BPP IEC team reveals Lake Mainit issues during consultation visit, LMDA to strengthen its advocacy

Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte – The Biodiversity Partnerships Project (BPP) Information Education Communication (IEC) team Mr. Ben-Hur Viloria, the Project Officer and Mr. Procopio Resabal, the IEC Specialist recently paid visit to Lake Mainit Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) to conduct site consultation for the developing communication strategies last December 20 and 21, 2012. On the meeting transpired at the SB Session Hall. Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte, Mr. Resabal, while presenting the rationale of their visit which is to develop communication strategies for the biodiversity conservation in agricultural landscape, he also revealed the current issues that they got during the actual survey and interview with the Marginal Farmers Association (MAFIA) in San Roque, Kitcharao, Agusan del Norte.

These major issues include the dwindling of fish catch, fish deformity and contamination, water pollution due to improper waste management and presence of rice fields along the lake, and catching of wild birds. The team elaborated that some people they interviewed said that they experience low caught of fish and some fish they caught have skin disorder while others have deformed body, which they assumed to have been contaminated with chemicals. Some people they interviewed with also assumed that water pollution with chemicals from mining might be the cause of fish skin disorder and its body deformation. The team also revealed that the Magpayang river, which is one of the major tributary rivers to Lake Mainit from barangays of Tubod and also from Mainit areas has very dark water. Some people they interviewed with said that the Greenstone Mining Corporation who operated in Barangay Siana, Mainit, Surigao del Norte may contribute the water pollution by releasing their plant processed waste during the midnight. The mining plant tillage might overflowing to rivers and to lake. They said that although these were heresy, the information must be verified.

Mr. Arturo Cruje, the PPDC of Surigao del Norte and OIC LMDA Director said that the report must be verified with the authorized agencies like the MGB and the EMB. He said that there was a report in previous year related to the mining operations in Mainit that allegedly affect the overflowing of water to Mainit due to the release of water from Greenstone. Ms. Ma. Rebeca Bagnol, the Provincial Agriculture representative said the BFAR will be conducting water quality assessment with the EcoFish project which includes the Lake Mainit area as one of the project site. (continue)

SB Mainit, Jabonga call authorities for water quality testing against alleged mining effects to Lake Mainit

The Sangguniang Bayan of Mainit, Surigao del Norte and Jabonga, Agusan del Norte recently alleged the mining operation to have effect on the fish kill lately happened in the Municipality of Mainit on April while fish deformation, malnourishment and the extinction of freshwater prawn locally known as “uyang” or “ulang” and the freshwater shrimp commonly called as “isik”. The SB revealed the allegation during the visit and presentation of the BPP by LMDA staff last November 23 and December 3, 2012 respectively.

The allegation from SB Mainit

Hon. Bernabe Mantilla informed LMDA that Mainitnons felt that there was mining effect of the Greenstone Mining operation on the current fish kill occurred last April 2012. Mr. Barillo, the BPP Project Coordinator who presented on the session last November 23, 2012 said that LMDA was already informed of the incident and collaborate it with the DENR.

The Presiding Officer Hon. Michael Mozar said that their office invited the Greenstone to present the situation of the mining operation. However, he admitted that SB office have lack of technical know-how on the real cause of the fish kill. He suggested LMDA, BFAR and DENR, the right authorities to help them find if mining has something do to with the fish kill. Mr. Barillo said that the SB suggestions will be taken to LMDA and other right authorities.

The revelation from SB Jabonga

Hon.  Sebastian Bermudez informed that there is alarming observation about the vanishing of “isik” recently happened in Jabonga. He said that years before, the passengers travelling to Surigao and Butuan cities knew that they already arrived in Barangay Bangayan part of Jabonga, Agusan del Norte since they felt odor from the “isik” that were sundried along the national highway but now we can no longer see it anywhere in the Jabonga. Moreover, he also personally observed as a local fisherman that he caught malnourish “pijanga” (local name of freshwater Gobby) and Tilapia. He describes that pijanga and tilapia he caught have big heads but small body, which he called it as malnourished fish.  He also informed that he caught fish with damaged skin, which he thought to have affected by cyanide. (continue)

Surigao Norte, DENR, LMDA mipahigayon og Workshop on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Comprehensive Land Use Planning

SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Nob. 12 (PIA) -- Ang probinsya sa Surigao del Norte uban sa pakigtambayayong sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources, mipahigayon og usa ka orientation-workshop on Mainstreaming Biodiversity in Comprehensive Land Use Planning ngadto sa mga munisipyo sakop sa Mainit Lake, bag-ohay pa lamang didto sa Philippine Gateway Hotel, Surigao City.

Ang pagpahigayon sa maong orientation-workshop nahisubay sa Biodiversity Partnership Project (BPP) sa DENR nga i-implementar sa mga miyembrong munisipyo sa Lake Mainit Development Alliance (LMDA) didto sa Sison, Tubod, Mainit, ug Alegria sa Surigao del Norte ug Kitcharao, Jabonga, Tubay ug Santiago sa Agusan del Norte.

Ang mga parisipante sa maong kalihukan mao ang elective officials, municipal planning officers, municipal agriculturists ug environment officers, engineers, fishing technicians, foresters ug technical staff gikan sa mga line agencies.

Ang maong kalihukan gipasilitar sa Project Management Unit sa DENR-Manila ug gipundohan sa United Development Programme ug gisupotahan usab ni Surigao del Norte Gov. Sol Matugas, ang kasamtangang chairperson sa Lake Mainit Development Alliance, ug co-chaired Gov. Erlp Amante sa Agusan Del Norte. (Arturo M. Cruje, PPDO-Coordinator/PIA-Surigao del Norte)
(From: http://www.pia.gov.ph/news/index.php?article=1721352702992)