Navy, cops intercept tanbark shipment in Zambo City

Zamboanga Times, Friday, June 10, 2011

Philippine Navy operatives backed by policemen intercepted Wednesday a shipment of a truckload of tanbark at a private pier in this city, a Navy official announced Thursday.

Naval Forces Western Mindanao (NFWM) chief Commodore Armando Guzman said the confiscated tanbark was just unloaded from a vessel, M/L Marwiza, which docked at Wee Bin wharf in Barangay Baliwasan.

Guzman said the truck, which was about to leave the private port, was loaded with 310 sacks of tanbark.
“The tanbark is to be delivered to an undetermined warehouse somewhere in this city which is now being located by the joint Navy and Police operatives,” he said.
He said the harvesting of tanbark has been outlawed in the Philippines since this tree bark when removed kills the mangrove trees.

Mangrove trees are important to the environment since they provide many diverse species of birds, mammals, crustacea, and fish a unique irreplaceable habitat.
Guzman disclosed that tanbark is commonly smuggled to Malaysia and Indonesia and is highly valued as a source of organic dye used in making batik cloth.

zamboangatimes.ph

26 missing fishermen rescued off Bolinao in Pangasinan

By Philippine News Agency
Interaksyon, Friday, June 10, 2011

LINGAYEN, Pangasinan - All the 26 fishermen earlier reported as missing when their fishing vessel sank on June 9 in the south China Sea were rescued Friday morning.

The crewmen of FV 3M Wolf, owned by Lucy Caranay of Masinloc, Zambales, were rescued by the combined Philippine Navy and Coast Guard at about 9:00 a.m. Friday.

This was based on the report relayed to the Police Provincial Office here by Wilfredo Castelo, Municipal Administrator of Bolinao town.

Also rescued were six other fishermen on board two light boats that were used as back ups of FV 3M Wolf when it was returning to the port of Bolinao. There were three fishermen in each boat, which drifted till they landed in two separate areas of Pangasinan.

One of the back up boats landed at 9:00 p.m. on June 9 at the Arena Point in Agno town and the other in Guiguiwanen, Bolinao, where the vessels were heading.

FV 3M Wolf was returning to Bolinao from a fishing expedition in the south China Sea when it met tropical depression "Dodong" while it was exiting in Pangasinan, causing it to sink 30 miles northwest of Bolinao.

A report of the Coast Guard said that at about 3:00 p.m. of June 9, the captain of the vessel, Dominiano Centeno, called them up and informed that their vessel was already sinking and was asking for rescue.

Rodrigo Caranay, operating manager of FV 3M Wolf, called on the Navy and Coast Guard for the immediate rescue of their vessels' crewmen.
The navy and coast guard mobilized their nearest floating assets with the aid of a helicopter in conducting immediate search and rescue operations.

interaksyon.com

Soldiers march under rain to practice celebration parade for 113 Years of Freedom

By PNA
Balita, Friday, June 10, 2011

MANILA, June 9 –- Although drenched in the rain dumped by tropical depression “Dodong,” soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) services held their rehearsal Thursday for the military-civic parade set on Sunday afternoon at the Quirino Grandstand in Manila in celebration of the 133 years of Philippine freedom and sovereignty.

“The AFP is in full participation as we rejoice together with the nation in commemorating the 113 years of our independence,” AFP Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo S.L. Oban Jr. said.

Following Thursday's rehearsal at the AFP General Headquarters parade grounds in Quezon City, another practice parade will be held at the Quirino Grandstand on Friday. This is part of AFP’s participation in the series of events that will highlight the June 12 celebration.

On Sunday, soldiers composed of one battalion each from the Philippine Army, AFP General Headquarters, Philippine Military Academy (PMA), Philippine Air Force, Philippine Navy and Composite Enlisted Women, and two battalions from the Peacekeeping Contingent and 121 personnel from the AFP Band will join the Kalayaan (freedom) Grand Parade at the Quirino Grandstand.

There will be over 100 military personnel carrying the Philippine Flag and the AFP Colors which consist of the AFP units’ flags.

Rear Admiral Orwen J. Cortez will lead as the parading elements’ troop commander.

On the same day, the AFP Philippine Marine Corps Drum and Bugle Team will have an exhibition, to be followed by the PMA Silent Drill Company of Class 2013.

The AFP will also be conducting a free public concert dubbed as “Musikalayaan” or music for peace at the Open Air Auditorium in Rizal Park, Manila on June 11, to be participated in by the uniformed bands of the Philippine Army and the Philippine Naval Construction Brigade.

“In the spirit of the Internal Peace and Security Plan (IPSP) Bayanihan, these activities exemplify our expression of great pride of our beloved country and to always bear in our mind the continuous pursuance of protecting the Filipino nation’s freedom and sovereignty,” Oban said.

balita.ph

Storm 'Dodong' kills 2 more, 27 fishermen missing

By Angelo L Guiterrez
Philippine Star, Friday, June 10, 2011

MANILA, Philippines - Two more persons have been confirmed killed and 27 fishermen remained missing today as tropical storm "Dodong" started to exit the Philippines.

The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) identified in its 6 a.m. report today the fatalities as 10-year-old Mark Daniel Ken Mateo of Batangas City, whose body was recovered 1 p.m. yesterday and Alejandra Mortel, 56 of Sitio Kabangan, Barangay Carmen, San Agustin town in Romblon.

Reports yesterday said three people in North Cotabato also died due to drowning.

The NDRRMC added in its report that 26 fishermen on board a boat were reported missing. It said that the boat was returning to Bolinao in Pangasinan when they were hit by strong waves.

The agency said that the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) immediately formed search and rescue teams after being informed of the missing boat, but could not launch an operation because of the bad weather condition yesterday. It said that the search and rescue teams will be deployed as soon as the sea calms down.

The NDRRMC said a Navy boat and a helicopter from the PCG will be deployed today to look for the missing fishermen.

Another fisherman identified as Marcel Baroga was also reported missing after a sea mishap involving a barge loaded with soya beans in waters off Sariaya, Quezon.

In a separate report, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said that "Dodong" intensified into a storm as it started to exit the Philippine area of responsibility (PAR).

PAGASA said that as of 4 a.m., the storm was located 280 kilometers west northwest of Dagupan City or 300 kilometers west southwest of Laoag City.

It was packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour and gusts of up to 80 kph. It was moving north northwest at a speed of 15 kph.

The weather bureau said that the storm may be already out of the PAR by noon today.

Public storm warning signals raised in Metro Manila, Bataan, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Pangasinan and Cavite have already been lifted.

philstar.com