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==[[Southern Leyte News]]==
==[[Southern Leyte News]]==
'''Solon seeks media’s help to push airport, port projects'''
'''Forest exhibit, roadshow open in Southern Leyte'''
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?menu=2&webregion=R08&article=1301336260379
*Source: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1141336290025
*Sunday, May 6, 2012
*Monday, May 7, 2012
:by Marcelo M. Pedalino
:by pia.gov.ph




MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte, May 6 (PIA) -- This province’s lone district lawmaker solicited the support of the local media organization here in a bid to put flesh on two development projects, the completion of which can spur economic boom in a place positioned as the “playground of Eastern Visayas.”
TACLOBAN CITY, Leyte, May 7 (PIA) -- An exhibit and roadshow about the Philippine forests are set to open in Southern Leyte.
 
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Forest Management Bureau, German Development Cooperation-Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, CoDe REDD Philippines and the provincial government of Southern Leyte will be opening the Color it REDD-Plus Roadshow and “The Philippine Forests: Before and What Now?” exhibits on May 8 to 9 at Maasin City Gymnasium, Southern Leyte.
“We need your help for the airport project and the Can-iwan alternate RORO port to materialize,” said Cong. Roger Mercado in a press conference Thursday at Kinamot Restaurant this city.  
Dr. Bernd Markus Liss of GIZ said that REDD-Plus or Reducing Emission from Deforestation and Forest Degradation with conservation of forest carbon stocks, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks is a measure being under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change that contributes in the stabilization of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere.
 
In the Philippines, from April 2009 to July 2010, multi-sectoral and multi-level workshops were carried out to know more about REDD and REDD-Plus in aid of drafting the Philippine National REDD-Plus Strategy (PNRPS) for 2010 to 2020.
He revealed that an initial funding of P 45 million for the extension of the Panan-awan airport runway was already earmarked since April last year but until now it was not yet implemented.  
In April of 2010, the PNRPS Components were considered in the National Framework Strategy on Climate Change (NFSCC) under section 8.5 of the Key Result Areas on Mitigation. On the same month, DENR has been designated as the operational arm of REDD-Plus implementation through Executive Order 881 of the President. Given these, the PNRPS was presented to the DENR Executive Committee that approved the Strategy on August 9, 2010 and transmitted the same to the Climate Change Commission on August 27, 2010.
 
Liss said REDD-Plus is at its early stage in the Philippines and the exhibit offers a visual presentation of this approach. The Philippines has elaborated a National REDD-plus Strategy that was endorsed by DENR and is now a key element of the National Climate Change Action Plan approved by the Climate Change Commission chaired by the President in November 2011.
He said the length of the present runway was 1.2 kilometers (km) but an airplane airbus needed at least two km, hence the need to add 800 meters more so commercial flights can literally take off and land there.  
The Climate-relevant Modernization of Forest Policy and Piloting of REDD Project implemented by DENR and GIZ at national level, with pilot activities in Southern Leyte is the featured REDD-Plus Project in the exhibit.
 
It focuses on avoiding further deterioration of forests and emissions of greenhouse gases while generating benefits such as biodiversity conservation, improvement of local livelihoods and enhancement of ecosystem services through the development of improved forest policies and specific incentives for forest protection and rehabilitation.
The alternate shipping port at Can-iwan, meanwhile, has already secured a P 40 million funding, yet it was not acted either, Mercado said.  
The newly discovered frog species in Mt. Nacolod is supported by GIZ and is part of the Biodiversity Resource Assessment done for five municipalities of the GIZ-REDD Plus sites in Southern Leyte covering the municipalities of Silago, Hinunangan, Sogod, Maasin, Tomas Oppus and Malitbog.
 
