Sanitation and Environmental Education 101

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Flood Hazards in Metro Manila:Recognizing Commonalities, Differences,and Courses of Action

Doracie B. Zoleta-Nantes

Flooding in Metro Manila

Floods are by no means the only natural hazard to affect the islandof Luzon or the metropolitan area of Manila but they are surely the mostpervasive and chronic. Eighteen to 20 flood events occur in Metro Manilaeach year (Daligdig & Besana, 1993). In 1985, it was estimated that seven percent or 66, 000 hectares of Metro Manila are prone to flooding.In 1990, 14 percent of Metro Manila (86.7 square kilometers) are inundatedwith floodwaters (JICA, 1990). If the towns of Cainta and Taytay areincluded, the total flood prone area in the metropolitan region amounts to103.6 square kilometers. Floods directly affect 190,000 households in themetropolis and inconvenience almost 70 percent of its total population.However, there has been little effort on the part of governments toaddress these problems. Nor has flooding received much attention fromPhilippine academics. University based studies of flooding in Metro Manilaare usually limited to identification of flood prone towns and proposals forinstalling flood control infrastructure (UNESCO, 1951; UNESCO, 1990;JICA, 1990). Such studies are undertaken in support of public worksproposals advanced by the Philippine government to secure loans fromforeign financial institutions (JICA, 1990). Given the centrality of Manilain Philippine life, the speed and scale of urbanization and the continuingdrag that flood damage imposes on a poor nation’s economy, it is imperativethat a more effective response to flooding be mounted in the near future.

Urbanization and floods

Flash flood occurrence was already evident in Manila during the Spanish colonial period. After heavy downpours, the paved streets of ancient Manila influenced the amount of rainwater that stayed on the road surface.At the beginning of the 20th century, Manila had approximately 2,000 hectares of urbanized area (Cammayo, 1990). Metro Manila’s urbanized area in the 1990s expanded into a 30-kilometer radius from the City of Manila (op cit., 4). The rapid expansion of concrete surfaces in Metro Manila has created more impervious areas.Rapid urbanization has encouraged massive movements of rura dwellers to urban centers and has led to overcrowding of poor urban settlements in the metropolis. This unplanned and uncoordinated urban growth has adversely deteriorated the condition of the city’s drainage system.

The number of reclamation projects that are lined along the coast of Manila Bay reflects the need for additional urban space. The reclaimed areas generally have a higher elevation (2 to 3 meters) than the mainland coastal plains. The difference in elevation has lessened the flow gradient of water in adjoining sewer and drainage systems in mainland coastal plains.The reclamation sites obstruct and retard the natural seaward flow of water from mainland streams and have increased flooding incidences in Baclaran and Maricaban districts in the cities of Paranaque and Pasay. Land-use changes in hills and mountains surrounding the National Capital Region influence flooding patterns in the metropolis. The Marikina Watershed was classified as 28,000 hectares of forest lands in 1904 (JOFCA,1993). The forest lands in the watershed area have been transformed into paddies, grasslands, fruit orchards or dry fields, villages, residential subdivisions and extensive pig farms. According to the National Water Resources Council, 25 to 50 percent of the topsoil in the watershed has already been eroded (JOFCA, 1993). The eroded top soil has silted most of the river systems, most particularly the Marikina and Pasig River systems, has decreased the loading capacity and has led to faster over banking during periods of high water level. Flooded areas spread from the low-lying areas in the coastal parts of Manila, Navotas and Malabon, and along the banks of San Juan and Pasig Rivers in the 1950s to the suburban areas of Manila, Quezon City, Pasay, San Juan and Kalookan in the 1960s and 1970s. The squatter areas that were mushrooming along the banks of esteros and rivers and in other marginal locations were regularly inundated not only once but several times each year. Flood incidence expanded in the 1980s in the increasingly urbanized low-lying areas in Pasig and Marikina and along the shores of
Laguna Bay, most particularly in Tagig and Pateros.

Well-off residences in subdivisions built on former agricultural lands are also flood-prone. Flooding became prevalent even in relatively high places in Quezon City,Makati, Manila, Paranaque, Muntinlupa, Pasig, and San Juan in the 1990s mainly due to substandard housing infrastructure . The depths of flooding also increased through time. The amount of flood losses escalates through time and health-related risks such as dengue fever, diarrhea diseases, unsanitary conditions,and water contamination have become prevalent. The lack of priority attention afforded by the elected local government officials and members of the Philippine Congress has been evident in the past fifty years. For example, the plan that was drawn in the early 1950s was implemented partly in the 1960s, continued at a very slow pace in the 1970s and has continued to the present time. Problems of funding sources and efficient handling of whatever little was available were also evident through the years but nothing had really been done to correct the inefficient management and corrupt practices associated with the construction of flood control measures.

SOURCE (http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:etkqD2_5PaUJ:journals.upd.edu.ph/index.php/socialsciencediliman/article/viewDownloadInterstitial/36/7+metro+manila+flooding&cd=71&hl=en&ct=clnk)

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Admirable and sipag at dedikasyon ni Engr. Bayani Fernando, ang problema nga lang kulang sa EDUKASYON ang mga Pilipino tungkol sa sanitasyon at pangangalaga ng kapaligiran. Nakakahiya din na ang Metro Manila na sentro ng kalakalan ng bansa gumagamit pa rin ng SEPTIC TANK!

Susme, maniniwala ba kayo na magiging First World Country ang bansa kung ultimong Sewage System at Wastewater collection wala ang Pilipinas?



MMDA targets septic tank for every Metro Manila resident

MANILA, Sept. 8 (PNA) -- The Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) on Monday advised local government units (LGUs) in Metro Manila to make sure that their residents have their own septic tank to reduce flooding during heavy downpour in the metropolis.

MMDA Chairman Bayani Fernando said residents must have proper waste disposal system and without their own septic tank, it might add trouble to clogged drainage as well as in river because of too much garbage in Manila Bay.

Fernando said the agency is most active participant in implementing the order made by the Supreme Court to clean the Manila Bay.

He said the MMDA is doing everything to lessen flooding incidence in the metropolis and reminds the officials of every LGU to have 24/7 garbage collection so that waste will not be dumped anywhere.

“Our efforts would have been much better if the drainage system is modernized and the public practices proper waste disposal,” Fernando said.

It is also the responsibility of the Manila Water and Maynilad to clean every septic tank in Metro Manila because five percent of their water bill is allocated for the septic tank clean-up, he added.

The MMDA defended its handling of the flood control efforts in the metropolis, saying the present situation was much better compared to the previous years.

“As of now, the flood easily subsides because of the program implemented to clean the waterways and drainage systems,” the official said.

The MMDA took over the flood control program from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) in 2002.

At the same time, Fernando said upgrading of existing pumping stations and construction of new facilities would lessen flooding incidence in the coming days.

The latest pumping station inaugurated by the agency is the P80-million pumping station in Abucay, Manila, that the agency had said would address the problem of flooding in the university belt.

Another pumping station in Libertad would help lessen flooding in the Makati and Pasay area.

Fernando said this would be fully operational by October.

“We cannot put in drainage so we can add another pumping station which expects the water pumps in Libertad to be operational by October or November this year,” he added.

MMDA figures showed that around 130 cms per hour of rain poured down last week which caused massive flooding in the metropolis.

The drainage system in Metro Manila is only designed to accommodate and handle 100 cms per hour of rain, Fernando said.

He said the agency has also been "recovering" waterways from informal settlers.

Fernando estimated there are 70,000 families living along waterways in Metro Manila.

He said half of these are qualified to avail of government housing loans.

"We are now using biometrics data... to discourage them [from selling] the property awarded to them," he said.

The MMDA chief also took the occasion to press for the relocation of some 70,000 informal settlers or “squatters” living along waterways that were earlier classified as “danger zones.”

“We need to relocate the people who are living in waterways, especially in danger zones,” he said. (PNA)

http://positivenewsmedia.net/am2/publish/Main_News_1/MMDA_targets_septic_tank_for_every_Metro_Manila_resident.shtml

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More help to clean up Manila's waterways
By Channel NewsAsia's Philippines Correspondent Christine Ong Posted: 25 April 2009 0107 hrs

MANILA: Garbage thrown into Metro Manila's waterways is a source of headache for flood control experts in the Philippines. But help is at hand.

Made from scrap motorcycle parts, floating garbage scooters can now help to speed up the removal of trash in the rivers of the metropolis and lessen flooding during the rainy season.

Balatazar Melgar, chief of Flood Control, Metro Manila Development Authority, said: "Garbage is a major culprit in the flooding of Metro Manila. We have water pumping stations that pump out water from the rivers into the sea. But we are unable to operate it properly due to the large amount of garbage that blocks the flow of the water into the pump."

Floating garbage is pushed to the riverbanks, where it is collected by dredging machines.

Aside from scooping garbage, these scooters can also be used to patrol the city's rivers and prevent people from dumping garbage into the river.

Around 70,000 families reside along Metro Manila's river and the garbage that they throw into the river adds on to the clogging of the waterways.

Metro Manila produces as much as 7,000 tonnes of trash a day and 1,500 tonnes of the garbage are dumped illegally into the river.

A multi-agency task force has been formed to oversee the clearing and relocation of the families who have settled along the river. But according to the government, this could take more than five years.


- CNA/so

Floating Garbage Scooter. Sa Pilipinas lang yata makikita yan.
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Kawawa naman ang mga taong ito. Delikado ang trabaho, kakarampot naman ang sweldo. Ang mga tao sa ibang bansa nangangarap makapagtrabaho sa gobyerno dahil mataas ang sweldo, sa Pilipinas baliktad.

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Thinning glaciers driving polar ice loss, satellite survey finds

Satellite survey of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets reveals extensive network of rapidly thinning glaciers that is driving ice loss in the regions

Ian Sample, science correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Wednesday 23 September 2009 18.05 BST

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/Declassified-Arctic--Aqua-001.jpgArctic sea ice coverage. Scientists have used data from Nasa’s Ice, Cloud and and land Elevation Satellite to piece together a picture of the changing fortunes of glaciers on the ice sheets. Photograph: HO/Reuters


A comprehensive satellite survey of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has revealed an extensive network of rapidly thinning glaciers that is driving ice loss in the regions.


The most profound loss of ice was seen along the continental coastlines, where glaciers speed up as they slip into the sea. In some regions, glaciers flowing into surrounding waters were thinning by nearly 10m a year.


Scientists used data from Nasa's ICESat (Ice, Cloud and and land Elevation Satellite) to piece together a picture of the changing fortunes of glaciers on the ice sheets. The satellite bounces laser light off the ground, allowing researchers to measure the terrain with extraordinary precision.


