Climate Change/Environment

KORONADAL CITY --- More than 2,000 villagers got displaced by flashfloods that swept through low-lying barangays in South Cotabato province Friday.

Worst hit by flashfloods Friday night, spawned by heavy rains several hours before, are lowlands in Tantangan town, which is near Koronadal City, the capital of South Cotabato.

South Cotabato Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo said Saturday rescue and calamity responders from the provincial government have been reaching out since late Friday to flood-stricken communities.

KORONADAL CITY - A 14-year-old girl was drowned while his father went missing after they were taken away by floodwaters when a major river traversing South Cotabato towns overflowed due to heavy rains spawned by TD Dante Sunday.

The body Divine Grace Moreno, a resident of Barangay San Miguel, Norala was fished out by search and rescue teams beside the Banga River in Purok Lambunao, Barangay BS Aquino, also in Norala.

His father Prudencio, 55, is still missing as of Monday noon.

COTABATO CITY – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Region 12 (DENR-XII) on April 30 turned over the initial batch of Cotabato City's land-related documents to the management of the Bangsamoro region's Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE).
 
DENR-XII Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services Engr. Mama G. Samaon and MENRE Land Management Services (LMS) Director Eshan Karl O. Mabang led the turnover ceremony held in Koronadal City.
 

COTABATO CITY – Locally known as “Kokam”, a Philippine slow loris held captive in Tawi- Tawi was turned over to the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources, and Energy’s (MENRE) provincial office last week, April 16.

A local resident found the animal in a malnourished condition in Barangay Mandulan, Bongao municipality.

According to Community ENRE Officer of Tawi-Tawi 1st District Saido Espiliro, the animal was held captive for a few months before it was rescued.

On Earth Day, a Catholic bishop rallied the people in mineral-rich Surigao del Sur to unite in protecting the environment after the government lifted a ban on new mining deals.

Bishop Raul Dael of Tandag urged the people to be steadfast, assuring them that the diocese will never back down on its mission to “care for the creation”.

“We will never give up in protecting, preserving and allowing the fruitfulness of our creation to be witnessed in abundance,” Dael said.

KIDAPAWAN CITY – Almost 200 kilos of garbage, mostly bottles and plastic water bottles, were retrieved and brought down from Lake Venado and the peak of Mt. Apo in a recent clean-up climb at the country's highest peak.

The clean-up/climb conducted from Feb. 22 - 27 was initiated by the Department of Natural Resources North Cotabato provincial office and the Mt. Apo National Park Protected Area Management Board, with the support of the local tourism offices of Magpet town and Kidapawan City.

GENERAL SANTOS CITY – Around 94 baby turtles “made their way home” to the Sarangani Bay on Wednesday afternoon after hatching at a protected nesting site in a coastal village in Glan town, Sarangani province.

Forester Abdul Cariga, head of the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) in Glan, said the Olive Ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelys olivacea) were found by a concerned resident early Wednesday crawling in the shores of Purok Islam, Barangay Glan Padidu.

KORONADAL CITY  – Hundreds of whales and dolphins were spotted in Sarangani Bay during the Feb.2-5 marine mammal monitoring in the protected seascape by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 12 and its partners.

Joy C. Ologuin, protected area superintendent (PASu) of Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS), said that food hunting and nursing of calves are the possible reasons why the whales and dolphins were in the bay.

KIAMBA, Sarangani - Another Philippine eagle was rescued by Mang Ganang in Sitio Wata, Barangay Ticulab, Maitum, Sarangani. The said eagle is now under the custody of the Philippine Eagle Foundation for observation.

On January 9, 2021, CENRO Kiamba came to see the rescued raptor and met Mr. Ganang.

Accoding to him: “I saw a big bird trying to catch a monkey in the portion of the forest, near the Salagbanog Falls. After a quick swipe on its prey, the raptor fell from the tree and was trapped in the thorny vines of rattan.”

GEN. SANTOS CITY - Another fish kill hit Lake Sebu in South Cotabato on Friday, forcing tilapia fish cage operators to launch a massive emergency harvest.

Lake Sebu Mayor Floro Gandam confirmed in a radio interview on Saturday the latest fish kill has affected fish cages in three barangays surrounding the 354-hectare mountain lake.

He said the affected areas were portions of the lake’s waters in barangays Poblacion, Bacdulong, and Takunel.

“The emergency harvests are ongoing to save the remaining tilapia,” the mayor said.