tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-221775252024-03-19T16:49:25.957+08:00Business United. Lives Uplifted.Committed to poverty reduction, Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is the largest corporate-led social development foundation in the Philippines. PBSP is the first of its kind in Asia leading the promotion and practice of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
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Together with more than 260 large, medium-scale and small
businesses, PBSP help the poor rise above poverty and become self-reliant.PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.comBlogger550125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-85606140217895214422012-10-19T10:59:00.001+08:002012-10-19T10:59:24.641+08:00Ordinance Formulation Workshop<div class='posterous_autopost'><p><div class='p_embed p_image_embed'> <a href="http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/swxEHAgmkBhiwvspCbtzkDDpaBprrkzbGIpchoabgDHdumBwAjciJmehxgGe/001.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="001" height="653" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/swxEHAgmkBhiwvspCbtzkDDpaBprrkzbGIpchoabgDHdumBwAjciJmehxgGe/001.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/JxduzrAxywFmkItzewEFIgqflmbDuCBDICqpJlBsdhoDEjhocCHaFjphBByk/002.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="002" height="653" 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href="http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/yusEGBxizcgxcCvIutcticrBoulGmxjkcfkxjvxooaxqwpDnjBFFpvGfJIpb/026.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="026" height="653" src="http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/yusEGBxizcgxcCvIutcticrBoulGmxjkcfkxjvxooaxqwpDnjBFFpvGfJIpb/026.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/xeCyuxkrJAcrskiyArEHDHpvlkrhxznpyBFBtkbityfCijvabirEIEBwJgkd/027.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="027" height="653" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/xeCyuxkrJAcrskiyArEHDHpvlkrhxznpyBFBtkbityfCijvabirEIEBwJgkd/027.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <a href="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/cnDynujtsCuitwbwBHqrfIDtxFqgjrfzkkhwIHygxJfbBkrgBjrDsjEGommq/028.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="028" height="653" src="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/cnDynujtsCuitwbwBHqrfIDtxFqgjrfzkkhwIHygxJfbBkrgBjrDsjEGommq/028.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <img alt="029" height="595" src="http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/ogCmnynJEhJJkAHdfzqDfqnDIJmpHkjyndIlcsCIfpDDenphdAmthbIxCsJz/029.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="893" /> <a href="http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/JEsbgewnozHFpmfqszloxlonaAHrkwFegqqfGHbpfwbkxttwuqudwcfoJtnH/030.JPG.scaled1000.jpg"><img alt="030" height="653" src="http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2012-10-18/JEsbgewnozHFpmfqszloxlonaAHrkwFegqqfGHbpfwbkxttwuqudwcfoJtnH/030.JPG.scaled980.jpg" width="980" /></a> <div class='p_see_full_gallery'><a href="http://pbspvrogallery.posterous.com/ordinance-formulation-workshop">See the full gallery on Posterous</a></div> </div> </p></div>PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-87534476259172968382012-10-19T10:20:00.002+08:002012-10-19T10:24:17.518+08:00Art 'N' Nature's Venus Genson is Woman Entrepreneur of 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2wbjSDHc1sdpycklEB0IxzCMGb4_W2A26Y_NYKA-qsbi2Mu6qGkFfGBuVdCNm2IhQMrL7xTFnyNcUIR0G6RauOq0QN0H1IYLVMl1z-wedE2ryVzmzy_pSfCrExM0usGaaD3vRg/s1600/venus_2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo2wbjSDHc1sdpycklEB0IxzCMGb4_W2A26Y_NYKA-qsbi2Mu6qGkFfGBuVdCNm2IhQMrL7xTFnyNcUIR0G6RauOq0QN0H1IYLVMl1z-wedE2ryVzmzy_pSfCrExM0usGaaD3vRg/s400/venus_2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 18.866666793823242px;">Congratulations to Ms. Venus Genson for bagging the Women Entrepreneur award for her trailblazing feats in social entrepreneurship and community development through Art 'N' Nature Manufacturing Corporation. The award is one of the citations given during the recently capped Entrepreneur of the Year Philippines 2012 awarding ceremonies.</span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPmUUEuNA8W15fmv5bx5zcPkTQQQ4mcWCjGhyphenhyphenxhkl8NSqYd0TWCQcb3OgAQAGsGvkpEfCVX5hBPFyMWhEHniHGob3BuRL7QYUYgGLY1H3usIYSu92ytpKAWn2wK5y7uaNpYBDZA/s1600/venus_4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="179" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHPmUUEuNA8W15fmv5bx5zcPkTQQQ4mcWCjGhyphenhyphenxhkl8NSqYd0TWCQcb3OgAQAGsGvkpEfCVX5hBPFyMWhEHniHGob3BuRL7QYUYgGLY1H3usIYSu92ytpKAWn2wK5y7uaNpYBDZA/s320/venus_4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">SGV Foundation, Inc. established the Entrepreneur Of The Year program in the Philippines in 2003. It is also supported by De La Salle University, the Department of Trade and Industry, Development Bank of the Philippines, Philippine Business for Social Progress, the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Schwab Foundation for Social Entrepreneurship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ms. Genson is also the president of the Venus Group of Companies, a member company of PBSP.</span>PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-74497609698296697032012-10-11T18:24:00.001+08:002012-10-11T18:24:26.198+08:00The Perks of Goat Raising<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSWqzUo3B-2O2HR-RP38g7iAFTv-AzrLrYrYZS9fZjE0ijTradZug5g7THvoJs7aJx3gFu8R6MGCXnKoXgEptE-Rldh7BWd9L7vCqqliPjQCtH34d3vudYQqCdMIpBasD8VkpwA/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqSWqzUo3B-2O2HR-RP38g7iAFTv-AzrLrYrYZS9fZjE0ijTradZug5g7THvoJs7aJx3gFu8R6MGCXnKoXgEptE-Rldh7BWd9L7vCqqliPjQCtH34d3vudYQqCdMIpBasD8VkpwA/s640/001.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>
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As a component of the DISOP BUTTERFLIES AND TREES Project, members of PBSP's community organizations in barangays Buhisan and Toong participated in a two-day seminar on goat production and management. </div>
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During this seminar, PBSP taught the participants how to make silage (preserved goat food). A barrel will feed a goat (weighing 30 kg) for approximately 10 days. The advantage of this technology? Farmers need not feed and look for food for their goats all the time. And, when food sources go scarce, this will serve as a reserve since it spoils after two years.</div>
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After this seminar, each people's organization will be provided with startup capital and at least 12 goats as their additional means of earning income.</div>
PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0Toong, Cebu City, Philippines10.3156992 123.885436610.1907237 123.72750810000001 10.440674699999999 124.0433651tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-67611403026975122582012-10-09T16:42:00.001+08:002012-10-09T16:47:27.355+08:00Taiyo Yuden Philippines plants 10K seedlings at Buhisan<div class="posterous_autopost">
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Employees of Taiyo Yuden Philippines planted 10,000 native and endemic tree seedlings on a four-hectare site in Toong, Cebu City. The activity is led by their EMR Director Koichi Iguchi, General Managers Toshihiko Uemura and Akira Takahashi, Assistant General Manager Keiichi Kimura, and EMs Shozaburo Kanai, Satoshi Miyamae, Toshiaki Nakano, and Koji Taketome.<br />
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Taiyo Yuden Philippines has been a partner of PBSP for its reforestation efforts since 2001. The company will continue to adopt four hectares for reforestation every year until 2015.<br />
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<a href="http://pbspvrogallery.posterous.com/taiyo-yuden-philippines-plants-10k-seedlings"><b>For the complete set, please visit our gallery.</b></a></div>
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PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0Toong, Cebu City, Philippines10.3156992 123.885436610.0643917 123.56957960000001 10.567006699999999 124.2012936tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-172147745381079902012-09-24T18:32:00.000+08:002012-10-11T18:35:30.959+08:00 SMB to plant 45K trees in Borbon <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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San Miguel Brewery Communications Officer Romelinda Garces and Plant Manager Manuel Moreno turn over the check to PBSP Visayas Regional Office Manager Jessie Cubijano and Program Coordinator Malu Largo for the planting of 45,000 native and endemic tree seedlings. The seedlings will be utilised for the company's reforestation efforts in Borbon, northern Cebu. PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0San Miguel Brewery, Mandaue City, Philippines10.3333333 123.933333310.0819978 123.6174763 10.5846688 124.2491903tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-68309791468151606002012-09-24T12:02:00.000+08:002012-10-09T17:11:41.728+08:00Veco employees plant trees with PBSP<div class="posterous_autopost">
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">More than 70 employees of the Visayan Electric Company (Veco) planted 12,500 seedlings over five hectares of the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">This activity is in partnership with the Visayas Regional Office of PBSP.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: inherit;">In 2010, Veco also partnered with PBSP for a five-year reforestation park project in the Cebu Hillylands. The Veco Refo Park Project aims to plant 1 million trees over 540 hectares of the Cebu Hillylands.</span><br />
<a href="http://pbspvrogallery.posterous.com/veco-employees-plant-trees-with-pbsp" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<b><a href="http://pbspvrogallery.posterous.com/veco-employees-plant-trees-with-pbsp" target="_blank">See the full gallery on our photo blog.</a></b></div>