The survey, compiled from 50m satellite measurements taken between February 2003 and November 2007, shows glaciers thinning at all latitudes in Greenland and along key Antarctic coastlines. Thinning penetrated deep into the interior of the ice sheets and continues to spread as ice shelves melt into the sea.


"We were surprised to see such a strong pattern of thinning glaciers across such large areas of coastline. It's widespread and in some cases, thinning extends hundreds of kilometres inland," said Hamish Pritchard who led the study at the British Antarctic Survey.


In Greenland, glaciers in the south-east were found to be flowing at speeds of more than 100m per year, during which they thinned by 84cm. More slow-going glaciers lost around 12cm a year.


In a vast region of western Antarctica that drains into the Amundsen Sea, the Pine Island glacier and neighbouring Smith and Thwaites glaciers are thinning by 9m a year, the satellite measurements show. The study is published in the journal Nature.


Previous satellite surveys of polar regions have relied upon radar measurements that cannot map the Earth's surface with the same precision as the ICESat laser rangefinder. The satellite allows scientists to take 65m-wide snapshots of the ground, giving an unprecedented view of glaciers on the steep terrain where ice meets ocean.


This satellite survey helps scientists explore how different aspects of climate change are driving ice loss in polar regions. Higher air temperatures can increase surface melting, but warm ocean currents accelerate ice loss more when glaciers flow into the sea.


"The majority of the thinning we see is not due to increased melting from higher atmospheric temperatures, but because the glaciers are flowing faster thanks to their interaction with the oceans," said Prof David Vaughan, a co-author on the study

[pyuks]

wow: very informative: ang haba pero ok lang: thanks scud. kung saan saan ko nakikita name mo: meron ka pa din sa academe at sa filipinos everywhere: nice : keep going.

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175 liters per day per person

Average daily water consumption in the Philippines.
Source: National Water Resources Board.

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Kawawang Salbabida

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/salbabida.pngby jobas - Typhoon Dante

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1.6 to 5 gpf = Water consumed per flush of toilet.
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gpf = Gallons per Flush


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Under my Umbrella...

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/payong.jpgby shyaman

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Government study foresaw flood–Palafox

Written by Dennis D. Estopace / Reporter
Monday, 28 September 2009 21:39

THE government was warned 32 years ago that ceding control of urban development may have adverse consequences, such as the devastation experienced by the metropolis on Saturday.

“Some are saying it’s [the flooding of key Metropolitan Manila areas] an act of God. It’s not. It’s neglect on the part of the government,” architect Felino Palafox Jr. told the BusinessMirror on Monday as casualties of Typhoon Ondoy grew to more than a hundred dead and thousands of people displaced.

In the document sent by Palafox, the Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (Mmetroplan) already cited the Marikina Valley as among the areas deemed “unsuitable for development.”

The area that includes the city of Marikina were among those that sustained the most damage, according to news reports. In one hard-hit site alone, Provident Village, TV reports said 58 bodies had already been recovered, presumably people who never had time to leave their homes as floodwaters rose too quickly.

“Development should be restricted by the application of controls in three major areas—in the Marikina Valley, the western shores of Laguna de Bay, and the Manila Bay coastal area to the north of Manila,” said the report submitted in July 1977 to then-Public Works and Highways chief Alfredo Juinio.

“We’ve told government all along [that] this would happen because of the flooding [in] the same month in 1970,” Palafox said.

He said he was working for the government then when he and a group of researchers undertook this World Bank-funded study on a land-use plan that was finalized by Hong Kong-based consulting firm Freeman Fox and Associates.

Palafox cited a recommendation from the study that the government should monitor the Marikina Riverbank so that the water would not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure should have been allowed within nine meters from the riverbank, he added.

“Dahil hindi sinunod ’yun, parang massacre ang nangyari ,” he said.

The three-volume report also noted that “urban development is spreading into [these] areas which are, in their present state, unsuitable for development—either because they are low-lying and liable to flooding, or because development is without adequate facilities for the treatment and disposal of sewage [the norm in Manila] and so will continue to contribute to the severe pollution of areas, such as Laguna de Bay.”

The study added: “The unsuitable areas for development, where pressures are nevertheless considerable, are primarily the flat coastal areas to the north where extensive areas are liable to flooding and where increased pressures for reclamation are likely to further exacerbate this problem.”

Another is “the Marikina Valley, to the east, where the land is liable to flooding and where development with [B]inadequate provision for the treatment and disposal of sewage is contributing to the severe pollution of Laguna de Bay and where flooding is a problem in the adjacent areas.”

Finally, the study said the pressure for development, but requiring control, includes “the western shores of Laguna de Bay where development without adequate facilities for the treatment and disposal of sewage is contributing to the severe pollution of Laguna de Bay and where flooding is a problem in the adjacent areas.”

“In order to avoid development contributing to longer-term flooding and water pollution, it is necessary that the short-term development is restricted in these areas. Only when remedial measures to deal with the problems have been implemented, should the development of these areas proceed on a significant scale,” the study said.

“Lessons are to be learned, for sure, but these have been taught three decades ago,” Palafox said

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Bridge Over Troubled Water

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1/2 kg. - estimated daily waste production per person in Metro Manila

[KuyaDanny]

Does that "waste" refer to trash, to "ebak", or both? The figure seems a little low.

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^ oops, sorry I forgot to include the link.. from Environmental Management Bureau http://www.emb.gov.ph/eeid/ESWM.htm

Solid Waste pa lang yan KD, the ebaks and the weewee go to the septic tank and sewerage system (kung meron). But mas marami go to the drainage. Funny di ba? The tae and the ihi derecho sa drainage.. UNTREATED, FRESH and RAW. Sarap!!

Kaya naman enjoyable lusong-lusong sa baha hanggang waist... may kiliti na sa singit, may tubol pa na parang Yellow Submarine na palutang-lutang na parang rubber duckies. Para bang, "Ang dumi na lumabas sa puwet mo, babalik din sa puwet mo."

Oh, I heard the coños from DLSU and ADMU nasayaran na rin ng baha ang mga whitey legs. Gumaya na rin sa UST. Pitik pa lang yan ni Mother Earth, bakit nga daw kasi ang mga malalaking universities na 'to waalng kurso tungkol sa environment and sanitary engineering.

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Team Building Seminar - Obstacle Course

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Curious ka ba KD kung gaano kadaming ebak at wiwi ang itinatapon ng mga Pinoys sa katubigan?

Here's a report from Water and Sanitation Program of World Bank

3.3.1 Water pollution

Water pollution from domestic sources can be estimated from the annual release or eventual seepage of untreated feces, urine, and gray water into inland water bodies. It is estimated by accounting for the population and their access to different types of sanitation facilities, the proportion of sewage released to water bodies,and average human waste production per year.

Table 6 shows the estimated release of polluting substances attributable to sanitary waste. The estimates account for toilet facilities and their assumed efficiency in treating human waste. It indicates that Filipinos annually released 4.2 billion kilograms of untreated feces and 33.9 million cubic meters of equivalent black water (feces and urine) into the environment. The largest contributor to such wastes was the National Capital Region (NCR), accounting for about 12% of the national release of feces and urine. This was slightly lower than the share of the region in the national population (13%) because of the existence of sewers and septic tanks, thereby reducing the release of human waste into the environment

http://www.wsp.org/UserFiles/file/44200822542_EAP_ESI_Philipines_Full.pdf

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very informative thread. timely.

na-refreshed tuloy ako sa environmental and sanitary eng. subjects ng C.E. namin long time ago. :hiya:

kulang rin tayo kasi sa disiplina.. tsk.. lalu na sa pag dispose ng mga basura.

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OVERVIEW OF BASIC WASTEWATER TREATMENT PROCESS

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Wastewater Treatment Process



Wastewater is “used” water that is deposited into drains by residents and businesses. Flushing the toilet, taking a shower, and running the washing machine are all examples of everyday activities that produce wastewater. This wastewater drains down the sink or toilet and travels through a network of underground pipes known as the sanitary sewer system.



Your home is being serviced by either 1) a sanitary and a storm sewer or 2) a combined sewer, a single pipe which conveys both sanitary sewage and storm water. It is 99.94 percent water, with only 0.06 percent of the wastewater being dissolved and suspended solid material. The cloudiness of sewage is caused by suspended particles which, in untreated sewage, range from 100 to 350 mg/l. A measure of the strength of the wastewater is biochemical oxygen demand, or BOD5. The BOD5 measures the amount of oxygen microorganisms require in five days to break down sewage. Untreated sewage has a BOD5 ranging from 100 mg/l to 300 mg/l. Pathogens or disease-causing organisms are present in sewage. Coliform bacteria are used as an indicator of disease-causing organisms. Sewage also contains nutrients (such as ammonia and phosphorus), minerals, and metals. Ammonia can range from 12 to 50 mg/l and phosphorus can range from 6 to 20 mg/l in untreated sewage.



The sewer systems are built to follow the natural slope of the land. This design allows gravity to do most of the work transporting the wastewater to treatment facilities. In some situations, pump stations are constructed in low-lying areas to force the wastewater uphill to the treatment facility.



The average US citizen uses approximately 100 gallons of water per day. The organic and inorganic material found in this wastewater is too abundant to be handled by the environment. Therefore, treatment of our wastewater is an essential process that prevents contamination and destruction of waterways, drinking water sources, and natural water resources.



Sewage treatment is a multi-stage process to renovate wastewater before it reenters a body of water, is applied to the land, or is reused. The goal is to reduce or remove organic matter, solids, nutrients, disease-causing organisms, and other pollutants from wastewater. Each receiving body of water has limits to the amount of pollutants it can receive without degradation. Therefore, each sewage treatment plant must hold a permit from DHEC listing the allowable levels of BOD5, suspended solids, coliform bacteria, and other pollutants. The discharge permits are called NPDES (National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System) permits.



1. Preliminary treatment
Upon arrival via the sewer system, the wastewater is sent through a bar screen, which removes large solid objects such as sticks and rags. Leaving the bar screen, the wastewater flow is slowed down entering the grit tank. This allows sand, gravel, and other heavy material that was small enough not to be caught by the bar screen to settle to the bottom. All the collected debris from the grit tank and bar screen is disposed of at a sanitary landfill or recycled.

2. Primary treatment
Primary treatment is the second step in wastewater treatment. It allows for the physical separation of solids and greases from the wastewater. The screened wastewater flows into a primary settling tank where it is held for several hours. This allows solid particles to settle to the bottom of the tank and oils and greases to float to the top.

3. Secondary treatment
Secondary treatment is a biological treatment process that removes dissolved organic material from wastewater. The partially treated wastewater from the settling tank flows by gravity into an aeration tank. Here it is mixed with solids containing micro-organisms that use oxygen to consume the remaining organic matter in the wastewater as their food supply. The aeration tank uses air bubbles to provide the mixing and the oxygen, both of which are needed for the micro-organisms to multiply.

