Somewhere in the Camagsilangan village in this town is an unusual bridge – about four meter high and five meter long. It is surrounded by trees and accessible only by a trail with a thick wall of thicket.
When I saw it, what came first to my mind was the Stonehenge of England – those hefty standing stones that could have been used (historians say) by pre-historic Englishmen for religious purposes or as an astronomical observatory.
But the Stonehenge was manmade, archeologist Willy Ronquillo of the National Museum said. This one is a natural geologic formation, which makes it more wonderful. At least for me.
Indeed, the bridge, short as it is, evoked awes in those of us who saw it one late afternoon last week. The sun was just about to set and walking along trails that led from one cave to another left us perspiring and tired. Read more
Filed under environment, tourism sites by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
A New Year Story
(This story was written on January 1, 2008. It was for a national daily. But then, it was not published, so I’m posting it here. Yeah, I know it’s late! But there must be a lesson somewhere…)
The Earth shook, large firecrackers exploded with roaring noises, thick smoke rose into the air.
It’s 12 o’clock in the afternoon of January 1, the time and day Pogo Grande village in Dagupan City welcomes the New Year – perhaps the only village in the county that celebrates new year just as everyone is woozy from the past night’s revelry.
For more than 10 years this village has been holding the activity, said barangay chair George Galvan. It was started during the term of then chair Saturnino Siapno when the residents who manufacture firecrackers wanted to explode their unsold products.
It has grown grander yearly, he said. This year, a total of 75,000 firecrackers were strung together and hung above the street or lined along the road of Centro of Pogo Grande. In the western part of the village called Sagur, another 50,000 firecrackers were also exploded. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment, police matters by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
I know a place…where there’s peace and quiet, beauty and repose
It’s hidden in the valley, beside the mountain spring
And beside the spring, I know that I can dream…
–excerpts from a Girl Scouts’ ditty
Somewhere along the slopes of Mt. Balungao , hidden among towering forest trees and an all-natural and wonderful panorama, is the Balungao Hot and Cold Spring Resort.
It’s not a so-hidden place as it lures tourists both from the province and other places the best of what Mother Nature can offer. Still, it’s a perfect hideaway from the daily rigors of life and the spring waters, with its sulfur content, is said to be medicinal which can cure some physical ailments.
Mt. Balungao is an extinct volcano (we hope) in Balungao town, visible from the Rosales town highway towards Manila . From afar, it makes for a mystical view as one wonders what secrets it veils with thick canopy of trees. Up close, a secret is revealed—a natural health spa of hot and cold springs. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment, tourism sites by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
ALAMINOS CITY – Illegal fishing seemed to have raised its ugly head again with 21 persons involved in the trade caught by the city police, public order and safety office and bantay dagat members in the past days.
The police have filed cases of violation of anti-illegal fishing laws against the illegal fishermen, according to Supt. Rogelio Danoli, city chief of police.
Mayor Hernani Braganza said the suspects are not from the city but from neighbor towns Anda and Sual.
He said 14 of the suspects were from Anda and were operating a baby trawl using fine-mesh nets at the waters off Telbang and Victoria villages when caught by patrolling police and Bantay Dagat last June 9.
Danoli said a total of 345 kilos of assorted fish worth P17,000 was confiscated from the illegal fishers, and which were donated to charitable institutions.
Three other fishermen were caught using push nets or kayakas in local dialect which also use fine mesh nets. They were fishing in a seagrass protected area, also violating the city’s fishery ordinance.
Braganza said the four suspects were caught selling illegally-caught fish in the city market, allegedly brought from Navotas, Bulacan.
“We are denying market to illegally-caught fish,” Braganza said.
On Tuesday and Wednesday, the fishery personnel of the city dismantled fish traps along the navigational lane of the city and Anda.
Braganza said the fish traps’ owners, who have been operating without business permits, and are endangering persons navigating the area.
The fish traps, locally known as “pababing” also contribute to siltation in the area as they hinder water flow, he added.
The fish traps’ owners earlier complained that thieves usually beat them to the traps’ catch, and that these are empty when they come to harvest the fish.
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
The United States may open its market to Philippine mangoes, with that country’s agriculture department funding a survey to find out which mango-producing areas have no incidence of mango seed and pulp weevils.
Provincial Agriculturist Joe Almendares said the project titled enhancing the export competitiveness of the Philippine super mango is being undertaken by the US Department of Agriculture through the Bureau of Plant Industry.
“Areas found to be free from the pest will be issued a weevil-free certification and their produce can be accepted to the United States , but these should also be free of banned chemicals like chlorpyrifos and cypermetrin which are used as pesticides,” Almendares said. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
It is back to the basic for corn farmers in this province with the provincial government vigorously pushing for the use of biological control methods to combat pests affecting cornfields.
Governor Victor Agbayani said there was a need implement the Integrated Pest Management, one component of which is biological control method, as a measure to protect the environment and as an alternative for the farmers who cannot afford the expensive commercial pesticides.
