Difference between revisions of "Sorsogon Province, Philippines"

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==[[Sorsogon News]]==
==[[Sorsogon News]]==
'''Massive mangrove project to bring fireflies to Donsolt'''
'''Gubat town trains health workers for mother and baby care program'''
*Source: http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/126049/massive-mangrove-project-to-bring-fireflies-to-donsol
*Source: http://pia.gov.ph/?m=7&r=r05&id=72209
*1:53 am | Wednesday, January 11th, 2012
*Thursday, January 12, 2012
:by  Kristine L. Alave
:by  Irma A. Guhit
Philippine Daily Inquirer


SORSOGON CITY, Jan 12 (PIA) -- A three day essential health training for health workers focused on the implementation of the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) No. 4 - to eradicate maternal and infant mortality - is now ongoing here.
According to Dr. Carmen Ramos Bonoan, the need to enable health workers in the proper care of pregnant and lactating mothers is a must since this is one of the most vulnerable group needing health care attention based on report of maternal and infant mortality status nationwide.
A group of physicians and lecturers coming from the University of the Philippines headed by Dr. Maria Asuncion is now the one conducting the training.
There is indeed a need to provide a continuous skills enhancement for health workers starting from the barangay health centers, municipal, and district hospital personnel so that collegial support system in the implementation of the MDG No. 4 be achieved.
According to Ramos, aside from enabling the health personnel, the barangay health centers,and municipal and district hospitals will also be upgraded in terms of facilities and other equipment together with provision of information education materials, fliers and brochures specifically on the maternal and infant health care implementation.
Funding for the procurement of health equipment will be shouldered by the office of congressman Deogracias Ramos.
It was also learned that the following flagship programs are being provided substantive funding allocation: the strengthening of health development mechanisms, environmental protection and conservation, tourism, and infrastructure development.
It is expected that the three-day training program will provide the health workers particularly in the second district the needed skills and knowledge in the assistance and support of the implementation of the MDG goal no. 4.(MAL/IAG-PIA Sorsogon)




A shower of flying “stars” will soon accompany whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon province, thanks to a massive mangrove planting project on the coast of one of the country’s top tourist draws.
The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)-Philippines started to plant 10,000 mangrove seedlings in Donsol’s Sibago village last December to enhance and protect the ecosystem that is shared by whale sharks and tiny organisms like plankton and fireflies.
The mangroves enrich nutrients along the coast and in the water, attracting both whale sharks and fireflies, the WWF said.
“Whale sharks congregate in Donsol because of the plankton. Plankton consume nutrients discharged by Donsol’s still-healthy rivers, one of the few habitats where fireflies still thrive,” said WWF-Philippines project manager Raul Burce.
“Remove mangroves and the fireflies shall be driven off. Without the healthy rivers needed by fireflies, plankton populations cannot bloom and the whale sharks will migrate elsewhere. If one component crashes, the others follow suit. This can be catastrophic for the people of Donsol,” Burce said.
The project in Donsol came on the heels of the  government’s  new  tourism campaign with the slogan “It’s more fun in the Philippines.”
The WWF said Donsol was an example of how good environmental management and tourism programs could improve the lives of communities.
WWF-Philippines CEO Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan said: “The key here is balance. Without it, the productivity of our natural systems will crash. Strike a balance between conservation and development, and we can ensure sustainability.”
Donsol’s economy has boomed as tourists flock to its waters to see the whale sharks.
A total of 24,191 local and foreign visitors swam with the gentle giants from December to June 2011.
Donsol’s municipal tourism office estimated that the 2010 season alone generated more than P100 million from transportation, food, lodging, registration fees, and whale shark, mangrove and firefly tours.
Around P20 million was retained by the local government, bolstering incomes and improving lives.
Known in Filipino as “bakawan,” mangroves are considered to be one of the most productive of marine habitats—able to generate 500 kilograms of seafood per hectare annually.
The roots of the trees provide shelter for marine life, and their fallen leaves are used for food.
The roots of the mangroves also absorb heavy trace metals, minimizing coastal erosion and preventing inland saltwater contamination.
Mangroves also protect the soil from erosion and the communities from storm surges caused by typhoons. This is important for the residents of Donsol as they live in a region  frequented by tropical storms.
The importance of mangroves in the Philippines, with its 36,289 kilometers of coastline and a largely shore-borne population, has been recognized by the environment and agriculture departments.
Recently, the Department of Agriculture earmarked P237.5 million for the planting of new mangroves and the setting up of “aquasilvi” projects in coastal communities.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources also included mangroves as a priority area in its national greening program.


==Photo Gallery of Sorsogon, Philippines==
==Photo Gallery of Sorsogon, Philippines==

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