MindanaoStar The Purveyor of Truth, Justice and Development
Volume II, No. 8
Impacts of El Niño to be felt from October to April 2015 CAGAYAN de Oro City The Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (DOST-PAGASA) says impact of El Niño will be felt in October up to April of next year. Anianita Fortich of DOST-PAGASA Mindanao during the Bukidnon Disaster Risk Reduction Management Summit said that farmers can still con-
ROTARY INTERNATIONAL
THE FOUR-WAY TEST of the things we think, say or do
1. Is it the TRUTH? 2. Is it FAIR to all concerned? 3. Will it build GOODWILL and BETTER FRIENDSHIP? 4. Will it be BENEFICIAL to all concerned?
Prepare for El Niño dry days – PAGASA web portal: www.businessweekmindanao.com
Saturday-Sunday
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ilipino farmers face drought at the tail-end of the year or as early as June. “The current El Niño-Southern Oscillation condition is still neutral but we are expecting that it will transition to El Niño in the middle of the year,” said Thelma A. Cinco of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).
See impacts, page 11
Dipolog City launches “no plastic” ordinance By Mary Mae Abellon
“Meaning that based on current conditions, a fully developed El Niño is highly possible towards the end of the year,” she said. Cinco heads PAGASA’s Impact Assessment and The pebble beach in Sitio Looc, Barangay Punta Bilar in Surigao City offers a good place for enjoyment to these Application Section, Clima-
DIPOLO G City - The city government here has launched City Ordinance 13-245 regulating the sale, distribution or use of noncompostable plastic bags including styrofoam products. beach goers. The activity started with a motorcade from the city hall going to the city boulevard and a program was followed discussing the main points of the said ordinance. This ordinance shall be implemented within the facilities of the city government and other establishments like the central
MindaNews
See downfall, page 11
Roel N. Catoto
The DENR has welcomed the latest Pulse Asia survey showing an increase in the level of appreciation by the public of the Aquino administration’s efforts to protect the environment. The poll, conducted among 1,200 respondents from march 19 to 26, showed that the national government’s approval score in
The downfall of the plastic bag
MMC Director Fr Mars Tan SJ, XU trustee Ms Ma Teresa R Alegrio and XU President Fr Roberto Yap SJ unveil the building marker of the new XU Marine Station
XU opens Marine Station in Solana, Jasaan CAGAYAN de Oro City - Xavier University formally opened the Xavier University Marine Station in Solana, Jasaan, Misamis Oriental on May 6. The Marine Station will be managed and supervised by the XU McKeough Marine Center (MMC). “This facility has been given to us to serve our community and care for
photo by
See pagasa, page 11
DENR hails growing public awareness on government efforts to protect environment
See dipolog, page 11
Nearly 2 million plastic bags are used every minute worldwide. That’s a trillion single-use plastic bags each year. The concern is that these plastics bags are used only once – then disposed with little or not much recycling. Instead, they end up in garbage dumps, in rivers and seas, in pretty much of the environment. Over the last century, plastic has taken over the planet. On the one hand, plastic seems a miracle material, with beneficial uses ranging from medical devices to making vehicles lighter and more fuel-efficient. On the other hand, it is a
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May 10-11, 2014
our environment,” said XU President Fr Roberto Yap SJ during the blessing of the Marine Station. The XU Marine Station will support researches in biology and marine biology, and related studies on the sustainable development of the environment. Adjacent to the Station is an Activity Center equipped with a multi-purpose hall,
cottages, dormitory, kitchen and a store room for meetings, public presentations, fora and training workshops related to marine research and social outreach. There is also a field site, fronting the Marine Station, which hosts marine resources and other ecosystems. It will serve as a site for training in basic See marine, page 11
the issue of “stopping the environmental degradation and abuse of our environment” improved considerably compared to the December survey, from 41 to 48 percent. Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje said the seven-percentage point increase was a testament to the growing See denr, page 11
Environmental groups protest NSWMC’s waste-to-energy guidelines employing incineration By Azer N. Parrocha Two environmental groups on Friday expressed disapproval of the National Solid Waste Management Commission (NSWMC)’s proposed waste-to-energy (WTE) guidelines that allow incineration as it is contrary to both ecological and waste management principles. In a joint statement, the Philippine Earth Justice
Center (PEJC) and EcoWaste Coalition indicated that the NSWMC should instead fully carry out its mandates under the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or R.A. 9003. The PEJC and EcoWaste clarified that they are not against WTE per se, but only against WTEs that employ incineration. According to a letter See protest, page 11
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