DENR Seeks Strict Measures vs. Smoke Belchers

DENR Seeks Strict Measures vs. Smoke Belchers
Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/
By: Agence France-Presse
INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has called on local government officials of Metro Manila to get tough on smoke-belching vehicles to bring air pollution to safer levels.

In a statement, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza said air pollution in Metro Manila has stayed above the recommended limits of world health authorities largely because of the increase in the number of motor vehicles.

Based on studies by the DENR’s Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), the average Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) in the National Capital Region (NCR) dropped from 160 micrograms of pollutants per normal cubic meters (ug/Ncm) to 132 ug/Ncm in 2007. But the national ambient air quality standard is 90 ug/Ncm.

Last year’s TSP number for the NCR was at 138 ug/Ncm.

Atienza said air quality in Metro Manila was improving but it was not yet within the recommended health standard.

“These numbers are still beyond the guideline set by the World Health Organization (WHO),” Atienza said.

TSP is a collective term used for very small solid particles coming from emissions of diesel-fed engines, power plants, wood stoves including open burning, and dust from unpaved roads and construction areas.

Atienza stressed that local governments are tasked under the Local Government Code and the Philippine Clean Air Act to improve air quality within their respective jurisdictions.

“The management of our air quality is not the exclusive mandate of the DENR. It is a shared responsibility among concerned national agencies, local government units, as well as the people,” Atienza said.

He said the role of the local governments is “most critical” since it can pass and enforce ordinances against open burning and smoke-belching vehicles.

According to Land Transportation Office statistics, the number of motor vehicles in the country doubled from 2.5 million in 2003 to 5.53 million in 2007. Alcuin Papa

Complete URL Address:
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DENR Halts Issuance of Tree Cutting Permits

Source: http://www.gmanews.tv/
By: Kimberly Jane T. Tan
GMANews.TV

MANILA, Philippines -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will no longer issue tree-cutting permits to preserve the remaining vegetative cover of the country.

Instead, proponents will be issued tree balling permits instead so they can transplant the trees in other areas, DENR Secretary Jose Atienza Jr. said.

“We are making it clear that we will not allow any cutting down of trees to give way to any development project anywhere in the country, even those covered by environmental compliance certificates (ECCs), mining permits or any other construction and development permits for that matter," Atienza said in a statement.

From now on, he said project developers and proponents must design their projects in accordance with the position of the trees in the area.

If clearing the area could not be avoided, Atienza said the affected trees shall be transferred to other areas through tree-balling.

During a recent consultation meeting, Atienza proposed a reduction in the number of days allotted for the processing of ECC and certificate of non-coverage (CNC) by removing the unnecessary requirements blocking investments into the country.

He also announced the strengthening of the DENR’s capability in monitoring environmental compliance of projects by securing the active participation of NGOs, people'" organizations and other stakeholders in multipartite monitoring teams that will be established for each project.

The Philippines has a land area of 30 million hectares.

But the DENR’s Forest Management Bureau said that while close to 16 million hectares of the land is categorized as forest land, only 7.2 million hectares remain actual forested areas as of 2003.

The DENR defines forests as areas measuring at least one-half hectare, where canopies of trees cover a minimum 10 percent of the territory concerned and where trees are least five meters high.

The DENR and Environmental Science for Social Change, Inc. have also previously said that the remaining hectares of primary forests have already been “heavily degraded."

It said that land use conversion, illegal logging, the slash-and-burn farming practice or kaingin, pests and diseases as well as forest fire as among causes of forest depletion.

Complete URL:
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Ninoy Aquino Park Eyed as Biodiversity Showcase

Source: http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/
By: “dave_dizon”
ABS-CBN News Online Beta

Manila, Philippines -- Environment Secretary Lito Atienza announced Monday plans to transform the Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Nature Center (NAPWNC) in Quezon City into a “biodiversity showcase” for Filipinos.

Atienza said his agency's plan is to make NAPWNC a “model biodiversity conservation area in an urban area,” where people, particularly the youth, can learn more about Philippine biodiversity and appreciate the necessity of protecting such.

“We have long taken great pride in our wealth of flora and fauna. We have more than 14,000 species of plants. Of these, 9,000 are flowering. Worldwide, we rank fifth in the number of plant species. We also rank fourth in bird endemism, which means that these birds are found only in the Philippines. And we rank fifth in mammal endemism,” Atienza said in a statement.

"If NAPWNC is developed properly, environmental awareness of park visitors will be enhanced. We want the public to feel the visit to the park as both enjoyable and relaxing and a learning experience,” he added.

Atienza recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Palafox Associates, represented by its founder, managing partner and principal architect Felino Palafox, to facilitate the preparation of the NAPWNC Conceptual Master Plan that will include detailed site engineering, landscape architectural design and urban design.

