periods, Bongalos explained.
The government authorities have asked fishermen to release back to the sea whatever it is that they catch that shows signs of being pregnant or in the process of laying eggs.
But, at times when the gathering is low, and the only ones they get are spawning, there is always thus great chance that this becomes part of the fisherman’s meal.
We urge fishermen to turn over their spawning catch to the government laying pens in Sinandigan Ubay and in Calape, Bongalos appealed.
According to the BFAR, buying these based on the current market price earns for the fisherman and at the same time, allows the fish to complete the laying.
The BFAR however buys only those which are showing signs of good health and is still capable of hatching the eggs.
In the list of most common resource buy-outs are siganids and blue crabs, says BFAR Bohol.
The practice is also now becoming an innovation, coming after the sardines closed season implemented in the Visayan seas, BFAR, who talked about fish conservation explained. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
by admin | Oct 19, 2015 | Headlines, National News
MANILA, October 19, (PIA)—If you think somebody’s family is not on the Listahanan and should be there, you can actually get them in.
All you need to do is see the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) area supervisor who will be accepting information updates and inclusion or exclusion complaints ten days after the list is publicly posted in barangay halls, says DSWD.
This as the government agency is currently validatingListahanan, an information management system that would largely be the basis for upcoming government assistance to the country’s identified poor.
Compiled by its enumerators who have to personally see for themselves the conditions in reference to poverty to get the family into the list, Listahanan is the common name for the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), which the DSWD updated recently, according to information officer KerwinMacopia at the Kapihansa PIA.
After ten days when the list gets posted at the barangay halls, DSWD area supervisors would be visiting the area and would be accepting complaints, he explained.
The DSWD is looking at helping 232,000 families with the Listahanan giving a face to poverty.
Complaints however may be inclusion or exclusion errors, which still could happen especially in urban areas where the surveys are largely concentrated in areas where there are noticeable pockets of poverty, he candidly admits.
When the area supervisors come, they bring with them forms which they will fill based on the data from those information.
This form would be the basis for the Local Verification Committee to decide who gets in and who gets stripped off the list, according to the DSWD.
The Local Verification Committee consisting of the City or Municipal Mayor, Planning officer, social welfare officer and two representatives of local groups, will finalize the list before any help group can get to their target help beneficiaries. (rac/PIA-7/Bohol)
