Rehabilitated dam to boost fish production in Sorsogon

By Connie Calipay

LEGAZPI CITY – The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in Bicol (BFAR-5) has turned over a newly rehabilitated dam project to the local government unit (LGU) of Sorsogon City which is expected to boost the fish production and protection of aquatic resources.

In an interview on Thursday, Rowena Briones, officer in charge of the BFAR-5 information unit, said the refurbished Abuyog Dam is one of BFAR’s Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa (BASIL) program sites that focus on sustaining inland fisheries.

“During the ceremonial turnover last May 30, Sorsogon City Mayor Esther Hamor received the certificate of acceptance and turnover from BFAR. The program aims to enhance fish production and improve the livelihoods of local fisherfolk. With the rehabilitation of the dam, the community can engage in controlled freshwater aquaculture activities, creating sustainable op -

FISH PRODUCTION BOOST. The newly rehabilitated Abuyog Dam in Sorsogon City which is seen to help boost local fish production in this undated photo. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources funded the rehabilitation worth PHP314,000 through the BASIL (Balik Sigla sa Ilog at Lawa) program. (Photo courtesy of BFAR-Bicol) portunities for increased fish yield and economic growth,” she said.

Briones said BFAR, through the BASIL program, funded the rehabilitation worth PHP314,000 that started a year ago.

“The turnover ceremony not only marked the successful rehabilitation of the Abuyog Dam but also symbolized a collective effort to protect and conserve the region’s aquatic resources,” she said.

Briones said that with the dam’s rehabilitation and identification as a BASIL site, “makakatabang na sya na ma-sustain ang production (it will help to sustain the production)” of marine products.

“Also, the City Tourism Office highlighted the

Over 20K households in Rizal waterless after main line bursts

By Miguel Gil

ANTIPOLO CITY – Some by the service interruption. potential of the Abuyog Dam in attracting tourists interested in experiencing Sorsogon City’s flourishing aquaculture practices,” she added.

20,550 households in the province are without water service following the rupture of a main water line extending beneath the Circumferential Road here early Friday morning.

Manila Water (MW), which supplies water to a large part of Rizal province, said its repair crews are already working on the problem. Service is expected to be restored by 8 p.m.

The waterless villages include: (Antipolo) San Isidro, San Jose, San Roque, Dela Paz, and Dalig; (Teresa) Poblacion, San Gabriel, MayIba, Dulumbayan, Calumpang, Sto. Cristo, Prinza, Bagumbayan, Dalig, and San Roque; (Binangonan) Tayuman and Palangoy; (Morong) San Guillermo; and (Taytay) Dolores.

Sorsogon City Mayor Ma. Esther Hamor expressed her gratitude and enthusiasm for the project, emphasizing its significance in bolstering the city’s aquaculture industry. (PNA)

“Please be assured that Manila Water is exerting all efforts to ensure restoration of water service in the affected areas as soon as possible,” Dittie Galang, corporate communications affairs group head at MW, said in a text message to the Philippine News Agency.

A total of 20 villages across Antipolo, Angono, Binangonan, Morong, Taytay and Teresa are currently affected

Meanwhile, Galang said water tankers are being dispatched to distribute water to affected households while the repair is being completed.

The spokesperson also told residents to expect discoloration of water once service is restored. She advised consumers to allow a few minutes of flushing before using the water from their taps.

MW serves over 413,000 service connections in Rizal, providing water to an estimated 2.8 million individuals. (PNA)

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Kim’s Dream

Is the Enrichment of the Rich, the dispossession of the poor Indigenous Peoples?

NCIP, WHERE ARE YOU?

In a series of meetings attended by non-government organizations, environment activists, ecological movements, human rights advocates, lawyers, bishops, priests, media and chieftains of the Indigenous Peoples from different regions of Mindanao, a DECLARATION signed by thousands of Indigenous Peoples in Mindanao has put in clear categorical term to stop treating the 17 million Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines as “disposable wastes.” “KAMI PO AY TAO, HINDI BASURA!” May I share such DECLARATION: Let this DECLARATION reverberate through-out the land. How can you liberate the poor and the oppressed IPs from the quagmire of poverty and oppression?

INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ DECLARATION VEHEMENTLY CONDEMNING THE INACTION AND GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (NCIP) IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AS EMBODIED IN THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES’ RIGHTS ACT (IPRA LAW)

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AUREA

“WE THE CHIEFTAINS OF THE DIFFERENT TRIBES OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES IN MINDANAO ESPECIALLY IN BUKIDNON HAVE COME TOGETHER WITH A FIRM COLLECTIVE INTENT TO STRONGLY AND VEHEMENTLY CONDEMN THE GLARING INACTION AND GROSS NEGLIGENCE OF THE NATIONAL COMMISSION OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES (NCIP) IN PROTECTING THE RIGHTS OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLES.

