Climate Change/Environment

COTABATO CITY – Maguindanao’s provincial board placed the entire province under a state of calamity on Wednesday due to floods that submerged 105 villages in at least 13 municipalities.

Maguindanao Vice Governor Bai Ainee Sinsuat said the declaration was recommended by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (PDDRMO).

Sinsuat said the floods have affected 105 barangays out of Maguindanao’s 508 villages and displaced 46,922 families or 234,610 individuals in 36 towns.

KORONADAL CITY - Commissioner Edilberto Leonardo of the National Police Commission wants more “environmentalists” in the Philippine National Police to help push the government’s environment-protection efforts forward.

Radio reports Monday said Leonardo shared his wish to participants to a multi-sector mangrove planting activity in Maasim town in Sarangani last July 29.

A report from the Sarangani provincial government’s information office also quoted Leonardo as saying that what he wants are more of “makakalikasan” cops in the ranks of the PNP.

KORONADAL CITY – At least 100 families were evacuated to safer grounds when a flash floods caused by a heavy downpour submerged five exterior barangays in this city on Wednesday evening.

Cyrus Urbano, chief of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, said Thursday many of the evacuees came from the hardest hit barangay Cacub that experienced a life-threatening flood.

“In Cacub, 55  flash flood affected families are now temporarily staying in their barangay gymnasium. Crops and infrastructures were also destroyed,” Urbano said.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – An official of the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS) in Sarangani province warned Friday of an impending outbreak of the Crown of Thorns (COTS) starfish in the waters of Glan town.

“If not immediately controlled, it would most likely affect the livelihood of fishermen in the area,” Cirilo Lagnason Jr., SBPS deputy protected area superintendent, said in an interview.

The coastal town of Glan in the southern part of the province is still reeling from the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

KIDAPAWAN CITY - DAhil sa halos kalahating araw na pag-ulan sa North Cotabato, nakaranas ng pagbaha ang ilang bayan, kabilang na ang Magpet at Makilala.

Kasalukuyan pang ginagawa ng Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO-Cotabato) ang assessment sa mga lugar at mamamayang apektado ng pagbaha.

May mga ilog na umapaw at binaha ang mga low lying communities sa gilid nito.

KORONADAL CITY - A Catholic bishop in South Cotabato welcomed Friday the governor’s decision to veto a measure allowing open-pit mining in the province, but called on the public to remain vigilant.

Bishop Cerilo Casicas of the Marbel diocese said there is reason to celebrate but they aren’t letting their guards down.

“We remain vigilant until the present threat to amend the lifting of the open-pit mining ban is completely done,” Casicas said in a press conference.

Amended Environment code na naglift ng Open-pit mining ban sa South Cotabato na-veto ni Gov. Tamayo

Napagdesisyunan ni South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. na i-veto ang amended Environment Code na nag-lift ng open-pit mining ban sa lalawigan.

Paliwanag ni Tamayo tila minadali kasi ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan ang pag-amend sa ordinansa sa hindi nito malamang dahilan.

Kaya ayon kay Tamayo gusto niya itong ibalik sa konseho.

Dagdag pa ni Tamayo, dahil naka-recess ngayon ang Sangguniang panlalawigan, pag-aaralan na ng susunod na mga myembro ng SP.

COTABATO CITY  – Flash floods and rampaging waters spawned by heavy downpour on Sunday has affected a major bridge in Lutayan, Sultan Kudarat that links the province to South Cotabato.

Movements of commuters, vehicles and goods were suspended as the some of the foundation of a concrete bridge gave way Sunday night.

Commuters were surprised to see Monday morning a damaged bridge in Barangay Manili, Lutayan.

Weather disturbances on Sunday triggered flash floods and minor landslides in many areas in the Soccsksargen region.

ISANG PATAY NA babaeng dugong or sea cow ang natagpuan sa baybayin ng Barangay Kinudalan, Lebak, Sultan Kudarat Province.

Natagpuan ito ng mga residente at kaagad namang ipinabigay alam sa Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO).

Inaalam pa ang dahilan ng pagkamatay nito.

Ang dugong ay may haba na 106 inches (head to tail) at timbang na abot sa 110 kilograms.

Ang hayop ay kabilang sa endangered species o malapit ng maubos sa kalikasan.

KORONADAL CITY – The South Cotabato government has created a Technical Working Group (TWG) to study the Sangguniang Panlalawigan's (SP) amendment to the province's environment code that lifted the open-pit mining ban.

In an interview Friday, South Cotabato Governor Reynaldo Tamayo Jr. said his decision on whether to veto or not the lifting of the open-pit mining ban will depend on the TWG’S recommendations.

Tamayo said he has yet to receive the amended ordinance.