From here the liquid mixture, composed of solids with micro-organisms and water, is sent to the final clarifier. Here the solids settle to the bottom where some of the material is sent to the solids handling process, and some is recirculated to replenish the population of micro-organisms in the aeration tank to treat incoming wastewater.

4. Final treatment
Wastewater that remains is disinfected to kill harmful micro-organisms before being released into receiving waters. Although there are many methods available to kill these micro-organisms, chlorine and ultraviolet disinfection are the most widely used.



Dechlorination occurs in the final wastewater treatment step. A solution of sodium bisulfite is added to the chlorinated effluent to remove residual chlorine.



Following disinfection and dechlorination, the treated wastewater (now called final effluent) can be returned to the receiving waters from which it came. The flow is conveyed to an outfall and discharged through a series of diffusers into a surface water body or stream.



5. Solids processing
Primary solids from the primary settling tank and secondary solids from the clarifier are sent to the digester. During this process, micro-organisms use the organic material present in the solids as a food source and convert it to by-products such as methane gas and water. Digestion results in a 90% reduction in pathogens and the production of a wet soil-like material called “biosolids” that contain 95-97% water. To remove some of this water and reduce the volume, mechanical equipment such as filter presses or centrifuges are used to squeeze water from the biosolids. The biosolids are then sent to landfills, incinerated, or beneficially used as a fertilizer or soil amendment

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'Gov't, private developers liable for flood damage'

MANILA - Government agencies and private developers are jointly liable for the massive loss of life and property in several Metro Manila cities for practicing poor urban planning and allowing commercial and residential structures to be built in flood-prone areas, according to "green" architect and urban planner Felino Palafox Jr.

Palafox said a 1977 World Bank-funded study identified Marikina Valley, the western shores of Laguna de Bay, and the Manila Bay coastal area as among development areas that should prepare for flooding, earthquakes and possible changes in topography.

The Metro Manila Transport, Land Use and Development Planning Project (Metroplan), which was finalized by Hong Kong-based consulting firm Freeman Fox and Associates, has been used as a blueprint by urban planning developers and various government agencies and urban planners. Unfortunately, he said corruption and lack of planning has led to the shelving of some of the plan's recommendations.

"You see the irony here. National government agencies are aware that there is a flooding level of so many meters, then another national government agency would approve subdivision plans for only nine-meter high houses. There are about 32 signatures to obtain just to do a development project. It's like an obstacle course," he said in an ANC interview last Tuesday.

He said the Metroplan addressed flood-mapping in Metro Manila, specifically after the massive typhoon in 1970. He said the Metroplan included the construction of the Manggahan Floodway, which would divert floodwaters from reaching Metro Manila by diverting the water to the Laguna Lake.

"There was supposed to be a Parañaque spillway to flush out the excess water to the Laguna Bay and South China Sea, but this was never done. It was part of the recommendation," he said.

Palafox said the study recommended the monitoring of the Marikina Riverbank so that the water would not reach 90 meters. Likewise, no structure should have been allowed within 9 meters from the riverbank, he added.


The architect said he is currently working with Marikina Mayor Marides Fernando on several development projects in the city. He said that in Marikina, structures should be built above 17 meters which is above the maximum flood level of the city.

This is the reason why SM Marikina, which he helped design, was built on stilts, with the lower level of the mall used only for parking and all the shops on higher levels.

"In Marikina, instead of nine-meter high buildings you go upward and build a boulevard with dikes. All subdivisions should go medium-rise or high-rise and there should no longer be individual houses. It should be mixed use. You live upstairs, you work in the middle and you shop downstairs, just like Paris," he said

Manila like Paris

Palafox said that in 1905, American architect Daniel Burnham envisioned building Manila like the city of Paris. "He said it should be designed like Paris beside the River Seine, like Manila beside Pasig River. He said the esteros of Manila could be like the canals of Venice. We were alright until the 1940s when the Americans left and then we adopted wrong models of urban planning," he said.

As an architect, he said he often tells potential clients that they should practice due diligence and look at the 100-year flood history of a potential development area before starting construction. He lamented, however, that some short-sighted clients would only look at the 25-year flood history of an area since the planned structures are not built to last.

"We are always reacting to crisis. It bothered me when I saw these reports and pictures and people are saying it's an act of God. It's not. It's us not following the plans and proposals. If you are an urban planner, an environmental planner, these have been planned as early as 1905," he said.

He said that to address the problem of flooding, the government should consider "vertical urbanism" and build more high-rises instead of "horizontal urbanism."

He criticized the lack of coordination among government agencies and cited the EDSA corridor as a prime example of how urban planning has failed in the Philippines.

"I did a study in Harvard on the EDSA corridor on how not to do a city. You have high-transit stations surrounded by low-gated communities and low-density military camps. How do you make people walk to it?" he said.

He said that to address the problem of climate change and future flooding in the Philippines, urban planners should start redesigning cities in the country by looking at the lessons of the past and seeing what other countries are doing.

"In a crisis like this, it's an opportunity to be creative and learn. Technology can address these problems," he said. With a report from Ron Gagalac, ABS-CBN News

http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/09/30/09/govt-private-developers-liable-flood-damage

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How typhoons are named

Typhoons are tropical cyclones that form over the Pacific Ocean north of the equator, and west of the International Date Line, or cross the Date Line after forming on its eastern side.

Other tropical cyclones include hurricanes that form over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, or the Pacific Ocean north of the equator and east of the Date Line.

While most naming systems for tropical cyclones use common first names, in various languages, the nations around the western Pacific began using an entirely new system for naming typhoons in 2000. (Related: Why, how storms are named)

Each of the 14 nations that typhoons affect submitted a list of names for a total of 141 names. The names include animals, flowers, astrological signs and a few personal names.

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http://www.usatoday.com/weather/hurricane/typhoon-names.htm

Ketsana and Parma are at IV.

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11 tons of medical waste from Metro Manila's hospitals were being illegally dumped everyday into rivers and open dumps.
- DENR


47 tons of waste being generated daily by Metro Manila's hospitals and given the present level of segregation, 27 tons are infectious or potentially infectious.
- Asian Development Bank

http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:M_3kjxeZTjwJ:www.noharm.org/details.cfm%3Ftype%3Dnews%26ID%3D163+metro+manila+hospital+waste&cd=2&hl=en&ct=clnk

[SCUD.]

Metro Manila inhabitants disposed of 6,050 tons of garbage daily in 1995 with an annual increase estimated at 2 per cent and were generating on average 0.71 kilograms of waste per person per day by 2000 (Ibon,2001: 4–5). Only 71 per cent of this rubbish is collected by trucks and taken to landfill centres. The remaining 1,750 or so tons are simply left on street corners, dumped on vacant lots or thrown into storm drains, canals, creeks or rivers. Anything from rubber tires to dead animals are disposed of in this manner.

- Greg Bankoff
Wageningen Univ and Univ of Auckland
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/sites/default/files/others/downloads/floodingnew.pdf

[SCUD.]

I'm Feeling Lucky !

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/nabuafil07.png

[SCUD.]

Plastic waste in the Pacific: Twice the size of the U.S. (http://www.thejavajive.com/blog/?p=849)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/rubbish.jpg

A “plastic soup” of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.

The “soup” is actually two linked areas, either side of the islands of Hawaii, known as the Western and Eastern Pacific Garbage Patches. About one-fifth of the junk – which includes everything from footballs and kayaks to Lego blocks and carrier bags – is thrown off ships or oil platforms. The rest comes from land.

Mr Moore, a former sailor, came across the sea of waste by chance in 1997, while taking a short cut home from a Los Angeles to Hawaii yacht race. He had steered his craft into the “North Pacific gyre” – a vortex where the ocean circulates slowly because of little wind and extreme high pressure systems. Usually sailors avoid it.

He was astonished to find himself surrounded by rubbish, day after day, thousands of miles from land. “Every time I came on deck, there was trash floating by,” he said in an interview. “How could we have fouled such a huge area? How could this go on for a week?”

Mr Moore, the heir to a family fortune from the oil industry, subsequently sold his business interests and became an environmental activist. He warned yesterday that unless consumers cut back on their use of disposable plastics, the plastic stew would double in size over the next decade.

Mr Moore said that because the sea of rubbish is translucent and lies just below the water’s surface, it is not detectable in satellite photographs. “You only see it from the bows of ships,” he said.

According to the UN Environment Programme, plastic debris causes the deaths of more than a million seabirds every year, as well as more than 100,000 marine mammals. Syringes, cigarette lighters and toothbrushes have been found inside the stomachs of dead seabirds, which mistake them for food.

Plastic is believed to constitute 90 per cent of all rubbish floating in the oceans. The UN Environment Programme estimated in 2006 that every square mile of ocean contains 46,000 pieces of floating plastic,

Dr Eriksen said the slowly rotating mass of rubbish-laden water poses a risk to human health, too. Hundreds of millions of tiny plastic pellets, or nurdles – the raw materials for the plastic industry – are lost or spilled every year, working their way into the sea. These pollutants act as chemical sponges attracting man-made chemicals such as hydrocarbons and the pesticide DDT. They then enter the food chain. “What goes into the ocean goes into these animals and onto your dinner plate. It’s that simple,” said Dr Eriksen.

[SCUD.]

Nag moro-moro na namana ang mga Pinoy businessmen. Bakit kaya hindi pakiusapan ni Gozun (hi boss, kumusta kayo?) ang mga may ari ng pabrikang gumagawa ng mga maliliit na basura, na tinatawag nilang "sachets", na numero unong bumabara sa mga daanan ng tubig sa Pilipinas. O kaya naman pagsabihan ang SM na tigilan ang pagbibigay ng mga PLASTIC BAGS kung iilang piraso lang ang bibilhin.

Aba eh pampered talaga ang mga Pinoy, sa Canada hindi libre ang plastic bags sa mga groceries at supermarket. Kung gusto mong isilid ang mga pinamili mo sa isang napakarupok na plastic bag (na ilang hakbang lang, nasa sahig na ang pinamili mo) eh kailangan mo magbayad ng environmental fee. Kung may kakunatan, magdala ka ng sarili mong matibay plastic bag galing sa bahay o bitbitib mo isa-isa at pakinabangan ang mga braso at mga kamay.

Bakit ba hindi magawa sa Pilipinas ang mga ganyan? Aba eh, nung umuwi ako't namili sa SM meron pang nagpiprisinta na magbitbit. :rolleyes:



Local business leaders draft climate-change covenant
Top News
Written by Cai U. Ordinario / Reporter
Friday, 09 October 2009 04:57

PHILIPPINE business leaders have taken it upon themselves to become greener by drafting a climate-change covenant that will not only change the way they do business, but also change the way the entire private sector deals with the reality that is climate change.