Provincial Agriculturist Jose Almendares said his office has been mass producing friendly insect earwigs (Euborellia annulipes) which feeds on all stages (eggs and adults) of corn borers, and which will be sold to corn farmers starting this planting season. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
(This is a press release of the Alaminos City)
British bird watcher Jonathan Hornbuckle surprised everyone in the city in his first visit here last Wednesday but by the end of the day, it is he who was astonished of what he saw.
Hornbuckle, acclaimed as the world’s second top bird watcher was armed with high-tech digital camera, a telescope and a book called A Guide to Philippine Birds when he arrived at Lucap Wharf, the jump-off point to the Hundred Islands.
He was accompanied by Professor Jerry de Villa of the Bird Watchers Association of the Phils., Judge Irma Boncodin of Regional Trial Court Branch 57, Camarines Norte and Engr. Ismael Najera, city general services officer. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
Liquefaction (noun) is defined by a dictionary as the process of becoming liquid. A virtually unfamiliar word to city residents before July 16, 1990, it became a household word when an Intensity 7.7 earthquake struck in the city on that day.
It may be a simple word, but it gave a great lesson to the residents who found out that the land they stood on can liquefy and that vehicles, houses, big buildings and everything can just sink on the watery and sandy ground.
At about past four o’clock (Daylight savings time) in the afternoon of that day, the ground furiously shook for almost a minute. Every vehicles and structures and trees violently swayed back and forth while the parts of the ground alternately opened and closed. When the first tremor stopped, water gushed forth from the Earth and almost the entire city was inundated with at least knee-deep water. Read more
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
Alarmed by the growing number of charcoal makers who contribute to the depletion of forest trees in eastern Pangasinan towns, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Urdaneta City launched a program to wean them from the forests.
The Sagipin ang Puno, Mag-ipon ng Diaryo aims to collect old newspapers and used papers from local government and private offices to be sold for recycling, and the money be used to initially fund the establishment of socialized fuel wood plantations.
“This project will provide alternative livelihood source for charcoal makers while saving our forests,” said Leduina Co, Cenro of Eastern Pangasinan, said.
Co explained that while charcoal-making is illegal, many poor people depend on it for a living. Through the newly-launched project, the Cenro will identify charcoal makers who will be tapped to plant seedlings in the socialized fuel wood plantations in the different towns.
They will also be organized and be the ones who will harvest the mature branches of the trees once matured, Co said. The trees to be planted are ipil-ipil and madre cacao which are known to be good charcoal materials.
Several government offices, banks and civic organizations pledged their commitment to the project during the launching.
Mayor Amadeo Perez Jr., saying it may take long to come up with the needed amount, pledged P20,000 as initial fund. He lauded the project, recalling the days of his youth when the city was full of trees and clear water flowed from the irrigation system called Tangal Amerikano.
“The project is very much needed now,” Perez said.
Co said a ten-hectare fuel wood plantation would cost P230,000 to establish in three years. We need 46 kilos of newspapers (at P5 a kilo) to come up with the amount.”
Aside from unabated charcoal making, the other problems confronting the forests of eastern Pangasinan are overpopulation, illegal occupancy, clearing for agricultural purposes, poverty, timber poaching, forest fire, erosion and others.
“We are bringing to you the problems. It may be embarrassing to admit it but the DENR cannot solve these problems on its own,” Co said.
Filed under Uncategorized, environment by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
Mango and bamboo, which rhyme and exist together to propel this city’s economy, were “honored” by the residents during the Mango and Bamboo Festival on April 29.
This city (pop: 170,000) is known as the biggest producer of mango in Pangasinan, the number one province in the production of the national fruit in the country, said Mayor Julian Resuello.
About 2,200 hectares of land in the city are planted to mango with an estimated 200,000 trees, with about 150,000 already fruit-bearing.
But aside from producing the sweet fruit, San Carlos is also known as a trading center of mango, Resuello said. “Only 20 percent of mangoes traded in the city are produced here, while 80 percent are from other towns of the province.”
Many city residents have mastered the technology of mango production and are hired in other provinces for their skills. “They know the technology starting from growing mango trees to flower induction to marketing the fruits,” Resuello said.
Mango producers from the city are scattered to over 13 provinces with mango orchards, he added.
However, the city has no processing plant for mango and the fruit is sold fresh locally and internationally.
Bamboo is another gift of nature to this city with about 150 kilometers of rivers and creeks crisscrossing it. “The banks are planted to bamboo which the residents turn into furniture like sala sets and beds, decors and bahay-kubo,” Resuello said.
The city has a market exclusively for bamboo products and traders usually come to buy wholesale. The idea of building transferable bahay-kubo actually came from a city resident.
The city grows bamboo known locally as “kawayan tua” and “kawayan bayog.”
At least 17 barangays are involved in bamboo crafts, Resuello said.
Filed under Uncategorized, environment, business ops by Yolly Sotelo Fuertes.
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