US provides add’l P10-M aid to Mindoro oil spill response

MANILA – The United States government is providing an additional PHP10 million (USD183,700) in assistance to support Oriental Mindoro’s oil spill management and environmental assessment.

The U.S. Embassy in Manila on Friday, March 24 said the support would be used to train fisherfolk displaced by the fishing ban as “citizen scientists” who can conduct coastal habitat assessments in the province.

Through its partnership with the ABS-CBN Foundation Inc., the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), will also assess and monitor the impact of the oil spill on the coastal communities in the Verde Island

Passage.

USAID Philippines Mission Director Ryan Washburn had earlier handed over the first batch of personal protective equipment, hygiene kits, and spill cleaning supplies to Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor.

“Many communities in the province depend on the tourism and fisheries industries for their livelihoods, and we know that this makes the recent oil spill in your waters an even bigger crisis,” he said during his visit to Oriental Mindoro this week.

“As your enduring friend, partner, and ally, the United States remains committed to support your journey to recovery, and to continue our partnership toward the protection and conservation of this region’s rich coastal and marine resources,” he added.

Dolor extended his gratitude for Washington DC’s “timely assistance” and assured the country that Oriental Mindoro would maximize USAID's donations to reach as many families as possible.

The U.S. government is actively assisting the Philippines’ response to the oil spill.

Earlier this week, a team of experts from the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration arrived in Pola town to provide subject matter expertise in the cleanup.

The U.S. has also provided satellite imagery and modeling applications to help the Philippine Coast Guard and the University of the Philippines-Marine Sciences Institute estimate the trajectory of the spill. (PNA)

9 of 10 Filipinos have experienced climate change impacts - SWS

MANILA – A new Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed that around 9 of 10 Filipino adults, or 93 percent, have personally experienced climate change impacts in the last three years. The SWS survey conducted Dec. 10 to 14, 2022 specifically found that 17 percent of the respondents have experienced severe impact of climate change, 52 percent felt moderate impact, while 24 percent experienced little impact.

Only 6 percent said they did not experience any impact of climate change. The same survey showed that 88 percent of Filipinos believe that they could do something to reduce climate risks.

Around 76 percent said humanity could do something to stop or slow down climate change if everyone really tried, while 23 percent believe that climate change is beyond humanity's control, SWS reported.

SWS said there is a very high public awareness of selected solutions to reduce the negative effects of climate change, including planting trees, saving electricity at home, walking, cycling, or taking public transportation, recycling and throwing away less food.

The Fourth Quarter 2022 survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 adults (18 years old and above) nationwide.

Respondents included 300 each in Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

The sampling error margins are ±2.8% for national percentages, ±5.7% each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.

Meanwhile, Senator JV Ejercito urged the government to act with urgency and enhance resilience and adaptability to the effects of climate change.

Ejercito’s Senate Bill No. 2027, or the Climate Change Emergency Declaration Act, mandates government departments and agencies to “immediately and efficiently cooperate in taking practicable measures to preserve and protect the environment.”

These are the Climate Change Commission, National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council; Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration; and