The Philippine Imperative (TPI) coconvener Elisea Gozun said that after the onslaught of Typhoon Ondoy, many businessmen, and Filipinos in general, realized that climate change is not only a theory or a concept that will happen many more years after today.

Gozun, former environment secretary, said that with the floods, Filipinos were able to realize that, indeed, climate change is real and already being experienced today. With this, the climate-change covenant comes at an opportune time to encourage and help the private and public sectors adapt to climate change.

“[The covenant is] just a draft at this time. [This will] focus on the agreements [made by the private sector that are grounded on the] principles of climate change. We already have a consensus, and there are suggestions on how to implement it,” Gozun said on the sidelines of the Business Imperative for Climate Change CEO Conference on Thursday.

“We will put together all the suggestions and we will send it back to them for review before signing the covenant. This is because we want to emphasize the ownership of businesses [of the covenant],” she added.

During the conference, businesses like Holcim, Alsons Aquaculture Group and First Gen Corp., as well as the League of Cities of the Philippines, related how their businesses are coping with climate change and what measures they have undertaken to make their business processes “greener.”

Gozun noted that the presentations were very useful in enlightening other businessmen on how to make their processes “greener” and more environment-friendly.

She said the presentation made by First Gen Corp. CEO Piki Lopez was very useful since the company even admitted that it’s initial direction when First Gen listed at the local bourse in 2005 was not so environment-friendly.

Gozun said that by presenting a “then and now” scenario, First Gen was able to catch the attention of other businessmen.

Lopez said that to date, most of their energy sources are alternative-energy sources, including several geothermal plants and hydropower plants.

Besides utilizing green technology, the company also embarks on projects that help grow their business like reforestation through the establishment of nurseries and replanting, according to Lopez.

Resorting to indigenous sources of energy would also lower energy costs that place the country’s important sectors like manufacturing at the losing end, Lopez added.

“We need to meet the energy requirements of a growing economy but this requires scale. [That is why we] need more indigenous sources of energy which will [also] lead to competitiveness. We’re building an energy company for the future,” Lopez said.

Eventually, Gozun said that the covenant will be presented to the government in the hope of influencing the Medium-term Philippine Development Plan (MTPDP) and encouraging more businesses, including small and medium enterprises to adopt green practices.

More than 40 businesses participated in the discussions. Among them were First Philippine Holdings Inc., Maynilad, Holcim, Mariwasa, RCBC, Nestle, Ayala Corp., Ayala Land Inc., SM, Manila Water Co., Unilever, First Gen Corp., BusinessMirror, The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Shell, Petron, Alsons Aquaculture, San Miguel Corp., SGV and Co., Jollibee Corp., and Cemex.

[SCUD.]

What causes landslides?

Some slopes are susceptible to landslides whereas others are more stable. Many factors contribute to the instability of slopes, but the main controlling factors are the nature of the underlying bedrock and soil, the configuration of the slope, the geometry of the slope, and ground-water conditions .

Three distinct physical events occur during a landslide: the initial slope failure, the subsequent transport, and the final deposition of the slide materials. Landslides can be triggered by gradual processes such as weathering, or by external mechanisms including:

- Undercutting of a slope by stream erosion, wave action, glaciers, or human activity such as road building,
- Intense or prolonged rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or sharp fluctuations in ground-water levels,
- Shocks or vibrations caused by earthquakes or construction activity,
- Loading on upper slopes, or
- A combination of these and other factors.

Once a landslide is triggered, material is transported by various mechanisms including sliding, flowing and falling. Landslides often occur along planes of weakness that may parallel the hill slope. In bedrock, planes of weakness are usually beds, joints or fractures. Soils such as silt and clay are weaker than rock and commonly have complex or multiple planes of weakness.

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/ls-fig01.gifTypes of weakness planes and associated landslides: (1) slope failure in glacial sediment resulting in slumps; (2) parallel bedding in rock causing slides; and (3) fracturing of rock promoting falls.

Effects of human activity
Landslides may result directly or indirectly from the activities of people. Slope failures can be triggered by construction activity that undercuts or overloads dangerous slopes, or that redirects the flow of surface or ground-water.


http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/plate2.jpg
The Thuya Creek landslide near Little Fort occurred in 1972 and removed much of the roadway (photo courtesy of the Ministry of Transportation and Highways).


http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/plate3.jpg
Poor road construction in this logged area near Boston Bar Creek probably contributed to slope failures in the early 1980s (photo courtesy of D. VanDine).

Poorly planned forest clearing may increase rates of surface water run-off or ground-water infiltration. Inefficient irrigation or sewage effluent disposal practices may result in increased ground-water pressures, which in turn can reduce the stability of rock and sediment.
People increase the risk of landslides by modifying the landscape, for example, by building on unstable slopes or in the path of potential landslides. Unfortunately, many people are unaware of their exposure to landslide risks.

From the Ministry of Mines, Energy and Petroleum Services - Province of British Columbia, Canada. (http://www.em.gov.bc.ca/mining/GeolSurv/Surficial/landslid/ls1.htm)

[SCUD.]

Climate change worsens disaster risks for poor-UN
Thu Jun 11, 2009 9:20am EDT
By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

BONN, Germany, June 11 (Reuters) - Climate change will aggravate natural disasters and people in developing nations such as Dominica, Vanuatu, Myanmar and Guatemala are most at risk, a U.N.-backed study showed on Thursday.

It urged governments to invest hundreds of billions of dollars to curb mounting impacts of hazards such as cyclones, floods, droughts, landslides, earthquakes and tsunamis.

"Risk is ... felt most acutely by people living in poor rural areas and slums," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote in the report, issued on the sidelines of June 1-12 U.N. climate talks in Bonn working on a new treaty to combat global warming.

"Climate change will magnify the uneven distribution of risk, skewing disaster impacts even further towards poor communities in developing countries," the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction said.

Andrew Maskrey, lead author of the report, said that developing countries with big populations -- led by China, India, Bangladesh and Indonesia -- suffered the most fatalities from natural disasters.

"But you also have to look at it in relative terms -- the proportion of the population at risk," he told a news conference. By that yardstick, those at risk were "mainly small countries -- many small islands ... and small countries."

The list was topped by Dominica in the Caribbean, Vanuatu in the Pacific along with Myanmar and Guatemala.



AFRICAN

In those nations, risks of an individual dying from cyclones, floods, earthquakes or landslides were close to one in 10,000 per year. The survey did not account for risks of droughts, which would have boosted hazards for African states.

According to the report, the safest places to avoid natural disasters include Saudi Arabia, Oman, Belgium and Britain.

"Wealthier countries are not immune, as bush fires in Australia reminded us so tragically at the start of this year," Ban wrote.

"Risk is increasing globally even without climate change," the report said, largely because of a rising global population with people living in vulnerable areas such as flood plains.

The number of people living in squatter settlement -- most exposed to risks such as storms or floods -- was 1 billion and rising by 25 million a year.

Illustrating risks in developing nations, Maskrey said 17 times as many people died in the Philippines from cyclones than in Japan, even though the number of people living in vulnerable areas was similar.

And he said governments should take more account of disaster planning.

Converting mangroves into shrimp farms could make coasts more vulnerable to storm surges, he said. Draining wetlands to build houses curbs the ability of soils to regulate floods. Deforestation loosened soil and added to risks of landslides.

Needed investments to disaster-proof economies totalled hundreds of billions of dollars, he told Reuters.

"Often poor countries say 'we can't afford disaster risk reduction'," he said. His advice was "rather than build 100 schools which will fall down in the next cyclone or earthquake, build 80 to disaster risk standards."

-- For Reuters latest environment blogs click on: blogs.reuters.com/environment/
http://www.reuters.com/article/latestCrisis/idUSLB776371

[cretinous00]

LOL! your landslide model didn't even touch on un-regulated harvest of forest stock for the profit of man (which idiots like to call "illegal logging.") :lol:

[SCUD.]

Climate Studies Point to More Floods in This Century
Hillary Mayell
for National Geographic News

January 30, 2002

Two separate teams of scientists are predicting more extreme rainfall and greater flooding in this century.

According to their projections, it will be particularly striking at northern latitudes—across Canada, Alaska, northern Europe, and northern Asia, regions that already receive the most precipitation. But the equatorial tropics and Southeast Asia are also likely to have increased rainfall and flooding.

Both teams, one from the United States and the other from Europe, attribute the expected pattern to global warming accelerated by human activities.

Although people may adapt to gradual climate change, the effects of extreme rain and flooding are often broad, devastating, and costly to society. Landslides, avalanches, and flooding damage infrastructure such as roads, bridges, and buildings, and hurt agricultural productivity because of lost crops and soil erosion. Disaster relief often requires enormous funding, and the loss of human life may also be high.

The two new studies, published in the January 31 issue of the journal Nature, point to trends and probabilities, not specific events. But they emphasize the need for more sophisticated climate models to help decision makers.

Seeking Trends

Christopher Milly, an atmospheric scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey, and his colleagues reviewed data on 100-year floods that occurred in the last century for 29 major river basins around the world.

"By definition, a 100-year flood is really extreme and rare," said Milly. "What we can observe when we look at those records is that the number of these extreme flooding events occurred disproportionately in the last decades of the 20th century. The difference is large enough to make you raise your eyebrows. It's hard to believe it could happen by chance, enough that it's worth looking for other reasons why there were so many floods in the last few decades."

Scientists use computer models to predict possible changes in climate. The models uses a variety of data on various conditions, such as atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and ocean circulation patterns. By changing these variable conditions, scientists can simulate what might happen in the real world when climate conditions change.

Milly and his colleagues combined a climate model with a river model, tied them together, and examined different scenarios to identify trends. The trends for the 20th century, particularly at high altitudes and in equatorial regions, closely mirrored what had actually happened, giving the scientists a fair degree of confidence in the model.

Based on the model's projections, said Milly, it's reasonable to assume that increased flooding over the past century was related to global warming, and the increase is likely to continue.

"The models suggest that instead of the chances of a 100-year flood occurring once every 100 years, which is what you would expect, the risk will increase in the 21st century to somewhere between 3 to 6 chances in 100, which is a manifold increase," he said.

In the other study, Tim Palmer of the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts in the United Kingdom and Jouni Räisänen of the Rossby Centre in Sweden studied increased rainfall rather than flooding, but arrived at similar conclusions.

Analyzing data from 19 climate models, they concluded that much of central and northern Europe will be five times more likely to suffer very wet winters during this century. They also predict the Asian monsoon region will experience a five-fold increase of very wet summers.

