Water shortage hits Leyte

published February 03, 2010 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- Water supply in this city and nearby towns will be reduced until Feb. 5 as the Leyte Metropolitan Water District (LMWD) desilts major sources.

The rivers in Pastrana and Dagami towns are heavily silted as a result of the continuous rains, said LMWD General Manager Nestor P. Villasin.

"Due to the continuous heavy rainfall in the region, volume of silts and sediments causes decrease in the volume of raw water entering our intake structures in Tingib, Pastrana, Leyte," Mr. Villasin stated in an advisory issued yesterday.

The desiltation would cause a 20% decrease in water production and will result in low water pressure to no water in far points of distribution such as Tacloban City.

Ma. Teresa D. Pascua, LMWD information officer, said in an interview that the water sources will not be totally shut during desiltation.

"All efforts are being undertaken by LMWD management in order to restore normal water supply the soonest," she said.

"Our personnel are there in the source to do desilting 24 hours to prevent total closure,."

The Pastrana source supplies the water requirement of Pastrana, Sta. Fe, and Palo towns.

Another source in Dagami delivers water to the towns of Dagami, Tabon-tabon, Tanauan and Tolosa.

The two sources have a combined daily water output of 31,000 cubic meters.

Meanwhile, the water district assured the public water from the facility is potable despite flooding.

Transmission and distribution lines are regularly inspected for possible leaks.

Ms. Pascua said that if water is turbid, concessionaires have been advised to check service pipes and call their office for immediate repair.

"We monitor the quality of water through our personnel deployed in different points," she added. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano

Miner to spend P600M for exploration in Leyte

published February 03, 2011 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- Northern Access Mining, Inc. will spend up to P600 million for its exploration activities in five Leyte towns.
Silvestre Jeric E. Lapan, Northern Access general manager, said half of this amount, or P300 million, has been programmed for this year.

“That’s the requirement to run a small land. If we will scale up our operation to a bigger capacity, it will be doubled in the following years,” Mr. Lapan told BusinessWorld.

A mineral production sharing agreement (MPSA) allows the company to explore 50 mining blocks straddling the municipalities of Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag, Julita, and Tabon Tabon in Leyte.

“We are now in Dulag. We’ve just been done with our exploration in Tolosa. We’re just continuing our exploration in some other areas and we have promising results so far,” Mr. Lapan said.

Northern Access started exploration activities for magnetite sand in 2008. The company initially invested P200 million and is targeting to produce 1.2 million tons per year of titano-magnetite iron ore.

In Tolosa area alone, which comprises 25% of the firm’s mining claim, there are about three million tons of concentrate, Mr. Lapan said. Julita and Tabon-Tabon are not coastal towns but these are covered by the mining firm’s MPSA because of the presence of sand.

From 1969 to 1976, Inco Mining operated a magnetite mine and processing plant in Tolosa that produced 750,000 tons of magnetite every year for Japanese steel manufacturers. Inco has since ceased operations.

“There were good indications in the past. This exploration activity is just a validation of past findings,” he said.

Northern Access signed an operating agreement with ECA Philippines, the MPSA holder, in September 2008 and continued the exploration and development program and mineralogical studies.

Mr. Lapan did not give a timetable for the completion of their exploration activities.

“It will take us years to complete. No definite time because a lot of factors will dictate the speed of our exploration,” he added.

If they are successful in Leyte, Mr. Lapan said they will consider expanding to other provinces. The company is looking at exploring Cagayan Valley and some areas in Mindanao.

“We want the Leyte project to become a highlight of what will be done in other areas. We want to establish the company’s credibility,” he added.

Magnetite is a magnetic and very dense mineral of iron that is in demand especially in China. It is an important source of iron for the iron and steel industries.

Aside from magnetite sand, Leyte also has deposits of copper, iron, bentonite, nickel, limestone, peat, and dolomite. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano

Samar officials told to target European adventure tourists

published January 27, 2011 in BusinessWorld

CATBALOGAN, SAMAR -- Tourism Undersecretary Ma. Victoria V. Jasmin has encouraged local officials here to target European tourists in promoting adventure tourism in Samar.

Ms. Jasmin, who was here to induct the Samar provincial tourism council officers, said the various destinations on the island could draw European tourists who love adventure.

"Samar has caves, waterfalls, rivers, mountains, extreme boat ride, which are plus factors in attracting tourists," she said.

She noted that European tourists avoid urban centers like Metro Manila and Cebu.
European tourists comprised about 10% of the tourist arrivals from January to December last year. Of the 3.5 million tourists last year, 360,991 came from Europe.

Among the known adventure destinations in Samar province are the Sohoton National Park with caves and natural bridge in Basey town, Bangon Falls, Tinago-an Cave, Mawacat Slide, Pan-as Falls, Guinogo-an Cave, and Mapaso Hot Springs, among others.

