Senior Deputy Administrator Amethya dela Llana, head of Ecology Department of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said she “will issue a show cause” order to the Philippine Coastal Storage & Pipeline Corporation (PCSPC) for the fuel oil slick that currents carried across the pristine waters of Subic Bay.

“I will call for a technical conference when I issue a show cause”, dela Llana said.

Diesel is considered as “one of the most acutely toxic oil types” that can taint and impact marine life like fish, crabs, sea weeds and corals, but may also affect birds “by direct contact”.

According to dela Llana, the slick “might be diesel” based on the pictures taken by Subic Bay News from 11:03 AM to 12:24 PM showing the fuel oil slick, estimated a hundred meter long and around 15 meters wide at some point, travel several kilometers from the PCSPC ports to the shores of Subic Bay International Airport (SBIA).

PCSPC did not respond to messages sent by Subic Bay News to inquire on the matter.

PCSPC denied the possibility of their piers being the source of a spill, according to dela Llana, when she called the company’s attention.

“Ako po mismo ang nagtanong,” she said, but was told “no operation and wala pong barko ang Coastal (PSCPC) ngayon”. However, it appears that PCSPC lied to dela Llana because at least three vessels were at the company’s piers on Thursday morning, namely MT Jag Parth, MT Chelsea Excellence and MT Hoya Grace.

The source of the spill may not necessarily have come from vessels, though, as it could also have come from PCSPC’s own fuel pipes on the piers leading to and from the company’s several storage tanks with a total capacity of around one billion liters.

PCSPC, also referred to as Coastal, may face stiff fines and penalties, on top of a tarnished image if found responsible for the Maundy Thursday fuel oil spill in Subic Bay. (VVV) ###

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga — Some 800 sea turtle or “pawikan” hatchlings were released by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Subic Bay and the coastal areas of San Narciso and Masinloc towns in Zambales.
The release was part of the annual celebration of “Pawikan Day” which primarily aims to promote marine turtle protection and conservation efforts.
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Executive Director Ralph Pablo said the olive ridley sea turtles are important to the ecosystem.
“Their existence is an important indicator of a balanced and healthy marine life,” he pressed.
Pablo likewise urged communities to help DENR in protecting marine species and other wildlife by reporting illegal activities, especially wildlife trade, to the authorities.
Olive ridley, also known as the Pacific ridley, is the second smallest and most abundant species of sea turtles in the world. It thrives in warm and tropical waters, primarily in the Pacific and Indian Oceans.
In Central Luzon, these species nests in the coastal towns of Morong in Bataan, San Antonio in Zambales, and in some coastal areas of Aurora.
Due to their vulnerability to extinction, the species are protected by Section 27 of Republic Act 9147, otherwise known as the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” which prohibits collecting, hunting, and possessing of wildlife and their by-products and derivatives.
Anyone found guilty of violating the law shall be imprisoned to a maximum of two years and shall be fined of up to P200,000, if inflicted against endangered species. (PIA 3)

To ensure the conservation of future generations of Philippine eagles and their territories, and allow new generations to thrive and co-exist with other threatened wildlife, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), calls on all Filipinos to help protect forest habitat.

In a press release issued on Tuesday, DENR Assistant Secretary and concurrent BMB Director Marcial Amaro Jr. said that as the country celebrates the 25th Philippine Eagle Week (PEW) from June 4 to 10, the department looks back at its achievements in conserving the iconic and critically endangered Philippine eagle for a quarter of a century now.

Amaro said that by conserving national patrimony, the DENR-BMB improved and harmonized conservation efforts and has put forward strategies to curb the direct and indirect threats to Philippine eagle populations. He said relevant conservation actions include habitat restoration, law enforcement, management of captive and wild populations, research, and conservation education.

“The habitats conserved locally and protected by communities significantly contribute to environmental stability and security of human well-being, in the looming threats of climate change,” Amaro said. However, Amaro said more work needs to be done to ensure the survival and viability of the prized raptor which is considered a “national treasure.” He said the Philippine eagle, whose scientific name is Pithecophaga Jefferyi, is continually being threatened by hunting and loss of habitat. In line with the celebration, several activities were held that include an art exhibit showcasing artworks depicting the Philippine eagle by Filipino artists, among others.

Amaro said the artists themselves even paid a registration fee that will be donated for the installation of a water system to a community that helps protect a Philippine eagle habitat in Davao City.

