WHEN TO REMOVE CROCODILES FROM THE WILD?
Dr. Terry Aquino, Biodiversity Management Bureau consultant of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR-BMB), sat down with environmental authorities in Palawan and drafted a “Criteria for Removing Crocodiles from the Wild” during a consultative meeting on crocodile conservation last August 8, 2014.
Conditions, which are all strictly needed to be met before plucking a crocodile out from the wild, are as follows: (1) Confirmed report of human-crocodile conflict; (2) Size of the male crocodile – equal or greater than 10 ft.; (3) Proximity to barangay proper during attack – within 1 kilometer from the barangay center; (4) Size of quality habitat – more than 10 km length of river, and (5) Breeding season – attacks should occur outside of breeding, incubation and laying seasons.
Aquino presented these guidelines during the Council meeting. She clarified that the guidelines is intended only as operational guidelines for government agencies and not for the public.
But the Council decided to disapprove the resolution entitled, “Policy recommendation on the removal of crocodiles from the wild.”
DENR Usec. Manuel D. Gerochi opined, “If you approve this as a PCSD criteria, then even I, a private person, can use this as an instrument to take out and kill [any] crocodile I see as long as it meets the criteria; that might negate the intention of the Wildlife Act.”
He suggested to develop instead a program under the RA 9147 Wildlife Act to implement the said guidelines.
PALAWAN MAN AND BIOSPHERE RESERVE’S PROPOSED OFFICIAL LOGO
The Palawan Man and Biosphere (MAB) Reserve proposed official logo, which won at the logo-making contest during the 23rd SEP Anniversary celebration last June 2015, is now up for the Council’s adoption.
The MAB Reserve Programme of United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) was established in 1971 as an intergovernmental research program to promote better understanding and knowledge of the interactions between people and their environment.
On March 27, 1990, the UNESCO in Paris, France declared Palawan as such because of its potential to showcase the co-existence of sustainable development and protection of the environment.
Meanwhile, it is this balance between man and nature that the logo aptly represents. It contains an image of man shadowed by a tree, the sea and the map of Palawan, featuring four color palattes: green, light blue, navy blue and orange.
Once adopted, it will be used as branding of Palawan’s MAB Reserve.
PROJECTS ISSUED WITH SEP CLEARANCE, PAB REPORT TO THE COUNCIL
The PCSDS Executive Director issued SEP Clearances for 10 non-critical projects (covering 4 commercial sand and gravel projects, 1 gasoline refilling station and the rest are tourism establishments) in December 2015, and another 16 clearances (covering 6 commercial sand and gravel projects, 2 gasoline refiling stations and the rest are tourism establishments) in January 2016.
The PCSD Adjudication Board (PAB) had its meeting on December 7, 2015, wherein it resolved eight (8) administrative cases and received one (1) pleading for resolution.
No Category A projects for approval of the Council were received as of the 222nd PCSD Regular Council Meeting.