August 19, 2009

Livelihood keeps farmers coming back to danger zones
By Rey M. Nasol

GUINOBATAN, Albay – Farmers tending their crops near the danger zones can’t easily give up their source of livelihood amidst the confusing state of unrest of Mayon Volcano as reported by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

Gemma Orcena, a market vendor here said that her commodities are harvested from Barangay Mabalod, a village along the slope of Mayon Volcano some 8 kilometers away from the crater. “If we will leave our farms, our crops might be stolen and we would lose our livelihood and it would be very difficult unless an alert level 3 is raised where assistance from the government or other donors would start to compensate for our sources of income,” Orcena explained.

Orcena said that her family tends to their crop which is within the 7 kilometer extended danger zone which is some 30 minutes walking distance from their village there on the slope of Mayon.

In Camalig town, Mayor Carlos Baldo also told reporters in a brief discussion over the weekend that it is true that even in the villages within the Camalig area, there are farmers who won’t just easily give up farming and assured that they are given warnings and are encouraged to be very vigilant and constantly heed warnings from the disaster officials through the mass media.

Joey Manzilla, a 37 year old farmer of Barangay Sua, Camalig town said his farm is near the boundary of Miisi and Anoling, both within the 6-kilometer permanent danger zones “Because there is apparently no signs of immediate eruption, I see to it that I have a new set of batteries in my transistor radio and listen to the news all throughout the farming hour which we usually spend early morning until around 10 am and in the afternoon from 3 pm till dusk,” he said.

Manzilla said his livelihood is helping him send his two sons to the elementary school and give his family ample income for food and other needs. “Based on previous eruptions, we don’t keep a hard head heeding the warning especially when an evacuation is ordered because we are assured of relief assistance during stay at the evacuation centers while those earlier residing in Miisi and anoling were transferred to their relocation site at Barangay Tagaytay and our village (Sua) is outside the danger zones.

Another resident from Barangay Miisi who sought not to be named said “We are very used to the abnormalities of Mayon and we are confident of the disaster officials warning us and constant vigilance is our strategy for our lives and limited stay at our farms save us from hunger.”

Mayon is under alert level 2 for more than one month since July 3 which means the condition is alarming although no definite prediction as to when it will blow its top.

Governor Joey Salceda reiterated the warning that the 6-kilometer permanent danger zones and the 7-kilometer extended danger zones are hazardous to lives in case of an eruption based on the recommendation from the Phivolcs.


Bid for wage increase pushed in Bicol
By Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY -- Hot debates for the long awaited increase in the minimum wage rates are still being conducted by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE)-Bicol and the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productiveity Board (RTWPB).

Bicol RTWPB chairman and concurrent DOLE-Bicol regional director Ernesto Bihis said “Series of wage consultation conferences in provinces of Masbate, Catanduanes, Camarines Sur, Camarines Norte and Albay are being undertaken to determine whether or not an increase is due this year.”

“We conduct this wage hearings yearly to assess if a wage increase is necessary or if the existing wage order will stand,” Bihis explained.

Workers here are speculating of the amount that may be added in the increase but the DOLE & RTWPB will remain silent until the study is finished.

DOLE Asst. Reg. Dir. Irma S. Valiente ensured Bicolanos that deliberations on the issue of wage increase is the priority of DOLE and its Wage Board.

Valiente added that this is not an easy matter and should be studied thoroughly since the fate of the workers will depend on these talks.

“We would like to let the public know that this is not a simple job and a lot of factors must be considered.

“The matter of wage increase entails a delicate balancing act of weighing the needs of workers against the employer’s capacity/ability to pay,” Valiente added.


Scientists fear collapse of Mayon crater
By Rey M. Nasol, Inquirer Southern Luzon

LEGAZPI CITY—Scientists fear a collapse of a portion of Mount Mayon’s crater, which holds an estimated 200,000 cubic feet of rocks, could cascade hazardous materials toward a barangay lying in the southeast sector of the volcano even without a major eruption.

Eduardo Laguerta, resident volcanologist of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said Thursday that residents and farmers in Barangay Buyuan in this city could be put to danger once this part of the crater collapses.

He said that during the past 24-hour observation period on Thursday, there has been a resurgence of volcanic quakes from an apparent lull during the past few days. The number of quakes increased to 20 on Thursday compared to four recorded on Wednesday.

