Church executive hails DENR action on 23 mining operations

An executive of the social arm of the Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines lauded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for the recent closure of a number of mining operations across the country.

The DENR issued the closure orders against 23 mining firms, most of them operating in near or within the functional watersheds and coastal waters, based on the final results and recommendations of the multisectoral audit teams formed to look into the compliance of mining operators with the existing environmental laws and regulations.

“Truly, mining in watershed and fragile island ecosystems should not have been permitted! The government is serious in repairing its gross mistake in the past - where all that matters is the corporate interests at the cost of the environment,” National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines Executive Secretary Fr. Edwin Gariguez said.

“(Secretary) Gina Lopez should be confirmed by the Commission on Appointments for standing to what is right and in defending people's well-being, over and above corporate greed," Father Gariguez added.

Meanwhile, companies that are affected can file for a Motion for Reconsideration (MR) to the DENR within 15 days from receipt of the order and still be appealed to the Office of the President.

The list of mining companies affected by the closure can be seen on through this link: http://bit.ly/2kfQhEy.

A recipient of the 2012 Goldman Environment Prize,  Father Gariguez is known for leading an 11-day hunger strike with Mangyans in Mindoro to stop the mining operation of the Norwegian firm Intex in 2009.

He is now involved in Yolanda Rehabilitation efforts for survivors which also included those who survived the monster storm in Coron, Palawan.

These rehabilitation efforts are part of the Catholic Church's three-year program in nine provinces with focus on ecosystem recovery and livelihood promotion. #

07 February 2017

Coron project attracts beauty queens

QUEZON CITY, January 21 --- There is a post-Yolanda rehabilitation project in Coron, Palawan that is a magnet for international beauty queens.

Gabrielle Isler, Ms. Universe 2013 during a 2014 visit in Coron (CordAid)

The Integrated Watershed Management for Climate Resilience in Coastal Communities Project, run by the Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid (Cordaid), is set to be visited by reigning Ms. Universe Pia Wurtzbach this Saturday.

Before Pia, Ms. Universe 2013 Gabrielle Isler made a similar visit organized by Cordaid in 2014.

The project, supported by the National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines, Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay-Social Action Center (AVT-SAC), the Municipality of Coron and the Miss Universe Foundation, has been empowering women and Indigenous People by building their coping capacities in the face of climate, disaster and environmental risks through locally appropriate and culturally sensitive techniques of land and water management.

Apart from improving coping capacities, participating women are also trained in climate resilient livelihood programs such as vegetable farming and handicraft production.

A beneficiary tends to her veggie garden in Coron (CordAid)

Cordaid, an international humanitarian organization and member of the Caritas Internationalis confederation, has operated in the country since 2013 in response to Super Typhoon Yolanda. (LP/NASSA/Caritas Philippines)

Post-Yolanda rehab project sa Coron, dinadalaw ng mga beauty queen

LUNGSOD QUEZON, ika-21 ng Enero  --- Hindi man natuloy ang mga kandidata ng Ms. Universe sa Palawan, dadalaw naman ang kasalukuyang Ms. Universe na si Pia Wurtzbach sa nakabibighaning Coron.

2013 Ms. Universe Gabrielle Isler ng Venezuela (gitna). Larawan galing sa CordAid

Pupuntahan ni Pia ngayong Sabado ang Integrated Watershed Management for Climate Resilience in Coastal Communities Project sa Barangay Malawig na isa sa mga lugar na naapektuhan ng Bagyong Yolanda.

Sa Noong 2014, dumalaw at nakiramay din ang 2013 Miss Universe na si Gabrielle Isler sa Coron sa imbitasyon ng CordAid (Catholic Organization for Relief and Development Aid). Malalim ang partisipasyon sa nasabing proyekto ang isang kumunidad ng katutubong Tagbanwa na karamihan ay mga kababaihan.

Sa pagdalaw nina Pia at Gabrielle, nababatid ng mga kababayan sa ibang panig ng bansa at maging sa buong mundo ang sinapit at kalagayan ng mga nakaligtas sa Bagyong Yolanda.

Ayon kay Fr. Edwin Gariguez, ang Executive Secretary ng National Secretariat for Social Action (NASSA)/Caritas Philippines, katanggap-tanggap sa Simbahang Katolika ang proyekto dahil nilalayon nitong bigyan kaalaman, kasanayan at kumpiyansa ang mga kababaihan at mga kababayang katutubo.

Pinangangasiwaan ng CordAid ang proyekto kabalikat ang Simbahan Katolika sa pamamagitan ng NASSA/Caritas Philippines at ang Apostolic Vicariate of Taytay-Social Action Center (AVT-SAC).Sumusuporta rin ang pamahalaang bayan ng Coron at ng Miss Universe Foundation.

Dahil sa proyekto, nahahasa ang kakayahan ng mga kababaihan para malagpasan ang mga bantang panganib mula sa kalikasan, nagbabagong klima at kalamidad.

Isang sa mga benepisyaryo ng proyekto na ininspeksyon ang kanyang gulayan sa Coron

Ito ay sa pamamagitan ng paggamit ng mga paraan ng pangangasiwa sa lupa at katubigan na angkop at katanggap-tanggap sa kulturang katutubo.Bukod, nagkakaroon ng pagkakataon ang mga benepisyaryong katutubo na matutunan ang mga gawain tulad ng paggugulay at paggawa ng handicrafts para mayroon silang kabuhayan.

Ang CordAid ang isa sa mga samahan tumulong sa mga kababayang pininsala ng Bagyong Yolanda. (LP/NASSA/Caritas Philippines)