Building Better Models

In both studies the scientists tied the increase in extreme climatic conditions to a rise in global temperatures driven largely by an increase in atmospheric greenhouse gases resulting from human activities.

These gases, primarily carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide, trap heat in the atmosphere, causing an increase in temperature. The increase in temperature sparks an increase in evaporation. "Warm air can hold more water," said Milly. "[Clouds] tend to suck more water up out of the ocean, and it has to drop sometime."

But climate modeling has limitations, and the authors warn that several factors could skew the results of the trend analyses. Carbon dioxide emissions are overestimated in the models, for example, because other gases such as methane are not included. Sulphate aerosols, which tend to have a cooling effect, are also not included in the computations. In addition, changes in global vegetation and land use could affect the accuracy of the models.

In a related article, Reiner Schnur of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology in Germany argues that studies such as these make a strong case for improving computational resources in climate research so the results will be useful to decision makers.

"Until computational power increases significantly, climate scientists will have to patch models together, taking the results of ensemble climate projections, for example, and inserting their output into a high-resolution hydrological model for a specific river basin," he writes.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2002/01/0130_020130_greatfloods_2.html

[SCUD.]

Three distinct physical events occur during a landslide: the initial slope failure, the subsequent transport, and the final deposition of the slide materials. Landslides can be triggered by gradual processes such as weathering, or by external mechanisms including:

- Undercutting of a slope by stream erosion, wave action, glaciers, or human activity such as road building,
- Intense or prolonged rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or sharp fluctuations in ground-water levels,
- Shocks or vibrations caused by earthquakes or construction activity,
- Loading on upper slopes, or
- A combination of these and other factors.

[SCUD.]

Wala pa nga diyan ang epekto ng MINING.

Baka mapakamot-ulo lang ang mga fans ng Mining at Mining Engineering dahil hindi nila maiintindihan.

[cretinous00]

really? try me.

PRC lic. #1040

[SCUD.]

Sige pumili ka ng topic na gusto mo.

[SCUD.]

‘Arroyo, mining and greed are culprits of landslides, floods'
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 10/11/2009 5:31 PM


Corporate mining

The CPA said that corporate mining in the Cordillera as well as in Albay and Marinduque brought about “irreparable environmental disasters.”

“This greed for profit is responsible for the operation of large-scale extractive and destructive industries, such as corporate mining and large dams which is very evident in the Philippines.”

Benguet, which has hosted large mines for more than a century, is no stranger to the occurrence of landslides, CPA said.

The federation cited the “massive landslides” in Beda, Loakan, Itogon in October 2008 “due to the abandoned tunnels of Benguet Corporation.”

It also mentioned the Colalo landslide in 1999 in Mankayan “due to Lepanto Consolidated’s mining operations, which again happened in June 2009.”

The UK-mining company Bezant and a local subsidiary have reportedly conducted exploration in Guinaoang, Mankayan.

Aside from the many lives claimed by the landslides, vegetable gardens and rice fields have been damaged, according to the CPA’s chapters and affiliates in CAR

Complete report (http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/nation/10/11/09/%E2%80%98arroyo-mining-and-capitalism-culprits-landslides-cordillera%E2%80%99)

[cretinous00]

in the case of both benguet and lepanto, the mine workings have been operating long before there was infrastructure and settlements PROXIMAL to the workings. now the DPWH and the DENR imposes strict fines to either public utilities builder or miner doing work too proximal or juxtaposed with each other.

but i'll give you your fair due. some VERY localized damage to both landscape and human structures are durectly due to mining. but my question to you now is how much hectarage do mining operations take up, compared with areas in the philippines that have suffered flooding or landslides? you know the answer --NIL. the words "greed" and "destructive" are used editorially. if you're an engineer, you'd be more objective.

i'll bet you don't even know the two main causes of deforestation the philippines.

[SCUD.]

LOL. Pinipilit mo ba na ikabit ko na ang masamang epekto ng Mining ang nag-iisang dahilan ng baha at landslide sa Pilipinas? Naku naman, eh kahit sinong eksperto hindi kalkulado yan kung ibabase mo lang sa iisang dahilan.

Inulit ko na nga ito o...

- Undercutting of a slope by stream erosion, wave action, glaciers, or human activity such as road building,
- Intense or prolonged rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or sharp fluctuations in ground-water levels,
- Shocks or vibrations caused by earthquakes or construction activity,
- Loading on upper slopes, or
- A combination of these and other factors.

Madaling maging objective para sa isang engineer di ba? Lalo na kung paupo-upo lang sa opisina at hindi naman nakatira sa Cordillera. Biruin mo nga naman... nananahimik ka sa lupa mo, tinataniman at pinapakinabangan mo, papasukin ng minahan at bubulabugin ang paligid mo, para daw sa mina na pakikinabangan ng mga Pilipino. Kapag nagkandaleche-leche naman at naglandslide, binaha, o may tumagas na mine tailings wala nang pakialam ang mga nakinabang sa minahan at hahayaan na lang ang indigenous people na resolbahin ang problema nila.



Deforestation?? Kahit ang 2-taon gulang kong pamangkin alam na walang deforestation kung marunong lang magtanim ang mga pumuputol ng puno. Kaso nga gung gaano tayo kaswapang gumamit ng mga produkto galing sa puno, ganun din tayo katamad magtanim.

[SCUD.]

Illegal demolition and violent dispersal of mining affected communities

October 13, 2009

KASIBU, Nueva Vizcaya (NV)– Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and a people’s movement composed of more than eighty (80) organizations from mining-affected communities and civil society organizations nationwide, condemns the illegal demolition and violent dispersal of the residents from communities, which hosts an Australian mining company owned by OceanaGold Corp. Inc. (OGPI). The incident happened last October 2 Barangay Didipio, where OGPI’s Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAA) covers 23 barangays in Kasibu.



Reports from human rights workers of ATM partner organizations, Task Force Detainees of the Philippines (TFDP) and the Philippine Human Rights Information Center (PhilRights), narrated that there were allegedly approximately 100 heavily armed men, who arrived at Sitio Dinauyan at around 8:00AM, to carry out a demolition order for the house of Elmer Lawagan located at the foot of Dinkidi Hill, the open pit mining site of OGPI.



The demolition crew was believed to be a composite team of police operatives from the regional, provincial, and municipal government of NV. The crew was faced with the resistance from more than 100 residents from Didipio who formed a human barricade to oppose the demolition. The residents believe that if OGPI succeeds in demolishing Lawagan’s house, their homes would be next. Some residents who joined the barricade were from the villages living in or adjacent to Dinkidi Hill in Sitio Dinauyan, which is home to at least 100 families, where the proposed site for the mine tailings dam is located.



http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/teargas.jpg

Photo caption: October 2,2009 - Violent encounter during demolition operation between the Philippine National Police and residents in Barangay Didipio. Taken from video of Dolores Tapo



Violence broke out between the two groups when the Philippine National Police (PNP) troops tried to forcefully break the people’s barricade using teargas, truncheons and shields, while residents defended themselves with the use of water mixed with chili pepper splashed to the agressors. Kasibu Mayor Romeo Tayaban and Didipio Barangay Captain Malou Nablol were both present to negotiate with the PNP. Witnesses said that apart from the beating experienced by some residents, 5 teargases were thrown to the barricaders. Casualties from the teargas include at least 7 barricaders. Some of the harmed still experience headaches and other discomfort from the teargas after the incident. The demolition crew was forced to pull back and leave the area when the 3-day Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) issued by the Regional Trial Court (RTC) upon the request of Lawagan’s counsel was communicated past 11:00AM of the same day.






http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/affected_communities.jpg
Photo caption: Peter Duyapat, resident of Didipio, shows the homes of families affected by the proposed site of the mine tailings dam of OceanaGold Philippines, Inc. Gold and Copper Project in Barangay Didipio, Kasibu, Nueva Vizcaya. Photo by Roslyn Arayata



“We condemn the harm experienced by the people of Didipio in the arms of those who were supposedly mandated to protect them, said ATM Coordinator Jaybee Garganera. There were irregularities in the execution of the demolition order. To enumerate some: the unnecessary use of violence by throwing teargas, truncheons and shield to disperse the barricade; and policemen carrying firearms in the dispersal of the protesting residents, which is against the normal procedures in executing a demolition order. Two criminology students from St. Marys University Bayombong were allegedly part of the police contingent that were the ones who lobbed the teargas.” added Garganera.



To date, the RTC issued an order granting the extension of the TRO for 20 days and setting a hearing on October 19, 2009 at 10:30AM to determine whether or not a writ of preliminary injunction will be issued. Despite the favorable TRO issued, residents and their support groups vowed to remain diligent in protecting the rights of residents against any illegal and violent action by OGPI.



PhilRights Executive Director Nymia Pimentel-Simbulan said, ““We trust that Chairperson Leila de Lima of the Commission on Human Rights will look into this urgent matter. We request the CHR to immediately send a team of investigators to Barangay Didipio to verify these alleged incidents of human rights violations and abuses to facilitate redress for victims, especially Elmer Lawagan, and to hold the perpetrators liable for their actions. CHR's timely and decisive intervention is vital to ensure that due process and respect for human rights would prevail in the court decision and course of action subsequently undertaken."



OGPI’s Didipio Gold and Copper Project was granted with an FTAA since 1998 and is expected to produce an average 120,000 ounces of gold and 15,000 tonnes of copper for 15 years. After a decade of its presence in the Didipio, no mine production was made by the company. Furthermore, OGPI has placed its operation under “care and maintenance” in December 2008 due to financial and management problems of the company.



According to Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center (LRC) Executive Director Judy Pasimio, co-convenor of ATM, this implies that OGPI has lost its legal eligibility to carry out its obligations under the FTAA with government. In fact, DENR itself has declared to take over OGPI facility in January 2009 in the event that the company cannot operate within six (6) months.



“For this year alone, OGPI has already displaced more than a hundred indigenous families in Didipio. Furthermore, the companys aggressive fencing, which include closing of accustomed public way and the installation of check points covered by their FTAA have restricted what used to be free movement of the residents in the area. Now, communities feel that they are deprived of their rights to their own land and majority of the residents already lost their faith and trust in OGPI. LRC submitted a demand letter dated September 23, 2009 to the DENR to act upon and take necessary steps to finally carry out the CLOSURE of the Didipio mining tenement of OGPI,” concluded Pasimio.


