Transnational crime intel group targets to expand
network in Butuan City
By Venus L. Garcia
BUTUAN CITY, Dec. 2 (PIA) – In line with the
mission of the Transnational Anti-Organized
Crime
Intelligence Group (TAOC-IG) to establish intelligence networks in accordance
with the constitution of the Republic of the Philippines, a press conference is
set on December 3, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. in this city.
The TAOC-IG is a non-government organization
organized by a group of retired yet active servicemen and professionals
mandated by United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UNDESA)
and United Nations Civil Society Organization (UNCSO) under the program of
United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC).
According to Brigadier General Julia Felisa Martinez
of UNODC TAOC-IG Caraga, since its establishment in 1997, it has doubled its
effort to expand and intensify membership of the organization across the
country to promote world peace and order, eradicate graft and corruption and
criminality.
“Series of trainings and other relevant activities
were conducted in all regions nationwide to promote and achieve the objective
in the fight against massive graft and corruption, widespread criminality,
poverty and environmental concerns,” said Martinez.
Top officials from the UNODC TAOC-IG national
headquarters will be present during the press conference. (VLG/PIA-Caraga)
Fire razes house, pharmacy in Tandag
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 2 (PIA) – A fire
razed a residential house and a pharmacy near the main entrance of the Adela
Serra Ty Memorial Medical Center, this city on Monday afternoon.
No one was reported hurt.
Based on the police report, the fire started around
2:48 p.m. at the multicab parked at the garage of Virgelio Talisic’s residence
in Purok Upper Pulang Lupa, Telaje, this city. The fire spread throughout the
residence and the adjacent JK Cares pharmacy.
Property damage from the fire was estimated at
P700,000.
Arson investigators are still looking into what
caused the fire as of posting time. (FEA/NGBT/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
PENRO SurSur mobilizes 86 forest rangers for LAWIN
system
By Nida Grace P. Barcena
TANDAG CITY, Surigao del Sur, Dec. 2 (PIA) - Some
86 forest rangers of the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office
(PENRO) Surigao del Sur were trained and mobilized for the implementation of
Landscape and Wildlife Indicator (LAWIN) Forest and Biodiversity Protection
System in the province.
In a press statement released, PENRO Information
Officer Johnny Natad said that LAWIN system is a forest and biodiversity
protection system that integrates forest, biodiversity and threats monitoring,
implementation of interventions to address threats and monitoring of the
response of the forest ecosystem to these management interventions.
Natad said the system uses five key innovations in
forest protection, enumerated as follows: First is a science-based
purpose-driven process for identifying conservation areas and hotspots and
formulating measurable conservation objectives.
Secondly, LAWIN replaces manual recording and
encoding of patrol data with a mobile application. Forest patrollers can use
tablets or smart phones and directly record geo-referenced observations on
habitat, wildlife, trees, threats and illegal activities. Cyber Tracker free
open-source software, is used to create the interface for the mobile
application. After a patrol is completed, observations are uploaded to a
computer using the Spatial Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) software for
data analysis and mapping.
Natad further explained that this fast processing
of data leads to LAWIN’s third key innovation: enhanced coordination between
biodiversity and threats monitoring with environmental law enforcement.
The fourth innovation, LAWIN enables decision-makers
to monitor patrol efforts such as manpower exerted, distance covered, and
number of hours spent patrolling.
While the fifth innovation, LAWIN allows for the
visualization of the spatial distribution of observation records and patrol
efforts and trends that show the effectiveness of the interventions implemented
to address the observed threats.
Along this way, well informed, community leaders,
resource managers, and environmental law enforcers can evaluate and
continuously improve their forest conservation strategies.
Meanwhile, Natad added that each trained forest
patrollers or forest rangers are well equipped with knowledge and skills and
provided some gadgets used in the conduct of LAWIN activities especially the
android phone with CyberTracker application, cap, and watch.
LAWIN is officially implemented at the identified
program sites and other forest degradation hotspots in the Philippines by DENR
through the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) and Biodiversity Management Bureau
(BMB) in support and partnership with the United State Agency for International
Development (USAID) Biodiversity and Watershed Improved for Stronger Economy
and Ecosystem Resilience (B+WISER) program, according to Natad.
(PENRO-SDS/PIA-Surigao del Sur)
