4th January 2013

China Gearing Up For Anti-Satelite Test, Experts Say Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on January 4, 2013, 8:05 pm (By NCBNews.com  | 08:05:08 pm | 4 Jan 2013)   Known orbit planes of Fengyun-1C debris one month after its 2007 disintegration by a Chinese anti-satellite (ASAT) interceptor. The white orbit represents the International Space Station. China may be gearing up to perform a controversial anti-satellite test this month, perhaps in the next week or two, some experts say. For several months, rumors have been circulating within the United States defense and intelligence communities that a Chinese anti-satellite test is imminent, says Gregory Kulacki of the Union of Concerned Scientists. It could even be conducted on Jan. 11, the date on which China performed ASAT operations in both 2007 and 2010. "Given these high-level administration concerns, and past Chinese practice, there seems to be a strong possibility China will conduct an ASAT test within the next few weeks," Kulacki wrote in a blog post Jan. 4. "What kind of test and what the target might be is unclear." Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

29th July 2012

NGCP STRENGTHENS LEYTE TRANSMISSION NETWORK Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 29, 2012, 8:11 pm (Zambo TImes, 28 July 2012) MANILA --- The National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) continues to strengthen its power transmission network with projects in Leyte to meet the increasing power demand and improve system reliability. Among its ongoing projects this year is the Visayas Substation Expansion I Project, which includes the installation of a new 100-megavolt ampere (MVA) transformer at Ormoc substation in Leyte. This transformer is set to be energized in December. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

11th July 2012

Why Apple Lost San Francisco's Heart: City To Stop Buying Macs Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 11, 2012, 9:50 pm (By Kristina Chew, 11 July 2012) The city of San Francisco has announced that it will no longer purchase Apple products after the company withdrew itself from a program granting environmentally friendly certification to electronic products. “We are disappointed that Apple chose to withdraw from EPEAT and we hope that the city saying it will not buy Apple products will make Apple reconsider its participation,” Melanie Nutter, director of San Francisco’s Department of Environment, told Joel Schechtman on the Wall Street Journal’s CIO Journal.   Late last month, Apple announced that it would no longer submit its devices to the nonprofit EPEAT group for green certification. EPEAT, the Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool, receives funding from the Environmental Protection Agency; products with EPEAT’s “green certification” are recyclable and designed to do minimal harm to the environment and to maximize energy efficiency.   On today’s CNET, Dara Kerr says that Apple has responded to the criticism. Apple cites its own “rigorous environmental standards” for ensuring that its products are green; as the company tells The Loop, its own standards are not those used by EPEAT. Referring to its webpage about its environmental footprint, Apple spokesperson Kristin Huguet noted that Apple “leads the industry” in reporting greenhouse gas emissions via its website. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

4th July 2012

Iran test fires long-range missile Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on July 4, 2012, 9:12 am (By Associated Press, 3 July 2012) In this photo released by the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA), members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard celebrate after launching a missile during their maneuver in an undisclosed location in Iran, Tuesday, July 3, 2012. Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards test fired several ballistic missiles on Tuesday, including a long-range variety capable of hitting U.S. bases in the region as well as Israel, Iranian media reported. (AP Photo/IRNA, Mostafa Qotbi) Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 1