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PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0Pamutan, Cebu City10.2982465 123.864809310.1725675 123.70688080000001 10.4239255 124.0227378tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-37480389133619265522012-06-26T14:11:00.003+08:002012-06-26T14:11:23.749+08:00Tree growing in Tabunan<br />
<b>Tree growing in Tabunan</b><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>June 25, 2012</i><br />
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Last Saturday, more than 750 volunteers from 35 companies trekked to sitio Cantipla in barangay Tabunan to plant trees.<br />
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The event dubbed Cebu Hillyland Reforestation Caravan of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) seeks to mobilize widespread support in regaining the forest landscape of Cebu.<br />
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The site of the tree planting event last Saturday is part of the 29,062-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape.<br />
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Only native or endemic tree species were planted in order to restore the biodiversity in Tabunan.<br />
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Greening Cebu’s protected landscape is vital in preserving biodiversity, creating carbon sink and recharging aquifiers.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-91724956276600252062012-06-26T13:59:00.002+08:002012-06-26T13:59:13.214+08:0015,000 trees for Tabunan forest<br />
<b>15,000 trees for Tabunan forest</b><br />
<i>By Jessa Agua</i><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>June 24, 2012</i><br />
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About 15,000 native and endemic tree seedlings were planted in slopes of sitio Cantipla 2 in barangay Tabunan, Cebu City yesterday, the start of a series of Saturday planting sessions by volunteers of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).<br />
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The kick-off of PBSP’s annual Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan was participated in by 750 volunteers from 35 companies.<br />
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The site is part of the 29,062-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).<br />
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Employees from member companies will continue to take turns planting in different parts of Tabunan every Saturday until October 27 to maximize the rainy reason.<br />
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Doing so is an investment in the future, said Cebu Daily News publisher Eileen Mangubat, chairperson of the PBSP Visayas hillyland development committee during a short program.<br />
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Trees absorb carbon dioxide in the air, help recharge the aquifer which is the source of Cebu City’s drinking water and prevent soil erosion and flooding, she said.<br />
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Partners in the community also maintain the seedlings after the activity to ensure a 90 percent survival rate, she said.<br />
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PBSP technical officer Leo Pelletero, who demonstrated the proper way to plant the seedlings, said PBSP works with the Pung-ol Sibugay Multipurpose Cooperative, Tabunan Forest Warden Farmers Association, Sayaw Farmers Association and KEEP Foundation.<br />
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About 10 million trees were planted by PBSP and its partners in the past two decades, said Reggie Barrientos, PBSP communication officer.<br />
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Only native and endemic tree species are used in order to promote biodiversity in Tabunan, which is the habitat of the rare Cebu flowerpecker bird and the Black Shama or siloy.<br />
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Seedling were distributed for the Cebu cinammon tree or kaningag which is a critically endangered species, and more common varietes of lawaan, tipolo, molave and narra.<br />
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Fr. Monico Catubig led an invocation before the planting and Tabunan barangay captain Lucresia Gabato welcomed the volunteers.<br />
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A children’s storytelling session was held under the shade of trees through the Philippine Daily Inquirer Read Along program while adults trekked and planted seedlings.<br />
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Two “green clincis” were held after lunch to extend the educational value of the trip.<br />
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Lisa Paguntalan of the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc. (PBCFI) handled a special pop quiz about biodiversity for participants.<br />
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Godfrey Jakosalem led a session on the basics of wildlife photography and birdwatching.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-8229670368183193242012-06-22T14:08:00.000+08:002012-06-26T14:09:08.601+08:00IBM marks anniversary with mangrove planting<br />
<b>IBM marks anniversary with mangrove planting</b><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>June 21, 2012</i><br />
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As part of its 75th anniversary celebration, IBM Philippines held a mangrove planting in barangay Poblacion, Aloguinsan, southwest Cebu in collaboration with the Ramon Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (RAFI).<br />
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Last June 16, IBM employees joined the activity that aimed to create a healthier mangrove forest that will boost the town’s main source of livelihood.<br />
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Aloguinsan has more than 5,000 households that depend on fishing for a living.<br />
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It is said that 75 percent of all tropical fish pass through mangroves, which serve as their nursery grounds, shelter and source of food.<br />
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“Planting and maintaining mangrove forests greatly contribute not only in ensuring the balance in our ecosystem and the protection of our natural resources and people. It also helps in bringing back biodiversity, in developing eco-tourism, and sustaining socio-economic development in our country. Thus, community-based initiatives are crucial in the preservation and nurturance of the environment,” RAFI president Roberto E. Aboitiz said.<br />
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“On July 20, IBM will mark a diamond milestone – 75 years of operations and service in the Philippines, unmatched in the local technology industry, said Mariels Almeda Winhoffer, president and country general manager of IBM Philippines.<br />
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“This year will not simply be a milestone. Rather, it will be an opportunity to heighten IBM’s commitment to the country. We have been in Cebu for five decades now and we will continue to engage in partnership with Cebu to seize the opportunities and the promise of Cebu today and the years beyond,” she added.<br />
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IBM and RAFI are committed to work towards a ‘greener’ Cebu.<br />
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Last year, IBM Philippines employees and the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) Visayas worked on a mangrove reforestration project in Olango Island.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-81661505408432044002012-06-18T10:57:00.000+08:002012-06-18T10:57:03.042+08:00PBSP’s refo caravan is not only tree planting<br />
<b>PBSP’s refo caravan is not only tree planting</b><br />
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“We don’t just plant trees; we let them grow.”<br />
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This is the headlining campaign of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) as it launched its 20th run of its annual Cebu Hillylands Reforestation Caravan, an environmental conservation event that engages corporate and individual volunteers to not only plant trees but also help ensure their growth.<br />
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The event, also in partnership with the Visayan Electric Company (Veco), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and KEEP Foundation, will kick off on June 23, 2012 at sitio Cantipla 2, barangay Tabunan, Cebu City.<br />
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It is set to run for 18 Saturdays until October 20, 2012.<br />
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PBSP is the largest corporate-led foundation in the country that leads the promotion and practice of corporate social responsibility. Since 1991, it has organized annual reforestation caravans with help from companies and other agencies to encourage business sector involvement in restoring Cebu’s aquifers and recovering barren areas of the Cebu Hillylands, also known as the Central Cebu Protected Landscape.<br />
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The Cebu Hillylands is a 27,000-hectare lot composed of five watershed and protected areas that span Central Cebu. It is the major source of potable water for Metro Cebu as well as home to various endemic plant and animal species and subspecies.<br />
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Through its reforestation efforts, PBSP was able to plant 1 million native and endemic tree seedlings with help from 10,000 volunteers from 2010 to 2011, making it one of the biggest reforestation events of the country.<br />
