An injured Eastern grass owl (Tyto longimembris) was recently turned over by a concerned citizen in Manapla, Negros Occidental.
The bird was found by a concerned citizen in the sugarcane plantation at Hacienda Rosita, Brgy. 1, Manapla. It was Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office (MENRO) Chief Victor Lapidez of LGU Manapla who turned over the Eastern grass owl to CENRO Cadiz City on May 9, 2023 and was received by Rezel S. Purisima, CENRO Cadiz City’s wildlife unit chief.
Upon initial physical assessment of CENRO Cadiz City personnel, the bird was found to have sustained an injury on its left wing. Then, CENRO Cadiz City personnel brought the owl for treatment and observation at Cadiz City Veterinary Office. Dr. Josue Rabang, the city vet did the treatment and observation.
As of presstime, the grass owl is now under the custody of CENRO Cadiz City for proper care and rehabilitation before its release back into the wild.
Eastern grass owls are usually found in tall grasses so a sugarcane plantation is a good hideaway. They are also seen in swampy areas, grassy plains and even on sedges on flood plains. They would prey on small mammals, particularly rodents.
“Owls, like all other birds, are very much a part of our diverse ecosystems and play vital role in the check and balance of the natural environment. Whenever we see them, let us be careful not to harm or kill them,” said Livino B. Duran, regional executive director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Region 6.
The National Women’s Month Celebration (NWMC) every March is part of the worldwide observance to honor and give importance to the women in our society. Here in the Philippines, the NWMC is celebrated by virtue of Presidential Proclamation No. 227 series of 1988. Thus, the whole month of March is dedicated to the achievements and hard work of the Filipino women. This month is also the time to raise awareness about domestic violence, sexism and other violence which affects the physical and mental health of women.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Region 6 has celebrated Women’s Month since the 90’s, usually with activities that highlights the achievement of women in the environment. This year the DENR 6 and its field offices had undergone series of activities in support to NWMC.
Kicking it off on March 1, the DENR 6 and its field offices had a simultaneous hanging of streamer, unveiling of their Gender And Development (GAD) Activities wall and One Billion Rising Dance.
GAD quiz, GAD talk show, Gender Sensitivity Training, GAD presentation contest and GAD culminating program are the activities handled by the Regional Office conducted in March.
“This is the venue for us women to prove ourselves that we are the partners of men on whatever development we have for this country and for the Department,” said Forester Edna B. Locsin, Gender and Development (GAD) Program Regional Focal Person and Chief, Planning and Management Division (PMD).
The Provincial ENR Offices (PENROs) and Community ENR Offices (CENROs) also conducted their selected NWMC activities for the month, to wit:
PENRO Aklan initiated activities during the celebration of International Day of Women on March 08, 2023 such as, pampering spree for women employees (foot spa and hair cut), distribution of seedlings, Handog Titulo, and giving of soup and collaterals with printed NWMC theme.
PENRO Antique conducted a Multimedia Literacy Training via Zoom platform to equip the personnel and staff with the basic Powerpoint and Map Layouts skills.
PENRO Capiz conducted the bagging/potting session at DENR Provincial Nursery every Friday of the month.
PENRO Guimaras pampered its employees with TESDA manicurists and masseuses, and offer health services under the activity dubbed as Serbisyo para kay Juana.
PENRO Iloilo through its CENRO Guimbal opens “Tindahan ni Juana,” where CENRO Guimbal personnel and the community display and sell their farm and local products. This is a way of showing gratitude to the women who exerted effort to raise their families with their livelihood.
PENRO Negros Occidental conducted bagging activity wherein 2,500 seed bags were prepared by the PENRO and the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) employees and on-the-job trainees.
“All those activities we have conducted benefit not just the women, but all members in the community. Our women are considered as primary caregivers of the children and elderly in our community, thus they play an important role in helping shape us and mold us to the kind of person we are right now,” Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran said.
“This month of March is dedicated to their hard work and importance. This is also to raise awareness and prevent violence against women and children and chaning the mindset through the gender equality advocacy,” he added.
In this modern world, women are seen to engage in works and activities that in previous decades only men are allowed. A modern woman is someone who accepts challenges, manage a community or even a country and stand up in front of a man rather than following them. /DENR 6
The Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Sara has recorded the first encounter of Hawksbill turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) spotted laying its eggs along the shoreline of Bantigue Islet, Brgy. Gabi, Gigantes Island, Carles, Iloilo on March 5, 2023.
CENRO Sara constantly monitoring and coordinating with the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Carles thru the office of Municipal ENRO to keep track the progress and refrain tourists from visiting the nesting site. Expected hatching will be late April to mid-May, this year or within 45-75 days after laying.
Furthermore, a tagging and release of trapped Green Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas) was done at the coastal area of Brgy. Cabasi, Guimbal, Iloilo on April 17, 2023. The activity was conducted by CENRO Guimbal personnel spearheaded by CENR Officer Vivente T. Mellizas, Jr.
It was tagged with PH 1768M and has a length of 43cm, width of 36cm and weighs 25 kgs. It was seen trapped in the fishing gear by Mrs. Lalaine Gelvoleo, resident of Brgy. Cabasi last April 16, 2023 and informed the CENRO Guimbal for rescue and release.
The Hawksbill turtle are tagged as Critically Endangered, while the Green sea turtle are tagged as Endangered by the international Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
The DENR in Region 6 is always reminding the public the importance of balanced biodiversity and constantly encouraging reporting similar cases to the authority for proper action and to fully ensure proper protection of their population.
In its continuous campaign to free the region’s protected areas of illegal structures and occupants, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 6 and the Community ENR Office of Cadiz City in Negros Occidental has issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) and stoppage of an illegal construction within Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP), located at So. Pakol, Brgy. Celestino Villacin, Cadiz City.
The structure is a two storey concrete house with 20 feet x 30 feet in dimension. It is owned by a certain Florante Halipa while the lot claimant is Mr. Francisco Villanueva. With the structure situated within the jurisdiction of NNNP-Multiple Use Zone (MUZ), a Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) Clearance or Permit from the DENR-Protected Area Superintendent (PASu) Office was required and should have been obtained prior to the construction.
Without the required legal documents, the team of CENRO Cadiz immediately installed Notice of Violation (NOV) signage which stated: No Building Permit, No SAPA, No ECC and No PAMB Clearance or Permit from the NNNP PASu office.
NNNP is located at the northwestern part of Negros Island within the Province of Negros Occidental and is home to the threatened and endangered endemic species such as the Negros bleeding heart dove, Visayan warty pig, Visayan spotted deer, and Red lauan.
Section 18 of Republic Act 11038 or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act states that it is unlawful for any person to occupy or dwell in any public land within the protected area without clearance from the PAMB and could warrant a fine of P200,000 to 1P million and/or imprisonment of one to six years.
“By the name itself, protected areas should be protected. We at the DENR always remind the public that it is important to protect and conserve our precious natural resources. By doing so, we work hard towards the attainment of sustainable development for all,” DENR 6 Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran said.
Encroachment of forestlands in NNNP is continuously addressed and monitored by the Environment Department as it installed public notices and signages in strategic locations across the protected area to deter them from selling and buying forestland areas. /DENR 6
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) which is mandated to protect, conserve and manage all terrestrial plants and animal species, all turtles and tortoises and wetland species, including crocodiles, waterbirds and all amphibians and seacow or dugong, calls for the public to turn-over rescued animals to the authorities especially to the wildlife authorities, and not keep them as house pet.
The management of DENR Region 6 is grateful for the series of turned-over species in the region. Regional Executive Director Livino B. Duran also emphasizes the importance of these species in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem to both floras (plants) and faunas (animals).
On February 07, 2023 a rescued Brahminy kite (Haliastur indus) locally known as Dapay was turned-over to the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) Barotac Nuevo by the Municipal (ENR) Office of Dingle from Barangay Bonloy Dingle, Iloilo.
Ten days after, on February 17, 2023, one Reticulated python (Malayopython reticulatus) was turned over by the Local Government Unit (LGU) of Guimbal, Iloilo to CENRO Guimbal, after it was found at a dike in Brgy. Poblacion and was caught by one of the residents. The python is temporarily in custody at the Wildlife Rescue Center at Kirayan Tacas, Miagao, Iloilo.
Meanwhile, two (2) juvenile Visayan leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis rabori) was turned-over by Mabini Farm School teacher, Ms. Masa Lavada to CENRO Cadiz City in Negros Occidental on February 14, 2023.
“The turned-over species are a living proof that there is a good number of concerned citizen who are aware of the importance of these species to our ecosystems. They won’t harm when you don’t hurt them, they play an important role to help our ecosystems in balance,” said RED Duran.