11th April 2012

First tilapia hatchery in Leyte to produce fingerlings commercially Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on April 11, 2012, 7:49 pm (By Jennifer a Ng, Business Mirror, 11 Apr 2012) THE province of Leyte is not traditionally known as a major producer of tilapia. The province does not have a reliable source of fingerlings required by farmers. Leyte farmers who opt to grow tilapia produce the fish species not for commercial purposes but for their own consumption. Officials of the provincial government said commercial growers of tilapia in Leyte were forced to import fingerlings from General Santos City. While the Kananga Integrated Production Center (KIPC) in the town of Kananga supplies fingerlings to farmers, it could not cope with the supply requirements of farmers and commercial growers. According to provincial agriculturist Rogelio Portula, the KIPC was set up in 2007 to encourage farmers to diversify in aquaculture production. But minus a steady supply of fingerlings, the province will be hard pressed to persuade farmers to go into aquaculture. To spur the production of more fingerlings in the province, the provincial government of Leyte partnered with the German government through Deutsche Geseilschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) to put up the first tilapia hatchery dubbed as the Leyte Provincial Freshwater Fish Hatchery (LPFFH) to produce fingerlings on a commercial scale. The commercial-scale tilapia hatchery is an expansion of KIPC and costs P4.9 million. Of this amount, GIZ through its Enhancement of Food Security in the Visayas (Efos) program alloted P3.78 million while Bfar contributed P198,000. The provincial government of Leyte shelled out P914,533.15. The project was undertaken from April to December 2011. Existing ponds in KIPC in Kananga were rehabilitated and additional ponds were constructed to accommodate more fingerlings. The construction of LPFFH also included a "cash for work" component wherein 137 households worked in pond and dike development, drainage canals and other structures. LPFFH is being operated by the provincial government. It will produce 3.015 million tilapia fry or fingerlings annually. These fingerlings will be distributed to a 3,015 household pond operators at 500 pieces per operator. Farmers interested to avail themselves of additional fingerlings aside from the 500 pieces given for free can buy them at prices ranging from P0.15 to P0.35 each fingerling depending on size. Dr. Andreas Lange, GIZ-EFOS senior adviser, said income generation will ensure the continued operations of the hatchery. To help farmers ensure the efficiency of tilapia production, provincial agriculturists from Leyte will train on hatchery operation, pond construction and management at BFAR's National Freshwater Fisheries Training Center in Nueva Ecija. In a project brief, officials of the Leyte provincial government said tilapia is the major fish specie produced by Philippine aquaculture. Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

10th April 2012

Gov't conducts P90-M Leyte-Mindanao Interconnection project study for power stability Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on April 10, 2012, 7:08 pm (By Lilybeth G. Ison, ZamboTimes, 10 Apr 2012) DAVAO CITY -- The government will be conducting the Leyte-Mindanao interconnection project study that would establish an integrated grid and allow reserve electricity generation capacity to be shared by the three regional grids -Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The study, which is estimated to cost P90 million, will be undertaken by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) for a period of one year and another year for assessment. Energy Undersecretary Josephine Patricia Asirit said for the first time, the Aquino administration will implement the Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao interconnection grid to assure power stability in the country. At present, Asirit said only the Luzon and Visayas -- through the Leyte grid-- have interconnectivity. It will only be in this administration that the entire Philippine grid would be interconnected. She cited the current power situation in some parts of Mindanao where it experienced regular brownouts. With the Leyte-Mindanao interconnection in place, Asirit said, the Luzon grid which has 200 MW excess and the Visayas which can also export another 200 MW, power shortage in Mindanao can easily be resolved. The Leyte-Mindanao interconnection project was aimed at addressing the power shortage not only in Mindanao but the entire country as well. It includes the installation of about 455-kilometer overhead line and 23-km submarine cable with a maximum depth of around 1,000 meters below sea level. The interconnection project was originally designed for 250-kilovolt high-voltage density cable bipolar link with a total transfer capacity of 500 MW to 800 MW. It will start from the existing Ormoc Converter Station in Leyte and terminates at Kirahon Converter station in Northcentral Mindanao via Southern Leyte and Northeastern Mindanao. The Leyte-Mindanao interconnection is part of the long-term solution to resolve power shortage in the region. (PNA) Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

3rd March 2012

Trade department develops program for milkfish processing Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on March 3, 2012, 8:30 am (By Leyte Samar Daily News, 23 Mar 2012) PALO, Leyte -- The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Eastern Visayas will develop a program for bangus (milk fish) processing to help position the bangus industry in the local and international markets this year. Cynthia Nierras, DTI regional director, said the program will include product development, pilot production and commercialization in cooperation with small and medium entrepreneurs who are already into the bangus industry. "Bangus industry continuously grows through the years in the region. There is actually a high demand for bangus among hotels and restaurants in Cebu. We can develop smoked bangus aside from selling it fresh inside and outside the region," Nierras said. "Smoked bangus can be sold at P200 to P250 per kilogram. The higher the volume of production per day, which is more than 20 kilograms, the lower the production cost, thus further increasing the mark-up to more than 25 percent. The higher the mark-up, the higher the profit margin," Nierras said. Citing data from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), Nierras said bangus production in Eastern Visayas was 17,000 metric tons (MT) in 2011. BFAR is eyeing an annual growth rate of 11 percent from bangus output in the region and all these will be grown in various mariculture zones. "With the increasing milkfish production in the region, there is a possibility of having excess and unsold fresh milkfish and that is where DTI will come in to assist interested producers to process smoked bangus," Nierras said. Nierras said DTI provincial offices have already surveyed local bangus processors for possible technical assistance, access to financing facilities and registration requirements. "We will also tie up with the Visayas State University in Baybay City for possible mass production of cabinet steamers to produce smoked bangus. These will be loaned to possible bangus processors," Nierras added. Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

