DAILY STAR: Negros Oriental

Fishermen in the coastal barangay of Looc in Dumaguete City, supported by scuba divers and marine environmental advocates, are pushing for the protection of coral reefs that could be endangered by a planned port expansion project.

On Saturday, divers took photos of the coral areas to disprove reports that there were no coral formations or that these were already “dying,” and would not be affected by the planned construction of a berthing dolphin, a structure for protecting the pier of a bridge or other structure from collision with ships, by the Philippine Ports Authority.

A proposed ordinance to declare the area as a marine protected area is pending at the Dumaguete City Council.

2 sitios off-limits
to residents
BY JUANCHO GALLARDE

The Office of Civil Defense has declared the two landslide areas in Negros Oriental as “no habitation zones” after a thorough inspection and study conducted by technical experts.

Undersecretary Benito Ramos, OCD administrator, said these areas are Sitio Moog, barangay Planas in Guihulngan City, and Sitio Bluke 2 in barangay Solonggon, La Libertad.

Ramos informed local officials of these areas about the decision in the congressional hearing of the House Oversight Committee on Disaster Risk Reduction and Management at the Sangguniang Bayan session hall in Dumaguete.

Update geohazard map
of Neg.Or., DOST told

Rep. Rodolfo Biazon (Muntinlupa City, Lone District), has ordered the Department of Science and Technology to draw up a comprehensive and new geohazard map of Negros Oriental.

The solon, who chairs the House Committee on National Defense and Security, presided over a meeting in Dumaguete with the Congressional Oversight Committee on Disaster Reduction following the series of calamities that struck major parts of Negros Oriental.

The simulation map should specify the dangerous areas for volcanic eruptions, earthquake, rockslide, landslide, flooding and tsunami in the province to guide the community, Biazon said.

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