The information generated, now provides a baseline that can be used to predict impacts of habitat change on species and to design measures to protect forest biodiversity. For local government units in Southern Leyte, the findings provide the scientific basis in designing appropriate management systems and monitoring protocols useful in protecting forest ecosystems, establishing local forest and biodiversity areas as well as to steer the rehabilitation of forests towards an efficient and more ecologically sound path.
The Can-iwan port was widely seen as a permanent solution during inclement weather in “habagat” seasons as ships cannot dock at the city’s main port, and it was also much closer to Cebu and Bohol, Mercado informed.  
For the national Government, it will spur forest protection and rehabilitation efforts under the Philippine National REDD-Plus Strategy as part of the National Climate Change Action Plan (NCCAPP), and the National Greening Program.
 
On the other hand, the Forest Exhibit captures current actions of local communities in forest conservation and protection in Leyte Island, done through a competition among journalists last year. Media representatives from Manila Bulletin, Philippine Daily Inquirer, GMA News Online and Business Mirror were among those who participated in the competition. The exhibit depicts how the country is beginning to adjust national forest policies to the necessities of climate protection and to test approaches for REDD-Plus.
“These two projects strike at the heart of our development efforts, especially on tourism,” he pointed out, adding that many people from the cross-section of society stand to benefit out of the two projects.  
The exhibit, Liss said, is an opportune time to bring together the medium of film, graphics and photography to communicate historic images of the nation’s massive forest loss and depict current initiatives to achieve sustainable forest management. This means working towards improving the environment and people’s conditions by protecting, replanting and sustainably managing the forests.
 
Fishbowl Discussion, Debate, and REDD-Plus Hour will be carried out to discuss forestry, highlight the role of community forestry as a central ingredient to the implementation of REDD-Plus, emphasize that tenure over the land is a must for REDD-Plus implementation, and orient participants on basic concepts in relation to REDD-Plus as well as on the PNRPS.
He was referring to the concerted and aggressive efforts done by the Southern Leyte Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SLCCI) in close partnership with the provincial, city governments, as well as the 18 other municipalities, to establish man-made attractions that will serve as tourism hubs in five key areas around the province.  
A cultural night will also be held on May 8 evening at Maasin City Gymnasium featuring local artists, and prominent national artists Cookie Chua, Bayang Barrios and Lolita Carbon at 8pm.
 
The event is a compelling visual presentation and interactive dialogue to discuss REDD-Plus and its on-going implementation in the Philippines.
Last year, the Agas-Agas zipline in Sogod was opened, and it has attracted a steady flow of extreme adventure enthusiasts from other places, while plans to enhance the place with cable cars, off-road tracks and other amenities are still ongoing.  
REDD-Plus is an approach that embodies actions of empowered forest managers and support groups to manage forestlands in a sustainable and equitable manner while working towards improved forest policies with regard to climate change, forest protection and rehabilitation.
 
The DENR-GIZ REDD Project is part of the International Climate Initiative (ICI) of the German Government. The German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMU) supports this initiative on the basis of a decision adopted by the German Bundestag. (PIA8 with GIZ)
Only last week, the Maasin Wildlife and Nature theme Park had its soft opening at Danao Forest Park, attracting thousands of visitors with its rare display of animals like tigers, camels, ostrich, crocodiles, horses, among others.  
 
Another hub, at the pacific area, a canopy walk among virgin forests was envisioned to be created, and with the recent discovery of two new species of frogs at Mount Nacolod, a mountain range stretching the woods in several towns, several foreigners mostly nature conservationists are expected to descend soon.  
 
The Napantao fish sanctuary in San Francisco, Panaon island, another tourists’ hub was already well-known for its pristine underwater wonder.
 
The fifth planned tourism hub will be in Limasawa, site of the First Christian Mass in Asia, where structures like a tall tower in the form of a cross is envisioned to stand, complete with coffee shops and other related outlets.  
 
With all these development efforts already happening or are about to happen, accessibility and mobility for visiting tourists, both domestic and foreign, is critical, Mercado stressed.  
 
He mused that with a functional airport and alternate port in Can-iwan in place, “making visits to Southern Leyte will be more fun,” alluding to the current slogan of the Department of Tourism “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
 
He said he had already talked to Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) Secretary Mar Roxas for the release of funds.
 
“Still, other sectors’ follow-up is welcomed,” Cong Mercado said. (EOPT/MMP-PIA8, Southern Leyte)


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