Friday, July 2, 2010

Navy to hold mangrove planting, cleanup in Navotas

By Jaime Laude

The Philippine Star, Sunday, June 27, 2010

Personnel from the Philippine Navy and the
Navotas City government will plant mangroves
and clean the coastline of Navotas City tomorrow.

“This will promote harmonious relationship,
importance of solid waste management, mangrove
reforestation and to develop climate change
awareness among the local residents as well as
our personnel,” Navy spokesman Lt. Col. Edgard
Arevalo said.

Outgoing Defense Secretary Noberto Gonzales
will join the cleanup, Arevalo said.

As defense chief, Gonzales has directed the
Armed For­ces of the Philippines (AFP) to take
an active role in the government’s coastal
resource management and environment
rehabilitation programs.

“It is also an opportune time to inculcate the
importance of caring for our environment and to
develop climate change consciousness among the
local residents as well as our personnel,”
Arevalo said.

ASG camp sa Sulu nakubkob ng militar, 2 bandido bulagta

Ni Bobby Ticzon

TALIBA, Sabado, Hunyo 26,2010

TUMIMBUWANG sa labanan ang dalawang miyembro ng
al-Qaeda-linked Abu Sayyaf group habang apat na
sundalo ang malubhang nasugatan sa magkahiwalay
na engkuwentro sa Sulu, ayon sa ulat kahapon ng
Navy spokesman.

Bukod dito, nakubkob din ng tropa ng pamahalaan
ang command at control facility at satellite
camp ng pinagsanib na puwersa ng ASG bandits at
Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) rebels sa
Talipao town, ayon kay Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo.

Sinabi ni Arevalo na ang bakbakan ay nag umpisa
dahil sa huling panghaharas sa development
projects ng probisya ng mga enemy forces, kaya
ini-report agad ng mga sibilyan sa lugar sa
military ang pagkilos ng mga bandido.

Nagsiklab ang unang bakbakan dakong alas 10 ng
Martes ng umaga sa Barangay Mahala nang
maka-engkuwentro ng mga sundalo ang mga tumakas
na ASG at MNLF forces habang ang pangalawa namang
bakbakan ay naganap ng bandang hapon na.

Nang mahawi ang usok, dalawang hindi nakilalalng
ASG ang natagpuang nakatimbuwang habang apat na
sundalo naman ang nasugatan. Nakarekober sa kampo
ng 2 rifles at iba't ibang uri ng bala.

Kinilala naman ni Col. Romeo Tanalgo, commander
ng 2nd Marine Brigade, ang lider ng MNLF forces
na si Habier Malik na sinasabing kaalyado ni Abu
Sayyaf leader Yasser Igasan.

COASTAL CLEANUP

By Elena Aben

Manila Bulletin, Monday, June 28, 2010

Defense Secretary Norberto Gonzales will lead today the Philippine Navy's massive coastal cleanup and mangrove planting activity aimed at reviving the Manila Bay. At the same time, the event is aimed at mitigating the effects of typhoons which have increased in intensity due to climate change.

The activity, which will start at 7 a.m., will be held at Sitio City, Barangay Tanza, Navotas City.

It will be recalled that Gonzales immediately instructed the Navy to spearhead revival of the mangrove forest around Manila Bay when he became Defense chief. In giving the directive, Gonzales even willingness to donate his personal money for the program.

"I've been travelling so many times and each time you land the first thing that you see is the dirt in Manila Bay and all those structures that need to be removed there. And then you see already that there's the muddy part, that I thought maybe we should revive the mangrove forest," Gonzales said in November, following his visit to Sangley Point in Cavite.

Soldiers plant mangroves, conduct cleanup in battle vs climate change

By: ELENA L. ABEN

Manila Bulletin, Saturday, June 26, 2010

Philippine Marines and Army troops have dropped
their weapons to engage in a battle against the
effects of climate change by planting mangroves
and doing coastal and river cleanup operations
in Navotas City and Camarines Sur.

A team from the Philippine Marines has been
deployed to conduct coastal cleanup and mangrove
planting activities in Sitio Pulo, Barangay Tanza,
Navotas City. The activity started last Monday to
pave the way for a major mangrove planting
activity to be led by Defense Secretary Norberto
Gonzales on June 28.

Lt. Col. Edgard Arevalo, Navy spokesman, said the
effort is in line with the Navy’s “Adopt a Bay”
program aimed at lessening the effects of flooding
in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. He said this
is also in conjunction with Gonzales’ directive for
the Navy to take an active role in coastal resource
management and climate change adaptation and
mitigation.

Arevalo further said the mangrove reforestation
project is one of the efforts of the Philippine
Navy in mitigating the effects of typhoons which
have increased in intensity brought about by
climate change.

“Mangroves help mitigate the effect of typhoon
surge by preventing the rush of rising waves inland.
They also help prevent the siltation of bays,
erosion of coastal areas, and serve as a habitat
for small marine animals,” said the Navy spokesman.

Meanwhile, some 500 Army soldiers have stockpiled
their service firearms and flocked to the Biasagan
river in Camarines Sur to conduct massive cleanup
operations and prevent it from overflowing during
the rainy season.

Maj. Harold Cabunoc, 9th Infantry Division (9ID)
spokesman, said the river overflowed during heavy
rains last year, leaving hundreds of soldiers
stranded inside the camp.

“If we are stranded due to heavy flooding, we might
end up being unable to send our Disaster Response
teams to save the victims of natural disasters.
Likewise, the protection of this river is the
responsibility of the community and the soldiers
who are assigned here,” said Cabunoc.

Col. Arthur Ang, 9ID Chief of Staff, led the
soldiers during the cleanup drive.

Cabunoc also reported the completion of training
activities for the Disaster Response Operations
(DRO) platoon in preparation to the foreseen
natural disasters that hit the Bicol Region every
year.

“Equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and
gadgetry, the DRO platoon will be deployed to
conduct search and rescue operations ‘anytime
and anywhere,” said Cabunoc.

Maj. Gen. Ruperto Pabustan, 9ID commander, has
directed subordinate units to activate their own
teams to be deployed for disaster response operations
in their respective area of responsibility.