Latest news with #DENR
The Independent
24-05-2025
- General
- The Independent
Why Filipinos are upset at removal of beloved cat from hiking trail
A feral white cat, often spotted on Philippines' third-highest mountain peak, has been removed by authorities, sparking a flurry of online protests from the animal's fans. Pugal, the cat with distinct orange markings seen on Mount Pulag in northern Philippines, became popular after her photos were shared online by hikers and campers who stopped to play with her. Photos of Pugal also showed it entering the campsites where hikers often called her the orange tabby of Mount Pugal. However, the cat was confirmed to have been removed from the area by environmental officials who said the area was a protected landscape due to its rich biodiversity. Cats are categorised as an invasive species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. 'Pugal is now being taken care of by one of our Pulag Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) staff. A veterinarian is being sent to check on the cat,' the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said in a statement on Sunday. The move came shortly after a local outlet – Cordillera Sun – called the cat 'an invasive predator that needs to be removed from the area'. 'Is it cute and adorable? Yes. But it's also an unwanted predator. It's an invasive species that hunts down native and endemic wildlife that live within the Mount Pulag Protected Landscape. These include birds, small mammals like cloud rats, and small reptiles,' the outlet wrote. This has caused the celebrity cat's followers to condemn the move. 'Lol haha a harmless small animal is a threat now? I think your concerns are misdirected, DENR. There are TONS of problems to focus on,' said a Facebook user on the post by DENR. Another user commented: 'It is deeply disappointing that while animals simply try to enjoy their natural habitats, some tourists continue to damage these ecosystems through careless behaviour and pollution.' 'Environmental expert say cats should not be allowed to roam free in the wild because they pose significant threat to native wildlife and ecosystem. We also cannot be sure that they would be safe from larger wildlife and predators when left on their own. They can be exposed to different kinds of illnesses, or be a carrier of diseases into the wild,' Heidi Marquez-Caguioa, programme director of the Animal Kingdom Foundation, was quoted as saying by the South China Morning Post. Animal welfare organisation Furvent Animal Rescue and Advocacy, located near Mount Pulag, said they have played a role in the cat's rescue. The cat is now reported to be in good health and will be receiving veterinary check-ups, said Lovely Tuazon, founder of Furvent.
South China Morning Post
24-05-2025
- General
- South China Morning Post
Removal of Philippines' beloved ‘sherpa cat' Pugal sparks heated debate
The removal of a beloved cat regularly seen roaming the hiking trails of one of the Philippines ' highest peaks has sparked heated online debate between advocates of animal welfare and wildlife conservation. The affectionate feral cat, named Pugal, gained online celebrity status after photos circulated of it cosying up to hikers and even entering campsites on Mount Pulag in northern Philippines, the country's third-highest summit. However, environmental authorities confirmed that the animal was removed from the area, a declared protected landscape due to its biodiversity. 'Pugal is now being taken care of by one of our Pulag Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) staff. A veterinarian is being sent to check on the cat,' the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said on its Facebook page last Sunday. The department's actions followed a post by a popular local outlet called the Cordillera Sun, which referred to Pulag as 'an invasive predator that needs to be removed from the area'. 'Is it cute and adorable? Yes. But it's also an unwanted predator. It's an invasive species that hunts down native and endemic wildlife that live within the Mount Pulag Protected Landscape. These include birds, small mammals like cloud rats, and small reptiles,' it wrote.
Tatler Asia
22-05-2025
- General
- Tatler Asia
Force of nature: Secretary Toni Loyzaga's bold vision for disaster preparedness
Despite the technological advancements the DENR has made, Loyzaga believes more work needs to be done. The issue of climate change is still polarising, with people minimising its impact. 'To those who don't believe climate change is real, you have to experience the tangible effects of it on different Filipino communities,' she insists. 'You have to see where rivers have changed course, where they've dried up, where people are drowning from overflowing waters. The people will tell you themselves that this has not happened before. It's essential to be immersed in these vulnerable communities at risk. Whatever lies ahead, Loyzaga meets every challenge with humility and grace. 'There is complexity in every part of the process, from the root causes of each disaster to the feedback we get from the people on the ground,' she says. Maintaining a flexible yet thorough approach is key to navigating this demanding line of work. This applies not only to her career but also to her personal life. 'It's difficult to balance the two,' she admits. 'I've had to make a lot of sacrifices along the way. But I continuously communicate with my family and friends to strongly commit to my personal life.' Front & Female Changemakers celebrates the extraordinary journeys of inspiring women who have emerged as powerful changemakers in a range of fields, offering a glimpse into their lives and showcasing their courage, vision and relentless pursuit of change and progress. From social entrepreneurs and business leaders to educators, artists, activists and scientists, Front & Female changemakers exemplify the ability to challenge the status quo and demonstrate the power of women to effect change. NOW READ Meet Elizabeth Quijano, the Blaan indigenous community's first creative writer to win a National Book Award Ode to Earth: inside the family farmhouse of the architect Gelo Mañosa in Calatagan AI is transforming work—but women risk being left behind
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Battle over carbon storage in Louisiana launches in legislature