In September last year, DENR Secretary Antonia Loyzaga called on lawmakers to prioritize the passage of proposed measures to help strengthen Republic Act (RA) 9147, or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Loyzaga said the support of lawmakers in the amendment of RA 9147 is crucial in advancing collective efforts and initiatives to sustainably manage the country’s wildlife resources. The Philippine eagle is endemic to the Philippines and is the largest forest raptor in the country.

Found in the islands of Luzon, Samar, Leyte, and Mindanao, the majestic bird has been classified as critically endangered under Department Administrative Order 2019-09 or the Updated National List of Threatened Philippine Fauna and Their Categories, and by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Its uniqueness, strength, and love of freedom reflect the qualities of the Filipino people, that in 1995, the critically endangered Philippine Eagle became a national emblem through Proclamation No. 615. (PNA)

TRENTON, Canada – Air quality alerts continued Thursday for most of Canada as smoke from hundreds of wildfires blanketed the country.
Millions of Canadians have been told to stay indoors, and forecasts for the most populated area in Toronto and the region predict the smoke will increase through the end of the week.
As of Wednesday, 414 wildfires were burning, including 239 out of control. That’s up from 211 wildfires reported at the end of May.
Thousands of firefighters from around the world, including from the US, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico and South Africa are battling the fires.
Wildfire season begins in early May as protective snow melts and lightning strikes and careless campfires ignite tinder-dry forests that cover much of the country.
Fires in northern Quebec forced more than 11,400 people from their homes on Wednesday and more evacuation orders are expected to be issued soon, officials said. About 155 fires have been reported.
Premier Francois Legault said Wednesday that fires burning in the northern and western areas of the province will mean those evacuated will not be able to return to their homes until next week.
In British Columbia on the west coast, the second-largest wildfire in provincial history covered 310,805 hectares as of Thursday morning. About 80 wildfires were reported.
Moving eastward across the country, wildfires are still burning in Alberta – about 70 currently – and Saskatchewan but have lessened from peaks in May.
In Ontario, Environment Canada rated the air quality in the Canadian capital of Ottawa to be the worst in the country on Wednesday.
In Nova Scotia on the east coast, about 16,500 people were evacuated at the peak of a wildfire that threatened the capital city of Halifax and more than 150 homes were consumed.
Between March 1 and June 5, it is estimated that 2,214 fires have consumed 38,000 sq.km., making this year on track to be the worst in Canadian history. (Anadolu)

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT – The Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA), thru its Ecology Department, has chosen the Missionaries of Charity in Olongapo City to receive the proceeds from the recently concluded 11th Recyclables Collection Event (RCE) early last month.
According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino, 32 wards and 15 house parents from the Missionaries of Charity in Olongapo City would benefit from the proceeds amounting to P35,000 from the various forms of waste materials collected during the said event.
“With the collected wastes sold, we earned P35,000 and bought items such as shampoo, lotion, soap, towel, adult diapers, baby powder, and other household items such as alcohol, dishwashing liquid, detergent, toilet cleaner and fabric conditioner. We have turned over these items to the nuns of the Missionary of Charity to help provide much needed essentials for the beneficiaries,” he said. Aside from the aforementioned items, the beneficiaries were also given milk, biscuits, candies, chips, juice, hotdogs, and chickens. “And to make their Christmas brighter, we also bought lechon for their Christmas party,” he added.
The 11th RCE is an annual event of the agency wherein companies inside the Subic Bay Freeport Zone turn over their wastes, including hazardous and electronic waste, which will be sold. The money earned from the collected wastes are then given to a local beneficiary.

