Bandillo ng Palawan

Fighting Climate Change One Tree at a Time

2006-11-26T22:05:00.000+08:00

By Yasmin D. Arquiza

Nairobi, Kenya, 16 Nov 2006 - Joan Wangechi Kinyanjui, a 37-year old Kikuyu woman from Lari district, has been planting trees as a volunteer of Kenya’s Green Belt Movement for six years but says she has never received a single cent for her work.

That may soon change. In one of the side events at the United Nations conference on climate change here, Green Belt Movement founder Wangari Maathai signed a $1.6-million emission reductions purchase agreement with the World Bank’s BioCarbon Fund that would finally reward the efforts of volunteers like Kinyanjui.

The project will employ community forest associations to plant and tend seedlings in 1,876 hectares of land within the Mount Kenya and Aberdares regions in the next two years with indigenous species such as cedar and camphor.

This will supplement their traditional livelihood of harvesting forest resources like honey and firewood. The project is also expected to improve the income of local farmers, who will receive payments for environmental services, according to a World Bank statement.

“We really hope we can receive benefits from this project,” said Kinyanjui. Together with her best friend Lilian Muthoni Kimani and dozens of volunteers, among them Maasai men and women in customary garb, she had waited in a tent outside the Forestry office all day just to witness the signing of the agreement.

The reforestation effort is part of UN-sponsored initiatives to help developing countries gain a foothold in the newly created carbon market while helping reduce greenhouse gases in the atmosphere at the same time. The World Bank will purchase 375,000 tons of carbon that are expected to be sequestered within the next 10 years as an outcome of the reforestation effort.

“This contract with the BioCarbon Fund will help the Green Belt Movement tap the growing carbon market and secure a sustainable stream of financial resources,” said Katherine Sierra, vice president for sustainable development at the World Bank.

In response, Maathai urged conference delegates to support the protection of the Congo Forest ecosystem, which is second only to the Amazon in size. She noted that 11 governments in the region have signed a treaty to protect the Congo, but lack of funding would “condemn the forest to destruction” as the Sahara and Kalahari deserts have been creeping along its borders.

“If the Congo forest goes, forget Africa,” Maathai said.

Maathai gained worldwide prominence when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004 for her work in organizing the Green Belt Movement, mainly among Kenyan women, for the past 30 years. The organization has set up 4,000 tree nurseries and encouraged more than 200,000 households to get involved in the greening of Kenya.

“We have learnt that when local communities who live near the forest are educated to understand the linkage between trees, forests and their own livelihoods, they are more likely to take care of and protect these resources,” Maathai said.

On the global level, she is utilizing her celebrity status to gain adherents for the Plant for the Planet: Billion Tree Campaign of the United Nations Environment Programme. The worldwide tree planting campaign encourages individuals and organizations across the globe to enter pledges in a special website, with the aim of planting at least one billion trees in 2007 to help absorb greenhouse gases.

At the opening of the ministerial conference on Wednesday, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan lauded the “impressive action” taken by many developing countries on climate change in the face of a “frightening lack of leadership” among industrialized countries on the issue.

He maintained that the “primary responsibility for action” on climate change lies with “those that have been largely responsible for the accumulation of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” The UN chief said citizens could play a substantive role in pressuring their governments by making climate change “more of an election issue.”

“Let us start being more politically courageous,” he said.

Growing the Perfect Rose with Geothermal Energy

2006-11-26T21:52:00.000+08:00

By Yasmin Arquiza

Hell's Gate National Park, Kenya, 15 Nov 2006 -- Heat from the earth is helping to produce perfect long stemmed roses in a flower farm here that employs local residents, showcasing an emerging trend among socially-conscious companies to merge the pursuit of profits with concern for people and the planet.

Bruce Knight, engineering director of the Oserian Development Company, said the flower farm ventured into the complementary industry of geothermal energy to take advantage of the opportunity to utilize the latter in its greenhouses.

With its new 50-hectare rose garden sitting just below its power plant, Oserian now boasts of having the world’s largest geothermal greenhouse heating project in the world.

Inside the rows of greenhouses, each covering a two-hectare expanse, geothermal steam helps control humidity and temperature while carbon dioxide emitted from the same wells results in higher yields, more vibrant colours, and fuller blooms.

Carol Andrews, Corporate and Business Projects manager for Oserian, says only perfect blooms with the right size and colour are exported to European buyers, while rejected roses go directly to the compost pit. Oserian is the leading flower farm in Kenya, which supplies 30 per cent of Europe’s demand for cut flowers, she said.

Most of its 230 hectares of flower farms are located just outside the park, near the shores of Lake Naivasha. Among the low bushes and wide plains in the Oserian wildlife sanctuary, visitors get a visual treat of Africa’s animals -- gazelles, wildebeest, giraffe, rhinoceros, wild buffalo, zebra, and a variety of colourful birds. A glimpse of pink flamingos wading in the shallow waters of the lake delights first-time wildlife tourists.

CDM project

The Oserian plant is one of the units drawing power from the Olkaria geothermal field inside the park, within the Great Rift Valley. Most of Kenya’s energy needs comes from hydropower plants, but with droughts constantly threatening the country, the government is looking at geothermal energy as another source of renewable energy in the near future.

Geothermal power currently accounts for only 10 per cent of the energy mix in Kenya, said managing director Eddy Njoroge of KenGen, the main supplier of electricity in the country. However, KenGen is seeking to increase geothermal capacity from the current 115 megawatts to 561 megawatts in the next 20 years to supply Kenya’s growing needs.

To achieve this goal, KenGen is tapping into the Clean Development Mechanism, one of the strategies under the Kyoto Protocol that seeks to reduce the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere. KenGen has obtained funding from the World Bank’s Carbon Finance Unit for one of its plants, Olkaria II, under the global climate treaty.

KenGen brought media people and several delegates to the United Nations climate change conference in Nairobi on a tour of their geothermal plants inside this park to highlight the potential of the CDM as a tool in balancing economic development with emission reductions.

Under the CDM, industrialized countries can offset their targets for reducing pollution through so-called carbon credits obtained by funding environment-friendly projects in developing countries.

Last Nov. 14, Njoroge signed an $8.4-million emissions reduction purchase agreement with the World Bank for 900,000 tons of carbon offset by the Olkaria II project for Japan and several European countries. ”We are giving one dollar for every ton of carbon to the communities around Olkaria, effectively raising about 900,000 dollars for adaptation measures for the people who are most affected by climate change,” he said.

Two in One

The Olkaria experience draws parallels for places such as Davao City in the southern Philippines, which supplies 60 per cent of cut flowers in the country and also hosts a geothermal power plant inside a national park.

The possibility of the two industries operating in tandem is a promising one, as the high cost of maintaining flower farms has stumped the growth of the industry. In contrast to Oserian’s production of 400 million stems a year for instance, the leading supplier of roses in the Philippines, Island Rose, only produces two million stems a year. Both companies started at about the same time, in the early 1980s.

About 20 per cent of the Philippines’ energy needs comes from geothermal fields, and the government is encouraging the private sector to invest in more renewable energy projects to meet the rising demand for electricity.

So far, only watershed rehabilitation and wind farm projects have made it to the list of CDM projects approved for the Philippines, leaving room for more potential projects to make use of Kyoto mechanisms in the future.

The Might Of The Mining Industry

2006-08-29T16:12:00.000+08:00

BUSINESS CORRUPTS everything it touches, especially if it is a gigantic one like the mining industry that is fast gaining a foothold in Palawan’s mineral-rich soil. It corrupted local politics so easily that our politicians have been nodding one by one to the entry of mining, with the pro-mining policy of the Arroyo administration as their foremost justification. They also point to the Supreme Court, which has upheld the constitutionality of the Mining Act of 1995, as another defense for opening the province to miners. But in truth, they just have no moral resolve to resist the generous perks offered to them by the mining companies.

A mining executive confessed recently to a group of selected Palawan journalists that mining is a very juicy business. He boasted that it only takes a few shipments of ore to recover their investment. In the approximately two-decade life span of the mines being opened in Palawan, the investors are assured of staggering profits. The fabulous fortunes that the mine firms expect in the coming years have emboldened them to shell out lavish funds to facilitate, as it were, the passage of their applications through the stringent bureaucratic route engendered by the SEP Law. Public officials whose fiercest passion is to stay in power are willing cohorts of mining firms, at the right price of course.

The mining industry is a formidable force that is threatening to lord over the province. It has already conquered the political echelon and is claiming easy victories in the labor sector, LGUs, media, academe and indigenous communities. The only tenacious sectors that will probably remain hostile to the industry till doomsday are the NGOs and the Catholic Church. But these sectors are more of watchdogs than policy makers whose voices are often ignored in decision-making processes that are orchestrated by politicians. Although they have some influence to whip around, they cannot do much as mining is a government-sponsored development strategy that rests on bedrock. With the notorious habit of the present administration in ignoring the people’s will, there is not much hope for the powers-that-be to appreciate the sentiments of affected communities.

Although it might seem like raising the white flag, the current reality shows that the foray of the province into mining is almost beyond help. The might of the industry will soon demolish the remaining obstacles standing in its way. The only thing that can stall the progress of the industry’s conquest is the corporate squabble that is pitting mine firms against each other in a battle for control over mineral-rich lands. But this may not last long as businessmen are more interested in gaining profits than spending money for court litigation. The indigenous people who are claiming most of the proposed mine sites as their ancestral domain are easy to convert, the mining executive said. Blighted by years of poverty and ignorance, they will easily trade their lands for the comfortable life promised to them by the mining company. In fact, an indigenous community in the south is now fighting bitterly over the royalty given out by the mine firm operating in the area. The industry’s executives know well the power of money, and they are exploiting this to their full advantage.

Even as we believe “responsible mining” is just a PR mantra meant to hypnotize the sectors hostile to the industry, given the inevitable victory of the mining industry, we are compelled to turn this phrase into actual practice as our weapon against expected environmental degradation. We can do this by keenly watching the mining operations and blowing the whistle at the earliest sign of anomalous practices from the companies.

Editorial written by Robert Bagalay and published in the Aug. 21-27, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Competing Claims Hound Mining Firms

2006-08-29T15:06:00.000+08:00

By Sergio Pontillas

PALAWAN’S MINING companies are getting a rough ride before they can even start full-scale mining operations in the province’s southern municipalities.

Aside from strong opposition in many communities, corporate battles are proving to be a headache among mining companies involved in the utilization of the province’s vast mineral resources.

Two national dailies reported last Aug. 2 that Citinickel Mines and Development Corp. (CMDC) has asked the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to stop the mining activities of the Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC) in the municipalities of Narra and Sofronio Española.

According to its operating agreement signed on July 18, 2003, the Platinum Group was allowed to operate in the mining claims originally owned by the Olympic Mines and Development Corp. (OMDC) in the two municipalities.

PGMC was reportedly allowed to operate in the OMDC area pending Olympic’s application for a large-scale mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA).

On April 24 this year, OMDC unilaterally rescinded its operating contract with PGMC, citing violations of environmental laws, particularly excessive extraction of minerals. OMDC then reassigned its operating partnership rights to a newly formed corporate entity, the CitiNickel group.

The Platinum Group allegedly practiced large-scale mining in its production site, in violation of its two small-scale mining permits issued by Gov. Joel T. Reyes in November 2004 that limits the company to the extraction of only 50,000 metric tons of ore per year in each of its two sites.

However, a source from PGMC who requested anonymity believes that OMDC tried to revoke its contract because the latter had seen the viability of mining in its former mining claims.

The source described the cancellation of the contract as “pure harassment,” saying the PGMC does not see any violation in its exportation of 282,729 tons of ore to Australia in a span of one and a half years. The current project is covered by a total of 100,000 ton limit for the PGMC permit per year plus another 100,000 ton limit for Olympic, the source argued.

Last week, Palawan Regional Trial Court Branch 52 ruled in favor of PGMC, on the grounds that only the court could cancel or revoke a binding contract.

Rival Mining Companies

Early this year, another mining company lodged an appeal with the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) to delay the council’s endorsement of rival mining companies with MPSAs in the municipality of Brooke’s Point.

In a letter to the PCSD dated February 20, 2006, Lebach Mining Corp. asked the council to reconsider its endorsements for MacroAsia Corporation, Blue Ridge Mineral Corp. and Celestial Nickel Mining Exploration Corp.

The mining company based its appeal on the pending cases with the Supreme Court and the Mines Adjudication Board, which involves its rival mining companies with claims to the same tracts of mining sites in Brooke’s Point.

Records from the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau indicate that an MPSA for 2,835 hectares of land in Brooke’s Point had been issued to Celestial Mining as early as September 18, 1993.

Lebach’s application for a mineral agreement was filed on September 11, 1997.

On the other hand, MacroAsia Corp. was issued an MPSA for 1,113.9 hectares in Brooke’s Point on December 1 last year. MacroAsia is reportedly expecting the issuance of another MPSA that will cover 410 hectares of land in the same municipality this year.

Libo-Libong Uwang Napigil Sa Paliparan

2006-08-29T14:53:00.000+08:00

Ni Lourdes Escaros-Paet

PINIGIL NG MGA otoridad sa paliparan ng Puerto Prinsesa ang 2,212 piraso ng uwang (beetles) na dala ng dalawang dayuhan noong Agosto 16 dahil sa kawalan ng collection at shipping permit.

Ang mga uwang, na isa-isang nakaplastik at nakasilid sa isang karton, ay hindi nakaligtas sa paningin ng mga bihasang kawani ng Air Transportation Office (ATO) nang dumaan ito sa X-ray machine.

Agad na inaresto ng PNP Aviation Security Group sina Shen Lun Ten ng Canada at Wei Hui Fan mula sa Taiwan na natukoy na nagmamay-ari ng kargamento.

Tumangging magbigay ng impormasyon ang dalawa kung saan galing ang mga insekto at ano ang gagawin nila dito.

Subalit sa impormasyon na nakalap ng Bandillo, galing ng Bataraza sa timog Palawan ang mga insekto at binili ito ng dalawang dayuhan sa isang middleman sa halagang P50,000.

Ayon sa mga environmentalists na nakabase sa Bataraza, P30 hanggang P45 kada pares ang kuha ng mga middleman sa mga katutubo. Binebenta naman ito ng mga middleman sa mga dayuhan ng P300 kada pares.

Sa labas ng bansa, umaabot ng $80 o P4,000 hanggang P5,000 umano ang bentahan nito kada pares.

Bagaman wala pang kumpirmasyon mula sa mga eksperto, may bisa umano kagaya ng Viagra ang mga uwang at mabenta ito sa mga kalalakihang nakakaranas ng erectile dysfunction. Sa Internet na umano nagaganap ang bentahan nito.

Bukod sa medisinal na pakinabang, pinagsasabong din umano ng mga dayuhan ang mga insekto bilang katuwaan. Ang katawan nito ay niluluto samantalang ang ulo ay ginagawang souvenir item ng mga Hapon.

Ang dalawang dayuhan ay sinampahan ng kasong paglabag ng Wildlife Act ng Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS).

Nilinaw ni Alex Marcaida, tagapagsalita ng PCSDS, na hindi bawal magluwas ng mga uwang sa lalawigan basta may collection at shipping permit.

Ang mga uwang ay hindi kabilang sa mga naganganib na buhay ilang sa Palawan. Ilang uri nito ay kilalang peste na pumipinsala ng mga tanim na niyog.

Ito ang pangalawang beses na may nahuling iligal na kargamento ng uwang ngayong taon.

Lowly Shrub Seen as Solution to Fuel Crisis

2006-08-29T14:35:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo Valendez

THE SAPPY and soft shrub that finds its worth only as a hedge plant in rural areas could save the country from economic difficulties brought by soaring oil prices.

Energy experts have acknowledged that the physic nut (jatropha curcas), locally known as macasla, tubang-bakod and tuba-tuba, is a good source of renewable bio-fuel that could replace expensive fossil fuels for vehicles and factories.

Last Aug. 22, the provincial board invited the Palawan Biodiesel Development Corporation (PBDC) to its regular session to explain the merits of the plant, which abounds in rural areas.

PBDC Pres. Caesar Ventura and Exec. Vice Pres. Laurence Padilla explained that Palawan has a great potential in developing macasla plantations considering its vast land area, favorable climate, and good labor source.

Ventura said many idle lands in the province could be used for plantations as the plant can adapt to any kind of soil.

Cultivation of macasla requires no fertilizers or pesticides, only the occasional clearing of weeds that might choke the plants. It also thrives well even if planted with other crops.

Propagated by simply inserting a stem in the soil, macasla starts bearing fruits within two years. For 40 years after the first year of harvest, the plant keeps yielding seeds for bio-diesel extraction, Ventura said.

The plant, which grows from two meters to five meters in height, yields clusters of round fruits about the size of pingpong balls with nothing inside but oil-rich seeds. The oil extracted from its dried seeds may be used as lighting material, emetic and purgative.

Manufacturers use the oil for making candles, soap, and varnish. The seeds are also used as rat poison and insecticide. Traditional fishers once utilized the seeds of a rare variety of macasla as fish poison, but the practice has been deemed illegal.

Aside from its oil, macasla is also used as laxative, remedy for cough, antidote for poisoning, cure for toothache and treatment of gonorrhea and syphilis in rural areas. The leaves, roots and bark of the plant can be used as dye, according to one research study.

Ventura said the use of bio diesel from macasla is not new. Research shows it was first used in 1896 when the diesel engine was invented.

According to historical accounts, Spanish colonizers brought the plant to the Philippines from tropical America, and cultivated them for use as fuel in their vessels’ lamps.

The bio-diesel could be used by itself in running engines, or it can be mixed with commercial diesel.

Demand is “Forever”

The use of bio-fuel would be a great help for the country with its growing demand for fuel, experts said.

The current annual fuel consumption of the country is six million tons, but it is expected to increase to 40 million tons by 2015.

With this demand, bio-fuels from plantations could answer the problem of supply, advocates said.

Commercial production of biodiesel from macasla has been going on for five years in countries like India and Egypt, according to Ventura.

In the Philippines, the technology is not yet fully developed so the expected harvest from Palawan would have to be exported to Japan and China, Ventura said.

However, Board Member Alice Fabellon questioned the stability of the market. She observed that several plantations have been introduced in the province, such as oil palm and coconuts, but these have not produced any remarkable results.

“We planted a little of everything and then we do not know how to sell,” Fabellon said. “The government is encouraging us to plant all these trees, but when grown up, the government does not help us to sell.”

Padilla assured investors that PBDC would provide the market, but they would have contracts with the corporation.

Ventura added that revenues from bio-diesel production would be better than the province’s expected revenue from Malampaya project. He said Palawan could only benefit from the gas project for 21 years but with bio-diesel it could be “forever.”

However, Vice Gov. David Ponce De Leon said, “we can never really say that for sure.”

The national government could again impose conditions, as the bill for the bio-diesel industry’s nationalization was passed recently, Ponce De Leon said. The province still has to see how the bill would affect the industry, he concluded.

A Season For Burglars

2006-08-29T13:54:00.000+08:00

WITH THE RECENT onslaught of monsoon rains, many of us should be aware of the heightened danger of having uninvited guests in our homes. We know too well the possibility of having burglars in our homes during nights of endless rain. We can only prevent incidents of theft by securing our homes before we go to sleep at night.

But unknown to most of us, along with the rainy season comes another form of burglary. We only learn about it with the multiple apprehensions of travelers attempting to ship wildlife from our province and destined, predictably, to the black market for exotic animals in Manila and beyond. The shipments range from the lowly beetle – a known pest for coconut plantation owners – to the beautiful and talkative mynah and blue-naped parrot.

Most of these shipments originate from the southern part of the elongated Palawan mainland – a pattern that coincides with the illegal shipment of live tropical fish from our province. Recently, we have not heard of apprehensions of illegal shipments of live tropical fish. The rainy season could be the reason behind such absence. Mameng and other kinds of marine delicacies are hard to come by during this season.

But this pattern begs the question – could the same fly-by-night organizations of illegal live fish traders be also behind these attempts to ship terrestrial wildlife from the province? Our vigilant NGOs and government agencies have no proof yet that these patterns are merely coincidental. But before we start looking for proof of connections, we should be on the alert simply because there seems to be a rise in the number of attempts to ship terrestrial wildlife from our province.

The pattern of lack of proper documents for shipments is glaring. It could reflect on the lack of knowledge on the part of traders about the provisions controlling the shipment of flora and fauna from Palawan in existing laws such as the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan or RA 7611 and the National Integrated Protected Areas System or NIPAS law. Is the PCSDS running on such a limited budget that the common trader is not aware of laws meant to protect our unique ecosystem? Or are these just signs of a devil-may-care attitude among our traders?

At present, a multitude of wildlife species thrives in our vast tracts of forests. Some of these may be pests like the coconut beetle, while others may not have even been discovered and properly recorded yet. There is simply too vast a cache of wildlife in Palawan, enough for an uninformed individual to think that he or she can get away with trading on these species, unmindful of its possible impact on the future of our ecosystem. After all, what negative effect could the trading of a pest beetle do to an ecosystem that spans the entire mainland of the country’s largest province?

It would take scientists to explain this at the ecological level. But at the moral and civic level, we can simply assert that this is akin to burglary – there is a law that prohibits such shipments from Palawan’s unique ecosystems after all. Flouting the law, no matter how trivial it may appear, has no place in civilized society.