“There were 20 volcanic quakes and 14 of them are of low frequency characterizing the presence of magma and the high frequency quakes that tell us of possible small rock collapses or the degassing process,” he added.

He explained that the presence of magmatic movement toward the crater could cause a sideward force that would trigger the collapse of this portion of the crater.

The seismic data obtained from Mayon has been accompanied by intensified crater glow and sulfur dioxide emission measured at 210 tons per day on Thursday. Emissions were recorded at 287 tons per day on Wednesday.

Result of the latest ground and aerial surveys showed there is still cause to maintain the alert level 2 status.

“Definitely there is no chance to lower the alert status to level 1 because Mayon is in a very abnormal condition and the crater glow manifests not just convective heat from the gases from beneath but heat from magma that is moving upwards,” said Laguerta.

Alert level 2 means a state of unrest that could lead to ash explosions or eventually to hazardous magmatic eruption.

The Phivolcs strongly recommends that the 6-kilometer radius Permanent Danger Zone (PDZ) around the volcano and the 7-km Extended Danger Zone (EDZ) on the southeast flank of the volcano are off-limits due to the threat from sudden explosions and rockfalls from the upper slopes.

Active river channels and those areas perennially identified as lahar prone in the southeast sector should also be avoided especially during bad weather conditions or when there is heavy and prolonged rainfall, added the bulletin from Phivolcs.




Climate change awareness pushed for LGU development plans
By Rey M. Nasol

LEGAZPI CITY – The spreading of awareness on climate change issues are now being pushed down the local levels to mitigate its impact and incorporate this important issue into development planning efforts in Albay province.

“A worksop is going on here until Thursday which focuses on climate proofing the development plans of partner local government units to come up with a preliminary analysis of climate change risks as well as initial adaptation strategies to adjust the local plans,” Manuel Rangasa, Project director of the Center for Initiatives on Climate Change Adaptation (CIRCA) in Albay said.

Albay governor Joey Salceda also told media here that the technical planning of LGUs on climate check platforms should focus on adaptation and mitigation in the community and in homes. “There is a need to translate the burst cliate change into technical and technology and people to respond. As early as possible all planning officers must be knowledgeable on these issues so that they can give proper advice on the matter.”

The governor said that climate change the biggest obstacle in the attainment of the Medium Development Goal (MDG) and needs prompt action by stakeholders.

The Climate Check for Local Platforms being held from Aug. 18 to 19 at the PDCC conference hall with officials of the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety from Germany is a program developed that can be modified for partners to integrate climate change aspects in their works.

“Representatives from the 15 towns and 3 cities of Albay are expected to become aware of the issues in relation to their respective localities and be able to understand concepts on proofing mechanisms and its tools as well as to develop ideas of how to apply climate proofing tools to their work reality,” said Ilona Porsche, environment and climate change technical advisor of the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ).

On the other hand, Jojo Elvira said that the climate change has taken its toll to the agriculture sector with its big blow on crops and even on livestock which has not fuly recovered since Reming in 2006.

Elvira explained in a press conference Monday afternoon that Agriculture is the main industry in Albay, which produces such crops as coconut, rice, sugar and abaca. “The effects of climate change can drastically affect our local farmers if the issue would not be addressed promptly particularly on its impact to agriculture.”

Handicrafts is the major source of income to rural communities which contributes fairly large share in the small-scale industries of the province. Forestry and papermaking are another source of livelihood.

The manufacture of abaca products such as Manila Hemp, hats, bags, mats and slippers is one of the main sources of income in the rural areas. Fishing is also done along both shores of the province. Tourism, primarily because of Mayon Volcano, also draws income for Albay. “You see the climate change as a very wide effect to our province and that includes infrastructures that need to adapt to new designs that would withstand stronger typhoons and calamities. But the most directly hit by calamities is the agriculture,” Elvira explained.

Elvira particularly cited the case of swine production in Albay that has no longer been able to recover yet since Reming. “Another hindrance is the swine flu that has driven the fear among farmers to pursue their businesses,” he said adding that the Albay Agriculture Rehabilitation Task Force is doing measures to help the farmers cope with their problems.

Elvira said that his office will slate a National Livestock Summit in albay Astrodome on September 16 to 18 “there is a need to address issues such as food security, intersectoral linkages, international trade, emerging diseases, animal welfare, rural development, research and Biotechnology that is why we are pushing for the summit.”