DENR secures nesting ground of Giant Sea Turtle in Agusan Norte

The personnel of the CENRO Nasipit in Agusan del Norte under CENRO Alejandara Boiser  on Tuesday have secured a nesting ground of the endangered green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas sp.) at the coastal village  of Sacol, in  Buenavista town, this province  to protect the 80 eggs left by  the giant reptile at the beach to forage on the sea.

“I immediately instructed the head of the wildlife section in my office to ensure the safety of the marine turtle eggs on that beach from predators “, CENRO Boiser told the Manila Bulletin.

A group of fishermen were going to fish at dawn when they stumbled upon a hole gaped at the beach and discovered the eggs of giant sea turtle. The fishermen told the DENR that the sea turtle was seen crawling on the sand seaward before being swallowed by the rolling wave.

This is the second time that the fisher folk in that coastal village found a nest on that spot this year. “Perhaps, this could be the season when the giant turtle are coming back to the beach to lay their eggs“, CENRO Boiser said. “The area should be declared a protected nesting site for the sea turtles“, she said.

     CENRO Boiser has lauded the effort by the fisher folk to inform the authorities of the turtle nest after they accidentally found it. She said “otherwise those eggs could have been eaten by stray animals in the area and worst, the eggs could have been consumed by men for breakfast meal” she said.

       “Chelonia mydas” which is also known as Pacific green turtle is classified as endangered since they are threatened by overharvesting of their eggs, hunting of adults, being caught in fishing gear and loss of nesting beach sites. Predators like tiger sharks, are known for eating sea turtles. Dogs, seabirds, raccoons, ghost crabs and other predators prey on eggs and hatchlings.

            A female Green Sea Turtle can lay up to 200 eggs on a beach per laying season. After about two months, the baby sea turtles hatch and the hatchlings make their way to the water.

                At least 10-kilometer coastline of Agusan del Norte from the town of Carmen to Buenavista are considered nesting site of giant sea turtles of various kinds. Local Government in the municipality of Carmen has declared at least three kilometres stretch of beach as marine sanctuary.

By: Herzon F. Gallego

DENR notes zero smuggling of illegal lumbers at Nasipit Port

BUTUAN CITY—The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) has noted a significant decline in smuggling of illegally-cut lumber products in 10-footer vans shipped out of Nasipit Port in Agusan del Norte.

In her report to DENR Regional Executive Director Atty. Felix S. Alicer, the CENRO of Nasipit, Alejandra B. Boiser said   there was almost nil incidence of smuggling of illegal forest products   at the Port over the last eight months this year owing to strict monitoring of forest products being shipped through the closed cargo container vans. 

“We have not seen any container vans with highly-questionable sawn lumbers since we strengthened our forest patrol and monitoring at the Port origin before cargoes like lumber products are loaded into the cargo vessels” CENRO Boiser said. 

“I thought the shipment of forest products from illegal source has slowed down owing to tight campaign made by the previous CENRO” Boiser said. CENRO Boiser took over her new assignment at CENRO Nasipit in November 2018. 

 “Maybe the smugglers have the second thought of shipping out their illegally-obtained lumber products through the Nasipit port because of strict policy laid out among the government agencies concerned in coordination with the local government units, the PPA, Bureau of Customs, and the PNP”, CENRO Boiser said. 

Since February this year, the CENRO Nasipit Enforcement team headed by Forester II Gabriel Arlan reported 12 apprehensions and raids incidents in different places in remote barangays of Las Nieves, Butuan City and Buenvista in Agusan del Norte with a total of 29,102.37 bd.ft. of   illegal forest products apprehended which consisted species such as toog, lauan, Tangile, balit, white lauan, red lauan, antipolo, mancono for furniture product, hindang, falcata and molave. 

Recently, CENRO Boiser said, her enforcement team apprehended 1,660.32 bd.ft. of illegal forest products over two month operation in July and August and confiscated three units of multi cab jeepney ferrying lauan and other naturally-grown tree products. The aviation police at Butuan City Airport also turned over of 24 kilos of the highly-valuable Agar wood products confiscated from 5 out-bound Vietnamese passenger worth about P 1.1 million.

By: Herzon F. Gallego

RED’s Mindanao Cluster gives priority on watershed and clean river

Butuan City, July 29, 2019 --The Regional Executive Directors Mindanao Cluster of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has resolved the development and protection of the watershed, clean rivers, air and efficient solid waste management in a meeting held at the Almont Resort and Convention Centre in Butuan City on July 24, 2019.

“The meeting was successful and everything was properly organized“, host Regional Executive Director for Caraga Region Atty. Felix S. Alicer said.

The Undersecretary for Field Operations Juan Miguel T. Cuna said in a remark that the gathering of five Regional Executive Directors of the DENR Regional Offices in Mindanao is important in tackling the issues and concerns on environment in their respective area and brings these challenges to Secretary Roy A. Cimatu.

He said there are pressing issues on environment that are emerging and need to be addressed by the executive directors particularly about the top priority agenda of the Secretary.

He said the Boracay Clean Up and the Manila Bay Rehabilitation have been the center of environmental activities of the DENR which have drawn wide support from all sectors of the society to showcase the sincerity of the Administration on promoting a healthy environment for the people.   “What we did in these popular tourist-destination sites should be replicated in Mindanao where many beautiful beaches abound”, USec. Cuna said.

Secretary Cimatu has hinted in one of his recent appearances in Davao City that the watershed in the country must be harnessed and developed to ensure a steady supply of water contrary to what has happened in some areas in Luzon where people had experienced low water supply for several months resulting from a long drought.  Secretary Cimatu also suggested in his remarks during a press conference after the Pre-Sona 2019 Forum that “we have to plant more bamboo grass in the watershed because bamboos provide a steady supply of water”.

The DENR Mindanao Cluster Meeting was also attended by the Regional Directors of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau.

USec. Cuna had a chance to visit the regional offices of the DENR and the EMB in Butuan City where he urged the employees to keep on performing their duties and responsibilities to the people with humility and willingness to serve. “This is what Sec. Cimatu wants us to deliver and perform at the front lines even if we walk an extra mile to serve the people in the countryside”, he said.

As a host of the event, RED Alicer toured USec. Cuna and the guests to the Agata Mining Ventures Inc. in Tubay, Agusan del Norte where they experienced the operation of a model mining operation in terms of community relations, social services, sustainable livelihood, coastal resource management, and community-based forest stewardship. Agata has planted trees of various species on its 300-hectare mining site. Agata mine productions are nickel laterites.

By: Herzon F. Gallego