Editorial written by Sergio Pontillas and published in the August 14-20, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

JTR Files Libel Suit Vs. Accusers

2006-08-29T13:40:00.000+08:00

By Lourdes Escaros-Paet & Robert Bagalay

PIQUED BY sly insinuations that he is involved in the murder of Fernando “Dong” Batul, Gov. Joel T. Reyes filed a P20 million libel suit last week against his accusers, Cindy Clavecilla and her lawyer Romeo Gerochi.

Local radio stations had interviewed Clavecilla and Gerochi, both from Iloilo City, almost daily in connection with a 10-year old estafa case arising from a botched land deal in Coron.

In some instances, the two implicated the governor to the still unsolved murder of Batul last May, saying the slain commentator was the first to discuss the case against the governor on the radio.

“Si Batul lamang ang matapang na tumalakay sa kasong ito,” Clavecilla had said.

Gerochi said the governor had allegedly refused to give to Homero Clavecilla, the family’s patriarch, his rightful share from the proceeds of a land sale that Reyes had brokered when he was still a board member.

But Gov. Reyes assured Palaweños that he is innocent of the accusations of Gerochi, pointing to the decade long inactivity of the case as proof that the complaint against him was not substantial enough.

“Nasa korte na ‘yan at hindi ko tinatalikuran yan,” the governor said.

Reyes believes that politics is behind the “surprising revival” of the case, due to the seemingly coordinated efforts of the Clavecilla camp and some local broadcasters.

Provincial Information Officer Rolando Bonoan Jr. recalled that Batul had indeed discussed the issue in his radio program a few weeks before he was killed, but he had refrained from discussing it further after finding out that the case is already in court.

Bonoan said they already know the political group behind the move to malign the governor’s reputation through Gerochi and Clavecilla, with the help of “hired” local broadcasters.

“Kung hindi nila alam kung paano lilinisin ang duming ginawa nila, hwag nilang ibabato ‘yan sa gobernador,” said Bonoan.

Telephone Brigade

The governor’s camp is also closely watching the reactivation of the telephone brigade that successfully brought down the Dennis Socrates-Fernando Batul administration from the Puerto Princesa city hall during their 2001 to 2004 term.

Bonoan expressed suspicion that the group is again at work after a number of callers phoned in to radio stations and expressed negative opinions towards the governor after the interviews with Gerochi or Clavecilla.

The case also found space in some national tabloids.

The provincial capitol’s legal team is also studying the filing of libel cases against local broadcasters who interviewed Clavecilla and Gerochi.

Gerochi, when reached for comments by a local station regarding the libel case, said the broadcasters who interviewed them must be included for the suit to stand in court.

The lawyer, who claimed to be a prominent personality in Iloilo City, also disproved the anchorman’s statement that he had called up the station to be interviewed.

“Di ba ikaw ang tumawag sa akin?” Gerochi asked candidly, to the consternation of the obviously bewildered anchorman.

Gerochi also denied the accusation of the governor’s camp that a political group is manipulating him and Clavecilla in an effort to malign the governor.

Meanwhile, the Batul family laughed off the insinuation that the governor was linked to the murder of the former vice mayor. According to family members, nobody would believe such a story since the people know who is the real mastermind of the murder.

“Alam natin kung ano ang totoo at kung may nais kaming pasalamatan, si Governor Reyes yun at wala nang iba,” said Letty Batul-Cabusao, the family’s spokesperson.

Reyes honored Batul’s remains with the Philippine flag, eulogized the broadcaster during the funeral mass, extended assistance to the family, and offered a P500,000 reward for witnesses who could identify the killers.

Former vice mayor of El Nido shot dead

2006-08-25T19:13:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo Valendez

FORMER EL NIDO Vice Mayor Edwin Vidal died after suffering three gunshot wounds from unknown gunmen who entered his home in El Nido town at around 3 o’clock in the morning last August 21.

His wife, municipal councilor Julieta Vidal, survived a gunshot wound and was recuperating at the Taytay District Hospital as of press time.

Gov. Joel Reyes immediately instructed the Provincial Philippine National Police to conduct immediate investigation on the case.

Businessman Ernesto Fernandez, who has announced plans to run for mayor of El Nido next year, said the killing is “politically motivated.”

He said Vidal was supposed to be his running mate for El Nido. “One possible reason (for the crime) ay para matakot ako,” he said, but added that the killing made him more eager to run.
Fernandez asserted, “Walang kaaway, walang negosyo, walang babae, at walang pera ang taong ito.”

He said Vidal’s murder was a “professional way of killing” done by a hitman. An informant had told him two months ago that a certain “political person” had threatened his camp, Fernandez said.

However, El Nido Mayor Edna Lim said, “wala po akong nakikitang political motivation.”

“Bakit ngayon pa at hindi noong kasikatan pa niya?” Lim asked.

Image

Vidal, 51, served the municipal government from 1979 to 2001.

He was the Secretary for the Sangguniang Bayan from Aug. 1, 1979 to Dec. 31, 1981 and the municipal Budget Officer from Jan. 1982 to April 30, 1986.

Vidal served as councilor from Feb. 18, 1988 to March 30, 1992 and Vice Mayor from 1992 to 2001.

Mayor Lim said the municipal government would offer reward money to anybody who could give information that would lead to solving the crime. The municipal council has yet to convene and discuss the exact amount of the reward, Lim said.

“Ayaw kong masira ang image ng El Nido dahil sa krimeng ito,” Lim stressed.

She asked the tourists “not to fear” the town because of the incident, saying El Nido’s residents are a peace-loving people.

Responding to the residents’ request for additional electricity service, which only runs from 1 pm to 12 midnight, the council has passed a resolution requesting the extension of operating hours.

Lim said electricity now runs from 5 pm to 5 am beginning Aug. 21.

Vidal’s remains were transferred from Taytay to El Nido last Aug. 22 for the wake in their house in the town’s poblacion. Vidal’s son John Rustom said they are yet to schedule his father’s interment.

Another Attack On Press Freedom

2006-08-14T18:34:00.000+08:00

LAST TUESDAY, August 1, Amihan Sabillo, reporter of DYPR and news writer of Bandillo ng Palawan, went to bed early to relieve herself of the fatigue of another busy day. The other members of the household were away for the night so she was alone in the house. She fell into a deep sleep easily, but was awakened past midnight by the strange sounds and movement inside the house. In the darkness, she was able to make out the figures of two men, who were busy rummaging around and looking for something, unaware of her presence. Smelling danger, she quickly crawled beneath her bed and stayed there, trembling with fear until the two men left.

Nothing was taken from the house. Obviously, the two men did not break into Ms. Sabillo’s house to steal anything, as the house is bare of valuable furnishing. They were there to find and retrieve a document that would eventually strip Louie Larrosa of DYER of his masquerade. But Ms. Sabillo is wiser than the two men and whoever gave them orders to break into her house. The documents that reached Ms Sabillo’s hands, through an insider who can no longer bear the squandering of taxpayers’ money by the administration’s cronies, are the original copy of the personal data sheet and contract of service of Louie Larrosa’s wife as shift supervisor in the Kilos Agad Action Center (KAAC), a special project of the city government of Puerto Princesa.

Mrs. Ma. Felicitas Larrosa is receiving a P10,000 monthly salary from KAAC, but its personnel swear they have never seen even just her shadow in the office—a perfect ghost employee. As station manager of DYER, the radio station we all know belongs to the city mayor’s family, Larrosa wields such influence in the city government that he could have easily worked his wife’s name into the payroll. (Larrosa announced recently that he has already acquired the station; we are leaving the matter to BIR personnel who could gladly assess the tax of our brand new millionaire, and will happily reward his “exemplary honesty,” sorely lacking among the country’s billionaires, with a certificate of appreciation that he can surely brag as another prestigious award for his station.)

For Louie Larrosa, whose name is now synonymous to mercenary journalism and whose broadcasting practice is the worst in Palawan, such an act is not surprising anymore: he is actually keeping a closet of stinking carcasses that would damn him once opened. It would need a divine miracle for him to realize how good he is at ruining himself and his family at such cheap bargains. We don’t care much if he is indeed dying to get rich even at the expense of his soul and his family’s reputation. However, we cannot tolerate that again, he made a mockery of this serious threat to the life of a fellow journalist.

Like what he did to DYPR broadcaster Dong Batul after a failed grenade attack in the latter's home last April, Larrosa mocked Ms. Sabillo and made fun of her hiding beneath the bed, calling her a “buang” (crazy) reporter. Now, who will forgive him for such a statement made in the face of real danger? Where is the ethics, the professionalism, the respect, the humanity in that statement? Only a lunatic can afford to laugh in the face of real danger.

Enraged as we are, we are also sorry to note that Larrosa and his handlers still believe that the truth is a disposable commodity they can crush into dust with their soles. We are sorry that they believe the listening public is so gullible, they would be incapable of discerning and separating fact from fiction. Admittedly, Larrosa’s brand of broadcasting has, in some way, succeeded in deceiving the public from the truth. But no matter how subtle and shrewd the tampering done to the truth, it will always remain absolute. Something real and infallible will always emerge out of the haze created by lying tongues.

And one real thing that cropped up recently, which Larrosa can no longer distort and revoke, and certainly, make fun out of, are the authentic documents proving his corruption along with his wife in the city government.

Editorial published in the Aug. 7 – 13, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Court summons reluctant witnesses in Batul’s murder

2006-08-14T18:28:00.000+08:00

By Lourdes Escaros-Paet and Robert Bagalay

JUDGE TORIBIO ILAO of Regional Trial Court Branch 52 has ordered two reluctant witnesses in the murder case of radio commentator Fernando “Dong” Batul to give their testimonies in the first hearing of the trial of Aaron Golifardo, one of the suspected gunmen, on Sept. 8.

Both the prosecution and defense panels asked the court to summon Beor Reynoso, the owner of the house closest to the crime scene, and Ding Osia, a former Navy officer who happened to be in the area when the killing took place, to testify in the case. Both men are not witnesses of either camp.

The lawyers of Batul and Golifardo believe that Reynoso knows the killers but for some unknown reason, he has been reluctant in giving information to the authorities.

When reached by Bandillo for comment, Reynoso expressed dismay over the court’s “encroachment on his private life.” He said that he would seek his lawyer’s advice regarding the court order.

“Sana nirespeto nila ang aking pagiging pribadong tao,” he complained.

Although Reynoso admitted that he was at home when Batul was ambushed, his knowledge is limited to hearing the gunfire and finding Batul slumped in the driver’s seat, almost lifeless.

He said he was cooking breakfast in the morning of May 22 when he heard a vehicle crash against the wall across his house on Valencia Street. He went out to check what happened but the burst of gunfire sent him scampering back to the house.

He crouched low in his house until he felt that it was already safe outside. When he came out after about ten minutes, he found Batul fatally wounded inside his multicab.

Reynoso said other people were in the area when the killing took place, and they could provide better information on the case.

He claimed that investigators had already questioned him, but he could not give additional information.

Reynoso also disproved the rumor in his neighborhood that the suspects or their handlers had bribed him to remain silent on the matter. The rumors circulated following the renovation of his dilapidated house a few weeks after the murder, but Reynoso explained that his wife who is working as a nurse in the US sent him the money for repairs.

Meanwhile, Osia admitted having witnessed the ambush when he explained his side to Bandillo. But unlike Reynoso, he expressed willingness to comply with the court order.

He claimed that he had informed the National Bureau of Investigation and Task Force Dong Batul what he knew of the crime.

Osia denied allegations that he was bribed to keep silent, saying some “personalities” in the city have tried bribing him but he turned them down.

Both Reynoso and Osia claim to be supporters of Batul.

Appointment of Awat as KSK director questioned

2006-08-14T18:24:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo H. Valendez

CONTROVERSY IS HOUNDING the appointment of noted lawyer and environmentalist Atty. Nesario Awat as the new director of the provincial government’s Kilusan Sagip Kalikasan (KSK) starting August 1.

Gov. Joel Reyes named Awat as the head of Palawan’s environmental watchdog, replacing officer-in-charge Maj. Pablo Margarejo who has held the post since former director Capt. Reynaldo Trajano resigned last year. Margarejo will resume his regular duties as Security Officer IV in the provincial government when he returns from his sick leave, officials said.

Critics have claimed that Awat’s appointment is allegedly the governor’s “gift” to Awat, who had filed a petition in court questioning the eligibility of Palawan Congressmen Antonio Alvarez and Abraham Mitra to sit as members of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD).

Reyes and the two congressmen used to be political allies, but they have since gone separate ways.

The election for PCSD chairman in 2004 highlighted the rift between Reyes and Mitra, who obtained a recommendation from Pres. Arroyo for the post despite an earlier agreement that the governor would be nominated to the influential position.

As a result, Mitra became the chairman while Reyes was relegated to the post of vice chairman.

Last year, Awat and Integrated Bar of the Philippines – Palawan President Atty. Carlo Gomez filed a petition with the Court of Appeals questioning the constitutionality of the congressmen’s membership in the PCSD, which performs executive functions under the Office of the President.

The petitioners sought clarification on the possible “conflict in the separation of powers” with regard to the two legislators’ membership in the council.

Provincial Information Officer Rolando Bonoan denied the allegation from the governor’s opponents, saying “hindi na niya (Awat) kailangan ang ganitong regalo.”

In fact, Bonoan said Awat had declined the offer for the position, but “pinakiusapan lang siya ni Gov.”

He added that the provincial government believes Awat is the best person for the job as the lawyer had formerly served as the legal officer of the Bantay Palawan, the project’s name before it was changed to KSK.

Bonoan said the KSK position “has nothing to do with the case” on the PCSD membership and added that even if the lawyers did not file it, “somebody will ask that query regarding the eligibility.”

He also pointed out that if the governor is guilty, “he should have not appointed Awat.”

Ang Totoong Sumisira Sa Pamilya Hagedorn

2006-08-14T18:15:00.000+08:00

Ni Lourdes Escaros-Paet

NAGREKLAMO SA pamunuan ng DYPR sa pamamagitan ng text message (hindi man lang ginawang black and white) si Clink Hagedorn dahil sa tila itinuturo ko raw ang kanyang ama na si Mayor Edward Hagedorn na siyang pumaslang kay Fernando “Dong” Batul. Nagpapasalamat naman ako sa aking himpilan dahil naging supportive ito sa atin at naging balanse sa pagtrato ng naturang reklamo.

Kay Clink Hagedorn, na minsa’y itinuring ko ring kaibigan, heto ang masasabi ko. Ang ginawa mo ay nagpapakita lamang ng iyong kahinaang harapin ang anino ng inyong pagkakamali. Isa-isahin natin para mas maunawaan mo at ng iyong ama kung ano ang katotohanan at ano ang inyong pagkakamali.

Mayo 22 nang pinaslang si Batul. Minuto lang, sa wakas, nagsalita na rin sa DYPR ang iyong ama at sinabing wala siyang alam sa pangyayari. Nagpaliwanag, dahil alam niyang siya ang unang pagbibintangan. Kanyang hiniling ang agarang pagresolba sa kasong ito.

Tama ang ginawa ng iyong ama. Bagama’t may istasyon kayo na pwede niyong gamitin para magpaliwanag sa publiko kahit isang taon, sa DYPR siya tumawag at nagsalita kung saan nakikinig ang mas nakakaraming mga Palaweño at supporters ni Batul. Nagpaliwanag ang iyong ama sa DYPR, pero sa himpilan ninyo, binabanatan si Batul. Palagay mo Clink, may maniniwala sa ‘yo at sa sinseridad ng iyong ama?

Maraming nagulat nang marinig ng taong bayan ang iyong ama sa aming himpilan. Nagpaabot kasi siya ng pakikiramay sa pamilya ng mga Batul! Tama ang aksyon ng iyong ama, ng alkalde. Pero teka, narinig mo bang humingi ng paumanhin ang iyong ama dahil siya ang unang nagtanim sa utak ng mga Palaweño na ang granadang inihagis kay Batul noon ay gawa-gawa lamang nito? Pinagtawanan at sinira ng inyong istasyon ang dating bise alkalde! Palagay mo Clink, may maniniwala sa iyo at sa sinseridad ng iyong ama?

Hunyo 3, araw ng libing ni Batul. Ang libu-libong mga Palaweño ay nakikisimpatiya, naghihinagpis at umiiyak. Umaasa kami na sana ito rin ang araw na bigyan niyo kami ng konting respeto at dignidad. Irespeto ang sakit na nararamdaman ng pamilya Batul. Pero hindi niyo ‘yan ginawa. Bagkus sa inyong himpilan, patuloy ang pagsira niyo sa pagkatao ni Batul. Libing na niya, hindi niyo pa iginalang! Clink at Mayor Hagedorn, palagay niyo may maniniwala sa inyo?

Hanggang ngayon, nagpapatuloy ang pambabastos at paninira ng inyong himpilan sa amin at kay Batul. Ngunit kailanman, hindi kami nagreklamo dahil ikabababa ng aming pagkatao ang patulan ang iyong bayarang broadcaster na ang tanging hangarin ay humanap ng pera na ipambubuhay sa naghihikahos nang pamilya.

Clink, kahit kailan ay hindi namin inipit ang iyong ama. Ang iyong binabayarang mamamahayag ang sumisira sa pangalan ng iyong ama, at sa pangalan ng iyong pamilya. Maaaring hindi mo alam ‘yan.

Iba ang salita sa ginagawa. Mali ang diskarte na ibinibigay ninyo sa inyong bayarang broadcaster. Wala nang masisira sa taong ‘yan. Pinagsawaan na ‘yan ng mga pulitiko. Sa konting halaga, sisirain niyan kahit sino. Galing na ‘yan sa ibang diyos na ang ilan ay mga kalaban pa ng iyong ama. Alam niyo ba yun? Kaya nga pinagtatawanan na lang kayo eh.

Wala nang pangalan ang taong ‘yan. Pero ang inyong pamilya ay may pangalan at dignidad na dapat niyong pag-ingatan. Buti pa si Kgd. Douglas Hagedorn, alam kung paano harapin ang isyu ng pagkakasangkot ng kanyang pangalan sa pagkamatay ni Batul. Tahimik lang kaya walang intriga. Pero ang iyong ama ay pinagkatiwala ang isyu sa inyong himpilan na wala namang ginawa kundi ang isubo siya sa kahihiyan. Natatakot kami sa magiging hatol sa kanya ng taumbayan.

Ang white paper, ang mga kolum ng isang Joey Venancio, ang mga pahayag ng mga witnesses na sana’y paborable sa amin ay hindi namin pinatulan kailanman dahil naniniwala kami sa batas. Ang mga bagay na ‘yan ay binuksan ng iyong binabayarang broadcaster na siyang totoong umiipit ngayon sa iyong ama.

Sana Klink, mapagtanto na ninyo ang pinsalang dinudulot sa inyong pamilya ng inyong bayarang broadcaster. Sa dami na ng binitiwang mapanirang salita niyan sa ere, hindi niyo na mababawi pa.

Sabi nga ni Dong, sa pamamamahayag hindi dapat pera ang nasa isip. Utak ang dapat gamitin. Ngunit tila ‘yan ang kulang sa inyong bayarang mamamahayag, kaya banat lang nang banat at hindi iniisip ang magiging epekto ng kanyang mga pahayag sa inyong pamilya.

Para sa mga nais na magbigay ng reaksiyon maaari kayong mag-email sa treselourdes13@yahoo.com

Dreaming Double

2006-08-14T18:11:00.000+08:00

PRESIDENT GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO must have been out of her mind when she made the following statement during her recent state of the nation address: “Local governments must get their rightful share of revenues. I ask Congress to pass a supplemental budget to effect this.”

In the case of Palawan, it would not need an act of congress to pass a budget for the province to get its “rightful share of revenues.” She does not need to pass the buck to lawmakers to make a major turn in the history of this province in terms of revenue shares from the controlled plunder of its natural resources. It only takes a verbatim order from Arroyo to her cabinet members to make the pipe dream come true.

Palawan has long been waiting in the wings to take its rightful share of Malampaya’s revenues. But, as of today, there seems to be no sign of any executive decision that will allow Palawan’s local governments to finally drink from the overflowing cups of resource extraction taking place in its backyard.

After tolerating and participating in the act of environmental rape in the province, the chief executive adds insult to injury by taking a high-nosed stance – denying any acknowledgement of the backyard from whose resource her government is now trying to fuel its stratospheric dream of “Philippines 2010.” Double murder indeed, in the face of her dreaming.

But what else can we expect? Reading through the President’s SONAs in a chronological order brings out the glaring truth – the SONAs are not interconnected in any way. President Arroyo’s SONAs do not in any way build upon her blueprints in the preceding years, in much the same way that she reneged on her earlier words of acknowledgement of Palawan’s gas wealth. She’s a perfect example of the politically incorrect line “women do change their minds.”

In 2001, Arroyo dangled the Malampaya dream in front of a Palawan suffering from the lack of tourism and business in its shores. Now, in 2006, the winds have probably changed inside Arroyo’s mind. She is dangling the prospect of big bucks from a culture of tourism in the Central Philippines supra region. Roads and airports are the bywords for Palawan nowadays.