From Alyansa Tigil Mina (http://www.alyansatigilmina.net/content/story/october2009/illegal-demolition-and-violent-dispersal-mining-affected-communities)

[cretinous00]

LOL. Pinipilit mo ba na ikabit ko na ang masamang epekto ng Mining ang nag-iisang dahilan ng baha at landslide sa Pilipinas? Naku naman, eh kahit sinong eksperto hindi kalkulado yan kung ibabase mo lang sa iisang dahilan.

mentioning pages of so-called damages caused by mining won't prove anything. the philippines has been mining during pre-hispanic times and the areas affected have been very small. among the big, modern mines in the 20th century, many have closed due to depletion and the land has reverted to either agricultural, or remediated to original forest. posting partial reports from anti-mining people, without even understanding the science and engineering involved is a sorry testimony to your lack of objectivity.
Inulit ko na nga ito o...

- Undercutting of a slope by stream erosion, wave action, glaciers, or human activity such as road building,
- Intense or prolonged rainfall, rapid snowmelt, or sharp fluctuations in ground-water levels,
- Shocks or vibrations caused by earthquakes or construction activity,
- Loading on upper slopes, or
- A combination of these and other factors.

Madaling maging objective para sa isang engineer di ba? Lalo na kung paupo-upo lang sa opisina at hindi naman nakatira sa Cordillera. Biruin mo nga naman... nananahimik ka sa lupa mo, tinataniman at pinapakinabangan mo, papasukin ng minahan at bubulabugin ang paligid mo, para daw sa mina na pakikinabangan ng mga Pilipino. Kapag nagkandaleche-leche naman at naglandslide, binaha, o may tumagas na mine tailings wala nang pakialam ang mga nakinabang sa minahan at hahayaan na lang ang indigenous people na resolbahin ang problema nila.
simple lang sagot dyan. iyong magsasaka ay mababayaran sa mga tanim 'nyang nasira. tutulungan siyang lumipat sa ligtas na lugar, aalokin pa siya ng ng traboho na mas-maginhawa kese pagsasaka.

at kung paga-ari nya ang lupa, makakatanggap siya ng royalties sa pagmimina. yayaman siya, kumita man o malugi and minahan. biro mo...

Deforestation?? Kahit ang 2-taon gulang kong pamangkin alam na walang deforestation kung marunong lang magtanim ang mga pumuputol ng puno. Kaso nga gung gaano tayo kaswapang gumamit ng mga produkto galing sa puno, ganun din tayo katamad magtanim.
you don't know. tsk-tsk. i'll bet you've never set foot inside the bureau of forestry library along visayas avenue. :rolleyes:

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mentioning pages of so-called damages caused by mining won't prove anything. the philippines has been mining during pre-hispanic times and the areas affected have been very small. among the big, modern mines in the 20th century, many have closed due to depletion and the land has reverted to either agricultural, or remediated to original forest. posting partial reports from anti-mining people, without even understanding the science and engineering involved is a sorry testimony to your lack of objectivity.

So-called damages? Saan kweba ka naninirahan? Yeah, matagal nang nagmimina sa Pilipinas. Panahon pa ng mga katutubo, noong kulang pa sa kalahati ng populasyon ng Pilipinas ngayon. Kung ikukumpara mo nga naman ang damages noon sa ngayon natural malaki ang pagkakaiba. Bakit hindi mo isa-isahin ang positibong epekto ng pagmimina at tapatan ko yan ng mga negatibo. Maghanap ka rin ng websites na pagkukuhanan mo at nang may reference ka. Tsk, tsk.. Iba talaga ang epekto kapag puro pera ang nasa utak.

simple lang sagot dyan. iyong magsasaka ay mababayaran sa mga tanim 'nyang nasira. tutulungan siyang lumipat sa ligtas na lugar, aalokin pa siya ng ng traboho na mas-maginhawa kese pagsasaka.

at kung paga-ari nya ang lupa, makakatanggap siya ng royalties sa pagmimina. yayaman siya, kumita man o malugi and minahan. biro mo...

.... and he will live happily ever after.
Gising na, umaga na!

you don't know. tsk-tsk. i'll bet you've never set foot inside the bureau of forestry library along visayas avenue. :rolleyes:

Ahhh, mas maganda ba ang library diyan kesa sa National Mapping and Resources Information Authority . ? :rotflmao:

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Imbitasyon po sa mga Environmentalists mula sa Haribon Foundation.

Do More than talk. Do the Walk.
Walk for a greener tomorrow with Haribon Foundation
By: Carren Jao

BUDDHA once said, “No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.” Walking is literally a pedestrian affair, moving us from one venue to another. It is an act that many of us take for granted in the busy-ness of our lives. Yet, it is this act – arising purely from our willpower - that has the ability to send a powerful message of support for the world around us.

We have all heard of the expression of talking the talk and walking the walk, an adage highlighting the importance of acting on our principles. Today, the talk of going green has invaded the world’s consciousness; Major corporations, governments, and retailers are scrambling to include an environmental agenda in the hope of riding on this wave of environmentalism. Yet, large as they are, they are not the essential element to meaningful change – we are.

Global warming has become a pressing concern and Mother Nature’s plight has only worsened with the Earth’s ongoing deforestation. Each year, some 13 million hectares of the world's forests are still lost each year, according to the 2005 Global Forest Resources Assessment released by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); this includes 6 million hectares of primary forests – forests that are considered to be the most biologically diverse ecosystems on the planet. In the Philippines, around 3,412,000 hectares or one third of our forest cover has been lost between 1990 and 2005.

If a better, greener tomorrow is on our agenda, let us tie up our shoelaces and start walking to make a difference. This November 22, Haribon Foundation gives everyone a chance to walk the talk of going green by joining its annual Million Hectare Walk at Ninoy Aquino Parks and Wildlife Center ! Take your family, friends or coworkers for the for the journey of a thousand miles to save our remaining forests begins with a single step (Lao Tzu)!


O hayan, wag lang puro library ang bisitahin niyo dahil iba ang nasa nalulumang libro kumpara sa katotohanan sa paligid. Silipin man lang sana natin ang lagay ng mga bundok ai gubat sa Visayas Regions at hindi sa Visayas Avenue.

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http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/Adopt20banner.jpg

Give the Gift of Trees

PhP150 plants two seedlings. Be part of the solution.
With every tree planted, the beat of life continues.


Global problems may be big but they can be tackled by individual actions. Each of us can do something about climate change through tree planting of native tree species. The decisions you make— from turning on a light switch to riding a car or plane— here and now may have
an effect far away and long into the future.

The good news is that through tree planting of native trees we are bringing back the natural sequesters of CO2, and the impacts of climate change are abated. Revival of our rainforests is vital to our survival and ensures water supply for agriculture, energy and our household needs.

For any occasion, when you give a gift to plant native trees, you’ll delight your loved ones. A gift that endures a lifetime and helps make a lasting difference now and for future generations.

Your gift directly benefits Haribon’s ROAD to 2020, a campaign that aims to plant native trees to restore 1 million hectares of forests in the Philippines by year 2020.

For a minimum of two seedlings for PhP75 each, you can support our forest restoration activities in Caliraya Watershed in Laguna and denuded forests around the country. You are welcome to plant your seedlings with us.


Gift Trees are perfect for:

Wedding Favors | Anniversaries
Give trees to your guests as a special reminder of your big day. Your unique and thoughtful mementos will be living memorials that last a lifetime. A thoughtful and appreciated gift today, they go on to make a contribution for generations to come.

Fundraisers
Trees make a unique and appealing fundraising product for your school or organization. Their contribution to the community lasts for generations to come.

Corporate
Promotions | Employee Appreciation | Customer Appreciation | New Accounts| Grand Openings

Gift Trees are a perfect way to promote your company and services to your customers and the community. When you choose Gift Trees, you're showcasing your respect for the Earth, your commitment to the environment, and your concern for a greener, more tree-filled tomorrow.

Earth Day celebrations

Baby gifts

…any and all occasions!

http://www.haribon.org.ph/Road/Adopt-a-Seedling-Campaign

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Why do we have to suffer ?

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/285-APTOPIX_Philippines_Asia_Storm_.jpg

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Waging war against nature: The folly of engineering without understanding STAR SCIENCE By Francis L. De Los Reyes III, PH.D.


In 1991, 2000 people in Ormoc, Leyte died when the Anilao River roared through Isla Verde, as heavy rainfall carried logs and uprooted trees. The culprit was a denuded watershed that couldn’t absorb the water, and what would have been a medium-sized flood became a 10-foot killer flood. The lesson of Ormoc was seared into my brain, as our former dean at UP Los Baños discussed how the river itself has been gradually rerouted over many years by shortsighted land development. The lesson: you can’t fight water, and you won’t win against water with sediment.

As a graduate student in the midwestern US, I was exposed to case studies of floodplains and levees along the Illinois and Missouri rivers as examples of what not to do. The lesson was seared into my brain — you cannot change land use patterns and not expect changes in hydrologic characteristics of rivers and streams. The lessons are painful to recall given the recent catastrophic flooding in Metro Manila; flooding that could have, and should have been foreseen as inevitable.

The development of Metro Manila can only be described as haphazard. The best example is my hometown of Marikina. For many years, it has been touted as a model municipality (and then city), where the local government has done a lot of infrastructure projects. The streets in my neighborhood, including the sidewalks, were all paved, courtesy of city hall. There is very little actual soil left in the public spaces, and even trees that have been growing by the sides of the roads were cut down. Literally, they paved every available surface. My mother was happy, and said that now everything looked clean. I shook my head and said that this was a disaster waiting to happen. At a workshop in UP Diliman last year, I repeated my concerns to a group of engineers from Marikina. I used my street as an example, but realized that the phenomenon was replicated all over the city, and in fact all over Metro Manila.

The most basic equation in flow calculation in watersheds is the Rational equation: Q = ciA, where Q is the peak flow, c is the runoff coefficient, A is the watershed area, and i is the rainfall intensity. What happens to the runoff coefficient c when you make previously permeable surfaces impermeable? Essentially, water that used to infiltrate the soil, percolate to the groundwater, and dampen the streamflow hydrograph is now 100 percent contributing to runoff. Nothing infiltrates — there is no soil or vegetation to absorb any of the water. This was Ormoc on a city scale, not so much with hills and deforestation, but with sidewalks and the war on vegetation. The hydrograph under these conditions tends to change, with an increase in the maximum flow, in a shorter amount of time. In other words, you get higher flows faster — there is no infiltration and water absorption capacity to dampen the effect. Corollarily, the flows also decrease faster, assuming there is adequate drainage.

The problem isn’t only that the runoff coefficient c has changed (to essentially 100 percent for impermeable surfaces). It is also that the rainfall intensity i has and will continue to change given the effects of global climate change. Thus, we can expect higher flows developing at faster rates, translating to more flooding conditions.