An artist's rendering of Heirloom Carbon Technology's proposed direct air capture facility at the Port of Caddo-Bossier in Northwest Louisiana. (Image credit: Heirloom Carbon Technology) As projects to store carbon underground in Louisiana await permit approval to begin putting shovels in the ground, state lawmakers are mulling over whether to allow locals to have more of a say on whether such developments should be given the green light. Carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) is a complicated issue in Louisiana when it comes to the politics and industry surrounding it. CCS has mixed support across the political spectrum. Some believe it is a worthwhile attempt to reduce carbon emissions from fossil fuel and industrial production. Others believe the technology is too untested and just a way for the oil and gas industry to justify high levels of greenhouse gas emissions. As of now, dozens of applications for Class VI well permits, the ones needed to inject carbon dioxide underground, are under technical review at the state Department of Energy and Natural Resources. In a hearing earlier this year, DENR Secretary Tyler Gray said the first Class VI permits should be awarded in the first half of 2025. Meanwhile, lawmakers have filed several bills to allow parishes to determine whether they would allow these wells to go forward. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX DENR already has strict permitting processes that require research into the geology of the land where injection sites are planned. With the federal government giving Louisiana authority to issue its own Class VI permits, the state is poised to be one of the first to do work in the emerging carbon sequestration industry. Some legislators have expressed frustration with how long the state is taking to award these permits out of fear that the projects may get pulled and put into surrounding states that also have the federal government's permission to regulate Class VI wells. One of the major fights of the session is anticipated to be over local control of CCS projects. House Bill 4 by state Rep. Chuck Owen, R-Rosepine, lets parishes approve ordinances to prohibit Class VI wells. Local governments can later hold elections to allow CCS projects to move forward should the majority of the parish's voters approve the project. Several other bills allow parishes to carve out prohibitions to Class VI wells or give locals the ability to weigh in on their approval. Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, has a bill that goes so far as to make CCS illegal. He did suggest he would be willing to amend the bill but is firm in protecting property owners' rights over their land. Public meetings in Vernon Parish drew hundreds of people against the projects, he said. 'I don't believe anybody should have carbon sequestration under their property that [sic] don't want it,' McCormick said. McCormick, who does not have any proposed wells in his district, said he is passionate about the issue of private landowners who may not want these wells on or near their land. Class VI wells are currently proposed in Allen, Ascension, Assumption, Beauregard, Caldwell, Cameron, Calcasieu, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee, Rapids, Sabine, St. Helena, St. John the Baptist, St. Charles, Vermillion, Vernon and West Baton Rouge parishes. Senate Bill36, by Sen. Bob Hensgens, R-Abbeville, calls for local governments to hold public meetings and accept feedback when carbon capture projects are proposed. The proposal could be amended to add buffer zones around CCS wells and other safety precautions. Tommy Faucheux, president of the Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association, said the Class VI permitting process already includes public comment and local officials as part of the process. 'I see these positive economic impacts that are being seen from the Meta deal, the Hyundai deal, the CF Industries deal, all of those are going to depend upon CCS in different parts of the state,' Faucheux said. There are some concerns from legislators in support of CCS when it comes to allowing certain parishes to ban Class VI wells. Some of the projects will require pipelines to send carbon from other parishes and even other states to a storage site. Rep. Brett Geymann's proposal, House Bill 601, could stymie such pipelines. He said he is in favor of the CCS industry but wants to protect private property ownership rights. 'If the landowner doesn't want your pipeline through their property, you have to go around them,' Geymann said. Rep. Neil Riser, R-Columbia, said he will object to some of the local carve outs that he believes will block interstate and intrastate commerce. The state could lose out on businesses that don't want to have to navigate complicated restrictions. Faucheux said taking away eminent domain – the right for the government to take private property for public use or development – for CO2 pipelines is a bad idea. 'When you look at the nature of the pipeline network, Louisiana is one of the most mature pipeline networks in any state in the country,' he said. 'We've been able to build out that network, and CO2 is a part of that, by companies interacting directly with landowners, and the use of eminent domain is more of the exception.' There are several bills aimed at creating safety protocols and avenues for financial support for anyone potentially damaged by CO2 wells and pipelines. Consumer protection and environmental advocates believe there needs to be rules in place should the worst-case scenario occur, and to make sure the industry knows how to manage CCS projects. The House Natural Resources Committee anticipates hearing a large number of the local CCS-related bills at the end of April. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Authorities issue warning after rare bird crashes into market netting: 'This rare circumstance is a call to action'
After locals spotted an injured juvenile Philippine Hawk Eagle in the San Carlos City public market, officials moved quickly in response. The bird suffered a head injury after crashing into a net and was taken to a rehabilitation facility to heal before being released back into the wild. The Philippine Hawk Eagle is endemic to the Philippines, primarily the woodlands of Luzon and Mindoro. Like other birds of prey, it is an apex predator that plays an important role in maintaining the health of the ecosystem. Raptors like the Philippine Hawk Eagle control the population of rodents and other small mammals. The Philippine Hawk Eagle is an endangered species with a declining population. According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Threatened Species, there are only around 1-2,000 mature individuals left in the wild. However, the quality of data is considered poor, and the overall research on the species is still quite limited. The main threat to their continued survival is habitat loss caused by deforestation. Agriculture, illegal logging, and mining have all contributed to the loss of woodlands in the Philippines. Biodiversity is critical to maintaining a healthy ecosystem, and local, community-led efforts are an integral part of this effort. Habitat management, international cooperation, and local legislation can all contribute to a species' long-term survival. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) oversees the conservation, management, and development of the country's environment and natural resources. The DENR worked alongside local officials to rescue the injured hawk-eagle. DENR regional executive director Raul L. Lorilla told the Daily Guardian: "This rare circumstance is a call to action for residents to cherish and protect the rich biodiversity that surrounds them. Educational initiatives could help foster a deeper understanding and encourage everyone to play an active role in conservation efforts." Should the U.S. government ban all products tested on animals? Absolutely No way Only certain kinds of products Let each state decide Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
