Difference between revisions of "Southern Leyte Province, Philippines"

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==[[Southern Leyte News]]==
==[[Southern Leyte News]]==
'''Environmental office bares municipalities with highest collection of deadly starfish'''
'''Frog species, size of a thumb, found in Southern Leyte forest'''
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R08&article=1291334544532
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1301334736913
*Monday 16th of April 2012
*Thursday 19th of April 2012
:by  Rebecca S. Cadavos
:by  Marcelo M. Pedalino




MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, Apr 16 (PIA) -- The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Management Office (PENRMO) has been continuously extracting the crown-of-thorns starfish throughout Southern Leyte since it reportedly increased in number, particularly in the waters of Sogod Bay and in Maasin City.  
SOUTHERN LEYTE, April 19 (PIA) -- This province has carved a new impression as a haven for a rich bio-diversity wildlife in the wake of reports broadcast on nationwide television and online news outlets that two new species of frogs were discovered in the forests off the pacific area.  


In a mitigation report by Coastal Fisheries Resources and Management Office Provincial Head Eva Abad the municipality with the highest COTS extracted was Padre Burgos with 80,145, followed by Maasin City that extracted around 34,000 and in Limasawa with 25,461 by the end of March 2012.  
According to reports, the newly-found frogs species were a mottled brown frog with red eyes and a broad yellow stripe running down its back, and a yellow green frog the size not much bigger than a man’s thumb.  


Abad added that other municipalities which conducted COTS extraction include Macrohon with 3,000 deadly starfish collected; Tomas Oppus – 2,192; Malitbog – 23,565; Lilioan – 1,056; San Francisco – 1,143; Pintuyan – 1,054; Hinundayan – 356; Hinunangan – 863; Bontoc – 18; Libagon – 10; and Sogod with only one reported.  
The finds were announced by personnel of the British-based Fauna and Flora International in a forum held at the National Museum, it was learned.  


Crown-of-thorns starfish are locally known of dap-marine invertebrates that feed on corals which are marine sanctuaries and kills corals.  
Reports said the new species, which have been labeled as endangered and on the brink of extinction and were yet to be named, were found at the Nacolod mountain range in the pacific area of Southern Leyte province.  


In the mitigation report, Abad informed that there were municipalities in the province not included in the COTS outbreak such as San Ricardo, St. Bernard, San Juan, and Anahawan.  
This area has been part of a conservation-oriented undertaking initiated by the central office of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in addition to an initiative of a German government organization GIZ, the Reducing Emission on Degradation and Deforestation Plus (REDD Plus) project.  


The total crown-of-thorns starfish extracted as of April 2012 numbered 170,165 pieces, initiated by the provincial government with the assistance of volunteers throughout the province, Abad disclosed. “This does not include the different Dive Shop Divers collection,” she said.  
The brown frog specimens measured 1.7 -- 2.2 inches, while the yellow-green ones were 0.8 -- 1.1 inches, an online report said.  


The local government units concerned has been coordinating with different agencies including non-government organizations to assist in the COTS outbreak and how to mitigate its existence, such as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SLCCI), the GIZ, Provincial and Maasin City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office, among other concerned agencies.  
The Philippines has been listed by US-based Conservation International as one among 17 countries that hold most of Earth’s plant and animals, but at the same time a bio-diversity hotspot due to massive kaingin and illegal logging operations on what was once heavily-forested areas.  


“We are proposing the production of IEC materials such as pamphlets and posters for public awareness which is now designed by PENRMO staff,” Abad said while other activities are properly coordinated with the other agencies. (ldl/rgc-PIA 8, Southern Leyte)
The DENR, through its wildlife protection department, reported that aside from the frogs, 36 new plants and animal species were discovered in the country over the past ten years. (ldl/mmp-PIA 8, Southern Leyte)


==Photo Gallery of Southern Leyte, Philippines==
==Photo Gallery of Southern Leyte, Philippines==