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Aside from being one of the largest and friendliest tree-planting activities organized for volunteers, the event also ensures that every tree seedling planted will have 85% to 96% survival rate. Every year following its tree planting activities, PBSP partners with community organizations in maintaining PBSP’s reforestation sites for this purpose.<br />
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For this year, however, PBSP will focus on reinforcing the participation of some 5,000 volunteers by not only planting seedlings but also by helping its partners in other maintenance activities.<br />
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For the next Saturdays following the kickoff , volunteers will also do strip brushing, ring weeding, replanting of damaged tree seedlings, application of vermicompost and staking on some of PBSP’s most recent reforestation plantations.<br />
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<b>Kickoff with an academic twist</b><br />
PBSP’s previous year’s kickoff had the largest delegation to date with 848 volunteers from 43 institutions. During its 2010 kickoff, it got 731 volunteers from 19 companies.<br />
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For this year, PBSP hopes to kick off the event with 800 volunteers from at least 20 companies and plant 15,000 seedlings in six hectares.<br />
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The kickoff is divided into various segments for volunteers to participate in: the tree planting proper and various breakout sessions that will follow after it.<br />
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Volunteers will are encouraged to take part in either of the two environmental education sessions—a mini-lecture on wildlife photography and bird watching by Godfrey Jakosalem, and an Envi Quiz Bowl organized by Lisa Paguntalan.<br />
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Both speakers are from the Philippine Biodiversity Conservation Foundation, Inc., a national non-government organization that promotes conservation of biodiversity in various regions of the country.<br />
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Pupils from barangay Tabunan are also invited during the kickoff for a read-along session organized with the Philippine Daily Inquirer to further teach them how to appreciate, conserve and protect the watersheds.<br />
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To date, more than 200 volunteers already pledged to join the kickoff on June 23. Assembly for the kickoff event will be at Asiatown IT Park of Cebu City from 6:30 to 7:30 AM.<br />
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PBSP is still inviting more volunteers to join the kickoff and the rest of the Saturdays for the caravan. Companies and individuals can also participate in PBSP’s efforts by adopting a hectare for reforestation or by bringing employee volunteers on any scheduled Saturday of the annual caravan.<br />
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For more information, interested companies and volunteers may contact Malu Largo of PBSP via telephone at (032) 232-5283 or 232-5270 or via email at mblargo@pbsp.org.ph or pbspvro@pbsp.org.ph.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-41907093499150653912012-06-15T14:47:00.000+08:002012-06-26T14:48:14.489+08:00Teak trees in Buhisan to be pruned<br />
<b>Teak trees in Buhisan to be pruned</b><br />
<i>By Jessa Agua</i><br />
<i>June 14, 2012</i><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
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Pruning of old exotic trees in the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve is needed to prevent bush fires, an environment official said.<br />
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Protected Area Supervisor Ariel Rica of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-7) said he is recommending the cropping of teak tree branches after the Philippine Business for Social Progress raised concern over bush fires.<br />
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The issue on the recent series of bush fires at the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve particularly in barangay Toong was raised during the PBSP-DENR partners meeting at the Casino Español.<br />
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Around 4.8 hectares of PBSP-maintained plantations were burned in two separate bush fires last April.<br />
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Rica’s recommendation however may need the permit from DENR-7 as indiscriminate pruning may damage the trees and may give illegal loggers an excuse to cut trees.<br />
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“We cannot do pruning right away. We have to check with the legalities since this was part of our reforestation project in the past where exotic and not native trees were planted,” he explained.<br />
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The CCPL covers 29,062 hectares of protected mountain and drainage basin covering Central Cebu National Park, Buhisan Dam, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Kotkot-Lusuran Watershed Forest Reserve, and the Sudlon National Park.<br />
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PBSP maintains tree plantations and organizes community in the Buhisan Dam area under the Save the Buhisan Watershed Project to balance sustainable water supply alongside empowering residents while promoting eco-cultural tourism destination.<br />
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<br /></div>PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-6629202754777610022012-05-20T10:00:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:14:49.312+08:00Echavez wrests away 2nd straight 6k title<br />
<b>Echavez wrests away 2nd straight 6k title</b><br />
<i>By Mars G. Alison</i><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>May 20, 2012</i><br />
<br />
Loren Dale Echavez showed that she no longer fears long-distance open-water swimming competition as she successfully retained her title in the 6-kilometer competitive category of the 5th Olango Challenge yesterday at the Tambuli East in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.<br />
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Echavez not only clinched her second straight title but also improved her time from last year’s one hour, 23 minutes and 40.87 seconds to 1:22:19.22.<br />
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Echavez, who was leading the contest all the way, said that having joined the event three times already made her comfortable with the open-waters.<br />
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Finishing second to Echavez was Beth Mae Arellano of the Cebu Blue Marlins Swimming Club (CBMSC) after clocking 1:41:29.25 while third place was copped by another USC tanker in Rozelle Marie Diaz with her time of 1:41:31.56.<br />
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The men’s 6K title went to Kiefer Ticao of the Makati Skipjack Swim Club. He finished the race in 1:23:19.22<br />
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Second and third places went to Cebuano tankers Keith Ocampo, who swam under Team RAFI, and Tristan Kirk Ebon of CBMSC. Ocampo clocked 1:28:39.68 while Ebon had a time of 1:30:49.58.<br />
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The 2k competitive men and women’s title were won by Gavin Solijon of Team RAFI and Trina Caneda of CBMSC.<br />
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The mixed 6K fun top 3 finishers were Marlon Galo, Rico Enriquez and Matthew Vincent Vega.<br />
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The mixed 2K fun, on the other hand, had Dianne Kaye Sy, Ivan Filomenes and Kristine Anne Sy in the top 3.<br />
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A total of 112 participants took part in the event organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in cooperation with the Philippine Swimming Inc. formerly Philippine Aquatic Sports Association.<br />
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Aside from being the Philippine’s premiere open-water long-distance swimming competition, the event is also a fund-raising project of the PBSP for the residents of Olango Island.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-34039868755537973492012-05-19T10:00:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:12:38.759+08:00Olango Challenge on today<br />
<b>Olango Challenge on today</b><br />
<i>By Mars Alison</i><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>May 19, 2012</i><br />
<br />
HUSBAND and wife Lhoriz and Mendel Lopez compete against each other in the 5th Olango Challenge, which kicks off today at the Tambuli East in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.<br />
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The duo will be seeing action in the 2-kilometer competitive swimming category.<br />
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This will be the first swimming competition for Lhoriz after giving birth to their son last February.<br />
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Lhoriz is a former member of the Philippine junior swimming team while Mendel is a noted runner. Both have since shifted to the sport of triathlon.<br />
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Lhoriz’s younger sister Loren Dale Echavez will return to defend her title in the 6k competitive category.<br />
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Echavez, who admitted to not being comfortable in this kind of competition the first time she tried it two years ago, captured her first long-distance open water swimming title via last year’s edition of this competition.<br />
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Ironically, she was supposed to miss out the Olango Challenge last year since she was scheduled to see action in an international swimming competition<br />
in Hong Kong. However, a delayed passport made her stay and instead try her hand again with the Olango Challenge.<br />
<br />
As of 6 p.m. last night, 100 swimmers have already signed up for what is considered as the Philippine’s premiere open-water swimming marathon organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in cooperation with the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA).<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-56443543907891532882012-05-10T14:19:00.003+08:002012-05-10T14:41:39.484+08:00Olango open-water marathon swim on May 19<div style="color: blue; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><b>Take a plunge on May 19!</b></span></div>
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Now is the time to kick off those running shoes, take a day off from fun runs and take a plunge at the Mactan Channel as you test your skills on open water swimming.<br />
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Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) invite all professional and amateur swimmers to join the 5th OLANGO CHALLENGE, a fund-raising open water swimming competition.<br />
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The first of its kind in the country, the 5th OLANGO CHALLENGE will take place at Tambuli Beach Club, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on May 19, 2012 from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM.<br />
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Launched in 2008, the event was crafted with the same dynamic as that of open water swim category of the Beijing Summer Olympics to help promote open water swimming marathon discipline in the Philippines.<br />
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The swimming event also serves as an advocacy campaign to highlight the importance of a clean marine environment and raise awareness about the high incidence of drowning in the Philippines.<br />
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For five years, the Olango Challenge caught the participation of more than 500 amateur and competitive swimmers from all over the country and from America and Japan, as they not only tested their skills but also contributed to the development efforts of Olango Island, an island located in Lapu-Lapu City wherein communities solely depend on fishing as their livelihood.<br />
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The event raised more than PHP 4 million in a span of four years to help improve the lives of 2,300 families in Olango through the construction and refurbishment of classrooms, the promotion and practice of organic vermiculture and the greening of Olango Island. Last year’s event allowed for the reforestation of 5,200 trees on Olango Island and the refurbishing of two classrooms in Poo Elementary School, enabling use of technology at the Lapu-Lapu City Youth Affairs Office and building a third two-classroom building in Tungasan Elementary School.<br />
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For its fifth milestone, the Olango Challenge will open the 2K and 6K competitive and fun categories for interested individuals. Registration is pegged at PHP 600.00 for the 2K and competitive swim and PHP 2,250.0 for the fun swim. Discounts will be given to those who register on or before May 11, 2012.<br />
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Registration for Cebu entrants is located at the PBSP office in the fourth floor of PLDT, Juan Luna Avenue, Cebu City. For Manila entrants, they may visit the PASA office located at room 201, Building B, Philsports Complex, Meralco Avenue, Pasig City.<br />
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Online registration is also available via email at pbspvro@pbsp.org.ph or pasainc@gmail.com. Visit the event’s blog site at www.olangochallenge.wordpress.com for downloadable forms and updated information.PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-67615021614652071102012-05-09T09:30:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:13:40.700+08:00PBSP enjoins swimmers to join 5th Olango Challenge<br />
<b>PBSP enjoins swimmers to join 5th Olango Challenge</b><br />
<i>Philippine Information Agency</i><br />
<i>May 9, 2012</i><br />
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QUEZON CITY, May 9 (PIA) -- The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) is inviting all swimmers and swimming enthusiasts to join the fifth staging of their annual fund raising event, the Olango Challenge on May 19 for the benefit of the Olango Island residents in Cebu.<br />
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In partnership with the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA), the open-water swim competition will be held at the Tambuli Beach Resort, Buyong, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu.<br />
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The challenge, which serves as an advocacy campaign, also emphasizes the importance of clean marine environment and raises awareness on the high incidence of drowning in the country.<br />
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According to PBSP, past proceeds of the competition went to construction and renovation of classrooms, promotion of organic vermiculture and reforestation of the island.<br />
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Interested participants may register until May 11 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the PBSP Visayas Regional Office at the 4F PLDT Building, Juan Luna Avenue, Mabolo, City.<br />
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They can also register online by emailing pbspvro@pbsp.org.ph or pasainc@gmail.com. Forms can also be downloaded from http://www.olangochallenge.wordpress.com.<br />
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PBSP is the largest corporate-led social development organization in the Philippines, harnessing solutions of companies against poverty such as responsible business practice, social investment and policy advocacy. (NFK/PIA-GHQ)<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-10636828924744507042012-05-03T15:00:00.000+08:002012-05-10T15:01:07.086+08:00Echavez shifts focus<b>Echavez shifts focus<i><br /></i></b><i>By Iste S. Leopoldo<br />Sun.Star Cebu<br />May 3, 2012</i><br /><br /><br />
CEBU’s top tanker Loren Dale Echavez will try to defend her title in the 6K competitive division in the 5th Olango Challenge in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City.<br /><br />Her older sister, Cebu’s top triathlete Lohriz Echavez Lopez, who skipped all competitions due to her pregnancy, returns to action and will be joining 2K competitive division, which she won in 2010.<br /><br />Her husband, Mendel, one of Cebu’s top runners who is gradually getting into triathlon, will also be making his debut in the open water swim in the 2K competitive male category.<br /><br />Loren Dale said she finds this year’s competition tough considering that there will be more Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) members competing since it will be held right after the 2012 Palarong Pambansa.<br /><br />“Excited and at the same time nervous with the presence of more top swimmers in this year’s edition,” said the 18-year-old Loren Dale, who won six gold medals in the in Private Schools Athletic Association national finals.<br /><br />One of the toughest opponents who she is expecting to join is 2010 winner Erika Lukang, who beat Loren Dale in the Cebuan’s first attempt in open water competition.<br /><br /><b>Comeback swimmers</b><br />Loren Dale, who used to fear open water swimming, said she is now comfortable joining the event, which is organized by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and her experience in triathlon, which includes an open water swim, has boosted her confidence.<br /><br />Other local bets who are also expected to join are Christine Indaya and Trina Caeda of the Cebu Marlin Swimming Club. Matthew Vega, another top swimmer who took a break from the sport, will also join the 6K competitive category, while Cebu’s Oceanman champion Jesse Arriola Jr. is also expected to join.<br /><br />“Surprisingly, we have several of Cebu’s former top swimmers making a comeback in this year’s edition. We are expecting a new set of top finishers this year as we will be missing some of last year’s winners, like 6K second placer Paula Vega, who is already in the US,” PBSP’s Riva Valles said.<br /><br />Registration for the 2K and 6K division is still ongoing at the PBSP office in Mabolo.<br />
<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-55058268922194302542012-04-27T14:50:00.000+08:002012-05-10T14:52:47.717+08:00PBSP eyes record field in Olango open water swim<b>PBSP eyes record field in Olango open water swim</b><br />
<i>By Mars Alison<br />Cebu Daily News<br />April 27, 2012</i><br />
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This year’s 5th Olango Challenge slated on May 19 at the Tambuli East in Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City is expected to draw a record number of participants with organizers getting inquiries about the open-water swimming marathon as early as January.<br />
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The Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in cooperation with the Philippine Aquatic Sports Association (PASA) said they are expecting 80 participants this year.<br />
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However, entries might swell especially that triathletes are expected to use the event to prepare for the upcoming 70.3 Ironman Philippines this August.<br />
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With this, organizers said they will be accepting a maximum of 150 entries, as the number is manageable in terms of logistics and venue.<br />
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What is considered as the Philippine’s premiere open-water swimming marathon is also a fund-raising project of the PBSP for the residents of Olango Island.<br />