We can only pray that the big money from tourists will finally reach Palaweños, and not just line somebody else’s pockets. Also, we need to pray that we will still have enough natural beauty to show tourists when they come. We need to pray that her dreams of tourism will finally come head-to-head with her never-ending quest for the plunder of minerals in the province.

Editorial written by Sergio Pontillas and published in the July 31 – August 6, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Shipment Ng Salagubang, Kinumpiska

2006-08-14T18:07:00.000+08:00

Ni Amihan Sabillo

KINUMPISKA NG PINAGSANIB na puwersa ng mga ahensya ng pamahalaan sa Palawan ang 939 piraso ng salagubang o uwang na nakatakda sanang ibiyahe sa Maynila sakay ng barko noong Hulyo 28.

Ang shipment, na pag-aari ng isang nagngangalang Amie Potestad, ay kinumpiska ng mga otoridad dahil sa kawalan ng collection at shipping permit.

Ayon kay Manuelito Ramos, hepe ng Protected Areas & Wildlife sector ng City Environment and Natural Resources Office, isang linggong minanmanan ng Filipino Alliance Movement si Potestad sa Bataraza bago ito nahuli.

Kaagapay ng City ENRO at Filipino Alliance Movement ang Port Police, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Coast Guard, Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff sa operasyon.

Dumaan sa X-ray machine sa port terminal ang kahon kaya nalaman ng mga otoridad ang laman nito. Nilagyan ng yelo ang kahon kaya hindi naging maingay ang mga insekto.

Ang naturang mga insekto ay wala sa listahan ng mga nanganganib nang maubos na buhay ilang. Ayon sa mga magsasaka, isa itong peste sa niyugan dahil binubutas nito ang mga murang palapa ng niyog.

Ganunpaman, kasong administratibo at kriminal ang haharapin ni Potestad bilang paglabag sa Wildlife Conservation & Protection Act, ayon kay Alex Marcaida, tagapagsalita ng PCSDS.

Binibili umano ito ni Potestad sa mga katutubo sa Bataraza ang uwang ng P40 kada piraso. Binebenta naman nito sa isang buyer na Hapon sa Maynila ng P1,500 ang maliliit na pares at P5,000 ang malalaking pares na sumusukat ng dalawa hanggang tatlong pulgada.

Hindi rin malinaw kay Potestad kung ano ang gagawin sa mga salagubang ng kakontrata niyang Hapon. May palagay naman ang mga otoridad na may pang-nutrisyunal at medisinal na gamit ang mga insekto dahil sa magandang presyong binibigay ng buyer nito.

Hindi naman sinabi ni Marcaida kung ano ang gagawin nila sa mga salagubang.

Unsubstantiated Complaint

2006-08-14T15:54:00.000+08:00

By Lourdes Escaros-Paet

RECENTLY, THE PALAWAN Press Club, a local media organization that claims to be the official organization of media practitioners in Palawan (minus DYPR, Bandillo and Palawan Sun) filed a complaint against me with the management of the radio station where I work.

They are griping over my emotional and blunt commentary on the morning when Dong Batul was slain, about the polarized local media and the curbing of the alleged corruption of Rod Evangelista and James Viernes, broadcasters from DYSP, as one of the unfinished business of the late Bastonero.

While the complainants claim that my statements about the corrupt practices of some known practitioners have been detrimental to the reputation of the local media, it is already public knowledge that there are local media practitioners who receive money from politicians. Therefore, the complaint is clearly hypocritical.

Besides, Dong Batul had discussed the issue extensively in his broadcast last March 27 and April 25 of this year, right down to the details on how Viernes and Evangelista collected money from Atty. Edwin Gastanes as payment for their demolition job against Cong. Baham Mitra in the last election. Batul even challenged them to sue him for libel, but they remained silent.

This documented incident was also included in the letter dated July 7, 2006 sent by Letty Batul-Cabusao, sister of Dong Batul, to the management of GMA Network. Last week, Ms Cabusao discussed the issue with Mike Enriquez of GMA 7 when she went to Manila. The issue is everywhere.

On the allegation that I maligned the image of the local press by projecting it as a quarrelling group, well, I think the truth will speak for this matter. Contrary to the complainants’ posturing as a united group, division certainly exists between those honorably pursuing their profession and those who prostitute themselves; between those who are for truth and the common good, and those who are in the business of fabricating and spreading lies for private gain.

The truth that the Palawan press has been fragmented with the entry of illegitimate practitioners in government payroll is a fact that existed before Batul was murdered. If the Press Club just took time in analyzing what the disassociation of the three credible media outfits from the group means, they would have seen the pointlessness of their complaint.

The public has become so concerned about the rift in the local media that the Palawan Community Media Council, composed of media executives and civil society groups, has been exploring the possibility of reconciling the quarrelling factions.

I find the complainants’ demand for DYPR to pull out its plug “Mga Palatandaan ng mga Bayarang Mamamahayag” because it supposedly alludes to the fact that indeed, the local press is haunted with corrupt practitioners, very amusing.

It is our way of educating the public on how to weed out the corrupt practitioners from the local press to redeem its reputation, yet they find it offensive! Only those who are guilty of that public-service message will find it hurting and feel threatened by it.

Now, they complain that such a plug hurts the local press, after conveniently ignoring the abuses in the airwaves done by their members in the past. Dong Batul suffered terrible personal attacks from his former colleagues in DYSP and commentators of DYER, owned by the city mayor.

He was even called “Bastonegro” in the GMA’s FM station, a corruption of “Bastonero” which was an obvious mockery of Batul’s dark complexion. The abuse of the airwaves that went on days after Batul was killed even worried Bishop Pedro Arigo so much that the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas, Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism, and the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines to call the attention of the National Telecommunication Commission regarding the matter.

The Press Club would do better by policing its members instead of calling for the pullout of a radio plug that calls for the professionalism of the local press that they claim to represent.

Now, if the Press Club really thinks I’m culpable of libel, well they should stop talking about it: if they have a case, they are free to go to court. Our conduct in the matter has been motivated by the desire to continue the crusade of our fallen colleague, Dong Batul, who suffered endless attacks from fellow media practitioners in his crusade to clean the local media of crooks, and whose memory has been honored by the Catholic Church by a Pro Deo Et Pro Patria Award.

Mabuhay ang malinis, malaya, makatotohanan at de kalidad na pamamahayag sa Palawan!

Comments are welcome at treselourdes13@yahoo.com

Mining firms in Palawan unite for PR blitz

2006-08-14T15:47:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo Valendez

AS ENVIRONMENTALISTS stood firm on their position that responsible mining is merely an abstract concept, six mining firms in Palawan formed an umbrella organization and asked the public to give them a chance to put their theory into practice.

“Give mining companies a chance to conduct responsible mining,” Engr. Rufo Cabanlig, president of the Kabuhayan, Kaunlaran, Kalikasan, Inc. (KKK) told local media in a mining forum last July 29.

The newly formed group brings together Atlas Mining Corp., Berong Nickel Mining Corp., Macro Asia, Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC), Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Company (RTNMC), and Coral Bay Nickel Corp. (CBNC).

However, Beth Maclang of the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI), told Bandillo: “Sa concept, maganda talaga ang responsible mining. Pero nasa papel pa rin iyan hanggang sa ngayon.”

Cabanlig admitted, “mining companies made mistakes in the past, and that we are trying to correct.”

He promised to “put pressure dun sa mga member companies” to practice responsible mining operation, and said the KKK could blacklist violators of environmental laws.

Tapping the media this time, the forum is the fifth of a series organized by the KKK. The same forum has been held in the towns of Narra, Quezon and Brooke’s Point.

Maclang said, “So far, wala pang naipapakita na good example ng mining sa Palawan, and even in the Philippines.” She challenged the companies to “prove true the responsible mining that they are talking about,” adding that, “The operational mining firms in the province have bad track records.”

She cited the PGMC’s massive cutting of trees recently, which caused siltation in 23 farm lots in Española.

“Records would show that there is no responsible mining done in the province,” Maclang said.

P72-million for Bataraza

KKK said that RTN and CBNC have funded livelihood projects and infrastructure projects, and provided medical and educational programs in Bataraza.

But NGOs have questioned the contribution of the mining firms in Bataraza, saying the town remains one of the poorest municipalities in the province based on the 2005 poverty mapping done by the Social Welfare Department.

Cabanlig said Bataraza will be the richest town in the province when it starts receiving P72 million annually from the CBNC starting 2008.

The main purpose of the series of forums is to provide “enlightenment” to the public and help them make “informed decisions,” Cabanlig said.

Through the Mining Act of 1995, KKK gave assurances that companies would comply with the law and promised not to harm the environment.

Engr. Albert Rama said the people of Palawan suffer from poverty while the natural resources remain intact. “Hindi ba natin dapat galawin ang likas yaman?” he said.

Cabanlig said Southern Palawan is part of the ‘Sunda plate’ which is rich in mineral resources such as nickel, chromite, and manganese.

The nickel deposits found in Berong, Quezon as well as in Rio Tuba, Bataraza and Brooke’s Point are world-class, he said.

Cabanlig cited Baguio City as “the best example of sustainable mineral development started as a mining community.”

But Maclang belied that mining firms provided development in the mining areas in Benguet.

She said she attended the national IP (indigenous peoples) conference on mining last March 12-15 in Baguio City and heard complaints from NGOs and indigenous groups in the area.

There were abandoned sites in Benguet province, which suffered environmental destruction and displacement of the IPs, she said.

Contrary to the KKK reports, Maclang said “the host communities experienced the worst from mining” and “mahirap pa rin ang mga tao sa Benguet.”

She said the forum aims to misinform the people so they will believe the promises of mining firms.

Restoring the Environment

Engr. Gabriel Pamintuan Jr. cited the Lepanto Consolidated mining company, Philex Mining Corp. in Benguet, and the Taganito mining in Surigao Del Norte, and Philex MC in Bulawan for their “best practices.”

He said these companies restored the environment where they had their operations and provided various benefits to the host communities.

“I am not sure that a mining company would enter into areas where they are not accepted,” he said.

Viable mining projects, Pamintuan said, could be distinguished for certain characteristics such as “profitable, safe, continuous or sustainable, environment friendly and socially equitable.”

Pamintuan said the potential of the Philippine mining industry faces challenges in terms of the “scale of operations, gaining acceptability, facing issues, brain-drain, and economic opportunities.”

He said the Philippines needs to “take advantage” of the mining boom, with the price of metals in the international market at high levels and foreign investors entering the country.

The mining industry makes “temporary use of land” and provides economic benefits through employment, livelihood, and taxes.

But geologic risks as well as financial risks, physical risks and environmental risks are always present.

Cabanlig said mining firms spend about P100 to P400 million in explorations alone.

“We’d rather comply with all the requirements rather than be stopped from the operations,” he said.

It is the firms’ responsibility to “put back (the environment), as much as we can, to its former state,” he added.

Drug Abuse Cases In Palawan down by More than Half

2006-08-14T15:41:00.000+08:00

By Ian Davatos

THE PROVINCIAL Prosecutors’ Office recorded only three cases of drug abuse in Palawan from January to June this year, a very encouraging figure for the Palawan Drug Abuse Council (PADAC) that convened last July 27 to formulate new strategies for eradicating drug abuse in the province.

Last year, 16 cases reached the prosecutor’s office, which means this year’s figures represent a decrease of more than half the number of cases. The drug abuse council could claim success in its campaign to free the province from illegal drugs if the trend will continue until yearend.

Supt. Reynaldo Jagmis of the Philippine National Police - Palawan reported that only three barangays in the province have reported cases of drug abuse, which he attributed to the successful reorganization of the Barangay Anti-Drug Abuse Councils. However, he refused to name the three barangays.

Jagmis also disclosed that they are monitoring the police force for possible drug abuse.

“There are 10 policemen in our watch list who are suspected of using drugs. But we conducted a drug test this year and found all the results as negative. Yet we are still going to be careful with our men,” Jagmis said.

Since it was created in December 2001, PADAC has been active in primary intervention, training, intake and referrals, community outreach and volunteer services, research and documentation, monitoring and evaluation, the council said in a written report given to Bandillo.

“The activities have been going on, and they will continue in the future,” said Vice Gov. David Ponce de Leon, who serves as the vice chairman and executive officer of PADAC.

“All municipalities in southern Palawan, except Rizal and Quezon, have Community Outreach Centers that are fully operational. But in the north, only Taytay has it,” he added.

One of their programs this year is the establishment of Community Outreach Centers in Northern Palawan. The Centers disseminate drug information materials and serve as focal points of drug abuse prevention in their localities, the report said.

Other upcoming programs of PADAC are weekly trainings, seminars and forums for educators of the province, and the holding of the 4th Palawan Youth Congress on Drug Abuse Prevention with the theme, “Youth for Youth.”

The council also brainstormed on possible strategies to enhance the anti-drug abuse campaign.

Mayor Rosendo L. Mantes of Kalayaan, representing the League of Municipal Mayors, suggested giving extra attention to the coastal areas, which often serve as drop-off points of drug supplies.

Dr. Ben Carlos, an NGO representative, suggested: “It would be better for the SK representatives of municipalities to visit the City Jail and observe the drug pushers and users there so that, through the experience, they may realize how miserable there life will become once they try using illegal drugs.”

But Eva Ponce de Leon, wife of the vice governor and president of the Inter-Agency Committee for Drug Abuse Preventive Education Program, expressed doubts about the idea.

“One thing is that we cannot predict what they are going to say. We should monitor first what they are going to say before asking them to speak. Their words may invoke danger; they may even encourage (the use of drugs) rather than discourage,” she said.

Instead, she proposed that, “We must also expand prevention in work places because it is much easier to purchase drugs when one has income.”

Bentahan ng Espasyo Sa City Cemetery, Nalantad

2006-08-14T15:38:00.000+08:00

Ni Amihan Sabillo

NALANTAD kamakailan ang isang anomalya sa loob ng City Cemetery na pinagkakaperahan umano ng mga tagapangasiwa nito.

Ito ay ang pagrereserba ng mga espasyo at nitso para sa mga taong buhay pa kapalit ng pera, bagay na ipinagbabawal sa isang pampublikong sementeryo.

Ang ganitong modus operandi ay pinapalagay na matagal nang ginagawa ng tagalibing dahil sa dami na ng nakareserbang espasyo, ngunit nalantad lang ito nang magreklamo ang isang Rose Abian.

Si Abian ay napilitan umanong magpareserba ng espasyo para sa kanyang may-edad nang kaanak dahil sa umano’y masamang karanasan nito sa pagkamatay ng isang kapamilya. Nahirapan itong makakuha ng espasyo sa sementeryo dahil wala umano siyang reserbasyon.

Ayon kay Abian, P5,000 ang hinihingi ni Jerry Tabang, ang kasalukuyang tagalibing ng sementeryo, sa bawat nitsong pinapareserba dito simula pa noong Enero.

Subalit mariin naman itong pinabulaanan ni Tabang. Sa ipinakita nitong appoinment paper mula sa City Health Office, noong Marso lamang ito umupo at Pebrero ginawa ang nitsong pinareserba ni Abian. Malinaw aniya na wala siyang pananagutan dito.

Itinuro niya si Bernardo Dacuan, ang pinalitan nitong tagapangasiwa ng sementeryo, na siyang may pananagutan sa anomalya. Pinabulaanan naman ni Dacuan na may kinalaman siya dito.

Sa pagsisiyasat ni Tabang, lumilitaw na mahigit 50 espasyo ang nilagyan ng upuan at silungan na palatandaan na nakareserba ang mga ito. Hinahanapan na niya ng papeles ang mga nagpareserba sa sementeryo. Kung mabibigo ang mga itong magpakita ng papeles ay hahayaan niya umanong gamitin ng iba ang mga espasyo.

Ang mabilis na pagkaubos ng espasyong mapaglilibingan sa City Cemetery ay isang problemang hindi pa nahahanapan ng pangmatagalang solusyon ng pamahalaang panlungsod.

Kamakailan ay binili ng lungsod ang karatig lote ng sementeryo at ginawang extension nito, ngunit sa dami ng nililibing kada linggo, malapit na naman itong mapuno.

Strategic Enrichment Plan For Politicians

2006-08-14T15:34:00.000+08:00

THE COMMON ARGUMENT of pro-mining officials in defending their stand is the God-given dominion of man over every lesser form of life and the natural wealth that abounds in this planet. They rationalize that since mineral deposits are gifts from God, it would be an insult to God if we will not utilize them for our advantage. They are afraid that fire and brimstone would rain upon the province if the rich mineral deposits will be kept intact beneath the earth, so they are now rushing to exhume the prized minerals.

What these officials deliberately forget in their rhetoric is the fact that not everything that God placed in this planet are meant to be touched: some are better left in their natural state to maintain the natural equilibrium of life. For in reality, this planet is a big test to humanity. Its destiny is left to its human stewards who both possess enough wisdom to keep it healthy and enough lust to ruin it. With human greed as the primary cause of environmental degradation everywhere, delineation of places that need protection and restrictions on human activities in these hotspots became the trend of global conservation efforts.

In Palawan, such wisdom, which safeguards the environment from the ravages of human greed, is embodied in RA 7611, the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan. The law’s main strategy is the Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN), which provides “a graded system of protection and development control over the whole of Palawan.” ECAN areas, which comprise terrestrial, marine and tribal lands, were divided into management zones, according to their environmental significance. Areas above 1,000 meters elevation were classified as core zones, and should be free of human disruption except for traditional and non-destructive activities of indigenous communities.

But then, God made these lush mountainous areas sit over huge deposits of minerals that the mining companies are drooling over, a perfect test to the human heart’s desires. Naturally, the mining capitalists, obsessed with huge profits, are clamoring for the opening up of those areas for mining, using the poverty of the place and the “God gave it, let us use it” brand of twisted theology as their justification. The next thing they would do is to win to their side the local officials who have discretion over those restricted areas.

Unfortunately, winning the unprincipled politicians (which many of Palawan’s politicians are) is one of the easiest things to do in this world. It is just like luring loose chickens to the trap: scatter rice around and soon they would come flying from every direction to feast on the delicious grain. Simply announce that huge amounts of cash will be given out to officials who will move for the reclassification of the core zone and presto, a pack of drooling politicians will soon be crowding your doorway, hands itching to lay hold of the bundles of bills.

With the 2007 elections drawing closer, time breeds harm and threats against the communities around the places where God had buried the mineral deposits. Local politicians are getting ready for the electoral race and they would gladly accept monetary contributions for their campaign chest, though it would mean yielding to the wish of the contributors. Alas, mining executives are such generous contributors, and with most of our local officials willing to bargain, it seems that we are about to see our revered mountains crumble to dust.

We therefore call on the provincial leadership to uphold the integrity of the SEP Law by opposing the proposal of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation to utilize Mt. Bunlanjao in Bataraza, classified as core zone, for its expansion project. Giving in to the wish of the mining company would mean that the SEP for Palawan is nothing but a feeble law, open to the tinkering of the politicians and therefore, in dire need of a new and apt definition. “Strategic Enrichment Plan for Politicians” is just perfect.

Hurting? Then act wisely.

Editorial written by Robert Bagalay and published in the July 24-30, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Two mining firms accused of illegal logging

2006-08-14T15:28:00.000+08:00

By ELISEO H. VALENDEZ

THE ENVIRONMENTAL Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) has requested Gov. Joel Reyes to revoke the small-scale mining permits of two mining companies in Española for cutting trees in a natural forest.

The Platinum Group of Metals Corporation (PGMC) and Olympic Mines Development Corporation (OMDC) have “violated the terms and conditions of their SSMPs, the Chainsaw Act Section 13, and the People’s Small Scale Mining Act,” ELAC executive director Atty. Gerthie Mayo-Anda said in a letter to Reyes dated July 13.

ELAC seized five chainsaws allegedly owned and contracted by the two mining companies last July 12.

Reyes chairs the Provincial Mining Regulatory Board and has the power to cancel the permits.

“Hundreds of trees had been cut down, including apitong, amoguis and other naturally-grown hardwood trees,” Anda said.

Reports from the local community about the massive cutting of trees in the area prompted ELAC and the Philippine National Police to conduct the operation.

The team caught chainsaw operators in the act of cutting trees and saw the cleared area of about nine hectares, according to their sworn statement.

The ELAC learned from the operators that the PGMC owns one of the chainsaws, while the other four are owned by individuals under contract with the two companies.

The chainsaws have no permit from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which handles the registration of chainsaws pursuant to the Chainsaw Act.

The team said operators told them that seven other chainsaws are being used in the area.

“Ang kabuuang gamit nilang chainsaw na kinontrata ng PGMC, kasama na ang aming mga nahuli ay 12,” the team said in their statement.

Composing the team are Efren Balladares, David Abela and Paul Bobby Dantic from ELAC and Narra Police Officer PO2 Megdonio Bascongada.

“It is very sad dahil delikado ang kalikasan,” Atty. Anda told Bandillo in an interview.

While the permits clear state that no trees should be felled, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources issued special tree cutting permits to the two companies, Anda said.

Anda said the cutting permits reveal “that a total of 4,470 trees will be cut consisting of, among others, 221 pieces of apitong, 253 pieces of premium hardwood species and 661 pieces of common hardwood trees.”

ELAC also sought assistance from Board Member Arthur Ventura, chair of the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources in the provincial board, to investigate the issue.

“We hope that your good office can expeditiously help resolve this apparent irregularity in the issuance of permits so we can save the remaining forest of Española,” Anda said.

Trouble in the Core Zone

The alleged reclassification of proposed mining areas in the Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN) Map for Palawan has put PCSD’s reputation into question.

NGOs said the council is easing the core zone requirements to accommodate applications for mineral exploration in the province.

Anda said, “The area applied for is a natural forest which falls under the core zone or area of maximum protection category” under the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) Law.

ELAC questioned the council’s issuance of SEP clearances to PGMC and OMDC despite the fact that the area is a core zone.

The issue was also the subject of Ventura’s privilege speech during the provincial board’s regular session last July 18.

The two corporations have failed to comply with Republic Act 7611 (or SEP Law), which maximizes the protection of core zone forests from human disruption, Ventura said.

Pending the investigation of the issue, Ventura called for the suspension of all cutting and mining permits of the two companies.

Meanwhile, Board Member Vicky de Guzman suggested the creation of a multi-partite monitoring team that would report developments regarding PGMC and OMDC’s mining activities.

As this developed, PCSD Staff information officer Alex Marcaida denied allegations that the agency is preparing to reclassify the ECAN Map in various municipalities that have mining applications.

Marcaida told Bandillo that each local government unit has to approve its ECAN Map first before going to the council. The map is based on the Comprehensive Water and Land Use Plan of each municipality, and the PCSD has to check its guidelines before any changes can be done, Marcaida clarified.

But in PGMC’s case, Marcaida said the cutting of trees is considered a violation because the PCSD has not given them a permit for this activity.

“Dapat kumuha sila ng separate permit for the cutting of trees,” he said, adding that the companies’ permits are only for their mining activities. Marcaida said the cutting permit from the DENR is different from the SEP clearance obtained from the PCSD.

-with reports from Jestoni Manayon

RTNMC Eyes Expansion In Core Zone

2006-08-14T15:22:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo Valendez & Ian Anthony Davatos

THE RIO TUBA Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC) is eyeing Mount Bulanjao, classified as a core zone under the Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN) in Palawan, for its expansion project in the municipality of Bataraza.

The company has applied for a Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) clearance from the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD), which is one of the requirements for a Mineral Production Sharing Agreement for its proposed expansion site covering 990 hectares in Mt. Bulanjao.

But non-government organizations and peoples’ organizations are opposing the expansion.

The Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI) objected to the proposed amendments of the ECAN Map during the PCSD Environment and Natural Resources committee hearing held at the Legislative Building last July 19.

Considering that the area falls under the core zone in the 2005 ECAN map, PNNI volunteer lawyer Atty. Jayjay Panfilo asked, “Maaari bang magmina o magsagawa ng ano pa mang gawain sa lugar?

“If the mining operation will destroy the core zone, which is home to endangered and endemic animals in Palawan, there is no need for any negotiation to alter or change the law,” Panfilo pointed out.

The mining company has gained the support of the Bataraza municipal council. The Sangguniang Bayan of Bataraza approved and adopted “A Resolution Earnestly Requesting the PCSD to Amend Zonation of Bataraza, Province of Palawan and Incorporating Said Amendment into the Municipal Comprehensive Land and Water Use Plan” last Jan. 9, 2006, to accommodate the company’s application.

The RTNMC, whose operation in the area started in the 1970s, requested the PCSD to give “due course” to the resolution.

In a letter dated April 19, 2006, RTNMC senior vice president Jose Saret asked the PCSD “to allow mining activities in Mt. Bulanjao,” which has an elevation of 1,000 meters.

The letter also revealed that the company “holds a Mining Lease Contract over an area along the ridge of Mt. Bulanjao which was granted on June 29, 1978 and June 25, 1979 and has presently applied for renewal and conversion to MPSA.

“The MPSA applied area contains a sizeable deposit of nickel ore which can considerably extend the economic life of RTNMC’s mineral properties. This will serve as the main source of the ore feed which will justify and support the projected expansion of the processing plant of the Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC) from its present capacity of 10,000 tons of nickel per annum to 20,000 tons of nickel per annum,” Saret said in the letter.

Damage to Farm Lots

“On the environment aspect, RTNMC and CBNC have proven track record in protection and enhancement activities,” Saret claimed.

However, PNNI recalled that last year, mining waste spread throughout Sitio Raquiom in Bataraza and along farm lots near the mine site, and the company is still paying for the damage until now.

Engr. Mario Cartaroja of the DENR’s Mines and Geosciences Bureau said destruction is inevitable in any mining operation, but he believes it can be mitigated. “If the activity will destroy one tree, it should be replaced with 10 trees.”

In his letter, Saret said the CBNC’s principal stockholder, Sumimoto Metal Mining Co., Ltd., would invest US$285 million to build a second plant in April 2009.

“The expansion project will bring in a significant amount of foreign direct investment and create new jobs as well as sources of revenue for the Province of Palawan,” Saret pointed out.

He added: “It will also expand tremendously the social development program of RTNMC and CBNC which are now creating a better life for the residents of Bataraza and outlying areas.”

Bataraza Vice Mayor Haron Narrazid supported Saret’s position, saying, “Money is our main problem. We can use our environment to make money. If that will be for the benefit of everyone, why would we not allow it?”

However, NGO representative Fr. Armando Limsa disputed their claim and asserted, “I made a personal research and found out that Bataraza is still the poorest municipality in the province even if a mining company is working there.”

The company also owes the provincial government excise taxes dating back to 1995. It has only paid taxes for 2003 and 2004, officials said.

The municipal government said the company is providing medical services and scholarships to 300 students from the Pala’wan indigenous community in the area.

But Marilyn Samparan, a Palaw’an from Bgy. Taratak who is opposing the company’s expansion, said she is not after the benefit that these companies could provide her family. Samparan’s two children are scholars of the RTN foundation.

She said, “Hindi bale nang hindi makapagtapos ang mga anak ko kung kapalit nito ay masisira naman ang bundok (Bulanjao).”

Committee co-chairman Vice Gov. David Ponce De Leon said the benefits that people will get from the company are not the deciding factor on granting the SEP clearance. The council has to conduct a study and look at all sides of the issue before it could decide, he added.

In the next committee hearings scheduled on the last two weeks of August, data from the study would be presented to serve as basis for the decision.

PNNI maintained that there is no need for a further study as the ECAN map clearly shows that the area lies within the core zone.

BALANCING PROFITS WITH PROGRESS

2006-08-14T15:18:00.000+08:00

By Sergio A. Pontillas

WITH THE awarding of its Environmental Compliance Certificate, the Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corporation is set to start commercial operations of its P3.5-billion nickel project in Quezon, Palawan.

To quote from the company’s report to the Securities and Exchange Commission, “road construction to the direct shipping mine location has been completed and the construction of a temporary causeway for loading has commenced.” Indeed, the development of this mining project is coming at us at full throttle.

This is the latest in the burgeoning mining industry that has been in the province since the 1970s. Ideally, part of proceeds from this mining project would be funneled off to jump-start, at least, the economy and the over-all development of Palawan, recently declared one of the poorest provinces in Region IV-B. Palawan is also beset with a looming population boom, one of the worst in the region.

But before we start the drums rolling, with matching thunderous applause, we should remind ourselves that mineral exploration and development along with its liquid cousin – oil – have often been historically linked to poverty especially among developing nations.

Governments from mineral-rich but poor African nations have been rightfully accused of being bad at managing their wealth. Nigeria, one perfect example, has long been producing oil but majority of its citizens barely survive with a per capita income of one dollar a day. Nigerian oil money was used to build an elephantine central bank, which was supposed to spur economic development in the country. But lack of a grassroots financial structure and frequent dips into the country’s oil money by warring politicians prevented development from trickling down to the country’s poor. This left Nigeria in its current state, where the only sign of modernity and development is its gargantuan central bank and the well decorated throne room of its ruling despot. Much like what is happening in Palawan, which has not benefited from its natural gas in Malampaya, mineral is siphoned out of resource-rich regions without the guarantee of profits getting poured back into the regions. With a centralized system of politics, management of profits from resources depends heavily on the caprices of the political elite.

This does not, however, go to show that Palawan may be on the road to a bleak future. The Philippines is, after all, better off than Nigeria and Chad. But we are not also richer than the Netherlands, which suffered an economic slump during its heyday as a North Sea gas giant. Economic historians point the blame on the sudden influx of dollar-denominated revenues from gas money, which upset the balance with other economic sectors. This made the agricultural and manufacturing sector of Netherlands less competitive in the international market. Consequently, those who worked in these sectors did not fare well during Netherlands’ heydays as a European natural gas giant. This same historical lesson could spell trouble for Palawan if proper support for the agricultural and fisheries sector is not given as the province follows the mining and energy industry bandwagon.

Palawan defends claim to Malampaya revenues

2006-08-14T15:16:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo H. Valendez

OPTIMISTIC TO win the legal battle in the Supreme Court, the provincial government of Palawan stood firm in its claim that the Malampaya natural gas project is located within its boundaries and the local government unit is entitled to revenues from the country’s biggest energy investment.

“Legally, historically, geologically and ecologically, the Camago-Malampaya area is part of Palawan’s territorial jurisdiction, and therefore, the province is entitled to an equitable share in the proceeds,” the provincial government stated in its 102-page comment to the petition filed by the national government in the High Court.

At stake in the long-running controversy are government revenues estimated at eight to 10 billion US dollars within 20 years. The provincial government is hoping to get $2.1 billion as the local government’s share if the case is settled in its favor.

Last Feb. 6, the national government filed a petition for review with the Supreme Court that sought to deny Palawan’s claim for a 40 per cent share in the Malampaya proceeds.

The petition asked the High Court “to reverse, annul and set aside” the Regional Trial Court Branch 95’s decision issued last Dec. 16, 2005, which favored the provincial government. RTC Judge Bienvenido Blancaflor had ruled that Palawan is entitled to its share in government revenues from the Camago-Malampaya Natural Gas Project since October 16, 2001.

The national government also sought to nullify the RTC’s amended order dated Jan. 16, 2006, which mandated the “freezing” of the 40 percent local government share to protect Palawan’s interests, saying the lower court “gravely abused its discretion” in issuing the order.

In its rebuttal, which was filed on June 30, the provincial government argued that, “the trial court did not err when it issued an order to preserve the government funds, specifically the 40 percent LGU share which is subject of the petition for declaratory relief to prevent the dissipation thereof.”

The RTC “properly exercised its jurisdiction when it ordered petitioners, specifically the secretary of finance to deposit in escrow the supposed 40 percent LGU share which is a portion of the “special account 151,” the provincial government added.

The Malampaya project is located 80 kilometers off the northwestern coast of mainland Palawan. In its petition, the national government argued, “the territorial jurisdiction or area of a local government unit refers to its landmass. The only qualification to this is that pursuant to specific provisions of law, a municipality may exercise jurisdiction over 15 kilometers of its adjacent or surrounding marine area.”

But the provincial government maintained that Palawan has jurisdiction over the natural gas deposits.

“The petitioners hold the myopic, if not selfish view, that the national wealth extracted from the Camago-Malampaya area belongs solely to the national government. They close their eyes on the fact that farther west, more than two hundred miles offshore, lies Kalayaan Island Group which is also a component municipality of Palawan,” it argued.

The provincial government also recalled the speech of Pres. Gloria-Macapagal Arroyo during the 99th anniversary of the establishment of the provincial government of Palawan on June 18, 2001, where she explicitly recognized Palawan’s ownership over Malampaya.

Arroyo had said, “Mabait ang Diyos sa inyo dahil hindi lamang turismo ang bunga ng pag-aalaga ninyo sa likas na kayamanan. Yong pinakamalaking gas, natural gas project sa buong mundo ay nandito rin sa Palawan at ‘yan ang panggagalingan ng mas malaki pang kayamanan kaysa turismo ng lalawigan ng Palawan sa mga darating na henerasyon.

“At binabati ko si (Gov.) Joel (Reyes) dahil very modern ang kanyang pag-iisip, alam na niya na darating ‘yan sa mga darating na panahon ngunit puwedeng magamit ngayon dahil sa ating mga modern financial management under the Local Government Code na si Joey Lina ang naging author, ang mga lalawigan na puwedeng mag-float ng bond. At ‘yon ang gagawin ni Joel, kasi tiyak na tiyak naman na may darating na bunga doon sa Malampaya Natural Gas Project,” Arroyo added.

Slaughterhouse ng Puerto Princesa Iniimbistigahan

2006-08-14T15:14:00.000+08:00

NI Amihan Sabillo

KUMILOS NA ang Sangguniang Panlungsod para imbestigahan ang serbisyo ng city slaughterhouse na matagal nang nirereklamo ng mga magtitinda ng karne sa palengke.

Ang pagbawas ng karne ng mga pinapakatay na hayop ng taga-palengke sa slaughterhouse ay 15 taon nang idinaraing ng mga magtitinda, ngunit ngayon lang ito binigyan ng seryosong atensyon ng pamahalaang panlungsod.

Ito ay matapos mabulgar sa midya ni Nestor Fuyunan, tindero ng karne sa palengke, ang maruming pagkakatay ng baboy kung kaya’t hindi nito napakinabangan ang 140 kilo ng karne na paninda.

Ayon kay Fuyunan, bukod sa duming nagkalat sa kanyang karne, binawasan din umano ito ng ilang kilo. Simula umano nang hawakan ng pamahalaang panlungsod, sa pamamagitan ng City Veterinary Office, ang slaughterhouse 15 taon na ang nakaraan, hindi na sila nawalan ng reklamo sa serbisyo nito.

Ilang beses na umano nilang ipinaabot kina acting market superintendent Alfred Sy, city veterinarian Dr. Indira Santiago, at maging kay Meyor Edward Hagedorn ang kanilang karaingan ngunit hindi nila nakuha ang hinihingi nilang aksyon.

Ayon kina Narciso Pangilinan Jr., tserman ng meat section, at Vivian Virgado, vice-chairman, ang pagtanggal sa ilang empleyadong hindi maganda ang inaasal sa slaughterhouse ngunit hindi matinag dahil sa kanilang koneksyong pulitikal ang magpapabuti sa serbisyo nito.

Inako ni Dr. Santiago ang responsibilidad sa nangyari sa karne ni Fuyunan at pinagtulungan itong binayaran ng mga empleyado ng slaughterhouse. Aminado naman ito na may mga empleyado ngang kulang sa kakayahan sa slaughterhouse ngunit wala sa kapangyarihan niya ang pagtanggal sa mga ito.

Pinabulaanan naman ng slaughterhouse master at foreman nito na marumi ang kanilang proseso ng pagkatay ng hayop dahil may kinatawan umano ang National Meat Inspection Commission na sumusubaybay sa kanilang operasyon.

Sinusuri umano ng meat inspector ang lahat ng karne bago ilabas ng slaughterhouse kaya hindi nila mawari kung paano nabahiran ng dumi ng hayop ang karne ni Fuyunan. Hindi rin anila totoo na binabawasan ng mga matadero ang karne ng mga pinapakatay na hayop dahil mahigpit ang kanilang pagbabantay sa mga ito.

Pinatawag na ng konseho si Santiago at ang mga opisyal ng slaughterhouse para magpaliwanag hinggil sa kontrobersya. Habang patuloy ang imbestigasyon ng konseho, isa sa mga inisyal na aksyon nito ay ang pagtukoy sa mga empleyadong may masamang rekord sa slaughterhouse.

Ang Naglipanang Spa sa Puerto Princesa

2006-08-14T15:13:00.000+08:00

Ni Joel Contrivida

Talagang hindi na pahuhuli ang Puerto Princesa sa aspeto ng pagpapaganda at pagre-relax, dahil sa incoming weeks ay dalawang bagong Spa ang nakatakdang magbukas. Bukod pa ito sa alam na nating mga parlor, salon at spa sa lungsod na noon pa man ay nagpakilala na ng ganitong sistema ng pagpapaganda at pagpaparelaks. Base sa ating pagtatanong, mababa na ang P20,000 na kita ng ganitong negosyo sa isang araw.

Andyan ang Mizzas Touch sa Malvar St. na una nating nabalitaang nagpakilala ng sari-saring therapy. Ganundin ang MRS Therapeutic Spa sa San Pedro na tsikang mahusay din ang serbisyo. ‘Di rin nagpahuli ang tinaguriang Hair Guru ng Palawan na si Bong Villanueva at itinayo nito nung bakasyon ang kanyang Wholistic Face & Body Center sa San Juan Road, kung saan almost kumpleto ang pasilidad at panalo ang diamond peel nilang serbisyo.

Ngunit ang pinakauna sa kanilang lahat ay ang Dos Palmas Island Resort na matagal nang naglunsad ng ganitong serbisyo. Panalo ang ambiance nito at isa rin ito sa atraksyon ng isla simula nang maging trend sa mundo ang health tourism.

Ngayong Hulyo, dalawa namang malalaking Spa ang nakatakdang magbukas. Una diyan ay ang Holie Facial Spa Center na matatagpuan sa second floor ng City Coliseum. Ang Manila-based ramp at commercial model na half-Pinay at half- French na si Valerie Sophie Christine Bariu ang may-ari nito.

Naisipan nitong magtayo ng nasabing negosyo sa Puerto since may mga ari-arian ang kanilang angkan sa lungsod. Ang HFSC ay tinatayang ika-15 branch na sa bansa at franchise ito ng modelo, kung saan endorser nito ang actor na si Onemig Bondoc.

Ayon kay Cristy Martino, ang tumatayong tagapangasiwa nito sa ngayon, almost isang milyong piso ang investment ng kaibigan niyang may-ari nito. Lahat umano ng inaasahan ng marami sa isang bonggang Spa ay mayroon sila. Ang isa sa pinaka-best offer nila na wala sa ibang Spa sa lungsod ay ang Surgical & Aesthetic Tattoo. Maging ang hanap ng marami na Cosmetic Surgery tulad ng ginagawa sa mga kilalang celebrities ay mayroon din sila, by appointment nga lang. Ang Holie Facial Spa Center ay nakatakdang magbukas ngayong July 25.

Ang isa pa na hahabol din sa pagbubukas ngayong Hulyo ay ang Venus Health Spa na matatagpuan sa Escamilla Bldg. sa kahabaan ng Rizal Avenue Extension. Pagmamay-ari naman ito ng taga-Manila na si Jacky Cheung. Si Cheung ay ang kasalukuyang station manager ng Love Radio-Manila, at tumatayong managing partner ng dyEZ 98.3 Love Radio dito sa Puerto Princesa.

Ayon kay Ana Mangila, senior spa therapist ng Venus Health Spa, na-frustrate umano ang kanyang boss sa mga Spa sa lungsod na hindi kumpleto ang mga serbisyo, kung kaya nagdesisyon itong magtayo ng ganitong negosyo dito. Ayon pa kay Ana, umaabot na rin sa isang milyong piso ang worth ng investment nila. Pangunahing serbisyo nila ang iba’t ibang klase ng masahe gamit ang lahat ng latest technique. Very well-trained umano at dalubhasa ang kanilang staff.

Kaya sa mga sobrang stressed out diyan at gustong mag-relax, nasa inyo na ang desisyon kung saan sa ating mga nabanggit ang inyong nais subukan.

Burden of Proof

2006-07-23T17:14:00.000+08:00

A PERSON HELD liable by the court of public opinion of a crime that he could not have really done, but was incriminated because it appeared that he was the one who had enough motives to authorize the crime, has a harder task of clearing his name than the one who faces a formal charge in the court. The masses deliver their verdict based on the perception they develop from their observations and from the information that circulates in public, not from the conventional evidence sought by the court. To win in the court of public opinion, the battle must be fought and won in the hearts and minds of the people. Winning the battle is the business of PR specialists and not of lawyers. It’s a warfare waged through information or disinformation.

When Dong Batul was slain last May 22, Mayor Edward Hagedorn became the easy suspect of the public who had followed their long running political quarrel. Being the staple menu in Batul’s commentaries since the broadcaster started his glorious career, Hagedorn had expected that the blame would be passed on to him. However, many of Batul’s media colleagues do not believe that the mayor was behind the murder. Besides, the mayor’s behavior in the face of terrible controversies in the past, weathering them without resorting to violence, made him the last suspect in the crime.

But this opinion is now fading fast due to the recent actions attributed to the mayor’s lackeys, who may have unwittingly raised clouds of suspicion on the mayor’s supposed innocence with regard to Batul’s murder. Surveillance of people close to Batul, harassment of uncompromising journalists by mercenary media practitioners, and other desperate moves to redeem the administration from adverse public opinion are actually doing more harm than good. The mayor’s inept local PR machinery has compounded things further. As we all know, radio station DYER (its former name DYEH carried Hagedorn’s initials) is under the control of the mayor’s family and therefore, it is just a natural conclusion that its employees are getting orders from the mayor.

For a month now, Louie Larrosa has been challenging Bandillo ng Palawan to produce proof that he implicated us in the Free Palawan Media website. Why, if he has been consuming enough amount of iodized salt, he could have easily proven to the public that Bandillo ng Palawan is wrong just by playing his recorded discussion on said website! That is, if his illegitimate station is operating in the manner of the stations licensed with the National Telecommunications Commission, and if he will play a tampered tape. The burden of proof rests with DYER, not with Bandillo ng Palawan; they should be the one justifying themselves to the public, not us. We said they are harassing us and we have proven that with the tapes of their broadcasts; they said we are lying and have asked us to prove that we are not lying. Whew! More iodized salt, please! Mayor Hagedorn has to be aware now that Louie Larrosa is actually a liability; his incompetence in handling the issues detrimental to him is making him more unpopular.