Samar Governor Sharee Ann T. Tan said they have allotted P30 million for the improvement of an airport in Barangay Buri that currently serves private aircraft.

"With the provincial tourism council now organized, we expect that we can make and implement programs for tourism in the province," Ms. Tan told reporters. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano

Eastern Visayas crop insurance claims expected to reach P3M

published January 26, 2011 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) has projected that claims for rice damage in Eastern Visayas due to recent floods could reach P3 million.

PCIC Regional Manager Crescensio V. Deligero, Jr. said that 438 farmers enrolled in the crop insurance program were affected by the recent calamity in the provinces of Leyte, Southern Leyte, Samar, and Northern Samar.

He said that about 500 hectares of insured ricefields were destroyed by rising waters.

"We will only pay a minimal amount since most of the flooded rice areas were newly planted," Mr. Deligero said in a recent interview.

Among the affected areas were the towns of Abuyog, Dulag, Javier, Julita, MacArthur, Mayorga, Sta. Fe, Kananga, Alangalang, and Dagami in Leyte; Hinundayan in Southern Leyte; San Jorge and Gandara in Samar; and San Roque in Northern Samar.

Of the affected towns, Abuyog recorded the highest insurance claim at P983,052 for damage in 223 hectares.

The report was compiled by the crop insurance agency from Jan. 3-17.
Mr. Deligero said he expected more farmers to apply for insurance coverage.

"The growing awareness of our farmers will help in our campaign to cover more farms in the region," he said.

Last year, PCIC released P9.42 million to 1,824 farmers in the region.

At the same time, he noted that the top cause of farm losses in the region is pest infestation, not calamities.

"Pest accounts for 55% or P5.14 million of our claims payment, while typhoon and flood represents only 16% or P1.51 million," Mr. Deligero said.

This has prompted PCIC to tie up with the Regional Crop Protection Center in order to minimize losses due to rice pests and diseases in the region.

"Pest and disease damage are preventable. But in view of various environmental factors that are conducive to the proliferation of rats, black bugs, tungro, rice blast and bacterial leaf blight, our farmers have failed to control such infestation despite measures," Mr. Deligero said.

Claims due to damage from the drought last year ranked next at P2.77 million or 29%. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano

Town to benefit from landslide warning device

published January 16, 2011 in BusinessWorld

SAINT BERNARD, SOUTHERN LEYTE -- The first batch of early warning sensors for landslide prediction in the country will be installed in this calamity-stricken town.

Saint Bernard has been hit by numerous landslides, including the massive mudslide that buried the entire village of Guinsaugon in 2006.

One sensor will be placed in Guinsaugon and another will be situated in Bolodbolod, where three children were killed early this month from continuous rains brought about by a cold front.

At least 10 sensors, two for each identified municipality or city, will be installed in the country this year.

After Saint Bernard, sensors will be installed in Baguio City in Northern Luzon and Antipolo City, east of Metro Manila.

The Department of Science and Technology is studying other locations to put up sensors.

In his visit to the calamity stricken area on Saturday, Technology Secretary Mario G. Montejo said the locally developed technology aims to prevent the loss of lives.

"We have developed this sensor that would indicate movements of soil up to 50 meters below the ground. We can see movement first before actual slides through this sensor," Mr. Montejo told reporters in an interview in Barangay Tambis.

He said the subsurface detector was developed in partnership with the University of the Philippines and is expected to benefit other countries as well.

"We have presented this program to the President, which is to accelerate the development and installation of these sensors.

"We will fast-track the implementation of this project. Our timetable is by the middle of the year before the next rainy season," Mr. Montejo said.

The unmanned system automatically gives warning signals to disaster management centers and villages for unusual soil movements underground.

Saint Bernard Mayor Rico C. Rentuza welcomed the development during a meeting with Department of Science and Technology officials, saying the system will strengthen disaster preparedness efforts.

"Landslides are really hard to detect. We are ready to cooperate and give whatever counterpart is needed from us," Mr. Rentuza told BusinessWorld in a separate interview.

Benita A. Jarlido, resident of Bolodbolod, said the devices will help residents who are clueless on signs of an impending landslide.

Signs include cracks in the ground, muddy water coming out from holes in the ground, and irregular water flow from the mountain.

Last weekend, residents in flood-prone areas of the town were allowed to return home after about two weeks in evacuation centers.

Residents in villages that are at high risk to mudslides were told, on the other hand, to stay in the evacuation centers.

The downpour since the last week of December has forced over 5,000 residents to move to safer grounds.

Although the weather has improved, landslides are still a threat since rains have softened the soil. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano