Romblon Province News December 2011
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Lopez says she’s not anti-mining as she pushes Romblon project
- Source: http://www.tribuneonline.org/business/20111223bus4.html
- 12/23/2011
- by tribuneonline.org
Environment advocate and ABS-CBN Foundation managing director Gina Lopez is pushing for eco-tourism as a means to get people out of poverty in place of mining in many parts of the country as she unveiled a plan to invest in an island in Romblon Province.
She expressed her intention to invest in ecotourism of Sibuyan Island, dubbed by international natural scientists as “the Galapagos of Asia.” She noted that it has the densest virgin forestry and has the richest biodiversity of flora and fauna.
“We’ve seen what has happened in Cagayan de Oro. We’ve seen what happens when we do not respect nature,” she said, noting that they are not against mining per se but they believe that preservation of key biodiversity sites and island ecosystems should be kept mining-free.
Former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman and Save Palawan Movement advocate Christian Monsod said the devastation that Sendong brought to Mindanao, particularly in the cities of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, and Dumaguete, certainly goes way beyond the financial benefits that mining companies claim the country stands to gain.
Monsod noted that this simply highlights the fact that, whether large-scale or small-scale, there is no such thing as responsible mining in fragile island ecosystems.
“Mining is site-specific. The very fact that mining operations are taking place in the Philippines — the seat of the world’s richest biodiversity that possesses an intricate web of ecological systems — is in itself very irresponsible,” he said.
In Sibuyan Island, out of 44,495 hectares, the Mineral Production Sharing Agreement has approved 1,580.8010 hectares and 3,578.4102 hectares for application, and Exploration Applications of 15,046.3687 hectares.
With promoting eco-tourism in mind, her group is attracting investors to develop the island as a tourist destination while preserving its natural beauty. She said they have raised P1.5 million to develop the non-working airstrip in the island and have talked with someone who would do a masterplan for the development of the island’s tourism and some residential areas for the people who live there.
“If I can do this in one island, then that’s big,” she said, noting their advocacy group’s project in cleaning Pasig River and preserving Puerto Princesa, Palawan.
In the clean the Pasig drive, she said that cleaning the main river will not do anything good so they focused in one creek connecting to Pasig River, Estero de Paco and show what difference it can make when cleaned. With the success of the project, the government now has allotted P10 billion every year for the rehabilitation of the Pasig River, she claimed.
For her investment in Puerto Princesa, she said she invested P1.5 million for fishing boats, trekking materials, etc. for its tourism, and in just a span of two to three years, she had gotten her investment back already and the people living there are able to earn an average of P30,000 a month. Danessa O. Rivera
Romblon provl workers get P20K bonanza
- Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=mim&id=68093
- Wednesday, December 14, 2011
- by Danny O. Sagun
ROMBLON, Romblon, Dec. 14 (PIA) -- The Sangguniang Panlalawigan approved Tuesday in a special session some P17 million for the performance enhancement incentive for 860 provincial officials and employees.
Vice Gov. Manuel M. Madrid said the funds came from the savings of the provincial government. Each employee will get P20,000 irrespective of their position or designation.
The bonanza is expected to be released on or before December 16.
Earlier, the provincial government released the 13th month pay, usually called Christmas bonus, for its workers.
Provincial workers interviewed by the Philippine Information Agency said they were very happy that the provincial government under Gov. Eduardo C. Firmalo was sensitive to the needs of its workers especially during the holiday season.
They noted that their incentive bonus doubled the amount given to workers in the national government.
Madrid said local government units can appropriate more than the mandated amount in the circular issued by the Department of Budget and Management as it depends on the availability of savings.
Other LGUs have difficulty providing the P10,000 incentive due to lack of funds, it was gathered. Some give only half or less or none at all. (DOS/PIA Mimaropa)