Suing a journalist for libel for publishing a “white paper” that in truth is just a summary of the theories on Batul’s murder circulating all over the city, and the personalities suspected by the public, will not help either. The mayor may succeed in putting that journalist behind bars, but out in the open, thousands of people harbor opinions similar to what was published by that journalist. Will the crippling of the messenger—the journalist-- revoke the impact spread by the message he published? Will it dispel the suspicion harbored by a great number of people towards him as the possible mastermind of the murder? The harm is not caused by the messenger but by the message; therefore, the mayor’s job should be the debunking of the message and not of the messenger, if he really wants to save his reputation.

The best way he can do this is to stop behaving as if he is guilty of Batul’s murder.

Editorial published in the July 10-16, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Ano ang Telephone Brigade?

2006-07-23T17:10:00.000+08:00

Ni Lourdes Escaros-Paet

ISA SA mga hinangad ni Fernando “Bastonero” Batul nang nabubuhay pa ito ay ang malinis ang lokal na industriya ng brodkast sa mga tiwaling brodkaster na ibinebenta ang kanilang serbisyo sa mga pulitiko. Sa krusada niyang ito, hayagan niyang binanggit sa ere ang pangalan ng tatlong brodkaster na napatunayan niyang tumatanggap ng suhol mula sa mga pulitiko.

Bagaman namatay siya na humahawak pa rin ng mikropono ang tatlong brodkaster, malaki ang nagawa ng kanyang pagbubulgar ng mga katiwalian sa midya para maging mapanuri ang mga tagpakinig sa mga impormasyong hinahatid ng midya. Isa ito sa naging batayan ng Simbahang Katoliko para gawaran siya ng natatanging parangal.

Ang telephone brigade, na isa sa mga “racket” ng mga tiwaling brodkaster, ay isa sa mga isiniwalat ni Bastonero sa publiko sa kanyang programa. Malalim ang kanyang naging pagsusuri sa operasyon nito at kung ano ang nagagawa nito para sa interes ng mga pulitiko.

Ang telephone brigade ay isang organisadong grupo na pinopondohan ng isang pulitiko para pagandahin ang kanyang imahen at siraan ang mga kalaban nito. Binubuo ito ng mga tiwaling brodkaster at mga callers na nagpapanggap na mga concerned citizens at nagbibigay ng mga scripted na reaksyon.

Ang telephone brigade na pinatakbo ng isang tiwaling brodkaster ang naging dahilan ng kanyang pagkakasibak sa isang himpilan, ayon sa Bastonero.

Para hindi mahalata, may middleman na ginagamit ang pulitiko na siyang nagbibigay ng pondo sa grupo. Ang brodkaster na siyang pinakapuno ng grupo ang tumatanggap ng pondo. Siya rin ang naghahanap ng isyu laban sa mga katunggali ng kanyang panginoong pulitiko, at kanya itong palalakihin sa kanyang programa.

May kakutsaba din siyang isa pang brodkaster na siyang bahala sa operasyon sa labas ng himpilan, tulad ng pag-interbyu sa mga kapanalig na mga sources. Kung minsan, siya na rin ang kumukuha ng pera para sa grupo.

May kaibigan ang tiwaling brodkaster na pumayag na sa kanyang bahay ikabit ang teleponong ginamit ng grupo. Naging kakutsaba rin ng brodkaster ang technician ng himpilan, kung saan ito ang tumatanggap ng mga tawag sa telepono at tanging mga miyembro lang ng grupo ang kanyang pinapapasok.

Bubuksan ng brodkaster ang isyu sa kanyang programa at papalakihin ito ng mga callers na magbibigay ng halos iisang reaksyon. May code na ginagamit ang mga callers na ito kaya alam ng technician kung sino lang ang dapat niyang papasukin.

Dahil iisang posisyon lang ang hinahayag ng mga callers na ito, nakakalikha sila ng impresyon sa publiko na ang kanilang posisyon sa isyu ang damdamin ng nakakarami. Malaki ang nagiging impluwensya nito sa kaisipan ng mga tagapakinig, na ang paniwala sa mga impormasyong hinahayag sa radyo ay katotohanan lahat.

Nagawa ng naturang telephone brigade, na gumalaw noong termino nina Atty. Dennis Socarates at Dong Batul, na pagmukhain sa publiko na depektibo ang kanilang administrasyon. Ito ang isang naging dahilan ng pagkakaalis nila sa puwesto.

Sa ngayon, hindi malayong gumalaw muli ang telephone brigade dahil nasa radyo pa ang mga tiwaling brodkaster na hayagang pinangalanan ni Bastonero sa kanyang programa.

Magiging mas mabangis pa nga ito dahil sa pagkakaroon ng selfon ng halos lahat na ng tao. Text brigade na ang kikilos, o kumikilos na nga yata. Dapat mas maging mapanuri ang mga tagapakinig sa panahon ngayon dahil napakadaling magsinungaling sa text. Napakadali rin sa isang brodkaster na magbasa ng kunwari’y text message mula sa inimbentong numero.

Mga nandaya sa elementary football team ng Puerto Princesa, pinarusahan

2006-07-23T17:07:00.000+08:00

Ni Amihan Sabillo

NAHAHARAP sa magkakaibang parusa ang mga taong sangkot sa pagpapalaro ng mga over-aged na atleta na gumamit ng ibang pangalan sa elementary football team ng lungsod noong nakaraang MIMAROPA-RAA Meet.

Ito ay matapos mapatunayan ng special task force na binuo ng DepEd Puerto Princesa para imbestigahan ang kontrobersya sa koponan ng lungsod na totoo ang napabalitang pandaraya.

Dahil sa dungis na nilikha ng anomalya sa pangalan ng lungsod, ipinag-utos ni Meyor Edward Hagedorn ang mass lay-off ng mga empleyado ng City Sports Division, na siyang may responsibilidad sa pagsasanay ng mga atleta ng Puerto Princesa.

Agad tinanggal sa City Sports Division si Antonio Tolosa, ang trainer ng koponan na itinuturo ng mga over-aged na atleta na siyang nag-engganyo sa kanila na maglaro gamit ang ibang pangalan. Si Tolosa ay mahigit sampung taon nang nagsasanay ng mga atleta ng lungsod bilang casual employee.

Pagbabawal namang makalahok sa anumang uri ng school sports sa lungsod ang naging rekomendasyon ni Dr. Servillano Arzaga, officer-in-charge ng City DepEd, sa coach ng koponan na si Gng. Nimfa Herrera, guro sa East Central School.

Sa pagharap ni Arzaga sa Sangguniang Panlungsod noong nakalipas na linggo, sinabi nito na sa lebel lang ng City-DepEd ang naturang desisyon at maaari pa itong bumigat pagdating sa lebel ng DepEd-Mimaropa na siyang may pinal na desisyon sa nasabing usapin.

Maaari umanong maharap sa kasong administratibo at sibil si Herrera kung sa pagtaya ng DepEd–Mimaropa ay mabigat ang kanyang naging kasalanan, ayon pa kay Arzaga.

Nasa pamahalaang panlungsod naman ang desisyon kung kakasuhan nito si Tolosa.

Dahil sa naging pagkukulang nito sa pagsubaybay sa kilos ng kanyang mga tauhan, inalis din sa tungkulin si Supervisor Leaf Miraflores sa pagiging general athletic manager ng koponan ng lungsod. Tulad ni Herrera, pansamantala muna siyang hindi palalahukin sa alinmang sports competition ng City DepEd.

General Matillano, Itinanggi ang Paratang Laban sa Kanya

2006-07-23T17:04:00.000+08:00

Ni Lourdes Escaros-Paet

“ANG PAGPATAY kay Dong (Batul) ay insulto sa akin, insulto sa mga mamamayan ng lungsod at lalawigan ng Palawan!”

Ito ang mariing pahayag ni Ret. General Eduardo Matillano, dating hepe ng Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG), sa pagsasalita nito sa unang pagkakataon para sagutin ang mga paratang na pinapakalat ng isang grupo na umano ay may kinalaman siya sa pagpaslang sa komentarista.

Si Matillano ay nauna nang nagpahayag sa publiko ng intensyon nitong tumakbo bilang alkalde ng lungsod sa 2007 na halalan. Ang pagpatay umano sa komentarista ay magiging paborable sa kanyang ambisyong pulitikal dahil ibibintang ito kay Mayor Edward Hagedorn na parating tinutuligsa ni Batul sa kanyang programa sa radyo.

Mariin namang itinanggi ni Matillano ang ganitong paratang na aniya ay pulitika ang dahilan. Dagdag pa niya, hindi niya ito magagawa dahil matalik niyang kaibigan si Batul kahit nang nasa serbisyo pa siya at wala pa sa DYPR si Batul.

“Inaamin kong marami na akong pinatay na tao. Pero ito ay tawag ng aking tungkulin bilang alagad ng batas. Hindi ako pumapatay ng mga inosenteng tao. Walang dahilan para patayin ko si Dong na aking matalik na kaibigan,” pahayag ng dating heneral.

Sinabi rin niya na ginagamit nito ang kanyang impluwensya bilang dating hepe ng CIDG para mapabilis ang paglutas ng kasong pagpatay kay Batul.

“Hindi ko pinababayaan ang kaso ni Dong. Nang tapunan siya ng granada, isa ako sa unang taong tumawag sa kanya at nag-offer ng tulong tulad ng baril at security. Tiwala lang talaga si Dong sa katahimikan ng lungsod. Hanggang ngayon ay may ginagawa ako sa Kamaynilaan na hindi ko na dapat sabihin pa para mabigyan ng katarungan ang sinapit ni Dong,” pahayag ni Matillano, na nasa Maynila nang makapanayam ng Bandillo.

Sinabi rin ni Matillano na hindi siya nasisiyahan sa nagiging takbo ng imbestigasyon. Aniya, “Walang mamamahayag na kasing tapang at kasing tapat ni Dong na magbulgar ng katotohanan at katiwalian sa pamahalaan dyan sa lungsod. Hindi ako masaya sa mabagal na takbo ng imbistigasyon sa kaso ni Dong Batul. Alam ‘yan ni Col. Elpidio de Asis dahil ako mismo ay nakikipag-usap sa kanya.”

Bukod sa pagpaslang kay Batul, si Matillano ay pinaparatangan din ng kanyang kalaban na nagpapakilos ng isang grupo ng midya sa Kamaynilaan para siraan ang alkalde ng lungsod na kanyang makakatunggali sa darating na halalan.

Pinabulaanan din ito ni Matillano. Aniya: “Hindi totoo ‘yan, wala akong pera para magbayad ng media o bumuo ng media group sa Kamaynilaan.”

Kilala na umano ni Matillano ang grupong gumagalaw para sirain ang kanyang pangalan ngunit tumanggi muna itong isapubliko. Inamin din nito na naghahanda na siya para sa darating na halalan.

Si Matillano, na isang taal na Palaweño, ay isa sa mga haligi ng Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), ang pwersang naging bahagi sa pagpapabagsak sa diktaduryang Marcos at nagtangka ring pabagsakin ang rehimeng Aquino. Humawak siya ng mahahalagang posisyon sa militar at pulisya bago nagretiro.

Making Things Work

2006-07-15T16:05:00.000+08:00

By SERGIO A. PONTILLAS

In this era of rapidly decreasing biodiversity, conservation is the key word. In the late 1990s, ecosystems-wide approaches to conservation and management of resources have paved the way for the current practice of community-based resource management schemes. The chanting of this mantra among conservationists and local government units is so strong, it gave way to the sprouting of numerous locally-based, so called, conservation and management projects in almost every municipality in the province. For the sake of bureaucratic commitment, local government units have started their own forestry and mangrove management sites.

There is nothing wrong with this mantra chanting and boasting, of course. We need everything we could do to slow down the rapid decimation of our primary growth and mangrove forests.

The problem arises when we forget the effects that such management schemes may have on the poorest of the poor: those who lack assets and income, and the opportunities to engage in productive activities that can sustain livelihoods. They are excluded from decision-making processes and governance systems. Often, they have no legal recourse. They are vulnerable to man-made and natural disasters, and the diseases that often result from such incidents. They lack the capacity to promote and defend community interests. These people often live in the periphery of society where they try to scratch a living for themselves, most often in the margins of forested lands and mangrove forests. Internal displacement is not far when management schemes, although one would conclude from lip-serving names as “community-based,” are designed without the inclusion of all the local indigents who often do not have the avenue to express their concerns.

When this happens, misguided biodiversity conservation may prove to be the worst enemy of the poor.

This situation hampers conservation in two ways: (1) it defeats the purpose of conservation for those who should be the first to enjoy and benefit from its effects; and (2) it dis-empowers a sector of society which could play a key role in implementing local conservation and management practices in specific areas.

In executing plans, we must not forget the primary beneficiary of our conservation efforts. It is not the scientists or the bureaucrats. It is not the city dwelling consumer living 500 miles away from our forests and mangroves. It is the poor who directly utilize our limited resources that would immediately benefit from conservation and management efforts.

When resource management schemes fail, our scientists can always go somewhere else. Our local officials can declare new projects in new areas. But the local indigent does not have this option. Deprived of almost everything, our poor will keep on scratching the sparse earth in order to live, until energy runs out on them or nature finally turns brown and barren, whichever comes first.

Editorial published in the July 3-9, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Honda Bay declared free of red tide

2006-07-15T16:04:00.000+08:00

By Eliseo Valendez

FINALLY, PUERTO Princesans can eat shellfish again from the bountiful waters of Honda Bay.

Contaminated by red tide toxins that caused paralytic shellfish poisoning for almost four years, Honda Bay is now officially free of the organisms, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a recent advisory.

This means that seafood caught in the bay are now safe for human consumption, according to the June 16 advisory.

The lifting of the red tide advisory for Honda Bay came after the latest analysis from the Department of Agriculture’s BFAR and the city government showed negative results for the toxin.

Selina Cabungcal, head of the Palawan Marine Bio-toxin Unit, told Bandillo ng Palawan said three consecutive samplings of the meat of shells taken from the area were tested for red tide toxin contamination, and all yielded negative results.

Red tide toxins have contaminated Honda Bay, one of the major fishing grounds in Puerto Princesa City, since August 2002, BFAR said.

Cabungcal said red tide refers to the bloom of dynoflagellates, a single-celled organism living in the sea. In Honda Bay, marine scientists said the species called pydormiobahamensis was the culprit.

This usually happens “when a long dry season is immediately followed by heavy rain,” Cabungcal said.

Excessive nutrients from water run-off into the sea causes the bloom of the organisms, which in turn lead to red tide poisoning, she explained.

Cabungcal added there were no reported cases of food poisoning while the area was banned for red tide.

The announcement was welcome news for residents in many fishing villages in the city who had suffered immensely when red tide plagued Honda bay.

Malampaya Sound in the northern municipality of Taytay continues to be red tide free, the advisory said.

Catholic Church Honors Slain Broadcaster

2006-07-15T16:03:00.000+08:00

By Lourdes Escaros-Paet

CATHOLIC CHURCH officials have given a posthumous award to slain broadcast journalist and former City Vice Mayor Fernando Batul in recognition of his contributions to the local community in Palawan as a devout Catholic layman.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales personally handed the award to Conrada Batul, the mother of the slain broadcaster, during the commencement ceremony of the Golden Jubilee of the vicariate at the Immaculate Conception Cathedral in Puerto Princesa City last July 2.

Bishop Pedro Arigo of the Apostolic Vicariate of Puerto Princesa Arigo personally endorsed Batul for the “Para sa Diyos at sa Bayan Award” because of his exemplary life as a broadcaster who passionately pursued the ideals of truth and justice for the public good.

“Hindi kayang tawaran ang mga nagawa niya lalo na sa pagbulgar ng mga bayarang mamamahayag,” said Arigo, referring to Batul’s crusade to clean the ranks of Palawan’s broadcast media of corrupt practitioners.

Batul, who was gunned down just two days before his 37th birthday, was actively involved in various ministries and organizations of the church such as the Singles for Christ.

As a broadcaster, his faith and zeal for spiritual matters often found their way into his commentaries, elevating his program to a more holistic level.

He was also affiliated with various civic organizations, including the Oil Jaycees, and was an active member of the Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity.

The Batul family expressed their gratitude to the Catholic Church for the prestigious award.

Meanwhile, for the second time, the court rescheduled the arraignment of murder suspect Aaron Golifardo, which had beed scheduled last June 22.

The defense counsels availed of the standard 15-day allowance to file a motion for reconsideration on their motion to quash the murder charges against their client, which the court junked for lack of merit.

As this developed, the eight-year old son of Golifardo appealed to First Gentleman Mike Arroyo for the release of his father, whom he said was innocent of the charges against him.
“Tulungan niyo po ako na kausapin ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas na palayain ang aking tatay. Sige na po, parang awa na ninyo. Wala pong kasalanan ang aking tatay,” Aaron Golifardo Jr. said in a letter to Arroyo written on a single sheet of elementary pad paper. He showed the letter to Bandillo ng Palawan before mailing ito to Mr. Arroyo.

He said he wrote the letter as a Father’s Day gift to the older Golifardo, who has been in jail since May 24. The boy said he knows his father, a policeman, did not kill Batul because they were together when the murder incident happened last May 22.

A pupil in a public elementary school, the young Golifardo appealed to the Task Force Dong Batul to release his father and find the real gunmen. He also relayed a message to his father, saying “Papa nalulungkot po ako sa ‘yo, alam kong wala kang kasalanan.”

Biosand Filter answers the need for safe water

2006-07-15T16:00:00.000+08:00

A Single Drop reaches Palawan

By Eliseo H. Valendez

WATER IS not just the source of life. For Filipino-American Gemma Bulos, founder of ‘A Single Drop’ (ASD), a US-based non-government organization, water is a powerful force that can unite people around the world.

Bulos characterized water as an equalizer for life, owing from the fact that all living things, of any kind and status in life, need water in order to live. Thus, “with equality, there will be unity, with unity there is peace,” Bulos explained.

Her organization has reached many parts of the world through songs that touch on the theme of unity and sharing of ideas for safe and clean water. In Palawan, ASD found adherents through the “Project Implementers Workshop for the Biosand Filter.”

Held last June 20-23 and June 26-29 in Puerto Princesa City, the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI) hosted the workshops, which was co-sponsored by the Women’s Global Green Action Network (WGGAN). The Center for Affordable Water and Sanitation Technology (CAWST) provided the trainers.

The first workshop drew 18 participants from different towns in Palawan, while 27 participants joined the second set that was intended for NGO members from different provinces across the country.

The WGGAN sponsored the attendance of 10 women who are expected to re-echo the training workshop in their own localities.

The ASD promotes the use of Biosand water filter, which uses cheap materials such as gravel and sand to produce safe drinking water, making it more accessible to the poor. It works like traditional slow sand filters that are used in most commercial water purifying systems.

“It is simply a concrete container, with layers of sand and gravel inside it. The sand and gravel remove dirt, bacteria, viruses and parasites and other impurities from the water,” according to a brochure about the filter.

“The Biosand filter removes more than 90 per cent of fecal coliform, 100 pe rcent of protozoa and helmints, 50 to 90 per cent of organic and inorganic toxicants, and up to 67 per cent of iron and manganese,” it added. The device also removes most suspended sediment in the water.

The filter, which can “produce up to 60 liters of filtered water per hour,” could be used for many years, according to Bulos. It is “affordable, simple and sustainable,” she added.

The ASD has gained support from the Department of Health (DOH), Bulos said.

With the technology having passed through several scientific tests, Bulos is looking forward to the support of local government units, which she believes would help communities to easily accept the project.

The use of the filter could also help create a micro-business in local communities since it is easy to build, as proven by the participants in the workshop.

However, Bulos assured commercial water purifying businesses that it would pose no threat to them.

“We don’t believe that there will be a conflict with businessmen,” Bulos stressed. She added that the market for the technology she is promoting is the poor, or “those who wouldn’t buy bottled water.”

By introducing the project to poor communities, Bulos sees an opening of opportunities for those who do not have access to safe water. Promoting this technology also gives health workers an opportunity to “go and speak up to the household level to tackle about hygiene,” she said.

The ASD continues to forge partnerships with different organizations around the world, and Bulos is hoping to establish a partnership with the World Health Organization.

But she feels blessed with the partnership she has forged with Philippine NGOs, as her roots are in the Philippines.

Pampanga is her parents’ hometown, and doing something for the country means something to her, the teary-eyed Bulos said.

As A Single Drop continues to create waves that would reach different communities across the world, poor areas that still have no access to clean water can now hope for a better quality of life.

Palawan at Risk for FMD

2006-07-15T15:56:00.000+08:00

By Lourdes Escaros-Paet

THE VAST, unguarded coastline of Palawan and the surreptitious shipping of livestock from Luzon by some traders could bring the dreaded foot and mouth disease (FMD) to the province’s soil, to the detriment of its flourishing livestock industry.

