DENR targets to plant 5M trees in E. Visayas

published April 30, 2011 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) aims to plant over five million trees in Eastern Visayas starting this year under the national greening program.

Primitivo C. Galinato, DENR regional executive director, said the program will cover 10,000 hectares of denuded forest land in the region over the next five years. A budget of P102 million has been allotted for the region.

"The program will prioritize open and denuded forest land, mangrove and protected areas, and upland areas occupied by people’s organizations," Mr. Galinato told BusinessWorld.

Other target sites for tree planting under the program are ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under the Greening Plan of local government units, inactive and abandoned mines and other suitable land.

This massive reforestation initiative will involve the planting of fast-growing trees in open areas and fruit-bearing trees in agro-forestry sites.

"This replanting is primarily aimed at reducing poverty in the countryside while ensuring food security and biodiversity conservation as well as addressing climate change," he added.

National Greening Program regional coordinator Elmer B. Labaclado said that out of the five million seedlings targeted for planting in Eastern Visayas, 963,500 will be planted in Leyte province; 329,333 in Biliran; 931,166 in Southern Leyte; 754,500 in Samar; 641,000 in Eastern Samar; 1,225,334 in Northern Samar; and 207,667 will be planted by the regional office in various other sites.

"Actual planting will start in June this year after the ongoing land preparation activities," Mr. Labaclado said, adding that meetings are set next month to ensure that the program will be carried out effectively in the region.

Nationwide, the goal is to plant 1.5 billion trees in some 1.5 million hectares from 2011 to 2016, which is more than twice the government’s accomplishment of 730,000 hectares in the past 25 years.

Under Executive Order No. 26 issued in February this year, the program is implemented by the DENR in coordination with the Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform. The DENR is also mandated to set up partnerships with all national government agencies, LGUs, government-owned and -controlled corporations, including state colleges and universities. -- Sarwell Q. Meniano

Visayas surfing gateway works on charter flights

published April 27, 2011 in BusinessWorld

GUIUAN, EASTERN SAMAR -- Having failed to convince flag carriers to open commercial flights to this coastal town, the municipal government will ask interested private sector parties to generate funds that will subsidize charter flights to bring in more tourists.

Guiuan, located at the southernmost tip of Samar Island, is the jump-off point to Calicoan Island, dubbed the surfing capital of the Visayas.

Guiuan Mayor Analiza G. Kwan said in a recent phone interview that such subsidy will be needed only until passenger traffic improves to warrant commercial flights. "An option is to talk to all the investors here in Guiuan to put up an economic enterprise that will generate funds, considering that the local government cannot afford it...," Ms. Kwan said.

She recalled that officials of the country’s carriers had advised her to start with charter flights between Manila and Guiuan.

"But 75% of seats for incoming flights and 50% for returning flights should be filled [in charter flights]. If we fall short of that, we have to pay the corresponding amount," she said.

She said this is the next step to the recently completed P155-million Guiuan Airport Development Project, involving the construction and concreting of apron and taxiway, rehabilitation of the passenger terminal, construction of the perimeter fence and access road, and asphalt overlay of runway. -- S. Q. Meniano

E. Visayas to complete 2010 round of wage increases

published April 26, 2011 in BusinessWorld

TACLOBAN CITY -- The Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board (RTWPB) in Eastern Visayas will review current daily minimum wage levels to check if these are still proportional to the current rise in prices of basic goods.

If it decides to raise these levels, it will be the last among the country’s 17 regional wage boards to do so after the hiatus in 2009 amid the global financial crisis. The 2010 round of increases started in Metro Manila, which saw daily minimum wages rise P22 to P367-P404 on July 1.

In a meeting yesterday afternoon, the RTWPB agreed to conduct a public hearing to get the opinion of private sector employers and labor groups in the region, the head of the board said in a phone interview yesterday.

"Even with the absence of wage hike petition, we will undertake a formal review, as we have noted supervening events after studying economic indicators," said Forter G. Puguon, Department of Labor and Employment regional director and RTWPB chairman.

Latest available data from the National Statistics Office show annual inflation rate in Eastern Visayas picking up to 3.3% in March from 2.7% in February. The national rate stayed at 4.3% in those two months.

The fastest increases in the region were monitored in the fuel, light and water category, which saw prices rising by 8.2% in March from 7.8% in February; in food, beverage and tobacco where inflation speeded up to 3.6% from 3.0%; and in services, where prices increased by a faster 3.4% from 2.5%.

"We expect that notice of hearing will be published today," Mr. Puguon said.

"The earliest time that we can conduct the public hearing is on May 11. We will follow the 15-day requirement to give enough time for both employers and workers to present their side."

He said the board will meet right after the public hearing to deliberate and, if found warranted, issue a new wage order for private establishments to comply with.
"It’s possible that the board will reach a final agreement in just one meeting," Mr. Puguon said.

At the same time, however, he admitted that it’s "not anymore feasible" to adjust daily minimum wage levels by Labor Day.

The current daily minimum wage in Eastern Visayas took effect on June 16, 2008. Wage Order No. 15, issued on May 20 that year and published June 1, raised the daily minimum wage by a total of P18 to P198.50-240. --

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