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In yesterday’s press conference at the Casino Espanol, PBSP chairman Antonio Aboitiz said the funds that will be raised this year will be used to build a third two-classroom building in the Tungason Elementary School.<br />
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Last year, the event raised P1.6 million which was also used to build classrooms and livelihood projects for the residents of the island. The funds came mostly from the pledges made by the participants.<br />
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Making the first pledge this year is Aboitiz himself who is betting that he will finish the race faster than his time last year of one hour and 55 minutes.<br />
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The course this year will be the same as last year which resembles a box in front of the Tambuli resort and will stretch to as far as the Crimson Resort.<br />
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Aboitiz said that the area is ideal for the race because there are no ports and there are no other resorts in between Tambuli and Crimson so there will be no traffic during race time.<br />
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One circuit of the course is equivalent to two kilometers.<br />
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Categories to be contested will still be 6K and 2K competitive and 6K and 2K fun with close to P85,000 in prize money to be given away.<br />
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PASA’s Alexander Reyes said it is a must for participants to join the orientation to be held before the swim, otherwise they will not be allowed to compete.<br />
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A swimmer must also be at least 14 years old to be able to compete.PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-36993195655754017252012-04-23T10:10:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:10:54.616+08:00Forest rangers suspect arson in Buhisan fires<br />
<b>Forest rangers suspect arson in Buhisan fires</b><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>April 23, 2012</i><br />
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Are arsonists responsible for the series of bush fires at the reforestation plantations in Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve?<br />
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Volunteer forest rangers suspect the fires that hit the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve may be caused by arson.<br />
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Boy Clamares of Toong Volunteers Farmers Association made this assessment after putting out last Saturday, the third fire that hit the critical watershed this year.<br />
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Saturday’s bush fire damaged 18 young narra trees planted in the 2010 reforestation project of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).<br />
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Maria Luisa B. Largo, PBSP head of Metro Cebu Poverty Reduction Program is wondering why their plantations seem to be the “victim” of bush fires.<br />
Toong barangay Captain Timmy Bacalso also asked the same question.<br />
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“Nganu man gyud kaha nga ang PBSP plantation man gyud ang masunog? Nagsusi pa sad mi ana nga panghitabo. Hinuon, ilawom sa teak man sad sila nananom, (Why does the PSBP plantations suffer from bush fires? We are currently investigating on the matter. Fire is inevitable though since they are planting underneath teak trees.) said Bacalso.<br />
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Bacalso though only learned of the third fire when Cebu Daily News called him about the fire.<br />
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“Wala ko kadungog nga duna diay sunog nga gamay gahapon. Amo unya ng susihon, (I did not hear about the fire yesterday (Saturday). We will look into this matter.)” Bacalso told CDN.<br />
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PO3 Virgilio Bogatan who is assigned in the area was also clueless on the third fire.<br />
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Clamares said he has strong reasons that the fires were caused by arsonists.<br />
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“Sunogon nila ang mga kahoy, aron ilang makuha unya himoong uling. Kay og sunog na daan, di naman sila dakpon, (They burn the trees, so that they can harvest it for charcoal because if it is already burned, they would not be apprehended by authorities anymore), Clamares said.<br />
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Skyrocketing prices of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) increased demand for charcoal as families stretching their budget shift to charcoal as cooking fuel.<br />
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According to Clamares, the three reported bush fires in barangay Toong have already damaged over 10,000 fruit and non-fruit trees and bushes.<br />
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The first one on April 13 damaged more than 7,000 young trees while the second on April 17 destroyed about 3,000.<br />
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Government authorities however have yet to determine if the fires were intentional as the area used to be the source of raw materials of charcoal makers.<br />
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High summer temperature may however also aggravate the risk for forest fires.<br />
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) called for vigilance against forest and bush fires especially during the summer season.<br />
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The Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve is part of the 28,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape.<br />
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It also hosts the Buhisan Dam which is the main source of the Metropolitan Cebu Water District.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-64361636859140588222012-04-22T09:08:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:09:28.449+08:00Soaring temperature, forest fire<br />
<b>HOTTEST DAY OF SUMMER:</b><br />
<b>Soaring temperature, forest fire</b><br />
<i>By Carmel Lois Matus, Jessa Chrisna Marie Agua, Tweeny Malinao</i><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>April 22, 2012</i><br />
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Earth Day is celebrated today in Cebu city amid soaring summer temperatures, a bicycle tour and a second bush fire in the Buhisan watershed.<br />
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The weather bureau recorded 33.2 degrees Celsius yesterday, making it the hottest day of the summer, according to weather analyst Boy Artiaga of the Mactan office of Pagasa.<br />
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Artiaga said the heat is normal this time of the year but cautioned the public to stay in the shade and drink a lot of water to avoid dehydration and heat stroke.<br />
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Those with high blood pressure should also stay indoors especially between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. when the day is at its hottest.<br />
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Artiaga said there was no sign of an El Niño phenomenon and that the heat would subside by May 15 when weather experts expect the onset of the rainy season.<br />
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Pedal power will be showcased by bicycle enthusiasts in the morning.<br />
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Traffic enforcers will be on the street at 7 a.m. to guide hundreds of bicycle riders who will travel a 20-kilometer Earth Day Route that starts and finishes in Plaza Independencia.<br />
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Roads “are not closed” to traffic. Bikers will pass the rightmost lane, said Rafael Yap, executive director of the City Traffic Operations and Management.<br />
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A Citom enforcer on motorbike will follow the bicycle teams as they travel through major intersections of JY Square, Gorordo Avenue, Juan Luna Avenue, M.J. Cuenco, Legaspi Extension, Fuente Osmeña, P. del Rosario Avenue, Colon Street and Osmeña Boulevard.<br />
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Meanwhile, the two bush fires occurred only four days and a few kilometers apart in barangay Toong in the Buhisan Watershed and Forest Reserve, the first recorded since 2012.<br />
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The cause of the fire is still being investigated, including reports that it could have been intentionally started by dwellers out to cut and harvest damaged trees to make into charcoal.<br />
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When Cebu Daily News visited the site, there were dry patches of land littered with fallen brown leaves of old teak trees mixed with newly planted fruit trees.<br />
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About two hectares of a reforestation site in the “greenbelt” buffer zone entering the protected area were burned in the second fire on April 17 in barangay Toong, Cebu City.<br />
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About one hectare was in the project site of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) while the remaining one hectare is under the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).<br />
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Policemen and Toong barangay tanods put out the flames that started about 3 p.m., said DENR 7 Protected Area Superintendent (PASU) Ariel Rica.<br />
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Fruit trees like santol, nangka, caimito, kamansi (bread fruit), marang and lumbang were among the damaged trees, said PBSP forester Flor Rosales who showed Cebu Daily News the terrain.<br />
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Red flower-bearing fire trees, planted in the first-line boundary of the protected area , were also burned.<br />
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Also affected were shrubs like rattan, magay and romblon. These were planted for economic use of farmers, who would be trained on weaving and other livelihood options under a PBSP program, said Flores.<br />
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Damaged trees and shrubs were less than two years old. Some were just planted five months ago.<br />
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Rosales said after making an inventory, volunteers and PBSP will have to prepare for rehabilitation of the area and replanting again when the rainy season starts.<br />
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Barangay Toong has a sloping, steep terrain.<br />
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The first fire in early April damaged the lower part. The second fire ate up the upper slopes.<br />
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In a press statement about the Toong fires, DENR said the dried leaves during summer “should be collected and removed from the site as they are potential source of fire.”<br />
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It said three aspects have to be considered 1) prevention, (2) detection, and (3) suppression.<br />
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Experts have cited the danger of bush or forest fires where there are dried teak trees especially with cigarette butts irresponsibly thrown in the area.<br />
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Teak trees are exotic species that were massively planted in past DENR reforestation projects but are no longer continued because they absorb a lot of water.<br />
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Since tall teak trees form a canopy with its broad leaves, shrubs can’t grow underneath, a factor that leads to soil erosion and eventual siltation of the Buhisan dam.<br />
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Rosales confirmed that PBSP and many NGOs don’t plant exotic trees and instead focus on planting native tree species that improve biodiversity, as well as “revenue-bearing” trees and shrubs so that the community can have livelihood opportunities without resorting to cutting down the trees.<br />
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The Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve covers 630 hectares mostly in the uplands of Cebu City.<br />
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It is one of five protected watersheds in the 28,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).<br />
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The others are Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park and the Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve.PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-314566350175272292012-04-20T09:07:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:08:00.823+08:00Another bush fire hits tree plantation<br />
<b>Another bush fire hits tree plantation</b><br />
<i>Sun.Star Cebu</i><br />
<i>April 20, 2012</i><br />
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CEBU CITY -- A second bush fire broke out in as many weeks in the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve (BWFR), where a fight to protect biodiversity is ongoing.<br />
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The fire does not threaten any homes, but it hampers the natural growth of indigenous trees within the watershed.<br />
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“Since the area is a plantation, there are no dwelling places that would be affected.<br />
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HOW TO STOP A BUSH FIRE. Marili Ortiz, a former forester and a resident of Toong, gathers dry leaves to form a barrier that will keep a bush fire from spreading. (Alex Badayos)<br />
“So the damage is to the humus that could be transformed into organic matter, which contributes to the natural process or cycle,” said Socorro Atega, Cebu Uniting for Sustainable Water (CUSW) director.<br />
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The CUSW is a non-government organization involved in efforts to preserve the Buhisan Watershed, Metro Cebu’s main source of ground water. The watershed is part of the 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape.<br />
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Atega said that in Barangay Toong, Cebu City, which is located within the watershed and hosts a large teak plantation, the people have grown used to the fires.<br />
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“Tungod sa liter sa teak, if you refer to the DENR, heat and lit cigarettes thrown in the area of dried leaves could start a fire. So it (bush fires) have a human factor,” said Atega.<br />
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Marili Ortiz, of the Community Environment and Natural Office (Cenro) and a Barangay Toong resident, reported that a bush fire hit a one-hectare area of the teak plantation Thursday afternoon.<br />
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The 54-year-old Toong resident said she passed by the forest past 3 p.m. on her way home from work and saw the fire starting. An hour later, she returned to the site and saw three forest guards, accompanied by a policeman assigned in Barangay Toong, putting out the bush fire.<br />
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“Nagtuo ka’g dali ra patyon ang kayo pero lisod kayo (You might think the fire would be easy to put out, but it wasn’t),” Ortiz said.<br />
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In an interview, barangay captain Teotimo L. Bacalso said he attended a three-day seminar that just concluded Thursday afternoon, so he was unaware of the bush fire.<br />
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Bacalso said they are always prepared for any fires and have fire extinguishers ready.<br />
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He also said that the residents, who are used to the bush fires that occur every time the hot season comes, help put out the fires in any way they can.<br />
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Ortiz suggested that the best way is to put up a barrier of dried leaves to block the rapid spreading of flames. One can simply stomp on the flames or bring water and splash it on the affected area.<br />
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Flor Rosales, a technical officer of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP), said these bush fires are harmful to the environment since it damages mostly the newly planted trees.<br />
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Rosales said they have yet to survey if the affected hectare is a part of the PBSP reforestation site.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-14734985686190874552012-04-18T09:06:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:06:42.510+08:00Blaze consumes trees in reforestation site, damages part of watershed<br />
<b>Blaze consumes trees in reforestation site, damages part of watershed</b><br />
<i>By Bernadette A. Parco</i><br />
<i>Sun.Star Cebu</i><br />
<i>April 18, 2012</i><br />
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ABOUT 3,000 trees were eaten by a bush fire at a reforestation project of the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) in the mountain barangay of Toong, Cebu City last Friday.<br />
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According to a PBSP field survey, the fire—which occurred at noon as residents reported—damaged a 4.8-hectare reforestation site. Of the affected area, three hectares were planted in 2008 while the rest were planted last year.<br />
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Since the fire, which was put out after two hours, damaged part of the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is closely monitoring the area.<br />
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Buhisan watershed is part of the nearly 29,000-hectare Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL).<br />
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“What happened in the area was an isolated case,” said Malu Largo, program coordinator of the PBSP-Visayas Regional Operations. She added that the dried leaves of the teak trees may have caught fire during the heat.<br />
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The trees eaten by the fire were part of the reforestation project of the Visayan Electric Co. (Veco) and PBSP. Only about 991 trees were left unharmed.<br />
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<b>Survival</b><br />
PBSP’s programs are funded by its corporate members, like Veco.<br />
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Largo assured that PBSP reforestation sites have a high survival rate of more than 95 percent.<br />
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She said that since watershed management and reforestation are priority projects of the PBSP, the group will reforest the area.<br />
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But she said reforesting denuded mountains and degraded watersheds should be the concern of the government and the community.<br />
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But Ma. Alma Ferolyn, Barangay Toong treasurer, admitted that the residents were not really concerned about the bush fire as it happened some distance away from their houses.<br />
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She said residents are used to bush fires in summer. Besides, she added, the barangay does not have a disaster preparedness program.<br />
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CCPL superintendent Le-bert Omac said a DENR team inspected the 800 square meters inside Buhisan watershed, a source of water in Metro Cebu, that was damaged by fire.<br />