Despite the ban imposed on the shipping of livestock from FMD-infested areas like Luzon to FMD-free areas like Palawan, some traders were able to bring in livestock to the province. Two weeks ago, authorities in the municipality of Roxas intercepted a shipment of 14 goats from mainland Luzon, which were unloaded in the port of San Vicente by a boat from Manila.

The trader claimed that port authorities in Manila allowed the shipment, but local authorities found it had no proper papers. Quarantine personnel of the Bureau of Animal Industry and Provincial Veterinary Office destroyed the livestock in Roxas by burning them to prevent possible FMD contamination in Palawan.

Last June 21, another boat from Batangas tried to unload six goats in the pier of Roxas, but local authorities discovered the shipment before it could be unloaded. Municipal Agriculturist Edgar Padul ordered the captain of MV Our Lady of Manaoag to bring back the goats, which were owned by a certain Perlita Dadores from Roxas, to the port of origin.

Upon arrival in the port of Puerto Princesa City, the boat captain claimed that they threw the goats overboard. However, a concerned cattle raiser in Roxas immediately informed quarantine personnel in the city that four of the goats were found in Tumarbong, a coastal barangay of Roxas, while two others were found wandering in the town proper.

The quarantine team proceeded immediately to Roxas and destroyed the goats.

Padul blamed these incidents on the laxity of quarantine officers in the ports of Luzon who, despite the moratorium, allow traders to ship livestock to Palawan.

At present, only Mindanao Island, Masbate and Palawan remain FMD-free in the country, he said.

Published in the July 3-9, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Lust for Conquest

2006-07-06T14:36:00.000+08:00

By Robert Bagalay

Certainly, nobody wants to lose if there is a sure way of winning. There is no glory in losing, and so, everyone wants to win even though they know that their victories could later turn into ignominies that would haunt them all their life. Those who cannot win the game in an honest way usually resort to cheating and lying to lay hold of the crown that belongs to someone else. They take the glory and honor they are not worthy of, hoping that the accolades that would be showered to them and the perks that goes with their fake victory would buy them some happiness that would fill the emptiness in their heart. But in such stolen victories, celebrations are only make-believe, for in the corner of their mind, a small voice keeps reminding them that they have actually lost.

When the people behind the elementary football team of Puerto Princesa decided to send to the Mimaropa Meet over-aged athletes using the birth certificates of younger pupils, they only had one thing in mind: to win. But it was a Faustian bargain; the medals were gained at the expense of the city’s dignity and the players’ morality. People involved in the anomaly claimed that what they did is not new in the school sporting meets and as a matter of fact, most delegations are engaged in the dirty business, implying that if a team would play honestly, it would never win. Such justification is not surprising anymore in this age of raging moral corruption and ethical perversion. Indeed, those who remain upright in these evil days find that the world is moving against them, pushing them back to forsaken, narrow corners for their final stand.

But with most of us still calling for moral order in our society, such an act of dishonesty is still far from being acceptable even it is already the “norm” in athletic competitions, especially when the culprits are the people who should be the role model of the youth. Teachers should be the last persons to cheat and lie; for if they would be the first, they would be raising an entire nation of cheaters and liars. Teachers who fly in rage after finding their students cheating during exams but authorize, or worse, carry out the cheating in the athletic competitions are worse than public officials who steal the public’s money. The public officials’ crimes result only to public projects that deteriorate months after their construction, but the teacher’s crime shatters the moral foundation of the students, perverts their values and corrupts their character—almost tantamount to waylaying them into moral pitfalls.

It is unfortunate that while DepEd officials and teachers showed great interest in the success of the city delegation in the regional meet (triggered perhaps by the cash incentives), they failed to realize that such dishonesty, done for the sake of the title and medals, incurred great cost beyond what they could imagine. It was a Pyrrhic victory, a conquest that entailed terrible costs on the victors—wounds that cut deep into the hearts of the offended pupils, stains that will stick forever to the names of the persons involved in the scandal, lost respect that cannot be restored again.

The kind of victory that education officials must endeavor to achieve is the victory over the temptation to match with the same fraudulent practices, the fraudulent practices of other delegations. It gathers no accolades and cash incentives, but surely, it brings peace of mind and a clear conscience.

It is the kind of victory that will make God smile and the angels blow their trumpets in jubilation.

Editorial published in the June 26-July2, 2006 issue of Bandillo ng Palawan

Si Mayor Hagedorn, si Louie Larrosa, at ang Free Palawan Media website

2006-07-06T14:27:00.000+08:00

Ni Yasmin D. Arquiza

Nitong mga nakaraang lingo, naging usap-usapan sa Puerto Princesa ang pagdawit sa Bandillo ng Palawan ng dalawang personalidad sa isang kontrobersyal na website.

Tinutukoy natin dito ang tinatawag ng DYER na Free Palawan Media website, na tumatalakay sa pagpaslang ng brodkaster na si Dong Batul. Maraming araw din itong naging laman ng mga komentaryo ni Louie Larrosa, at paulit-ulit niyang idinawit ang Bandillo dito. Bagaman wala siyang binabanggit na pangalan, sinabi rin niya na may dalawang babae mula sa print media ng Palawan, na ang isa ay nagsusulat sa isang nasyunal na pahayagan, na may kinalaman umano sa website na ito. Mas matapang sa kanya si Mayor Edward Hagedorn, at hayagang binanggit ang pangalan ko sa isang panayam niya sa Radyo ng Bayan. Naging haka-haka ng maraming nakikinig na ang isa pang babaeng tinutukoy ni Louie ay si Jofelle Tesorio, isa sa mga patnugot namin sa Bandillo at correspondent ng Philippine Daily Inquirer sa Palawan.

Dahil sa paulit-ulit na pasaring sa radyo, maraming taga-Puerto ang nag-alala sa kaligtasan namin ni Jofelle. Nabahala nang husto ang mga kamag-anak ni Jofelle, kaya pagkatapos ng libing ni Dong Batul noong Hunyo 3 ay pinayuhan siyang umalis muna sa lungsod. Makalipas ang dalawang lingo ay napilitan na rin akong hindi bumalik sa Puerto Princesa matapos ang book launching ko sa Manila. Inosente kami ni Jofelle sa mga paratang ng DYER at ni meyor, ngunit nakakabahala ang kanilang mga sinasabi kaya minabuti naming umiwas na lang sa maaaring nakaumang na panganib sa siyudad.

(Siyanga pala, napag-alaman namin na ang pinakalat na balita sa Puerto Princesa ay umiiwas lang daw kami ni Jofelle sa mga warrant of arrest for libel kaya kami umalis. Para sa kaalaman ng lahat, nakapag-file na kami ng bail bond sa korte para sa Jewelmer na libel case, at ganon din si Jofelle sa kanyang libel case mula kay dating konggresista Vicente Sandoval. Ito ay sa kabutihang loob ng Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists na nagbigay sa amin ng pambayad. Ibig sabihin, walang katotohanan ang tsismis tungkol sa warrant of arrest na iyan.)

Bago ako umalis, nakakuha ang Bandillo ng kopya ng mga pahina ng website na binabanggit ni Louie. Nagmula ito sa isang ahensiya ng kapulisan, at dahil sinasabi ni Louie na sa kanya nagmula lahat ng kopya ng website sa lungsod, malamang ay sa kanya nanggaling ang kopya na nakuha namin. Bukod dito, nakakuha rin kami ng mga tape na nagpapatunay ng pagdawit nina meyor at Louie sa Bandillo sa naturang website. Nasa kamay na ng aming mga ka-partner na ahensya ng media sa Manila ang kopya ng mga tapes (mabuti na lang at may mp3 na) at kontrobersyal na website.

Sa puntong ito, maraming tanong ang bumabagabag sa amin sa Bandillo. Bagaman nagpalabas na kami ng statement tungkol dito, tila walang katapusan ang pagpapakalat ng maling paratang sa amin. Kung tutuusin, ang punong lungsod at si Louie Larrosa ang maraming dapat sagutin na tanong sa kontrobersyang ito.

Una, saan nakuha ni Louie ang kopya ng mga pahina ng website na ikinalat niya sa mga pulis, sa NBI, at sa ibang media?

Ipinagmalaki ni Louie sa kanyang programa noong Hunyo 14 na “ang nag-discuss lang po nito, eksklusibong binuksan po natin ito sa himpapawid, ay ang DYER lamang, at hindi po kasama, at walang alam ang ibang istasyon dito. Walang kopyang nakuha ang ibang istasyon, radyo, print man o broadcast media, dito sa lalawigan ng Palawan, maliban sa DYER.” Kung ganoon, siya lang ang makakapagbigay-liwanag kung saan at paano niya nakuha ang kopya ng website.

Pangalawa, paano nalaman ni Louie na binura kaagad ang website? Ang ibig bang sabihin ay kilala niya ang gumawa nito?

Muli, sa pagmamalaki niya na siya lang ang nakakuha ng kopya ng website, ibinulgar ni Louie sa kanyang programa na “Wala pong may kopya nito dahil 11 o’clock, binura na po ito.” Eksakto pa sa oras, kaya nakakabilib ang kaalaman ni Louie. Kung ganoon, tila siya na nga ang may susi sa misteryosong website.

Pangatlo, bakit halos magkapareho ang sinasabi nina Louie at Mayor Hagedorn tungkol sa pagdawit nila sa Bandillo sa website na ito? At bakit nasabi ni meyor na doon ako naglalagay ng mga sinulat ko?

Sa panayam ng DWRM-Radyo ng Bayan noong Hunyo 8, heto ang sinabi ni Mayor Hagedorn: “Alam natin, well ang sabi nga nila, may mga taga-rito raw na mga lady writers ang nagpasimuno niyan. Maaari, dahil meron diyang isang ever since e, negatibo na sa atin e.” Nang tanungin siya ng reporter kung paano niya na-identify ang gumawa ng website, ito ang sagot ni Meyor: “Nagtatanong-tanong tayo dun sa mga nagmo-monitor e, at alam nila yung klase ng sulat, na-identify nila doon sa isang grupo, plus sa dinami-dami ng lumabas daw doon na local newspapers dito sa atin, ang nai-connect doon sa Internet, yung Bandillo, yung litrato ng Bandillo nandoon. Eh, bakit, wala bang Palawan Times, Palawan Sun, wala bang, dami e, ang daming newspaper, pero don pinakita yon. Atsaka talagang doon nagpo-post si Yasmin, yung Bandillo, doon nagpo-post iyan ng mga Internet ano nila, opinions.”

Sa programa naman ni Louie kung saan sinagot niya ang statement ng Bandillo, tila nagbabasa lang sila mula sa isang script ni meyor. Heto ang sinabi ni Louie: “Nabanggit lang namin yung Bandillo ng Palawan dahil doon sa website na Free Palawan Media.tripod.com, aba ay nakalagay doon yung write-ups ng Bandillo ng Palawan, nung last week na labas ng Bandillo ay yun ang nakalagay doon sa, yung kanilang headlines, diyaryo nila ang nakalagay doon sa Free Palawan Media, doon sa website. Sa dinami-dami ng tabloid, yun lang ang nakalagay doon, ano po, kaya binanggit natin ang Bandillo ng Palawan.”

Para sa kaalaman ni meyor, sa bandillo.blogspot.com lang kami naglalagay ng mga lathalain. Sana ay nagkamali lang siya ng tinuran, at mali lang din ang naibigay sa kanya na impormasyon.

Pang-apat, ano ba talaga ang relasyon ni Mayor Hagedorn sa DYER?

Alam nating lahat na ito ang dating DYEH (ang huling dalawang letra ay initials ni meyor). Sa ikalawang buhay nito bilang environmental radio diumano (kaya naging DYER), may suporta bang ibinibigay si meyor dito? Ano ang totoong katayuan ng DYER pagdating sa lisensiya mula sa National Telecommunications Commission?

Isa sa mga binitiwang salita ni Louie sa kanyang programa ang nakatawag-pansin sa atin. Minamaliit niya kasi ang pagdulog ng Bandillo sa mga ka-partner nito na malalaking asosasyon ng media sa nasyunal na lebel. “Bakit dinadala nyo doon? Anong magagawa ng media agencies na ito? Kaya ba nila tayo? Hindi tayo under ng kung saan diyan, ano. Meron tayong sariling sinusunod dito,” ang tinuran ni Louie. Anong ibig niyang sabihin?

Dagdag pa ni Louie: “Hindi natin uurungan ito, kahit magtatawag pa kayo sa presidente ng Pilipinas, kahit sa mga presidente pa ng buong asosasyon ng buong journalists sa buong mundo, hindi natin uurungan yang mga tanong.” Sana nga ay masagot niya nang husto ang mga tanong na bumabagabag sa atin.

Panghuli at pinaka-importanteng tanong para sa amin, sino nga ba ang tinutukoy niyang dalawang babae na gumawa umano ng website?

Ayon kay Louie sa kanyang programa, “Wala kaming sinasabing ang Bandillo ng Palawan ang nagsulat sa website na iyon. Nailagay lang sila doon sa website hindi sa pananakot, hindi sa kung anupaman, kung hindi, sila ang nagsulat at unang mga nagbigay ng write-ups dito sa pagkamatay ng naturang brodkaster kaya sila nilagay sa website.”

Mabuti naman. Kung ganoon, at kung hindi pananakot ang ginagawa niya sa Bandillo, panahon na upang sabihin niya kung sino ang mga pinaghihinalaan na ito upang matigil na ang haka-haka ng maraming tao na kaming dalawa ni Jofelle ang tinutukoy niya.

Ang sabi pa ni Louie sa DYER: “Hindi namin aatrasan yung sinabi naming merong dalawang pinaghihinalaang babae from the print media. Sooner or later, lalabas po ang mga pangalang iyan.”

Sino nga ba ang mga ito, at bakit ganoon na lang ang pag-alipusta ni Louie sa mga diumano’y pinaghinalaan? Narito ang ilang ehemplo:

“Bastos ito e. Biro mo, bastusin ka harap-harapan sa ano, nagtatago sa Internet, tirahin, sirain ka doon, hindi lang bastos iyan, siraulo pa ng dalawang iyan.”

“Ang nilalaman po ng website na iyan, pinapatay at dinudurog ng website yung mga taong walang kinalaman at inaakusahan dun sa website. Yung andun na mga tao, may pamilya din yun e, may kamag-anak, may mga huwes doon na binabanggit. E kung babalikan sila nung pinagdudurog nila doon sa website, aba e, baka kung anong mangyari.”

“Free Palawan Media movement.tripod.com. Ang mga taong nilagay doon, sinalaula, pinatay, dinurog. Sino ang hindi masasaktan niyan? You are convicting them. Character assassination.”

“Mga akusasyon sa mga taong wala ring kinalaman sa kaso na dinurog-durog at kinatay-katay ang mga apelyido at pangalan sa Internet.”

Para sa ordinaryong nakikinig, madaling makapag-init ng damdamin ang mga salita ni Louie. Dahil dito, walang ibang dapat sisihin kundi ang DYER at si Mayor Hagedorn kung may mangyari na hindi kanais-nais sa mga manunulat ng Bandillo ng Palawan, dahil sa pag-ugnay nila sa amin sa kontrobersyal na website.

Panahon na upang linawin nina Mayor Hagedorn at Louie Larrosa ang misteryong bumabalot sa website na ito, upang mawala na ang panganib na nakaumang sa amin at makabalik na kami nang matiwasay ni Jofelle sa mga trabaho namin sa Puerto Princesa.

Bukas ang Bandillo ng Palawan sa mga sagot nina Mayor Hagedorn at Louie Larrosa sa mga tanong na ito.

Ang may-akda ay isa sa limang founding member ng Bandillo ng Palawan. Bagaman siya ay nagbitiw na bilang editorial staff ng diyaryong ito, patuloy siyang naglilingkod bilang mentor ng mga manunulat nito at tumutulong sa pinansyal na aspeto sa boluntaryong kapasidad. Kapag kinakailangan, nagbibigay din siya ng mga lathalain tungkol sa mahahalagang usapin sa Palawan.

Philippine mangrove loss alarming - DENR

2006-07-04T19:46:00.000+08:00

By Sergio A. Pontillas

In a region that leads the world in terms of mangrove forest cover, the Philippines now ranks last in Southeast Asia, according to a ranking official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

Honorato G. Palis, chief of the Mangrove Research Section of the Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau of the DENR raised the alarm during a seminar on mangrove management sponsored by the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) on the occasion of its 14th founding anniversary last June 19 in Puerto Princesa City.

“It’s a pity that up to now, (our mangrove management program) consists only of planting trees,” Dr. Palis lamented.

Mangroves have been traditionally used for timber, firewood, medicine, food, and municipal fisheries. Other uses of mangroves are for settlements and salt production.

The December 2004 tsunami in the Indian Ocean has proven that mangroves also serve as shoreline protection against destructive ocean waves, Palis said.

In recent years, mangrove forests have been cleared for the shrimp mariculture industry, which has an estimated annual farm gate value of nine billion dollars, he noted.

Since the 1970s, shrimp production from Asia has been steadily increasing from 26 million tons to 100,000 million tons in the 1980s, reaching a peak of 700,000 million tons in 1995, a DENR report said.

Alongside this increase in economic resource utilization is the steady loss of mangrove forests, estimated at a rate of 4,572 hectares per year. According to Palis, mangrove deforestation in the Philippines is 80 to 90 per cent, which is higher than the Asian deforestation rate of 60 to 70 per cent.

Other causes of mangrove loss, aside from aquaculture, are timber and charcoal production, human settlement, salt pond construction, industrialization, and pollution.

The case of Manila, whose ancient name “Maynilad” signifies the abundance of a mangrove species called “nilad” in its shores, is a perfect example of mangrove deforestation due to industrialization and pollution, Palis said. To date, no more species of “nilad” exists along Manila’s coastline.

Mismatched Policy on Mangroves

Across the country, the rapid decimation of mangroves due to fishpond conversion by virtue of the old Fisheries Code (PD 704) started in the 1970s during the Marcos Era.

Loan incentives provided by the Central Bank and Development Bank of the Philippines also contributed to the large-scale conversion of mangrove forests into fishponds, Palis said.

During the term of President Corazon Aquino from 1986 to 1992, numerous declarations were made for the protection of foreshore areas, and fishpond lease holders were required to plant mangroves.

The late 1980s also saw the widening of mangrove buffer zones, but contrary to the policy of mangrove forest protection, fishpond areas inside forestlands increased from 1,016 hectares in 1982 to 75,548 hectares in 1990.

A new trend in management policy was introduced during the financial crisis of the 1990s, when new regulatory mechanisms, access limitations and conversion initiatives in coastal management were strengthened.

Participation of civil society groups and local government units was seen as a vital component of mangrove forest protection.

New laws like the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan and the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act were designed to include mangrove forests in ecosystems-wide protection of biodiversity.

Integrated Coastal Management became a byword during the late 199’s, but it proved to be too unwieldy for conservationists and policy makers, Palis said.

By the turn of the century, the large-scale ecosystems approach to mangrove conservation was scaled down and a new strategy was adopted.

Community-Based Forest Management

The new trend in managing mangroves aims to turn over control of tenure on mangrove resources to stakeholders in local communities. This includes people’s organizations, non-government organizations, and local government officials at the barangay level.

According to Dr. Palis, ability to use the area for a variety of livelihood activities, to extract wood in limited quantities from mangroves planted in the area, and exemption from paying rent for use of the forested area are the projected benefits of the Community Based Forest Management system.

However, the approach has not helped curb mangrove depletion in Palawan.

“Our mangrove trees have stopped growing after three years,” observed the barangay chairman of Bgy. Mangingisda. He was referring to their mangrove reforestation in a coastal barangay in Puerto Princesa.

Palis replied that the possible problem could be in the proper selection of mangrove propagules, or seedlings, for the mangrove reforestation site of Bgy. Mangingisda.

“There could have been a mismatch,” Palis said.

He added that stakeholders would need to look at mangrove-related problems using an ecosystems approach.

“It is not just about everywhere along our coastlines where we should plant mangroves. Seagrass beds have been erased by some of our misguided mangrove reforestation efforts,” Palis said.

