SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/31 March) — The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Caraga has asked Surigao del Norte Governor Sol F. Matugas to order the small scale mining group operating in and near Parang-parang watershed to institute measures to contain mining waste.
In a letter dated March 6, Ester A. Olavides, OIC regional director of EMB-Caraga said based on the site inspection report of her Technical Staff last February 1,“this office concurs with the recommendations of the technical staff that the Honorable Governor shall order the association (Nagkahiusang Gagmayng Minero or NAGAMI) to institute mitigating measures by constructing environmental engineering structures (e.g. series of settling ponds) to mitigate the possible negative impacts caused by this mining operations such as acid mine, soil erosion, siltation and sedimentations of the affected water bodies.”
The issuance of small-scale mining permits is a function devolved to the local government unit (LGU).
Earlier, Benjamin Ensomo, Jr., general manager of Surigao Metropolitan Water District (SMWD) said activities by small scale mining in Parang-parang watershed have caused turbid waters downstream affecting the future source of potable water including the proposed intake dam of SMWD.
He said the water effluents which flowed down to Surigao River obviously pollute the water.
Ensomo said no wonder the Surigao River has become murky.
full story: http://www.mindanews.com/environment/2012/04/01/emb-asks-surigao-norte-gov-to-order-small-scale-miners-to-build-settling-ponds/
SURIGAO CITY (MindaNews/25 December) — Surigao City residents were treated to a pre-Christmas fireworks show after an accidental explosion nearly burned a row of firecracker stores hours before Dec. 25, injuring three persons including a responding fireman.
Firecracker vendor Nasro Manangkiran, 23, said a male customer bought some “kwitis” at around 2:00 p.m. when he noticed that one of the firecrackers was giving off sparks, already about to go off.
When it did, the blast triggered a series of explosions that decimated almost all the makeshift stores lined up at the boulevard, where firecracker vendors traditionally display their wares during Christmas season, Manangkiran said.
The fire devoured some P750,000 worth of firecrackers and fireworks, the vendors estimated.
Vendors and customers scampered for safety but Palawan Caleb and Aga Manangkiran—both vendors—suffered minor burns and injuries. Jimson Esnardo, one of the firefighters who responded to the 2:15 p.m. call was slightly wounded when a firecracker exploded on his leg.
Aga Managkiran, who sustained a wound on his right arm, said he and his family members tried to salvage the other firecrackers in their store, to no avail. He added that the explosion occurred in only a matter of seconds.
Senior Fire Officer 3 Felipe M. Ladaga, who headed the responding team, said up to three fire trucks sprayed water on the exploding on firecrackers before fire was put out at around 2:35 p.m.
Ralph Anthony Rowan, head of the Quick Action Response Team (QART), said they immediately responded to the fire alarm with two fire trucks and two ambulances. The Filipino-Chinese Volunteers Fire Brigade also responded to the fire.
Superintendent Jonatahn G. Trojello, head of Police Station 1 in Surigao City, said that while no one was seriously hurt during the incident, they were verifying reports that one person was rushed to the Caraga Regional Hospital.
He said police were also checking on other vendors who got hurt when they tried to save their stores.
Trojello said some 41 meters of makeshift store of 17 vendors were totally burned out of the estimated 80 meters lining up the boulevard.
As of press time, the authorities were still investigating the incident.
City Officials headed by Vice Mayor Danilo Menor went to the scene to check the incident. He said he is contemplating to stop the sale of firecrackers to the public.
Ernesto T. Kang of City Hall’s Business Permit and Licensing Office (BPLO) said only Aga Manangkiran has a permit to sell firecrackers the rest were called him as illegal vendors.
During the conference yesterday afternoon, City Hall officials declared a temporary suspension in selling firecrackers. (Roel Catoto/MindaNews)
SURIGAO CITY, Jan. 2 (PIA) -- The Surigao Metropolitan Water District (SMWD) Board of Directors recently issued a resolution opposing the petition of Nagkahiusang Gagmay’ng Minero - United Small-Scale Miners (NAGAMI) to declare a mineral land covering an area of 20 hectares located at Barangays Mat-I and Mabini of Surigao City into a People’s Small-Scale Mining Area or ‘Minahan ng Bayan.’
In a board resolution dated December 16, 2011, the SMWD, which operates and manages the water system and is tasked to provide efficient, reliable, safe and potable water supply to the entire city, vehemently opposes the petition which was filed by NAGAMI and was published in the local newspaper on December 5-11 for the reason that the proposed tunnel mining and the Parang-parang Watershed is so close and could easily be encroached by tunneling the area within the watershed boundary which contains high grade ore as evidenced in the previous illegal mining activities.
The Parang-parang Watershed, the main source of water supply of the city, has been declared a protected area by virtue of President Proclamation No. 635 signed in August 29, 1990 by former President Corazon C. Aquino.
The resolution also stated that “the remaining forest cover of the watershed is endangered as cutting of trees to be used as timber support for tunnel mining, bunkhouses and other needs using wooden materials continues and could not be abated.”
“That mining process involves chemicals and other hazardous substances which will contaminate the environment and will surely affect the quality of our water,” it stated.
The resolution further said that "all the effluence, run-off mine and mill waste carrying toxic material will eventually find its course to Surigao River – the future water source of the city.”
The board also argued that the city has been experiencing water shortages for long in spite of several reforestation and protection projects implemented in the watershed; thus, they cannot betray their mandate to protect the source of the city’s potable drinking water. (FEAbkilan, PIA-Surigao del Norte)
SURIGAO DEL NORTE, Dec. 26 (PIA) -– Alert level one was raised early today, in Surigao City and the province of Dinagat Islands following the continuous rains which started Sunday morning, Dec. 25 brought about by a low pressure area West Northwest of Butuan City.
City Vice-Mayor Danilo Menor said an alert level one was hoisted in Surigao City upon recommendation from local Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services (PAGASA) chief Jun Arpon.
A similar declaration was also hoisted in the province of Dinagat Islands (PDI), Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Deputized Coordinator Rosario Roxas said.
With this, the public especially the residents living in low-lying and mountainous areas are alerted against possible flashfloods and landslides.
The local disaster risk reduction and management councils are also alerted for possible pre-emptive evacuation in their respective areas of responsibility.
Based on PAGASA’s 24-hour rainfall observation, amount and duration, the total rainfall in the entire province has reached at 93.0mm.
As of press time, light to moderate rains continue falling in the provinces of Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands. (PIA-Surigao del Norte)
Our very own John Mark “Mon-Mon/Monyx” Libarnes recently received recognition from the Rotary Club of Metro Surigao for his work on www.surigaoislands.com.
The award is long due. Marajaw gajud karajaw. We, Mon-Mon’s friends practically saw when and how he started with the unofficial, laternative website nan Surigao del Norte – “voluntary, unsolicited”, laong pa…something na waya kaw pahimoa, waya sugo-a…waya ra lamang, nagbo-ot-bo-ot an bata.
Aesthetics, purpose, content and all…but more importantly, surigaoislands.com serves as the meeting point nan mga Surigaonon worldwide. Siguro, good for us kay may ato man dinhi sa yahoo/groups, and we have http://www.mainit.org/. pero an mga taga Basilisa, Loreto, Dapa, Alegria, Taganaan, mga taga-siyudad nagkatagbo sa surigaoislands. The guestbook of the website is overwhelming with “musta” “hain na?” “ini ako…”, auntie, uncle, mana, mano…and the Surigaonon entreps took their chances posting buy&sells, ads, services, romances – well, it sure forged businesses or otherwise.