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The DENR is yet to determine if the fire was deliberate. But it said in a statement that “the intense heat with the presence of many large dried leaves of teak tree species may have contributed the fire.”(CNU Comm Intern Zarah Joi J. Ancajas)<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-36884171051949283712012-04-18T09:04:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:05:17.780+08:00Burned: 14 houses in Mandaue city, 4.8 hectares in Buhisan forest<div>
<b>TIPOLO FIRE</b></div>
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<b>Burned: 14 houses in Mandaue city, 4.8 hectares in Buhisan forest</b></div>
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<i>By Jessa Chrisna Marie Agua, Norman V. Mendoza</i></div>
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<i>Cebu Daily News</i></div>
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<i>April 18, 2012</i></div>
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A mid-afternoon fire destroyed 14 houses in an interior neighborhood of barangay Tipolo, Mandaue City yesterday.</div>
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No one was injured.</div>
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Minutes after the fire in sitio Basubas was tapped at 3:33 p.m., a grass fire sent firefighters rushing to a field a kilometer away at the Mandaue City Sports and Cultural Complex.</div>
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Urban and upland fires have been reported in soaring temperatures of summer.</div>
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In the Buhisan watershed of Cebu City, a bush fire was declared under control after damaging 4. 8 hectares, according to the Philippine Business for Social Progress which maintains a reforestation site.</div>
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The fire was reported by a PBSP forester who was passing by the area last Friday. The forester raised the possibility that illegal tree cutters had started the fire to justify cutting down dead trees for firewood and charcoal.</div>
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Damaged seedlings of native trees have to be replanted and a two-meter wide “fireline” to be set up by clearing boundaries of debris, said the PBSP in a report.</div>
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The fire was put under control “after two hours” said the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), which said it did not know if the fire was accidental or the work of an arsonist.</div>
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“Grassland/ bush fires in the Buhisan Watershed are a frequent occurrence especially in summer time,” said the report of DENR Protected Area Superintendent Ariel Rica.</div>
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He said they used “fire swatters like wood and banana stalks” to put out the flames. The DENR gave a smaller damage estimate of .8 hectares of the undershrubs of an old Teak tree plantation.</div>
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The Buhisan watershed is co-managed by the Metro Cebu Water District and DENR.</div>
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While the bush fire “won’t affect water supply”, Roel Paneblo, manager of the MCWD environment division, said the area must be “vegetated or reforested immediately” because the siltation level of the Buhisan Dam would increase with the soil erosion.</div>
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The PBSP report, using satellite-based Global Positioning System images, pinpointed the area to 4.8 hectares.</div>
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“Of these, 3 hectares were planted in 2008. The 1.8 hectare reforestation site was planted in 2011.”</div>
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More than 3,000 forest trees and shrubs were damaged in the “bush fire” but 991 survived ,including native species of narra, malapaya, lumbang and salingkuwan.</div>
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In the Mandaue fire, small alleys in sitio Basubas allowed only a one-way access for small vehicles.</div>
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“We just connected hoses until it reached the area,” said SFO1 Nilo Cosido, Mandaue fire investigator said.</div>
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The fire started in the house of Rosemarie Miñoza and spread to other houses of light materials, concrete and wood.</div>
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The lone patient of the “Paanakan sa Mandaue” a three-bed maternity house nearby was discharged in the morning so no one was around when the fire broke out.</div>
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A firewall prevented flames from reaching them, but part of an extension building was affected, said the owner Liza Basubas Prudenciado.</div>
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A 14-year-old girl was asleep when the fire broke. She was frantically trying to get back into their burning house when a neighbor John Arnel Toñacao grabbed her and took her to safety.</div>
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The girl’s mother recalled a fire in the sitio in 2001, and said bystanders who use shabu in the neighborhood may have accidentally caused the fire.</div>
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Marvin Sevillino, a resident, was at Carbon market. He wasn’t able to save any of his house appliances while his wife was away in San Fernando town, south Cebu.</div>
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Mandaue Mayor Jonas Cortes rushed to the scene and ordered social workers to assist fire victims and provide emergency meals. A rapid census will be made.</div>
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“They will receive assistance from the city for sure but we are still assessing them first,” said the mayor.</div>PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-63872122620970501232012-04-15T09:03:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:03:46.074+08:00Fire torches native trees in Buhisan watershed<div>
<b>Fire torches native trees in Buhisan watershed</b></div>
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<i>Cebu Daily News</i></div>
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<i>April 15, 2012</i></div>
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A fire broke out and spread through 12 hectares of the Buhisan Dam watershed a in barangay Toong, Cebu City, while forest guards and residents were attending a nearby seminar last Friday noon.</div>
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Chairman Boy Clamares of the Toong Volunteer Farmers Association said three out of the affected 12 hectares of trees were sponsored by two companies and managed by the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP).</div>
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The cause of the fire was unknown but Calmares said he suspected it was started intentionally by illegal woodcutters eyeing the dead trees for making charcoal.</div>
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Though most of the trees are still standing, their leaves were torched. A 100-year-old teak tree and several 1-year-old seedlings were lost in the blaze.</div>
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PBSP forester Flor Rosales said she saw the fire when she passed by the area at 3:45 p.m. and was disappointed to see that no one was putting it out.</div>
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“I got off the motorcycle and went directly to the nearby Nature Center where forest guards and people were having a meeting. They ran to extinguish the fire,” she said.</div>
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The fire was also spotted by 28-year-old Buhisan resident Menti Cabingatan, who said she was about to gather firewood at the time.</div>
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“Like me, the children were supposed to get firewood, but they ran away when they saw the fire,” she said.</div>
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Rosales and Clamares said native trees like teak, narra and molave and some shrubs were ruined by the fire.</div>
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Suspecting arson, he said illegal wood gatherers “burn trees since it is no longer prohibited to cut them once the leaves and branches are dead. That’s why they burn it. Why else would they do it? It is because authorities would arrest them if they cut trees,” he said.</div>
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A forest fire is not a rare occurrence in their barangay and it is especially frequent in the summer, Clamares said.</div>
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The biggest recorded bush fire was in 2010 where a total of 320 hectares was affected.</div>
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“The summer heat may also be a cause but it’s possible that the fire was caused by illegal loggers, to avoid being penalized,” Clamares said.</div>
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He said the fire wouldn’t have occurred if there were forest watchers assigned to patrol the areas.</div>
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The burned plantation is part of the Buhisan Dam watershed reserve, where a ecotourism park is being developed by the PBSP with private donors and the community.</div>
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The Buhisan Dam watershed is a 631-hectare protected area in the Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) also called the Cebu Hillylands, which is Metro Cebu’s primary source of water.</div>
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The 100-year-old Buhisan Dam itself provides about 5 percent of the water supply of the Metro Cebu Water District.</div>
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Central Visayas (DENR-7) said it will send a team on Monday to assess the fire damage.</div>
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Barangay councilor Melvin Bacalso agreed that forest watchers should be assigned in the area. Correspondents Jessa Chrisna Marie J. Agua, Caryl Baylon and Careen L. Malahay.</div>PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-44864873611591747372012-04-14T09:01:00.000+08:002012-05-28T09:02:38.087+08:00BE Resorts joins reforestation caravan<br />
<b>BE Resorts joins reforestation caravan</b><br />
<i>Cebu Daily News</i><br />
<i>April 14, 2012</i><br />
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BE RESORTS Mactan in cooperation with Philippine Business for Social Progress joins Cebu Hillylands Reforestation caravan inbarangay Tabuna, Cebu City.<br />
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At least 1,690 seedlings of tiga, marupunyot, malasuna and lawaan were planted last Aug. 20, 2011, by BE Resorts Mactan Associates joined by employees of other companies such as Lexmark Philippines, SGV and Co., Recon Radio, Qualfon Philippines, with the support of the Philippine Navy.<br />
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As a corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, BE Resorts supports Hillyland Reforestation Caravan 2011, an environmental advocacy that empowers the community by educating them in agroforestry and engaging the business sector to volunteer.<br />
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The project stemmed from the Cebu Development Program of 1991, which covers 27,000 hectares of Central Cebu protected landscape that supplies water for Cebu City, namely: Buhisan Watershed and Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park, Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed and Forest Park, Mananga Watershed and Forest Park.<br />PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22177525.post-17642903352615173932012-03-29T14:38:00.000+08:002012-04-02T14:39:08.302+08:00Earth Hour reaches space!<b>Earth Hour reaches space!</b><br /><i>March 29, 2012<br />Business Mirror</i><br /><br />FINALLY, Earth Hour breaches Earth! For the first time, the global 60-minute switch-off will extend to the International Space Station, where Earth Hour Astronaut-Ambassador Andre Kuipers shall stand vigil over our imperiled planet as the lights switch off on March 31, sharing photos and live commentary.<br /><br />Kuipers says he is thrilled to participate in Earth Hour to literally take the globally significant movement to new heights. “There’s no better way to raise awareness for the future of the most beautiful planet in the whole universe!”<br /><br />Back on Earth, preparations are frenetic. From Angola to Zimbabwe, organizing teams from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and its growing roster of allies are preparing for what is hoped to be the largest environmental celebration in human history.<br /><br />Earth Hour founder and Executive Director Andy Ridley says everyone from citizens to businesses, schoolchildren to world leaders, need to believe they can make a difference.<br /><br />“The state of our planet affects each and every one of us,” says Ridley. “Last year Earth Hour reached 1.8 billion people across the planet. This year through digital media we are offering a greater opportunity to connect people with the desire to take much-needed action for the environment.”<br /><br />Ridley—the founder of Earth Hour—is slated to celebrate Earth Hour 2012 in the Philippines, which has been rewarded for topping Earth Hour’s global town and city participation levels for three- straight years by being declared a ‘‘Hero Country.”<br /><br />Philippine preparations set, switch-off sites declared<br /><br />WWF-led switch-off ceremonies are slated for the cities of Makati, Cebu and Davao—though other cities and towns are expected to hold well-organized events to observe the switch-off.<br /><br />Makati City’s Ayala Triangle Gardens shall be the central hub for Luzon. At 6:30 p.m. on 31 March, glow-in-the-dark dance troupe Bailes de Luces and the Caracol dancers shall form the vanguard of an Earth-themed parade, which starts at the Makati fire station and ends at Ayala Tower One—where WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Rovilson Fernandez shall host a program with performances from El Gamma Penumbra, Brigada and other groups. No less than Earth Hour founder Andy Ridley shall lead the country’s main switch-off event, hosted by WWF with the help of Ayala Land and the Makati City government.<br /><br />Cebu City’s Plaza Independencia shall be the chief switch-off site for the Visayas. A festive street parade, led by local Sinulog Dancers shall start from Fuente Osmeña Circle from 5:30 p.m. onward. The Cebu switch-off further features a candle lighting ceremony capped off by the release of biodegradable sky lanterns. Cebu’s event is in cooperation with the Aboitiz Group and the Cebu City government.<br /><br />SM Davao shall be the main switch-off site for Mindanao. WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Marc Nelson shall host the switch-off, which features a tribal-themed parade around SM Davao at 6:30 p.m. Black-light and fire-dancers shall woo the crowd with specialized routines once the city plunges into darkness. The Davao event is in collaboration with SM Supermalls, the Green Alliance and the Davao City government.<br /><br />Earth Hour Philippines National Director Atty. Gia Ibay shares, “We’re extremely excited for this year’s switch-off ceremonies. Though the Visayas and Mindanao have always observed their own unique switch-off ceremonies, WWF has traditionally celebrated Earth Hour from Manila.<br /><br />To commemorate our country’s fifth Earth Hour, we thought it high time for WWF to observe the movement across the archipelago—which has always been what we’ve aimed for.” <br /><br />‘I Will If You Will’ pledges snowballing<br /><br />Earth Hour 2012’s new “I Will If You Will” handle empowers people to share a personal dare with the world by asking everyone what are you willing to do to save the planet?<br /><br />The concept of “I Will If You Will” centers around providing a social contract between two parties —connecting one person, business or organization to a “promise” and their friends, family, customers or members to a “challenge”—uniting them behind the common goal of creating a positive environmental outcome.<br /><br />The campaign has taken hold and “I Will If You Will” pledges are now<br /><br />snowballing across cyberspace.WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Marc Nelson has pledged to swim with sharks—in a Panda costume—and plant trees underwater while munching on a ledge to avoid plastic and reuse shopping bags. WWF-Philippines National Ambassador Rovilson Fernandez, for his part, has pledged to run races clad in a Panda costume until April if 5,000 of WWF-Philippines’s 23,000 fans opt to use stairs over elevators for a full month. <br /><br />Cynthia Dayco, a mother and WWF-Philippines Facebook fan, has promised to let her son Josh play Minecraft an hour longer over the summer break if Josh remembers to turn off the lights and fan whenever he leaves his room.<br /><br />Lyjenunt Gonowon, another WWF-Philippines fan, has pledged to recycle if his friends promise to switch to energy-efficient CFL bulbs.<br /><br />An enormous LED billboard along Edsa currently showcases pledges posted on the WWF-Philippines fanpage.<br /><br />Famous faces around the world are speaking out to encourage participation and support for Earth Hour. Environmental activist and former US Vice President Al Gore urged people to join the switch-off from a video message recorded from Antarctica. Pledges are coming in from a plethora of groups—ranging from top band Coldplay to global supermodel Miranda Kerr. As an open-sourced campaign, Earth Hour uses social media to connect a global community of people inspired to change the world we live in.<br /><br />Local governments, schools, corporations ready to go<br /><br />Now in its fifth year, Earth Hour Philippines continues to grow. Current public-sector partners include the Climate Change Commission, Department of Energy, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Information Agency, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of Science and Technology, Department of Agriculture, Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of National Defense, Department of Transportation and Communications, National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Budget and Management, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Education, the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, League of Municipalities, League of Cities and League of Provinces of the Philippines.<br /><br />Philippine media champions include TV5, ABS-CBN, GMA 7, CLTV-36, Discovery Channel, Knowledge Channel, ZOE TV, Global News Network, Philippine Star, BusinessWorld, the BusinessMirror, Philippine Daily Inquirer Online, Aftercall Magazine, Philippines Graphic, Radyo Veritas, dzIQ, dzAR, Globaltronics, QCreativs, Photoworld Manila, ASK and Illuminati Philippines.<br /><br />Corporate partners include the Yuchengco Group of Companies, Arthaland, McDonald's, Globe Telecommunications, Smart Communications, Primer Group of Companies, Core, York, Victory Liner, Aboitiz Group of Companies, Philippine Business for Social Progress, Ayala Land, SM Supermalls, Canon Marketing Philippines, Smart Communications, the Makati Shangri-La Hotel plus Hyatt Hotel and Casino Manila. The list of allies grows longer each day.<br /><br />“More than anything, Earth Hour is a celebration of hope. When our planet plunges into darkness, we can look to the stars and dream of what can be. When the lights switch back on though—our real work begins,” concludes Ibay.<br /><br />Earth Hour 2012 is set for 8:30 p.m. on Saturday, March 31, whether you’re on planet Earth—or orbiting it.PBSP Visayas Regional Officehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11872474977180198346noreply@blogger.com0