“Upon hearing our narratives during his visit and interaction with us, no less than one of the authors of IPRA Law, former Cong. Omar Fajardo, aptly said that the IPRA Law has been mocked no end. The mockery of the IPRA Law has concretely manifested that the office created to enforce the law is inutile as the massive oppression of the less than the NCIP Chairman, Sec. Allen Capuyan and six NCIP Administrators which recognizes the ownership of the Tribe of their 1,111 ha. ancestral domain. With that concrete and categorical certification, can the tribe now enter their ancestral domain? No! When the Chieftains together with the NCIP lawyer served the notice to the corporation printed in a tarpaulin, the notice has been torn-off into shreds by the armed men of the corporation. Six months had passed since such issuance and such Certification remained inutile. The tribe has been asking the NCIP regional office headed by Dir. Ann Burgos for the issuance of a Cease and Desist Order but no issuance has been done. Ganyan po ka inutile and NCIP! “In Talakag, the Higaonon-Manobo-Talaandig Tribe has narrated how their 39,000 ha. ancestral domain is being land-grabbed in cohort with local officials and agencies of government and when they would resist, they would be tagged as NPAs.

Indigenous Peoples goes on without let-up!

No less than an amazing TV broadcaster, Mr. Ceasar Soriano of PTV 4 had shown in three episodes in his weekly program, “MAGANDANG GABI PILIPINAS” how oppressed the Indigenous Peoples are which carried the theme: AGAW LUPA, AGAW TUBIG, AGAW BUHAY!” Indeed, since 2016, a total of 101 individuals especially IP leaders have fallen victims to extra judicial killings with around 169 victims of frustrated EJKs, 227 IPs have been illegally arrested, detained and abducted and 27 reported being subjected to torture. For what? For resisting the continuing illegal land grabbing of our ancestral domains. Of those killed included a 5-yr. old boy and a pregnant woman AT ANG PATAY NA, KINATAY PA. Instilling fear is a means of illegal land grabbing.

“As shown in MAGANDANG GABI PILIPINAS, let us revisit some of these painful narratives. In San Vicente, Sumilao, Bukidnon, the Manobo Tribe headed by a lady Datu named Bae Merlita Mayantao stood up to defend their 5,000-ha. ancestral domain which was fenced into a ranch by a powerful corporation. When the tribe protested in 2016, barrage of bullets rained upon them and three members of her tribe then and there were killed including her son, and three wounded. Until now, no justice has been done and they are seeing the killers walking around who are members of a well-known Security Group. But such is just a “tip of the iceberg” (one-tenth seen, nine-tenth unseen).

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“Along the 4-lane hi-way in Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon, more than one thousand families of the Manobo-Pulangiyon Tribe are living under shattered tents for more than five years now eating only “kamote” once a day. Why? Because they were ousted from their 1,111 ha.-ancestral domain by a powerful multimillion pineapple plantation company, the Kiantig Development Corporation, owned and managed by the incumbent Mayor of Quezon, Bukidnon, Pablo Lorenzo. Recently, after five long years of advocacy and legal struggle, the long-awaited Certificate of Recognition has been issued by the National Commission of the Indigenous Peoples (NCIP), signed by no

In fact, a chieftain had been tied-up whole evening in a nearby military camp for being tagged as an NPA by a barangay captain who is so interested to grab his land. But the violation of our human rights is not just on grabbing our ancestral domain. It also included the grabbing of our water rights as in the case of the Higaonon Tribe in Mirayon led by Datu Ben Anoos. The never-ending flow of water in the tribe’s ancestral domain has been converted into a water-system by the LGU that since 2005 has been supplying the water needs of thousands of families in Talakag, Bukidnon but not a single centavo has been paid to the Tribe, a clear violation of IPRA Law. After spending so much fighting for justice, after all their advocacy,

PEACE AND ORDER MEETING. Negros Occidental Gov. Eugenio Jose Lacson (center) welcomes the confirmation of the Philippine National Police that no private armed groups are existing in the province. Together with Vice Governor Jeffrey Ferrer (left) and Provincial Administrator Rayfrando Diaz II (right), Lacson presided over the joint second quarter meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council held at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Friday (June 2, 2023). (Photo courtesy of PIO Negros Occidental)

No private armies in Negros Occidental, says PNP official

By Nanette Guadalquiver

BACOLOD CITY – Negros

Occidental Governor Eugenio Jose Lacson welcomed on Friday the confirmation from the Philippine National Police (PNP) that no private armed groups are existing in the province.

“I really asked because it is the concern of the President (Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.) to make sure that there are no private armies especially that the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan elections is coming. The report was, there is none identified in Negros Occidental,” he told reporters.

Lt. Col. James Latayon, chief of the Provincial Operations Management Unit of the Negros Occidental Police Provincial Office, confirmed to the governor that they have not monitored any private army, during the joint second quarter meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council and the Provincial Anti-Drug Abuse Council held at the Capitol