28th January 2012

LGU-Bontoc declares town as organic municipality Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on January 28, 2012, 6:15 pm (By Erna S. Gorne, PIA Southern Leyte, 28 Jan 2012) MAASIN CITY, Southern Leyte (PIA) -- As the local government of Bontoc passed a resolution declaring the municipality an organic municipality, all of the other 40 barangays of the municipality are following suit. After the study visit in Bacolod City, the Sangguniang Panglungsod (SP) of Bontoc finally decided to go organic as a municipality. Thus paving the way for local officials to set aside a budget for organic-related projects and activities, SP member Benjie Goda, who is the chairperson on SP Committees on Appropriations and Solid Waste Management revealed. The municipality will produce organic products down to the barangay level according to SP Goda. Each of the barangays were provided with machines such as shredders and digesters to help them come up with organic products. One of the major organic products they have started to produce were organic fertilizers and feeds particularly with the introduction of the technologies like vermiculture, he said. Goda further disclosed that the local government also plans to establish an organic market, where all of the produce from the barangays will be accommodated. It was learned that with the utilization of the wastes through inaerobic technology, which was introduced by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) resulted to the reduction of the cost of feeds in the locality by 8 to 20 per cent, DOST provincial director Engr. Dominador Clavejo reported. Bontoc Credit Cooperative, Inc. ( BCCI), the biggest producer of feeds in the province, is now one of the advocates of producing organic feeds, Goda added. ### (PIA SoLeyte/esg) Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0 Low-cost landslide sensor tested in Philippines Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on January 28, 2012, 6:09 pm (By Nora Gamolo, 28 Jan 2012) The Southern Leyte landslide buried the village of Guinsaugon. Wikicommons/ Michael D. Kennedy [MANILA] A low-cost sensor that can detect landslides has been developed in the Philippines and is being promoted as an alternative to expensive early warning systems manufactured overseas. The sensor costs less than US$1,000, in contrast to standard commercially available landslide sensors that can cost up to US$60,000 - excluding installation costs. The Philippine system was developed through collaboration between the National Institute of Geological Studies (NIGS) and the Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute, both part of the University of the Philippines. Two prototype sensors were deployed 14 months ago in the upland province of Benguet, selected by the researchers because of its high vulnerability to landslides. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0

18th January 2012

Can Danilo Atilano feed the world? Posted by Yel Cobile, Contributing Correspondent, on January 18, 2012, 7:08 pm Industrial Agriculture Advocates Say Organic Farming Cannot Produce Enough Food for 7 Billion People. A Group of Rice Farmers in the Philippines is Proving Them Wrong.  (By Robin Broad and John Cavanagh, Earth Island Journal, 18 Jan 2012)    (Photo by John Cavanagh. Danilo Atilano in his rice field) We are in the rice fields of the southern Philippines to discover whether small-scale, organic farmers like Atilano can grow enough food to feed the world‘s population.  Mainstream agricultural experts say no.  They believe these small farmers are backward and unscientific, and simply cannot grow sufficient food to meet the world’s daily caloric needs. Instead, the experts bet on large-scale agribusiness using “high-yielding “ genetically modified seeds that require chemical inputs to grow.  Yet roughly 2 million farmers around the world, including Atilano, have switched from chemical to organic methods.  But the question remains: Can the Danilo Atilanos of the world feed the planet? Atilano is slight in build, with a shy but engaging smile.  As we walk through his hectare of neat, nearly mature, green rice stalks, he says proudly:  “It is all zero-chem,” the local term for organic.  He tells us about the traditional seeds he has planted. With chemical agriculture, farmers must buy new hybrid seeds each planting season, a costly proposition.  The traditional seeds Atilano and other organic farmers in his area use are saved from the previous harvest or are “in-bred” locally to work best in local soils and ecosystems.  Atilano complains that, over the years, the government’s agricultural agents have distributed free hybrid seeds and focused seminars and trainings on chemical agriculture rather than supporting zero-chem farming. Read more... Tell a Friend... :: Comments: 0