Two globally endangered black-faced spoonbills (Platalea minor) have been spotted here this week.
Rhoel Marcelo, ecosystem management specialist of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Ilocos Norte, on Tuesday showed to the media a photo of the birds with their long black spoon-shaped bills and faces covered in black skin instead of avian feathers.
“The spoonbill is the only species that has the most restricted distribution and the only one regarded as globally endangered,” he said.
Marcelo said the photo of the spoonbill was taken by Richard Ruiz, a member of the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines based in this city.
Ruiz said he was monitoring a private fish pond in Barangay Gabu that is frequented by migratory ducks and birds when he noticed two larger birds that were mixed among a faraway flock of smaller Black-winged stilts.
The birder had previously spotted a mandarin duck, another sign of migratory birds going off their usual path.
“This [spoonbill] is one of the species that we are monitoring in the DENR. We are glad that someone was able to document it in the province,” he said, adding that the birds might have come from Hong Kong or mainland China.
According to the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), only less than 2,700 Black-faced Spoonbills remain worldwide. They are listed as endangered and one of the protected species in China, Taiwan, North Korea, South Korea and Japan.
Last Jan. 13, the DENR and the Wild Bird Club of the Philippines conducted the Asian Waterbird census at the Paoay Lake Natural Park in Ilocos Norte.
Based on the latest bird census, the Paoay Lake is frequented by a variety of bird species like the Little Grebe, Great Egret, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, Philippine Duck, Tufted Duck, White-browed Crake, Common Kingfisher, White-collared Kingfisher, White-throated Kingfisher and Great Cormorant.
This year, Marcelo reported that they were able to count 3,792 waterbirds from 22 species.
Compared to last year’s 3,794, Marcelo said they were able to document new migrants this year such as the Brown Booby and the Cinnamon Bittern including a returning Whiskered Tern which was last recorded at the Paoay Lake wetlands in 2015 and 2016.
According to the DENR, the presence of waterbirds is one of the key indicators on whether wetlands, such as mangrove areas, are still ecologically healthy. (PNA)

Subic Bay Freeport—A coral garden nursery and pawikan preservation site will soon rise in this premier Freeport.
This is in an effort to preserve the nesting site of marine turtles and launch a coral garden nursery in the waters of Subic Bay, the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) and other stakeholders inside this premier Freeport signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) at the All Hands Beach Resort on Friday.
According to SBMA Chairman and Administrator Rolen C. Paulino, the sea turtle nest preservation and coral garden nursery construction is in partnership with DENR’s Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO), PNP Regional Maritime Unit 3, Brighterday Subic Ltd. Inc., and the Sangkalikasan Producer Cooperative.
“The SBMA aims to restore balance in our ecosystem, which will also be beneficial to our tourism industry. We want to preserve the wildlife inside the Subic Bay Freeport while maintaining the area as the number one tourist destination in Central Luzon,” he said.
He said that All Hands Beach Resort is one of the tourist destinations in Subic Freeport that has maintained a good balance between tourism and eco-conservation. The top agency official said that his first mandate was to clean the Boardwalk Area.
“It is not just the responsibility of the agency to clean and preserve the ecosystem of the Subic Bay Freeport Zone. This should also be the responsibility of the various stakeholders here,” he cited.
PENRO Zambales Director Marife L. Castillo said that the month of May is the Month of the Ocean and what better way to celebrate the month than to establish a coral garden nursery. The garden is a coral augmentation project that aims to proliferate corals within an area.
She said that the agency will provide assistance in monitoring and managing marine turtle hatcheries, solicit active participation of stakeholders in the project, rehabilitate degraded marine turtle habitats by enhancing recovery of mangroves and coral reefs, and installation of a wildlife enforcement officer.
Brighterday Subic Ltd. Inc., the company that owns and operates the All Hands Beach Resort has collaborated with the SBMA and the DENR in the implementation of the marine turtle nesting site project inside its resort.
Brighterday Chairman Mark Dayrit said that the resort has already released around 8,000 sea turtle hatchlings since it opened in 2012. Under the MOA, the company will ensure the vigilant monitoring of pawikan sightings and coral augmentations.
Dayrit added that the company will also provide logistical support to the SBMA Harbor Patrol in the conduct of maintenance and protection activities.
Meanwhile, Sangkalikasan Producer Cooperative is set to conduct baseline assessment and monthly monitoring of reef buds. The cooperative will spearhead the actual conduct of monitoring, maintenance and protection of the site of the coral nursery garden.
Meanwhile, Regional Maritime Unit 3 chief Police Col. Fernando L. Cunanan Jr. said that aside from their usual mandate as police officers, part of their duty is to protect the environment.
He said that his unit has arrested thousands for illegal poaching, and 30 people involved in the illegal trade of wildlife. The official said they cannot do this without the help of the community, citing that to protect the community needs the involvement of each and every one.
The signing ceremony included the coastal cleanup drive wherein “Scubasureros” pick up trash in the waters near All Hands Beach Resort.