Mind Game

2006-06-08T11:56:00.000+08:00

(Statement of BANDILLO NG PALAWAN released on June 5, 2006 in response to the wrongful accusation from DYER regarding a dubious website about the murder of broadcaster Dong Batul)

Last Wednesday, 31 May 2006, a staffer of the Center for Media Freedom and Responsibility called our attention to an email from a supposed entity called the Free Palawan Media Movement. The email directed recipients to a website that contained articles on the recent assassination of Palawan broadcaster Fernando "Dong" Batul. We were surprised about the information, as we do not know of any such group in Palawan.
The intentions of the website’s creators only became clear to us the following day, when two local radio stations started discussing its contents. We were flooded with text messages from concerned listeners who informed us that DYER, which is widely known to be under the control of Puerto Princesa City Mayor Edward Hagedorn, had named Bandillo ng Palawan as the possible creator of the website. Commentators from radio station DYSP, which is affiliated with GMA Network Inc., supported DYER’s allegations. DYER alluded to two writers from Bandillo ng Palawan, one of them a correspondent for the Philippine Daily Inquirer, as the supposed writers of the website. A former reporter of Bandillo ng Palawan was also named as one of the alleged writers.
We obtained copies of the mass-circulated email from a staffer of CMFR, which also serves as the secretariat of the Freedom Fund for Filipino Journalists that extended assistance to Batul’s family. We attempted to access the website, but to our dismay, it had been taken down and we had no way of confirming its contents aside from hearsay.
Over the weekend, we managed to obtain photocopies of the website’s pages from law enforcers in Palawan. After reading the web pages thoroughly, we finally understood why our local community has expressed intense concern for the safety of Bandillo’s writers.
The website’s creators had cleverly plagiarized many of our stories, lifting entire phrases and even posting a clipping of our headline story on Batul’s killing. But it also posted a hodgepodge of allegations regarding an organization called "Commando Gang," the controversy about Palawan workers who paid a huge sum to work in Taiwan, and the inaction of the city government in paying tribute to Dong Batul as a former vice mayor. It appears that the website was put up to mislead the public about the murder of Batul.
It is interesting to note that the commentators who brought public attention to the website are the same ones whom Dong Batul has openly accused as "envelopmental" journalists. With their malicious accusations against Bandillo writers, it is clear that their intention is to put our lives in danger. It is obvious that they want to scare away local reporters who share Dong Batul’s ideals on principled journalism. Clearly, they want to put a stop to our in-depth coverage of Palawan issues, including the cowardly murder of Dong Batul. This is highly irresponsible and does not speak well of our media colleagues.
Regular readers of Bandillo ng Palawan who may have accessed the website will certainly note the typographical and grammatical errors, as well as convoluted syntax, that show our accusers are clearly way off the mark. In fact, we are insulted about the allegation, as Bandillo ng Palawan has always prided itself on carefully written analysis and news articles, and not tabloid-type stories such as those found in the website.
This may seem like a local issue, but it does have national repercussions. Some of the media personalities involved have connections to national media agencies, and we believe it is time for their head offices to act decisively. The broadcast industry is also governed by regulations, and the national government has the power to put a stop to the abuse of the airwaves not only in Palawan but in other communities as well.
Therefore, we consider it our urgent responsibility to issue the following alerts:
1. We call on the National Telecommunications Commission to closely monitor the abuse of the airwaves by radio commentators who are putting the lives of Palawan journalists and other personalities in danger. As the print media strives to publish news reports in a climate of fear, it is the duty of the broadcast industry’s regulators to ensure that the airwaves are used solely for the public good.
2. We call on the management of the radio stations concerned to impose disciplinary action on their commentators who are abusing their position at the expense of their media colleagues in Palawan.
3. We call on the Philippine Daily Inquirer to provide the necessary safety measures to their local correspondent who has been implicated by DYER, and to ensure that local politicians do not hold sway over their editors in publishing news reports from Puerto Princesa City and Palawan.
4. We call on the provincial leadership of Palawan to ensure the protection of its constituents against potential harassment from misguided elements, and to help work for the speedy solution of Dong Batul’s assassination.
5. Lastly, we call on Mayor Edward Hagedorn to start working for harmonious relations in order to improve the peace and order situation in Puerto Princesa City. We are in a democracy and business groups, the religious sector, and civil society groups have all issued statements of concern about the impunity of criminals that your administration has allowed to prevail in our community.
In closing, we wish to express our support to the Palawan Community Media Council in its efforts to undertake a peace-making role among the members of the Palawan Press Club and other community journalists in the province. The murder of Dong Batul has highlighted the division among members of the Palawan media, as well as the insidious role of local politics in fomenting disunity among local journalists. With cooperation from all sectors, we believe there is hope for Palawan’s media yet.

Hero's Burial for Dong Batul

2006-06-08T11:46:00.000+08:00

By YASMIN D. ARQUIZA

"Paalam Dong" … We love you.
The simple handmade sign, accompanied by a lone candle on the windowsill, summed up the sentiments of thousands of PalaweÒos who joined the historic funeral march for popular broadcaster and former Puerto Princesa City Vice Mayor Fernando "Dong" Batul last June 3.
Young and old, rich and poor – there were no distinctions among the mourners who braved bomb scares and threats of reprisals from the city government just to pay their last respects to a man whom many people consider a local hero.
Extolled as Palawan’s version of Fernando Poe Jr. and Ninoy Aquino, Dong Batul was brutally gunned down on his way to work as host for the top-rated radio program Bastonero last May 22, just two days before his 37th birthday.
Despite the arrest of one suspect, his family and supporters believe Batul’s murder is far from solved, with the mastermind still actively involved in media manipulation to confuse the minds of the public regarding the first ever media killing in Palawan.
For 12 days and nights, thousands of people from all walks of life trooped to the wake at the Puerto Princesa funeral home and the chancery of the Immaculate Conception parish, where Batul’s remains were later transferred. Every night, friends and supporters recalled his bravery in fighting for the rights of oppressed people, who often sought his help in seeking justice against abusive officials.
Despite statements from city councilor Feliberto Oliveros that they would give proper honors to Batul, the city government did not offer any necrological service for the former vice mayor. The Batul family refused to receive a flag brought by a city official more than a week after the killing, and only city councilor Jimmy Carbonell went to the wake.
A few days before the funeral, text messages circulated in the city that warned residents of bomb threats during the planned march. Many city government employees reported receiving threats of sanctions if they joined the funeral march.

Six-hour funeral

Most people seem to have ignored the warning, as mourners came out in droves to attend the funeral mass and join the eight-kilometer march from the cathedral to the Puerto Princesa memorial park.
It was the biggest funeral march ever seen in Palawan, eclipsing even that of former House Speaker Ramon Mitra who died in March 2000.
Batul’s esteemed stature in the local community was highlighted by the presence of top church and government officials during the six-hour funeral.
Bishop Pedro Arigo celebrated mass at 8 a.m. and made the final blessing for Batul, while Gov. Joel Reyes gave a eulogy and presented the flag to Batul’s family.
But it was the Palaweño masses, impoverished people shod in slippers and unmindful of the baking noonday sun, who stole the show from the few well-heeled mourners.
Anguished supporters wept openly as they filed past Batul’s coffin at the cathedral for a final glimpse of their fallen hero. Many of them wore white T-shirts with the words "Justice for Dong" printed in front together with his image, and his favorite phrase "Ang mali ay nilalabanan, at ang tama ay ipinaglalaban" printed at the back.
In his eulogy, the governor said: "Nakaukit na sa istorya ng libro ng kasaysayan ng Palawan, si Vice Dong ay pinaslang sa pagbubukas ng Baragatan.
"Marami ang nanghihinayang, kasama na po ako. Hindi bayaran si Dong Batul. We hope that we can do as much as you can in a short period of time. We’d rather stay silent than say anything, pero sa ating mga tingin, alam na natin ang ating gagawin para bigyan ng hustisya si Dong," he added.
Jose Torres from the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines vowed: "Ipagpapatuloy namin ang laban ni Dong Batul at mabigyan ng hustisya ang kanyang pagkamatay."
Lawyer Lito Alisuag, who co-hosted a weekly program called Trayanggulo with Batul and former city mayor Dennis Socrates also on DYPR, could not hold back his tears as he sang the Josh Groban song To Where You Are after the mass.
"Di ko lubusang matanggap na ang isang taong peace-loving, maka-Diyos at makabayan ay sasapitin ang ganito. Siya ay matuwid, may paninindigan, may takot sa Diyos at handang ipaglaban ang bawat isa sa atin," said Jojo Gastanes, one of Dong Batul's closest friends.

DYPR Tribute

After the church rites, Batul’s coffin was placed on a flatbed truck festooned with balloons, many of them coming from overseas Filipino workers whose botched contracts in Taiwan had been the subject of Batul’s commentaries a month ago.

Dozens of supporters on motorbikes, as well as the multicab that Batul was driving when he was killed, preceded the truck as it wound its way down major city streets.
At the crime scene, three young journalists read a statement and lit candles as a symbol of their commitment to continue the ideals of principled journalism that Batul followed during his lifetime.
"Iisa lang at walang kaparis si Dong Batul, ngunit marami pang susunod sa kanyang yapak at magpapatuloy ng kanyang nasimulan," a campus journalist from the Palawan State University said.
"Bilang tinig ng mga naaapi, ipinaglaban ni Dong Batul ang karapatan ng mga taong walang boses sa lipunan. Nasa kamay nating mga kabataan ngayon ang tungkulin na tahakin ang landas tungo sa katarungan," she concluded.
The funeral cortege made another brief stop at the DYPR station, where Batul’s colleagues were waiting on the roadside. They aired a radio clip in which the charismatic commentator had spoken, almost prophetically, about death and "evil forces" that are out to harm individuals like him. DJ Regie ended the program with a soulful rendition of Paglisan, bringing tears to the eyes of many onlookers.
Along the road, many residents lit candles and displayed crude posters and banners expressing their support and mourning the loss of Batul. Supporters lining the crowded roads clapped their hands as the truck bearing Batul’s coffin approached.
Near the corner of Junction 1, two women shyly approached the truck and placed a bunch of flowers near his coffin, to resounding applause from the marchers.

5,000 Mourners

About half of the marchers boarded waiting vehicles near the capitol and continued the journey in cramped conveyances, while others braved the summer heat and marched on to the memorial park.
The number of marchers swelled as more people joined along the national highway, while hundreds more waited for the funeral procession at the memorial park. Independent observers estimated around 5,000 mourners by the time the funeral march had reached the memorial park in barangay San Jose at around 2 p.m.
Bishop Arigo officiated at the final ceremony before Batul’s remains were interred beside the grave of his father, who died two years ago.
The overwhelming turnout surprised many people in Puerto Princesa, who are all too aware about the enmity between Batul and Mayor Edward Hagedorn.
But in the end, the desire to honor a local hero who had dedicated his life to the welfare of the city’s underserved masses prevailed. Most of the marchers may have suffered blisters and sunburn, but it was nothing compared to Batul’s ultimate sacrifice.
The message posted on a gate expressed the finality of it all: Goodbye, Dong.

Who is the mastermind?

2006-05-31T17:02:00.000+08:00

Arrest of suspect fails to ease doubts on Batul murder

PRESSURE IS MOUNTING on law enforcers to identify the brains behind the brutal killing of radio journalist Fernando “Dong” Batul last week, with the first suspect they arrested denying any involvement in the crime.

Murder charges were filed against Police Officer Aaron Golifardo last May 25 after four eyewitnesses identified him as one of two gunmen who shot Batul at close range, killing him instantly, according to Col. Elpidio de Asis, Provincial Director of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Palawan and head of Task Force Batul.

The case was assigned to the Regional Trial Court Branch 51 under Judge Chito Meregillano.

Two other suspects, another gunman and a lookout, are still at large.

A member of the 413rd Regional Mobile Group assigned with the Philippine National Police – Palawan, Golifardo was arrested in Manila and flown back to Puerto Princesa three days after Batul was killed.

“Wala akong alam sa pangyayaring iyan. Wala akong alam diyan,” he asserted in a brief ambush interview with DYPR upon his arrival, in handcuffs, at the city airport.

Widely known as the most popular broadcaster in Palawan, Batul was on his way to his morning radio program “Bastonero” on DYPR when he was ambushed and gunned down just a hundred meters from the station last May 22.

National Bureau of Investigation-Palawan director Atty. Onos Mangotara said all the four witnesses, who were at the scene of the crime, positively identified Golifardo as one of the gunmen during the inquest at the City Prosecutor’s Office on May 25. One of the witnesses knew Golifardo personally, he added.

However, Golifardo’s family maintained that he was at home preparing for his flight to Manila at the time of the incident. One of his neighbors also told DYPR the suspect had gone to the latter’s house to have his mobile phone charged, as he had a travel order from May 22 to 28 to go to the national police headquarters on official business.

Golifardo was supposed to be presented at a news conference shortly after his arrival, but only members of the Task Force appeared before the media. In response to doubts about the gunman’s identity, PNP Directorate chief Isidro Lapeña said: “There is no fall guy in the case.” He added that the Task Force would continue the investigation.

During the inquest, Golifardo was allowed to speak with the media briefly, and he reiterated his innocence. He tearfully expressed his condolences to Batul’s family, and firmly denied any involvement in the crime.

Letty Batul-Cabusao, the victim’s older sister, said they welcomed the arrest but expressed hope that the brains behind the killing would also be identified.

“Sana hindi dito magtapos. Sana ang hustisya ay makamit ng aking kapatid,” she said.

Batul had criticized Golifardo in his program on May 11, about two weeks before the killing, after a bar owner complained that the policeman poked a gun at one of her waitresses when the latter refused to be kissed.

Edwin Gastanes, a legal counsel for the Batul family, said the arrest was a “positive development” and the statement from the Task Force that the investigation would continue gave them hope that the case would be resolved.

Former mayor Dennis Socrates, the running mate of Batul when the latter was elected vice mayor in 2001, said the possible motive of the suspect and other accomplices in the crime would need to be identified. The investigation “should go beyond personal scuffle,” he added.

Batul had incurred the ire of many government officials, rival broadcasters, and military officers due to his fearless discussion of anomalies and human rights abuses in his radio program.

Last April 24, less than a month before he was killed, two grenades were hurled into his family’s residence in Barangay San Manuel but these failed to explode and were safely detonated. In a note written in red ink, the attackers warned Batul of dire consequences if he did not stop talking about controversial issues in his program.

Just before that incident, Batul had tackled the complaints of migrant workers from Palawan who had paid P50,000 each to secure contracts for Taiwan through the public employment service office (PESO) of the city government. They had ended up in menial jobs instead of the employment specified in their contracts, and the agency said they did not collect any placement fee for the workers.

Assault on the “Masa”
Widespread condemnation of Batul’s assassination poured in from various sectors in Palawan and the national media.

“We call on the proper authorities to solve as soon as possible this heinous crime and give justice to the aggrieved parties,” said Bishop Pedro Arigo, the Apostolic Vicar of Puerto Princesa.

“Observing the pattern and the growing number of victims, there seems to be a grand sinister devilish plot to silence media men made of stuff like Dong’s and to scare others from exposing the truth and fighting corruption. And we wonder: when will the killings stop?” Bishop Arigo said.

“It was an assault on all peace loving Palaweños, specially on the ‘masa’ Dong was helping during his radio programs. The common folk made recourse to his program to air their grievances and concerns,” the prelate noted.

Batul would have turned 37 last May 24, but instead of a birthday celebration, his friends and family could only reminisce about his crusade as a journalist and experience as a former vice mayor of Puerto Princesa.

“Birthday mo ngayon, hindi ako masaya,” said his mother Condrada Batul, a former store owner in the public market. She had often warned her youngest son to tone down his hard-hitting comments on radio, but she said: “Ayaw niyang makinig sa akin.”

Gerry Ortega, his mentor at the Crocodile Farming Institute where Batul was an information officer, agreed that he had a stubborn streak and was fiercely independent.

“Walang may hawak ng utak ni Dong,” Ortega said. “He told me face to face six months ago that he has already conquered the fear of death.”

Jimmy Cañete, a close-in bodyguard of Batul when he was vice mayor, said that unlike most politicians, the latter had refused to carry firearms in his car.

“Daliri lang ang dala namin. Wala kaming mga armas. Sabi ko, ako ba kasama sa magpapakamatay? Sinabi niya sa akin na ang armas natin, ang Diyos na tumitingin sa atin,” he said during a Luksang Parangal on Batul’s birthday, two days after the killing.

Principled Critic
“We deeply mourn the loss of a highly principled and credible broadcast journalist, a fearless and untiring advocate of good governance, a true servant of the public, and a valuable partner in the quest for social justice and genuine social development,” the Palawan NGO Network Inc. said in a statement.

“We call on all Palaweños to uphold the legacy of Mr. Batul by expressing their disgust on this detestable crime, and by perpetuating his fight for truth, justice and decency in public service,” they added.

Rep. Antonio Alvarez also joined other Palawan officials in condemining the killing, saying: “Malaking dagok ito sa freedom of the press hindi lamang sa ating lalawigan kundi sa buong bansa na ang isang katulad ni Batul na may mataas na kredibilidad at iginagalang dahil sa kanyang mga prinsipyo at determinadong paglalahad ng mga anomalya sa pamahalaan at lipunan ay brutal at walang-awang pina-tahimik sa pamamagitan ng baril.”

He praised the Task Force for quickly arresting one of the suspects, and stressed the importance of solving the case soon to avoid public speculation regarding the possible involvement of other “personalities” in the crime.

In a rare move, the Rotary Club of Puerto Princesa and Palawan Chamber of Commerce and Industry issued a joint statement condemning the killing of Batul.

“There could never be any acceptable justification in the treacherous and cowardly murder of anyone in an otherwise peaceful community such as ours,” the influential business and civic groups said. “May the vigilance of the citizenry and the renewed effort of law enforcement not only bring justice but may it likewise set our community free from violence and all acts of criminality.

The Palawan Community Media Council expressed concern about the threat to press freedom engendered by the killing.

“Dong Batul was a principled critic of known personalities in Puerto Princesa and fearlessly used the airwaves to defend decency in the political life of Palawan.,” the PCMC said.

“He was the voice of dissent in a climate of apparent indifference on the part of many Palaweños who may have shared his views in changing society but whose main concern was to eke out a living and survive the economic hardship brought about by uncertain times,” the PCMC statement said.

“That he was violently killed by assassins bent on silencing him permanently does not bode well for critical and credible discussion of problems of the community.”

The National Union for Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP) sent a representative to Puerto Princesa to find out the circumstance behind the killing and provide financial assistance to Batul’s family.

In a statement issued on the day of the murder, the NUJP criticized President Arroyo for downplaying the spate of murders of media people in the country.

“The Arroyo government may argue until it is blue in the face that a culture of impunity does not exist in the country,” the NUJP said. “It should tell that to the family of Palawan broadcaster Fernando ‘Dong’ Batul.”

“Today, we call on all our colleagues to fight back. Let us cease to be just observers and recorders to the death of democracy,” the group exhorted the country’s media people.

“United, we can fight back the threats to our lives and liberties with the weapon we know best how to use – our profession, our pens, our cameras, our microphones,” the NUJP statement concluded.

- reported by the Bandillo ng Palawan news team/May 29-June 4, 2006 issue

Dong Batul shot dead

2006-05-23T12:39:00.000+08:00

P1-M reward offered for information on assassins
By the Bandillo News Team/May 22-28, 2006 issue

FERNANDO “DONG” BATUL, the most popular and hard-hitting broadcaster in Puerto Princesa, was assassinated while on his way to work at radio station DYPR last May 22.
He was the first journalist killed in Palawan. Batul would have turned 37 on May 24.
Batul sustained 12 gunshot wounds, mostly in the head and chest, from .45 caliber and 9-mm handguns, Dr. Arlene Gaan from the Cooperative Hospital said. One of the bullets hit him right between the eyes, witnesses said.

Two suspects wearing helmets and riding a blue Honda motorcycle fired on Batul at close range, witnesses said. He was alone in his service vehicle, a dark green multicab, when the suspects shot him as he slowed down near a road hump on the corner of Valencia and Manalo streets, about 100 meters from DYPR, police said.

The gunmen fled toward the city center. Police had no immediate suspects, but the provincial government of Palawan and city government of Puerto Princesa have each offered half a million pesos reward for information on the killers.

Batul was pronounced dead on arrival at the hospital, near the scene of the crime. He was on his way to work as radio commentator for the popular radio program “Bastonero” when he was gunned down at about 6:45 a.m.

The incident happened nearly a month after a grenade attack on the Batul family residence in Bgy. San Manuel. Two live grenades were thrown inside his house last April 24 but these did not explode and were safely detonated. The attackers had posted a letter in red ink on the gate, warning Batul of dire consequences if he did not stop his hard-hitting statements on the airwaves.

Batul has incurred the ire of local politicians, rival broadcasters, military officials and erring government personnel due to his unrelenting and fiery attacks on corrupt practices and various anomalies for the past 10 years.

Mayor Edward Hagedorn, a frequent target of Batul’s critical commentaries, immediately washed his hands off the incident.

“Hinding-hindi natin gagawin ito. Hindi ko linya iyan. Alam ko na lahat mag-iisip na si Mayor iyan. Hindi totoo iyan,” Hagedorn said.

“Ang kinatatatakutan ko dito, wala kasing iba ever since. Ang gusto ko ang proteksyon ni Dong Batul dahil pag may nangyari sa taong iyan, ako talaga ang pagbibintangan at hindi magiging maganda ito sa image ng Puerto Princesa sa panahong kinokondena na ang pagpatay sa mga journalists,” he added.

“Marami namang puwedeng gumawa maliban sa akin,” Mayor Hagedorn said.

Gov. Joel Reyes expressed shock and dismay when he was interviewed at the hospital.

“I do not know what to say. Napakalaking dagok nito sa ating lalawigan,” he said.

“Wala tayong magagawa ngayon kundi to stay calm,” he added, saying this would be a major challenge for law enforcement agencies in the province.

Condemnation

Media colleagues, political leaders, and supporters of Batul are eyeing different angles regarding the killing, although it is widely believed that it was work-related.

Lourdes Escaros-Paet, Batul’s closest colleague at DYPR, tearfully revealed on the air that he was supposed to leave for Manila on May 24 to file a media corruption case against two broadcasters in a rival radio station in Palawan.