According to Atienza, around 3,000 species of trees that thrive in the country are found inside the park, 100 of which are endemic to the country, such as narra, molave, kamagong and ipil. For flora and fauna which could not thrive in the NAPWNC, Atienza said pictures of those species will be displayed instead.

Anti-pollution interventions and better recreational facilities will likewise be introduced in the park, the DENR chief said, adding that “it (NAPWNC) is going to be a model for environment showcases that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources plans to establish outside Metro Manila.”

Atienza said the DENR already began initial consultations with several local planners to generate ideas that can be included in the agency's proposed master development plan for NAPWNC.

"We're targeting to finish the plan within four months so development work can commence as soon as possible," he said.

NAPWNC, a favorite weekend site for families and an educational spot for students, boasts of wide picnic grounds, a lagoon and a wildlife rescue center where some of the country's endangered and/or threatened species of wildlife are undergoing rehabilitation and care.
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Envt'l. Grp. Seek Halt of High-risk Projects in Marikina watershed

Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/
By: Alcuin Papa
Philippine Daily Inquirer

MANILA, Philippines — An environmental group urged the government on Friday to stop high-risk projects within the Marikina watershed that might endanger the lives of residents living in the area.

In a statement, the EcoWaster Coalition said all land conversion and waste disposal activities within the watershed may lead to disasters like landslides.

The appeal was made just as the country observes Disaster Awareness Month this July.

“The massive land conversion of the Marikina watershed and the mountains of Rizal is putting families in danger, especially those living near riverbanks and mountain slopes,” warned Noli Abinales of Buklod Tao, a community-based organization based in San Mateo, Rizal.

“As the country is in the brink of more climatic disasters due to global warming, we are appealing to the DENR to act quickly and stop the further destruction of the environment.”

The group also asked Environment Secretary Lito Atienza to supplement environmental management programs by integrating disaster prevention modules to enhance the protection of citizens living in high-risk disaster areas like San Mateo.

In a 2000 study conducted by the National Institute for Geological Studies of the University of the Philippines, it was revealed that the surrounding mountains of San Mateo are classified as Zone 1 or high risk for landslides and “mass wasting.”

Also, an environmental constraint map of San Mateo showed 13 of the town’s 15 barangays as prone to flooding, the group said.

Buklod Tao laid the blame on powerful corporations engaged in housing projects and quarry operations who they said were leveling the mountains of Rizal for years.

For his part, Rei Panaligan of the EcoWaste Coalition assailed the construction of a new “sanitary” landfill in San Mateo that could contaminate the water supply with leachate, the toxic “garbage juice” which forms within waste materials.

Execs to tackle global warming in La Union conference

Source: http://businessmirror.com.ph
Wednesday, 24 June 2009
By Jonathan L. Mayuga / Correspondent
BusinessMirror online

TO address the problems and challenges posed by global warming and climate change, career-service executives in La Union are sponsoring a climate change summit on June 25 in time for the national celebration of Arbor Day at the Oasis Resort in San Fernando City, La Union.

The move was lauded by Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, who described it as an important strategy to communicate on a wider scale the issues relating to climate change.

“Making people understand the underlying facts about the problem is already half a battle won since the people will be ultimate implementers of the things that need to be done to address climate change.”

Dubbed Career Executive Service-Creative Innovations and Reforms for Committed Leadership and Effectiveness Forum: Usaping Global Warming, the summit is in response to President Arroyo’s call to support the government’s various environment programs, particularly those geared toward addressing climate change, said Washington Agustin, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority director and president of NUCESO/Association of Regional Executives, which is organizing the event.

Atienza was invited to grace the occasion, along with former Environment secretary, now chairman of Earth Day Network Philippines Elisea “Bebet” Gozun and Environment Undersecretary for Legal, Finance and Administration Atty. Mary Ann Lucille Sering. The forum will revolve on the science of climate change, its impact to the Philippines, and the country’s response to climate change.

Department of Environment and Natural Resources regional executive director Corazon Davis said the forum is part of the celebration of the Philippine Environment Month and the World Environment Day, which has for its theme “Your Planet Needs Yo-Unite to Combat Climate Change.”

“The bad news about climate change is the fact that it is the most threatening of all environmental problems facing humanity today. The good news is that we know the root causes of global warming and climate change, and that our experts on this matter have been guiding us on what to do to mitigate its impact as well as how to adapt to it,” Atienza said.

Atienza said that while the problem of climate change is global in nature, there are measures that every single individual on earth can do at his or her level, which when taken collectively, can have far-reaching effect to mitigate global warming and climate change. He cited tree planting, waste segregation, recycling and waste reduction as examples of measures that can easily be done even by children.