The lessons are clear. We cannot continue to alter the land use patterns without expecting changes in other things, such as water flows. We cannot continue to wage war on undeveloped land. This is not just an engineering problem; this is an urban planning problem. How many people can Metro Manila realistically sustain, and under what infrastructure level? We must stop thinking of concrete as the solution to city development. And finally, we need to educate civil engineers and local governments on stormwater issues, basic hydrology, and water resources engineering.

* * *

Francis L. de los Reyes III is an associate professor of Environmental Engineering at North Carolina State University. He conducts research and teaches classes in environmental biotechnology, biological waste treatment, and molecular microbial ecology. He is on the editorial board of Water Research, and was a 2008 Balik-Scientist of the DOST. He is a member of the Philippine American Academy of Science and Engineering. E-mail at fldelosr@eos.ncsu.edu.

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=514116&publicationSubCategoryId=75

[cretinous00]

ok, you don't know how to debate. you're just a charlatan who pastes reames of partial reports and glossy pictures. are you even an engineer?

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Why I like cleaning the Pasig River
FROM THE HEART By Gina Lopez (The Philippine Star) Updated October 18, 2009 12:00 AM

http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=515048&publicationSubCategoryId=86



The Power Of Many


In closing I would like to invite all to take part in the Pasig International Marathon. I am positioning this marathon to be a multi-sectoral statement that we want the Pasig River clean! If thousands upon thousands — from the academe, government, the private sector, families, the religious sector — care enough about the river to run for it — and it is done collectively on that day — I have no doubt that the Pasig will be clean. I need people to make a statement by running. It doesn’t have to be 42 kms. It can be three, five or 10. It can be a cumulative run — meaning, say, 14 of you choose to run in the name of your institute, the 3K route — you will have together run the equivalent of a marathon. I would like to encourage such runs. If you want to run as an individual — that’s great. But if you also run together as a group representing your barangay, school or institution — and put the name of your organization on your race bib — that has punch! When institutions collectively make a statement, that’s powerful stuff. So if you want to run you can register at any Izod or Van Heusen store at the malls or you can e-mail us at ilogpasig@abs-cbn.com. You can also call 416-1911 or 415-2272 loc. 3797.

So by December we will have unclogged Paco. Then it’s on to San Juan and Marikina which sends 90,000 tons of toxic waste to the Pasig River. I need all of Manila to run and provide the energy and momentum so that we can do this in a year. Then it’s on to Tondo, Binondo, Quiapo…

In seven years, if we work together — government, the private sector, the academe, everyone — we will have a cleaner river and a much, much brighter future.

[SCUD.]

ok, you don't know how to debate. you're just a charlatan who pastes reames of partial reports and glossy pictures. are you even an engineer?

Ahaha..

Talaga palang seryoso ka?

Oh well, sige nga at pagbibigyan kita..

Ano nga ulit ang sabi mo?

simple lang sagot dyan. iyong magsasaka ay mababayaran sa mga tanim 'nyang nasira. tutulungan siyang lumipat sa ligtas na lugar, aalokin pa siya ng ng traboho na mas-maginhawa kese pagsasaka.

at kung paga-ari nya ang lupa, makakatanggap siya ng royalties sa pagmimina. yayaman siya, kumita man o malugi and minahan. biro mo...

Unang-una, ang mga kagaya mong nagsasabi na SIMPLE LANG ANG SAGOT DYAN ay simple rin lang ang abot ng pag-iisip? Mag-aral ka pa kuya, marami ka pang hindi alam. Huwag mo rin ipagmalaki sakin ang nag-iisang PRC# mo dahil marami ako niyan.

Ngayon, nasaan ba sa panaginip mo ang salitang PUBLIC CONSULTATION? Aba eh kung talagang marunong kang mag-isip alam mo sana na "basic" yan, may simple kang solusyon ni hindi mo nga alam kung katanggap-tanggap ba yan sa komunidad na maapektuhan ng minahan. Pakiusap lang, tantanan niyo ang mga taong tahimik na naninirahan sa kabundukan. Hindi yan nagpapakalat-kalat sa Kamaynilaan na nagsasabog ng polusyon at basura. Hindi rin yan umaasa sa gobyerno at nagbubungkal yan ng lupa.


Napakadali para sa kagaya mong puro de-lata ang kinakain, na bayaran ang mga tanim ng mga magsasakang sisirain ng minahan. Eh ang mga bumibili ng mga produkto sa bukid, ano ang ipapakain mo? Ang mga kagaya mong puro MINA ang laman ng utak at walang pakialam sa biodiversity ang dapat kumain ng mga gulay na tanim sa kabundukan. Subukan mo, pampatalino yan.


Sabihin mo nga sakin kung sinu-sinong magsasaka sa Pilipinas ang mga nakatanggap ng royalties galing sa minahan?

Ano rin nga pala ang trabahong ibibigay mo sa mga taong pinanganak na magsasaka, lumaking magsasaka at namumuhay na magsasaka? Magtanim ng pechay sa minahan?

[SCUD.]

really? try me.

PRC lic. #1040

Yan lang ba? :lol:

Civil Engineer PRC #82229
Sanitary Engineer #2110
Jr. Geodetic Engineer #5590

Sayang, hindi ko na nairehistro ang upgrade ko sa Geodetic Engr. O siya, kumpirmahin mo na lang yan sa PRC kung iisa lang ang pangalan ng mga yan.

[SCUD.]

The Philippine city of Puerto Princesa is proud to have a leader who has taken a personal interest in the well-being of his people and the environment. ANTONIO GRACEFFO opens our eyes to the progress this city has made through the efforts of Mayor Edward Hagedorn

Written by Antonio Graceffo on 6 Aug 2007

Mayor Edward Hagedorn was not always the progressive leader and supporter of the poor that he is today. In his youth, Hagedorn was a member of the Axis gang, with a reputation for street fighting and violence. Later, he was called the Jueteng king of Palawan. Jueteng was an illegal form of gambling, a lottery with more than one drawing per day. The allure of easy money was too irresistible to the country's poor, 80% of who existed on less than two US dollars per day.

When he ran for Mayor the first time, the Catholic Bishops of Puerto said that they would support him if he promised to put an end to illegal gambling. Hagedorn agreed. After he won, he kept his promise; there is no more Jueteng in Puerto.

Ecology has been a central focus of Mayor Hagedorn's programs. To protect the oceans, he has put a stop to many destructive fishing techniques such as trawling, dynamite fishing and cyanide fishing.

Ending illegal gambling displaced 5000 jueteng workers. A modern day Robin Hood, Mayor Hagedorn put them to work as watchers of forests and coastal areas. The forest watchers have cracked down poaching and logging operations. Patrolling the oceans has dramatically decreased illegal fishing practices, and has had the added benefit of driving off pirates. Fishermen who once destroyed the environment were given micro financing for crab fattening and fish farming.

Mayor Hagedorn flew over the hills in a helicopter to see the damaging effects of slash and burn farming, which was destroying the city's forests. Shocked by the devastation that he saw, he went on the radio and threatened the farmers, ordering them to desist what they were doing and come down out of the mountains. About 1,000 families came down. Now he had to find employment for 1,000 families to replace the income they had lost, otherwise they would go back to their slash and burn practices. He checked with his financial department who told him they had no budget for such a large employment project. There was money in the calamity fund, however. So, he asked the legal department if he could declare a calamity based on slash and burn farming. They basically said there was no provision to that effect. His next question was if there was any legislation that specifically said he couldn't declare a calamity based on slash and burn farming. There wasn't. "OK, I'll take the risk." He said.

The mayor's team decided that the families were using the slash and burn technique as it was the easiest way to plant without equipment. Mayor Hagedorn authorized the city government to buy modern equipment and petrol for the families. He then told them, "The first harvest is free. After that, you will eventually have to pay off the loan."

The Mayor is constantly reaching into his own pocket to give money to the poor, needy, and deserving. "Salaries from Manila are often delayed by several months", explained the Mayor. "So I pay my staff out of my own pocket."

The tangible benefits which Mayor Hagedorn has brought to his city are many, almost too numerous to name: new highways, schools, housing projects for squatters, increased aid to indigenous people....The list goes on. Nearly as important is the intangible effect of having a good government. As a visitor to the city, you will immediately realize that the people of Puerto Princesa are some of the happiest people.

Nearly every two weeks, the Mayor's office plans some type of public event, such as sports competitions, spelling bees, and of course festivals featuring traditional songs and dances. The Puerto Princesa dancers and the city choir find themselves working almost full time, entertaining locals and honored guests. The Philippine dance presentation is a spectacle that you would not want to miss. The program reflects the various ethnicities which make up the Philippine character. It is both rare and refreshing to find a country in the process of modernization which so whole-heartedly embraces its tribal past. In the dance presentation, there is a brief duel between Spaniards and locals. The Spaniards don't fair so well, but after three hundred years of colonization, it is permissible to have a laugh at their expense.

Many of the traditional songs deal with the beauty of the natural environment and fall in line with the Mayor's focus on conservation. The Mayor himself gets up and sings, with his genuine emotion expressed in the song.

The Mayor is approachable by both his constituents and visitors. An anecdote which people like to tell about him is: during one of his reelection campaigns, Mayor Hagedorn made a promise to God that if he won, he would quit smoking. He hasn't smoked since.

A member of our team asked if there was any danger of malaria in the tribal area we were planning to visit. The Mayor laughed. "Don't worry about malaria. I postponed it."

It is no wonder that tourism in Puerto Princesa has grown from 12,000 visitors in 2002 to 148,000 in 2006.

For all of his successful implementations of progressive programs, Mayor Hagedorn was the recipient of the UN Global 500 Award. He was the second Asian leader to receive this much coveted international honor.


http://www.wildasia.org/main.cfm/support/Mayor_Edward_Hagedorn

[cretinous00]

Yan lang ba? :lol:

Civil Engineer PRC #82229
Sanitary Engineer #2110
Jr. Geodetic Engineer #5590

Sayang, hindi ko na nairehistro ang upgrade ko sa Geodetic Engr. O siya, kumpirmahin mo na lang yan sa PRC kung iisa lang ang pangalan ng mga yan.
only sanitary engineering is (mildly) related to the environment. no training in geology, biology or mining.

any masteral degree? ;)

[SCUD.]

^ Pwede na po ba yung units sa ? Hindi ko natapos sa Pilipinas eh.

Aba kung diyan din lang pala ang punta ng usapan, wala ka palang "K" makipagdebate sakin dahil walang kang muwang sa isyu ng Sanitation at Environmental Protection. Eh hindi ka naman kasi Environmental o Sanitary Engineer man lang. :D

O siya, pasok ka na ulit sa kweba.

[SCUD.]

only sanitary engineering is (mildly) related to the environment.


