Razon to finance DENR’s 1,800-ha. reforestation project

By Rio N. Araja

WITH help from Solaire Resort and developer and Manila Water Co. Inc.

owner Enrique Razon Jr., the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will reforest a 1,800-hectare area of the Upper Marikina River basin protected landscape for water security, watershed protection, and forest carbon and biodiversity management.

Mounting teenage suicides alarm solon

By Maricel V. Cruz

A LAWMAKER has raised concerns over the increasing number of suicides and attempted suicides among students.

Anakalusugan Rep. Ray Reyes adverted to a Department of Health (DOH) study in 2021 which showed that 17 percent of children and adolescents reported having thought of committing suicide.

The DOH report further enumerated that the suicide ideation number has risen from 597,000 in 2013 to 1.5 million kids in 2021, with only seven percent of that number seeking help from their parents or guardians as opposed to 25 percent seeking advice from their peers.

“This is alarming. Our children spend most of their time learning to navigate life from what they learn at school. Their young minds are still in their formative years, and with the data showing that our children prefer seeking help from their friends than their guardians only show that professional help is much needed,” said Reyes, vice chair of the House committee on health.

The Senate hearing earlier this month revealed that at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic more than four hundred students committed suicide, while over 2,000 attempted suicides in School Year 2021-2022 alone.

“We’re very glad for this new effort on the part of the public and private sector to address the very complexity that we are facing in terms of risks for the country. The private sector is among the leading engines of growth for the country, and we would like very much to continue exploring this type of multi-stakeholder partnerships to move the agenda of the department forward,” DENR Secretary

Antonia Loyzaga said.

The DENR chief and Razon of the Prime Infra-led WawaJVCo Inc. recently signed a memorandum of understanding, deemed a“a milestone partnership,” in line with the vision and mission of the DENR and the Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) framework of Prime Infra integrating sustainability thinking in resource management and decarbonization strategies.

The establishment of the Consortium aims to support the agency in developing a roadmap to expand governance developed through the COVID-19 pandemic for genomic surveillance of other pathogens that could significantly impact public health, a statement from the DOH said.

The conference included consultative discussion on mapping current genomic capacities and capabilities, challenges and opportunities in the Philippines which underscore the governance arrangements within and across organizations, funding to support public health genomic activities, reporting of genomic data and use for public health decision making or implementation of activities, and the role of enablers and barriers.

Willie Casas

BOC seizes P1.5-b fake luxury items in Pasay

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) has seized some P1.5 billion worth of counterfeit items during a raid at a warehouse in Pasay City.

Operatives of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service-Intellectual Property Rights Division (CIIS-IPRD) conducted the raid at the building situated at 127 F.B. Harison Street corner Fernando Street based on the Letter of Authority issued by Commissioner Bienvenido Rubio.

The confiscated items include several boxes of counterfeit products bearing the brands Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Adidas, Supreme, Tory Burch, Skechers, and Birkenstock, among others.

The operation was conducted with the assistance from the Philippine National Police - Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (PNP-CIDG).

Commissioner Rubio took note of the importance of coordinating with different government agencies, as well as the hard work of Customs officials in bringing success to every operation.

“Our people target, detect, intercept, and thereby prevent the entry of these contraband items before they can do any harm to our markets. Joel Zurbano

BI

nabs Sudanese in human organ trade

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) officers have arrested a Sudanese man allegedly involved in human organ trafficking.

Operatives from the BI’s intelligence division (ID) nabbed Badreldin Elzaki Ibrahim El Habbib, 44, in Makati City.

He was apprehended pursuant to a warrant of deportation issued by BI Commissioner Norman Tansingco, following a Summary Deportation Order issued in 2013 against El Habbib for undesirability.

In 2009, the BI received a request from the government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), informing the agency about El Habbib’s involvement in organ trafficking, victimizing patients in KSA.

He was said to have enticed and recruited Saudi nationals needing kidney transplants to have it in the Philippines, but ended up swindling his victims.

He was previously arrested in September 2009 but was released for posting bail, and had remained at large since.Vito Barcelo