Have you ever wondered how and where to dispose of old or broken mobile phones, mobile phone chargers, power cords, commercial batteries, earphones/earbuds, calculators, printer ink and toner cartridges, small gadgets, and computer wiring?

SM Supermalls, through the SM Cares Program on Environment and supported by SM Cyberzone, has recently launched its Electronic Waste Collection (EWC) Program.

This corporate social responsibility and sustainability initiative encourages mall shoppers, communities, and individuals to bring their old gadgets and other e-waste for proper disposal by accredited hazardous waste collection partners.

SM City Olongapo Central, SM City Olongapo Downtown and all SM malls nationwide have their own E-waste collection box where customers can bring their e-waste every day during mall hours.

For SM City Olongapo Central, it’s located at the 4th level Cyberzone and for SM City Olongapo Downtown, at 3rd level near service elevator. Every year, the world produces more electronic waste (e-waste) due to advancements in technology that shorten the average life spans of gadgets and electronics.

According to the Global E-waste Monitor 2020 report, the world generated about 53.6 million metric tons (Mt) of e-waste in 2019, a 21-percent jump from 44.4 Mt in 2014. It is projected to increase to 74.7 Mt. by 2030.

What makes e-waste worse compared to most other types of waste is that, if not correctly disposed of, it can release dangerous chemicals like lead, mercury, and lithium, which are toxic to the environment, most especially to humans.

Exposure to these chemicals can lead to life-threatening complications such as poisoning, immune system disorders, and even cancer. Hence, it is essential to dispose of e-waste responsibly and in an organized manner.

Not only will this help ensure human safety and health, but it will also help minimize the negative impact of its disposal on the environment. According to Engr. Liza B. Silerio, SM Supermalls Vice President for Corporate Compliance and Head of SM Supermalls Program on Environment and Sustainability, SM is committed to continuously look for ways and means to better care for the planet and to support the communities where malls are present, including addressing the growing problem of e-waste.

She said that they must collaborate with the community and work together to promote responsible solid waste management and the proper disposal of hazardous wastes.

“We cannot do it alone, and we will need everyone’s help,” she added. Aside from the SM E-Waste Collection Program, SM’s other initiatives for the Environment include the Trash to Cash recycling market every first Friday and Saturday of the month, across all SM Malls; the Plastic Waste Collection program, in partnership with Plastic Credit Exchange; water recycling across all of its malls; the use of solar energy; the annual Green Film Festival; and the AweSMSeas campaign on marine plastic pollution, in partnership with USAID and PRRCFI, to name a few.

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO, Pampanga – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Central Luzon (DENR-3) office here has collected more than 39,000 kilograms of wastes at the northern part of Corregidor Island in line with intensified efforts to clean and rehabilitate the Manila Bay.

Paquito Moreno, Jr., executive director of the DENR-3, on Thursday said the initiative conducted over the weekend is aimed at keeping the Corregidor shoreline clean as this serves as the entry point to Manila Bay in the southern part of the region.

“Through this initiative, we are preventing waste from reaching our jurisdiction, especially those which may be carried in our shorelines during high tides,” Moreno said in a social media post.

Solid wastes including styrofoam, food wrappers, packaging materials, plastic bottles, fishing nets, ropes, and slippers were collected by the DENR, together with partners from Philippine Coastguard Station in Lamao and Corregidor Island, Philippine Navy, Philippine Marine Corps Coastal Defense Regiment, Corregidor Foundation Inc., Philippine Ports Authority, Philippine Information Agency in Bataan, Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office of Mariveles, and Barangay Lamao in Limay.
Moreno said although Corregidor Island is part of the Calabarzon region, it is geographically nearer to Mariveles, Bataan.

Meanwhile, the official called on the public to properly segregate their waste at home to protect river systems in the region from pollution.
So far, the DENR regional office has collected more than 18 million kilograms of waste from 8,772 cleanup activities in Bataan since the start of the Manila Bay cleanup and rehabilitation program in 2019.
Apart from Bataan, massive cleanup drives are also launched in other major river systems and tributaries of Manila Bay in the provinces of Bulacan, and Pampanga.

A total of 125 trash traps were installed in Bulacan, Bataan, and Pampanga to prevent solid wastes from reaching the coastlines of Manila Bay.

Of the 190-kilometer stretch of Manila Bay, 142 kilometers are within Central Luzon, traversing the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan. (PNA)