Sa susunod na makikipagdebate ka sakin tungkol dito siguraduhin mo munang may alam ka ha. Kasalanan din nga siguro 'to siguro ng Kongreso dahil sa kabagalan i-upgrade ang mga batas. Tuloy napaghahalatang hindi mo alam ang sinasabi mo.



EXPLANATORY NOTE

With the fast-changing signs of the times and the advent of modern technology, the existing Sanitary Engineering Law that aims to protect public health and environment has become outdated. The scope and complexities of environment pollution have increased and the need for environmental surveillance and protection in the field of Sanitary Engineering has broadened.

Thus, it is the aim of this legislation to enact a measure that will enable the Sanitary and Environmental Engineers to be more effective in dealing with today's environmental and public health problems. This bill seeks to update and upgrade the fifty-three (53) - year old Republic Act No. 1364 to make the practice of Environmental and Sanitary Engineering more relevant to contemporary conditions and challenges. In view of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly requested.

Antonio "Sonny" F. Trillanes IV
Senator




SEC. 3. Scope of Environmental and Sanitaiy Engineer. Under this Act, Environmental and Sanitary engineering may be practiced by a person who renders or offer render professional engineering services in the form of, but not limited to, the following:

1. Consultancy, investigation, valuation, planning, monitoring, construction, installation, manufacturing, research and management of services requiring environmental and sanitary engineering knowledge.

2. Human resources development on environmental protection and sanitation, in consonance with the other engineering disciplines with other paramedical and medical sciences.

SEC. 4. Duties and Responslbllltles. The functions of environmental and sanitary engineer are, but not limited to, the following areas:

1. Public Health - a field wherein services as nosocomical engineering for the health administrative authority are rendered in, but not limited to sanitation, disease prevention and control, and other public health concerns using engineering methods and paramedical measures;

2. Water usage, conservation and protection shall include all aspects in the protection and conservation of water resources, classification of water, protection of watersheds and use of
water;

3. Re-education of the populace on the production of safe water supply, water purifications, water collection, conveyance, treatment and distribution;

4. Storm drainage and wastewater management - water management shall include, but not limited to, waste minimization, sanitary sewer collection, wastewater conveyance and disposal, wastewater treatment plants, sewage treatment plants, and effluent disposal, sewer appurtenances, sewage; lifting stations, leachate treatment, sludge and septage disposal and storm drainage management shall include, but not limited to, run-off collection, storm water conveyance and disposal including storm sewer appurtenances;

5. Solid waste refuse management shall include, but not limited to, waste minimization, storage, segregation, collection, conveyance, treatment and disposal, including necessary appurtenances;

6. Toxic and hazardous substances and radiation - toxic and hazardous substances shall involve engineering works in, but not limited to, manufacturing, processing, storage, conveyance, use, treatment and disposal of products, and by-products such as heavy metals, persistent organic pollutants, priority pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls, poisons, radioactive and nuclear wastes, hospital waste, institutional waste, and agricultural wastes. Radiation shall include, but not limited to, non-ionic and ionic radiation effects, protection, and control;

7. Pollution Prevention and Control - shall involve all aspects in prevention and control of noise, air, water, and land pollution;

8. Life and Safety - shall involve the preservation of life and protection of property against hazards and injurious conditions in, but not limited to, buildings, horizontal developments, air crafts, sea vessels, land crafts, industrial areas, public places and areas,
underground structures for public and private use, recreational places and areas. It shall include construction safety management, management and operation safety, and mitigating measures.

9. Environmental Engineering and Planning - engineering in environmental protection shall include, but not limited to, hydrology, ecology, environmental impact assessment.

[cretinous00]

once more with feelings, what's the most potent greenhouse gas? clue: you probably won't see it in google. :D

[SCUD.]

Uhhh.. your fart?

You can't see it, but you can smell it :lol:

[SCUD.]

AS A MATTER OF FACT By Sara Soliven De Guzman
(The Philippine Star) Updated October 19, 2009 12:00 AM
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=515553&publicationSubCategoryId=64




Is it true that the President is blaming all these devastations to Climate Change? What utter nonsense. Every man and woman in this benighted archipelago, knows that everyone – the President and her Cabinet, the local government including the Filipino people – must answer for every action taken toward the descent and degradation of this country.

We have this Filipino trait that weakens our character – a tendency to avoid blaming others for what has happened and instead choose to be quiet. But this is wrong. We must confront the issues with courage, we must speak up; and therefore, demand that our leaders and our people do something to make the change.

With the recent catastrophes that plagued our nation, our people must begin moving toward a higher level of thinking. We must start ascending and stop descending. Our plight should be toward the “ascent of man”.

Man has the ability to take action. His imagination, his reason, his emotional subtlety and toughness, make it possible for him not to accept the environment but to change it. He can either destroy the environment or protect it. If he is not knowledgeable enough, he will contribute to its decline.

GMA had already ordered the relocation of waterway settlers living on the riverbanks and other high-risk areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. The Philippine Star banner headline even quoted the presidential spokesman, Cerge Remonde saying, “even if it (relocation) would mean losing political support of local government officials.” If we see the mayors seriously take action on this call – then we know they mean well. But if we see shanties sprouting again little by little over the years – then clearly they have no political will.

After these tragedies and devastations, will plunder come to an end? If we can answer “yes” to that inexorable question, then we are on the right track. If, deep down, we realize that the answer is “no,” then we owe it to ourselves to take the drastic, draconian measures designed to pull us out of the nosedive. Action, however, begins always with a policy – and a policy of regeneration and redemption can only come from the heart. All we’ve been served thus far is empty rhetoric.

It’s amusing to see in the newspaper that our Environment Secretary Joselito Atienza has just signed a memorandum of understanding with one of the largest mining firms in China, the Zijin Mining Group. This group even made a courtesy call (last week) to GMA where a palace favorite, National Railway Chairman Michael Defensor was also present. By golly! What has the National Railway have to do with mining? Oh and by the way, these miners want to explore for gold and copper in this already problematic archipelago. Didn’t we just have landslides last week? Sanamagan! We have not even yet resolved the problems of nature and here we are compounding them. What are you doing Madame President? This is such a sad reflection of the chaotic situation we have in our own hearts.

In February 2008 a working group on mining came to the Philippines, and documented six actual and proposed mining locations on the islands of Mindoro and Mindanao. They warned that the large-scale mining proposed for the Philippines threatens to wreak havoc, compounding a legacy of deforestation and habitat destruction.

Our experiences of environmental tragedies and incidents with the mining transnational corporations belie all assurances of sustainable and responsible mining that the Arroyo administration is claiming. Increasing number of mining affected communities, Christians and non-Christians alike, are subjected to human rights violations and economic deprivations. We see no relief in sight.

President Arroyo’s “Mining Revitalization Program” is encouraging further the entry and operation of large-scale mining of TNCs. Alarmingly, the mining tenements granted through the program have encroached into seventeen (17) of important biodiversity areas, into thirty-five (35) of national conservation priority areas, and thirty-two (32) of national integrated protected areas. The promised economic benefits of mining by these transnational corporations are outweighed by the dislocation of communities especially among our indigenous brothers and sisters, the risks to health and livelihood and massive environmental damage. Mining areas remain among the poorest areas in the country such as the mining communities in CARAGA, Bicol and Cordillera Regions. The cultural fabric of indigenous peoples is also being destroyed by the entry of mining corporations.

Unless the problem is immediately addressed and the more urgent of the recommendations carried out, the threat of real hunger becomes quite immediate and real. In fact so many of the poor, have begun suffering.

We need to reaffirm the repeal of the Mining Act of 1995. It is believed that the Mining Act destroys life. The right to life of people is inseparable from their right to sources of food and livelihood. Allowing the interests of big mining corporations to prevail over people’s rights to these sources amounts to violating their right to life. Furthermore, mining threatens people’s health and environmental safety through the wanton dumping of waste and tailings in rivers and seas.

The Philippines must protect and restore its degraded environment and thus enhance and provide a sustainable future for millions of poor people working in agriculture and fisheries. We also believe that the investor community must behave more responsibly in their investment decisions in the Philippines. The environmental effects are catastrophic as are the effects on people’s livelihoods.

The Philippines is one of the 17 countries in the world to be categorized as a mega-biodiversity country. It is also a geo-hazard hotspot, prone to typhoons, earthquakes, landslides and volcanoes. Its environmental sustainability is already under serious threat with the UNDP highlighting the urgent need to properly manage the country’s natural resources if MDG 7 is to be achieved.

The Philippines has relatively strong laws designed to protect the environment, communities and indigenous peoples. The reality, however, is that where investments are concerned the law is too often viewed as a mere technicality to be overlooked or circumvented.

It’s time we took stock of ourselves and took hold of ourselves. We are a nation gifted and blessed with talent, inhabiting 7,100 islands in which a wealth of minerals waits to be wrested from the soil, in which the rice grows and the rivers flow. But we squander everything – our resources, our opportunities, our God-given advantages, and ourselves. We demand leadership from those at the helm of government. Let’s not wait for them or we may have to wait forever.



Kahit ilatag pa ang ganitong mga isyu sa mga supporters ng MINING iniiba nila ang usapan na parang walang nangyayari :lol:

[shellfish]

once more with feelings, what's the most potent greenhouse gas? clue: you probably won't see it in google. :D

pwede ba mag-post kahit walang PRC license? or even masteral degree? :bashful:

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Congrats Philippines sa iyong bagong batas, Climate Change Act of 2009.

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Paalala lang ulit para sa mga interesado. :)

http://i191.photobucket.com/albums/z88/SCUD_1975/afi-pasig.jpg

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Para sa mga interesado at sa mga estudyanteng maraming katanungan tungkol sa mga environmental issues.




Sanitary engineers hold confab, election
(The Philippine Star) Updated November 29, 2009 12:00 AM

MANILA, Philippines - The Philippine Society of Sanitary Engineers (PSSE) Inc. will hold its 2009 annual national convention-general assembly and election of officers for 2010-2011 on Dec. 3 & 4 at the Great Hall, Great Eastern Hotel, Quezon City

Engineer Ronulfo C. Feliciano, PSSE national president, said the convention theme is “Responding to the Challenges of Local Environmental Protection Amidst Global Crisis.” Sanitary engineers, local government officials, faculty members and students are invited to attend, he said.

Speakers will share their expertise on “A Situation Report on Water Supply in the Philippines by the National Water Resources Board,” “The Philippine Sanitation Roadmapping”, “Engineered Sanitary Landfill: Its Current Issues and Concerns” and “Climate Change: Local Impacts and Global Implications.”
For details, contact Christine Ann Guardiano at telefax 434-0591, Bong Fonte at 0915-4118560 or visit the website at www.psse.org.ph