Former DYPR station manager Gerry Ortega, a close friend of Batul and associate in the religious group Couples for Christ, said he had warned Batul after the grenade attack that the threat on his life was serious, but the latter had refused to take extra precautions.

Many supporters who called up DYPR expressed grief and condemnation over the incident, which shocked residents in what is reputed as one of the country’s safest cities.

“Mariin naming kinokondena ang brutal at karumal-dumal na pagpatay kay Dong Batul,” Bishop Pedro Arigo said.

He called on the killers to claim responsibility for the killing and come out into the open, saying “sana’y magising sila sa katotohanan at huwag magtago sa dilim.”

Rep. Abraham Mitra described Batul’s killing as “a very, very serious matter” as no violent incident of this nature has ever been recorded in Palawan. He called on the police to solve the incident in the soonest possible time, saying “pag hindi mahuli, dapat talaga magpalit ng pamunuan.”

He said criticism from the public is part of every politician’s life, but added that conflicts with the media “should be decided in court” and not through killings.

“Definitely work-related ito,” Provincial Information Officer Rolando Bonoan, Jr. said. “Hindi naman basagulero si Dong at wala naman siyang personal na nakaaway na gagawa ng ganito,” he added.

“Ang nakakaalarma dito, this will send a continuous threat to all of us, hindi lang sa media. Hindi na tayo ligtas sa ating sariling lugar,” Bonoan said. “Paano pa ipaglalaban ang prinsipyo kung ang media ay takot na?”

Lyle Coruña, president of the Palawan Press Club, said: “We condemn the killing. Nakikiusap kami sa mga otoridad na bilisan ang imbestigasyon.”

DYPR did not immediately issue an official statement on the killing, and legal counsel Allan Carlos said the station was still awaiting the return of general manager Lulu Ilustre to Palawan.

From Media to Politics

Batul first gained popularity as a commentator on the evening program Kulog at Kidlat on RGMA radio station in the mid-1990s, before he successfully ran for vice mayor of Puerto Princesa City in 2001. He was unseated before he could finish his term, and suffered a subsequent electoral defeat in 2004.

After his stint in politics, Batul returned to broadcasting and rose once again to prominence as host of the popular morning program Bastonero. He is widely credited for putting DYPR on top of the ratings game among the four local AM stations last year.

As a radioman, Batul’s integrity and fearlessness were well known. But he also endeared himself to needy Palaweños who came to him for help, especially in medical emergencies.

Batul was scheduled to go on leave for three weeks, Paet said. Among his plans were to bring his mother to Baguio City for a vacation, and to go on a “soul-searching” trip due to the threats on his life arising from his work in the media.

A bachelor, Batul is survived by his mother and five siblings. He was the youngest in the family.
Batul’s remains were brought to the Princesa Funeral Homes in Bgy. San Pedro.

According to press reports, Batul is the 5th broadcaster killed in the Philippines this year.

Unfinished Business

2006-05-23T12:00:00.000+08:00

Editorial
Bandillo ng Palawan/May 22 – 28, 2006 issue

Go not gently into the night
Rage, rage against the dying of the light

- Dylan Thomas

On a sunny Monday morning, while most people in Palawan were getting ready for another busy workweek, two men on a busy street corner had other things on their mind. They were waiting for a quarry, and as he rounded the corner, they snuffed the life out of him.

This should have been a joyful week. Residents of Puerto Princesa were looking forward to a float parade and the opening of the two-week Baragatan festival at the Capitol Park Square. Instead, the celebration was overshadowed by a grisly killing that sent chills down the spine of every principled Palaweño.

We are shocked with the brazenness of the assassination of Dong Batul, arguably the most popular broadcaster to have graced the airwaves of Palawan. It is not merely a killing, or a simple murder. The fact that it was carried out in broad daylight, on a busy street corner, and right in the heart of Puerto Princesa shows the impunity of the assassins. Many locals have commented that it could not have been done by a Palaweño. No one who was born and raised here, or who has chosen to call Palawan his or her home, could have done such a thing.

While that may be true, one thing is clear: only someone in Palawan could have ordered the killing. After all, Dong Batul only made “enemies” here. And they were only enemies in the sense that he was always seeking the truth, what is right, and what is just in this chaotic country of ours. In a city where government corruption is often talked about in whispers and most anomalies are simply swept under the rug, Dong Batul had the courage to take his crusade to the airwaves.

He was a firebrand, and often went overboard in his tirades, but in any civilized society, that is certainly no reason to take the life of anyone. After all, we have laws for that. It is only those with atavistic instincts, people who would want to take us back to the Dark Ages of intolerance and fascism, who would want to silence a voice of reason.

The challenge for law enforcers is not how fast they can catch the killers, but how far they will go in their investigation. Will they simply go after the assassins, the whodunit aspect which is the easiest to solve? Or do they have the courage to find out who ordered the dastardly and cowardly deed?

Whatever comes out of the police investigation, the killers and their puppet master failed to grasp an essential truth: killing one journalist does not spell the end of the quest to right the wrongs in society. As long as there are misdeeds to be exposed, there will always be people who will emerge as beacons of truth in any community.

The assassins have made a martyr out of Dong Batul. With this killing, they have sent out the message that truth shall not be tolerated in Puerto Princesa City. Dong Batul’s killers are afraid of the truth, but unfortunately for them, the truth always comes out in the end. And as long as the truth remains hidden, there will always be fearless people who shall continue the task of spreading the light of truth and justice.

Dong Batul is dead. Long live Dong Batul!

Kung Bakit Bingi si Inang Reyna

2006-05-10T18:20:00.000+08:00

Isang prosang tula ni JOHN IREMIL E. TEODORO

NAG-UMPISA ang takot ni Inang Reyna
nang mag-umpisang magkokak ang mga palaka
sa magkabilang pampang ng nangangamoy na ilog
tungkol sa kanyang pagkapekeng reyna.

Kapag nag-umpisa nang humuni ang mga palaka sa gabi,
tumatakbo papasok si Inang Reyna sa kanyang kuwarto upang mahiga.
Tinatakpan niya ng unan ang kanyang dalawang tenga.
Paulit-ulit na kinukuwento ng mga palaka
kung paano nagdagdag-bawas ang mga aso at baboy
na sundalo ni Inang Reyna noong nakaraang eleksiyon.

Paramihan ng golden kuhol ang eleksiyon.
Ilang sakong kuhol ang ninanak ng mga aso at baboy
mula sa imbakan ng mga kalaban ni Inang Reyna sa eleksiyon.

Hanggang sa may kumalat na pirated CD ng kumbersasyon sa telepono
ni Inang Reyna at ng mga inutusan niyang mandaya sa eleksiyon:
"Hello! Hello, aso?! Hello, baboy?! Kamusta ang mga golden kuhol?
Nailipat n'yo na ba sa ating bodega?"

Marami na talaga ang naiinis kay Inang Reyna
sa buong Kapangkaan nang dahil sa CD na ito.
Dagdagan pa ng e-vat at ang pagmahal
ng kada pirasong lamok na staple food ng mga palaka.
Kada semana, tumataas ng singkwenta sentimo ang bawat lamok.
Tapos, nalaman pa ng lahat na si Itang Pidal
na bana ni Inang Reyna, yumayaman araw-araw.
Kada minuto, tumataba ang bankbook nito.

Kaya nagrali ang mga palaka. Hala, rali sila nang rali.
"Palayasin sa Palasyo ang Pekeng Reyna!"
kokak ng mga palaka sa kalsada.
Hanggang sa naawa ang ibang mga aso at baboy
ni Inang Reyna sa mga raliyista.
May mga opisyal na aso at baboy ang nag-volunteer
na sumama sa mga palaka sa pagrali,
at kung kaawaan ng mga Diwata at swertehin,
hahabulin nila palabas si Inang Reyna
sa palasyo at ihuhulog sa kangkungan.

Pero ang planong ito ay narinig ng mga alagang uwak ni Inang Reyna.
Sa kanyang galit at sa kanyang takot na baka mapalayas siya sa palasyo,
nagdeklara si Inang Reyna ng National State of Emergency sa buong Kapangkaan.
Ipinagbawal niya ang pagrali ng mga palaka.
Ang mga nagtraidor na aso at baboy,
hinuli at kinulong sa tangkal. Yung iba kinatay.
Ipinagbawal ding magkokak ang mga palaka.
May mga bungangerang palaka nga na pinutulan ng dila.

Binalot ng mapanghing katahimikan ang buong Kapangkaan.
Walang palaka na nagko-kokak.
Pati ang paghuni ng kanilang lalamunan dahil sa gutom
ay itinatago nila. Mahirap na. Baka hulihin sila
ng mga loyalistang aso at baboy ni Inang Reyna.

Sa palasyo, sa unang gabing nadeklara
ang National State of Emergency,
nanibago si Inang Reyna sa katahimikan ng gabi.
Pakiramdam ni Inang Reyna,
nagsilayas ang lahat ng mga palaka ng Kapangkaan.
Pakiramdam niya, parang nag-caregiver at nagnars
ang lahat ng mga palaka sa Amerika at Europa.
Parang nagsumakit ang ulo ni Inang Reyna sa sobrang katahimikan.

Pero sa gitna ng katahimikan,
parang nauulinigan ni Inang Reyna
ang wire tapped recording ng boses niya:
"Hello! Hello, aso?! Hello, baboy?!
Kamusta ang mga golden kuhol? Nailipat n'yo na ba sa ating bodega?"

Habang lumalalim ang katahimikan ng gabi,
lumalakas naman ang paulit-ulit na pagtugtog ng
"Hello! Hello, ayam?! Hello, baboy?!" recording sa utak ni Inang Reyna.

Magmula noon, kinatatakutan na ni Inang Reyna
ang pagdating ng gabi. Gusto na sana niyang alisin
ang deklarasyon ng National State of Emergency sa Kapangkaan
upang magkokokak muli ang mga palaka.
Pero marami pa ang mga traidor na aso at baboy na dapat hulihin.

Sa ikapitong gabi, nanghina na si Inang Reyna.
Masakit na masakit na ang kanyang ulo
at ang kanyang noo ay parang pinupunit.
Walang ano-ano'y sumakit ang kanyang dalawang tenga.
Pumilipit sa marmol na sahig ng palasyo si Inang Reyna
sa sobrang sakit ng kanyang mga tenga.

"Ang mga palaka! Ang mga palaka, payagan nang magkalakala!"
sigaw niya sa loyalista niyang mga aso at baboy.
Pero nataranta ang lahat. Walang nakagalaw
at pinanood lamang ang naghihirap na reyna.

At bigla'y, nagulat ang lahat.
Sumabog ang magkabilang tenga ni Inang Reyna.
Umagos ang preskang dugo sa marmol na sahig.

Nang marinig ito ng mga palaka sa buong Kapangkaan,
nagsaya sila! May nag-ati-atihan, may nagdinagyang.
Nagpiyesta sila at nagprito ng isang milyong lamok.

Bingi na si Inang Reyna
nang magbalot siya ng mga damit
at lumayas sa palasyo.

- Published in Bandillo ng Palawan/March 2006

Watched Dog

2006-05-10T18:13:00.000+08:00

This world seems to be getting too old that it's now messing up the natural order of things, adorning the summer with rain and storm instead of glorious sunshine. Perversions in every form are also disturbing, especially the manipulation of truth where the villains become heroes and the real heroes the villains. Our country has its own share of this shocking "magic" and foremost of these is the reversal of the media's role in society from being a watchdog into a watched dog because of GMA's Presidential Proclamation 1017. Now, it's the government watching the media instead of media watching the government, which is the established order in a democratic society. The proclamation has been lifted but its "chilling effect" still hovers over media agencies, making journalists tread slowly on sensitive issues for fear of earning the government's vindictive ire.

GMA's contempt for the media stemmed from the latter's refusal to adhere to her definition of responsible journalism, which is "more of good news than bad" especially when the subject is her economic reforms and governance policies. The media's perceived penchant for negative stories is also the reason cited by Atty. Romela Bengzon, a member of GMA's appointed Consultative Commission, as justification for the malicious insertion of the phrase "responsible exercise of" in Section 4 of the Bill of Rights. The defiled provision now reads, as proposed: "No law shall be passed abridging the responsible exercise of the freedom of speech, of expression, and of the press." Of course, it will be GMA who will define the word "responsible."

Her indignation came out into the open during the 31st top management conference of the Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas last November in Baguio, where she urged them to cast off their "bad boy" image and be part of the solution for national development. "A press that loses credibility as the watchdog of government and the society becomes a drag to democracy rather than a force of freedom," she exhorted. In this statement, GMA cannot be faulted totally. Truly, the Philippine media is guilty of many excesses and abuses, an institution losing its credibility due to unethical practices and corruption. It has also failed to deliver its mandate, which is to empower the poor through information, as it remains largely under the control of the ruling elite.

But it's not GMA who should lecture the media: she has no right to do so. Her name stinks and her regime is founded on lies and treachery. Leave the matter to the market. Educate the consuming public, refine their taste and teach them to be critical thinkers and the mediocre media outfits and illiterate practitioners will disappear soon. After all, it is the politicians of the same cut as GMA that are corrupting the media. The abusive media is a monster of their making. They know that journalists earn so little so they offer them money in exchange for good publicity. They know that the media wields enormous influence in the community, so they hire journalists to malign and discredit their political rivals. It was they who taught media practitioners how to convert their power into thick bundles of bills. In Palawan, some politicians have polarized the media so much that instead of criticizing social evils and rampant corruption, journalists have been hitting each other. It is a Machiavellian ploy that has shattered the collective power of the local media. If lambasted in a critical radio station or newspaper, a politician will just go to a rival media entity to hit back at the offending writer or broadcaster.

Money tames the critical tongues of broadcasters and perverts the righteous hands of journalists; bullets silence what money cannot tame. When the media is reduced to shouting praises for crooked politicians, that is the worst perversion of our time. By then, the media would have morphed into dogs licking the heels of their politician masters.

Editorial published in March 2006/Bandillo ng Palawan

National Government Asks Supreme Court to Deny Palawan’s Claim to 40% Share in Malampaya

2006-03-25T17:09:00.000+08:00

BYPASSING THE COURT of Appeals, the national government is seeking a ruling from the Supreme Court to hasten the resolution of its long-standing dispute with the provincial government of Palawan over the latter’s claim to a 40 per share in the revenues from the Malampaya natural gas project.

In a petition for review filed by three cabinet officials, the national government asked the High Court to reverse and nullify the Dec. 16, 2005 decision of Regional Trial Court Judge Bienvenido Blancaflor, who had ruled that the province is entitled to its natural wealth share in accordance with the Local Government Code.

Energy Sec. Raphael Lotilla, Finance Sec. Margarito Teves, and Budget Sec. Romulo Neri represented the national government in the petition, which was filed last Feb. 14.

The petitioners asked the court to nullify an amended order from Judge Blancaflor last Jan. 16 directing the national government to “freeze” 40% of the revenues from the Malampaya Natural Gas project in order to protect Palawan’s expected share.

They also asked the Supreme Court to “render judgment declaring that respondent, as a matter of law and under the undisputed facts, is not entitled to the 40% share of the gross revenue accruing from the Comago-Malampaya (sic) natural gas project.”

Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes, representing the provincial government, was named respondent in the petition. He has instructed the Provincial Legal Office, which received its copy of the petition last Feb. 22, to strengthen Palawan’s position on the wealth sharing controversy, provincial information officer Rolando Bonoan, Jr. said.

The governor was not worried about the national government’s decision to elevate the issue to the Supreme Court, Bonoan added, saying “Paniwala niya, malakas ang laban namin.”

In defending their decision to file the case with the Supreme Court and not with the Court of Appeals, the petitioners cited the “compelling public interest” surrounding the Malampaya revenue issue, as it involves two contending government parties.

“Recourse to the Court of Appeals will merely delay the resolution of the urgent matters raised in this petition considering that whatever decision the Court of Appeals may render thereon will ultimately be raised to this Honorable Court,” the petition stated.

The petitioners said a motion for reconsideration would be “useless” as the Regional Trial Court had already passed judgment on the issue and the same arguments would be presented.

“No material fact is in dispute and the issue being raised here is purely legal,” the petitioners said, adding that, “such a petition is proper for filing with this Honorable Court.”

Question of Territory

The national government contended that the lower court “gravely erred, if not committed grave abuse of discretion,” when the latter invoked the principle of devolution in handing down a favourable decision to the provincial government of Palawan.

According to the petition, the concept of territory in the Local Government Code “refers only to its land area” except for municipalities, which have jurisdiction over municipal waters within 15 kilometers of their terrestrial boundaries.

“The contention of respondent, which the trial court upheld, that the maritime area between the Kalayaan islands and mainland Palawan is part of the territory of Palawan is inconsistent with the archipelagic and Regalian doctrines as enshrined in the constitution. Said maritime area belongs to the national territory,” the petition stated.

Kalayaan is the smallest of Palawan’s 23 municipalities.

The Malampaya natural gas project is located in the South China Sea, some 80 kilometers off northwestern Palawan. The Philippine government entered into a service contract with Shell Philippines Exploration B.V. and Occidental Philippines Inc. for the operation of the Camago-Malampaya field on Dec. 11, 1990. The natural gas project has since become the largest single investment in the country.

The government is expecting up to $10 billion in revenues from the project over a period of 20 years, according to the petition. This would have fetched the province of Palawan some $200 million (about 10 billion pesos) per year as its natural wealth share, but the Arroyo administration only released P600 million to provincial officials prior to the 2004 presidential elections.

Island Voice

2006-03-10T14:12:00.000+08:00

It's the second and last day of our hands-on workshop on blogging and podcasting sponsored by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation. We've just plowed through a mind-numbing session on the ins and outs of this new Internet beastie called podcasting, and my mind is still reeling from all those new websites, programs, and techie terms that our resource person J. Angelo Racoma generously shared with the participants.

Since I don't have 24-hour Internet connection, not to mention the luxury of time to surf all those tons of info, I haven't really explored the world of podcasting all that much. I've been meaning to download the EDSA 20/20 podcasts of PCIJ since they first sent out an advisory about it, but I still haven't gone around to doing that yet. Hopefully, I'll find time to do that one of these days (between my editing and mentoring and research work, groan).

What's getting me excited about the idea of podcasting is the potential to reach all the Palaweños out there who are hungry for news about their home province, and raring to hear the voices of their townmates through the Net. There are also those countless volunteers, researchers, and special projects staff who still want to keep in touch, and are still concerned about what's happening to Palawan's environment. I'm having a mini-brainstorm right now, thinking about who could be the best interviewee on mining, the Malampaya funds, tourism, the live fish trade, up and coming entertainers etc, and how we are going to post it on our blog. That would be really neat - those voices emanating from our tropical island paradise and reaching homesick Palaweños everywhere.

I'm beginning to like this thing called blogging, and maybe, if we can produce a passable group podcast later, its audio twin as well called podcasting.

To Blog or not to Blog

2006-03-09T17:30:00.000+08:00

As a media agency, we are probably one of the few ones that have been left behind in the digital revolution. While others are talking about bandwidth and wi-fi, we still have to struggle with our Jurassic dial-up connection. Every now and then, we get e-mail from readers across the world who are wondering when we are going to update our website, or when it's going to stop being "under construction."

We have no easy answers, mired as we are in financial difficulties and the weekly burden of putting out a good quality community newspaper on time. Last year, I saw a glimmer of hope when I was invited to attend a blogging conference for journalists in Manila. I've been aware of blogs for sometime, but had not really ventured into this new territory due to other concerns. The meeting was a bit of a let-down though, as there were no hands-on exercises.

Hence, the invitation from the Friedrich Naumann Foundation to participate in Express Yourself! was a welcome opportunity to get reacquainted with this new relatively new form of cyber-communication. The program seemed very interesting, and the fact that it included podcasting was another big incentive to attend the two-day workshop on March 9-10.

After a fruitful first day of the training, I think the time I spent coming here was worth it. Despite a rerouted flight yesterday that turned our usual one-hour flight into a five-hour one, I'm happy that I decided to come here. I've finally published Bandillo's first blog, and I'm looking forward to another exciting day learning how to do podcasts tomorrow.

To blog then, perchance to gain (and regain, a wider audience, that is).

Green and Determined

2006-03-09T14:43:00.000+08:00

One lazy afternoon at Kalui, a native-style restaurant in Puerto Princesa City, someone or other thought it would be a good idea to have an environmental magazine in Palawan. After all, the province is known as "the last frontier" of the Philippines, but there seemed to be a dearth of information about many of the problems concerning its natural and cultural heritage.

From those quiet musings, Bandillo ng Palawan magazine was born. Bandillo is a word in Cuyunon, one of the languages spoken in the province, that means "town crier." The founders envisioned the publication as a bridge between the communication tools of old and the modern methods available for spreading information. The name also reflected our wish to maintain a local identity, even as we expressed divergent views.

Fast forward to 2006, nearly thirteen years after we first published our magazine in July 1993. The magazine remains in hibernation, but we've maintained our weekly newspaper since January 1998. Now that we have entered this new era of texting and e-mail, we continue our journey into the Digital Age with this blog. In this little corner of cyberspace, we hope to reconnect with old readers, reach out to Palaweños in all parts of the world, and create a broader audience for our small community newspaper.

Watch out for the latest political news, environment stories, and even your favorite chika from Palawan in the next few days from this site. Dayon camo!