03. Science and Technology (Natural Sciences) Committee

Permanent URI for this communityhttps://repository.unesco.gov.ph/handle/123456789/3

In creating a culture of peace and addressing sustainable development challenges, UNESCO aims to cultivate the generation and application of scientific knowledge among its Member States. At UNACOM, we facilitate access to UNESCO’s international programmes in the sciences, such as the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC), Man and the Biosphere (MAB) Programme, and International Geoscience and Geoparks Programme (IGGP), among others.

Through this sector, the Commission aims to contribute to the following SDGs: 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities, 13 - Climate Action, 14 - Life Below Water, and 15 - Life On Land. With the overarching vision of the 2023-2028 Philippine Development Plan (PDP), UNACOM targets grassroots-inspired cultural heritage and biodiversity protection and conservation, as well as multi-stakeholder partnerships for SDGs promotion.

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₱12.3-M tilapia lost in Taal Lake fish kill: BFAR monitoring waters off 3 lakeshore towns
Cinco, Maricar (Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc., 2019-06-01)
At least 150 tons or P12.3 million worth of cultured tilapia turned belly-up in fish cages in Taal Lake in Batangas province due to a low level of dissolved oxygen in the water. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the local government of Laurel town in Batangas continued to closely monitor the remaining fish cages after the fish kill occurred in the villages of Gulod and Buso-buso in the last two days. As of Friday, provincial environment officer, Jose Elmer Bascos, said they had yet to dispose all of the dead fish as they needed a larger area to bury them.
17-year change in species composition of mixed seagrass beds around Santiago Island, Bolinao, the northwestern Philippines
Tanaka, Yoshiyuki; Go, Gay Amabelle; Watanabe, Atsushi; Miyajima, Toshihiro; Nakaoka, Masahiro; Uy, Wilfredo H.; Nadaoka, Kazuo; Watanabe, Shuichi; Fortes, Miguel D. (Elsevier, 2014)
Effects of fish culture can alter the adjacent ecosystems. This study compared seagrass species compositions in 2012 with those in 1995, when fish culture was less intensive compared to 2012 in the region. Observations were conducted at the same four sites around Santiago Island, Bolinao: (1) Silaqui Island, (2) Binaballian Loob, (3) Pislatan and (4) Santa Barbara, and by using the same methods as those of Bach et al. (1998). These sites were originally selected along a siltation gradient, ranging from Site 1, the most pristine, to Site 4, a heavily silted site. By 2012, fish culture had expanded around Sites 2, 3 and 4, where chlorophyll a (Chl a) was greater in 2012 than in 1995 by one order of magnitude. Enhalus acoroides and Cymodocea serrulata, which were recorded in 1995, were no longer present at Site 4, where both siltation and nutrient load are heavy.
2 boats nabbed for illegal fishing
Sornito, Ime (Panay News, Inc., 2023-10-25)
Authorities have recently apprehended two fishing boats engaged in illegal fishing in the waters of Barangay Sibay in the municipality of Caluya. The fishing boat’s personnel were unregistered and were using active fishing gear, in violation of Republic Act 8550, or the Fisheries Code of the Philippines, which is further amended by Republic Act 10654.
2 Pinoy fishery experts honored
Visperas, Eva (Philippine Star Printing Co., Inc., 2015-12-18)
Two Filipino fishery experts were honored yesterday in the Giant Steps, similar to the Walk of Fame in Hollywood to immortalize movie stars. Honored were Wilfredo Yap, who conceptualized the Mariculture Park System for sustainable aquaculture in the sea, and Catalino de la Cruz, pioneering expert on aquaculture engineering and integrated agri-aqua farming. The Society of Aquaculture Engineers of the Philippines (SAEP) honored them at the Asian Fisheries Academy (AFA) in Dagupan City.
200 Antique fisherfolk to get materials to repair boats
(Panay News, Inc., 2022-11-11)
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Region 6 will provide repair materials worth P10,000 each to 200 fisherfolk whose boats were badly damaged during the onslaught of Severe Tropical Storm “Paeng” in the last week of October. BFAR Antique head Richard Cordero, in an interview Friday, said they were finalizing the damage report for the BFAR central office to provide repair materials so the fishermen can resume their livelihood. “Based on our initial report, there are 600 fisherfolk whose fishing boats were damaged, but we are prioritizing only 200 of them who really need the repair materials,” he said.
215 'pawikan' hatchlings released in Subic
Reyes, Jonas (Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, 2017-12-21)
About 215 sea turtle hatchlings were released last week at the All Hands Beach Resort here in a bid to ensure the conservation of the marine turtle species inside this premier Freeport despite already being in the list of endangered species. According to Wildlife and Coastal Zone Management Services Chief Emerita Sebial, eggs of the olive ridley sea turtles (Lepidochelysolivacea) were buried in the sand at the resort where they eventually hatched and set out to sea. She said that these hatchlings have imprint characteristics, pointing out that the mothers who laid these eggs were probably hatchlings that were born here. “They imprint on the unique magnetic field of their birthplace, and the female ones use this information to return to this beach to nest.”
248 families affected by Batangas chemical spill
Estacio, Danny (Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, 2023-11-06)
A chemical spill hit Barangay San Miguel here on Saturday, November 4, prompting the evacuation of 248 families, police said Monday, November 6. Police said a land-based inspection revealed that the incident occurred during the loading of Solvent Naptha L at Tank No. 5 owned by a company in the area. Due to the untightened drain plug of the storage tank, the control valve within the containment area opened, and resulted in chemicals spilling to the rainwater canal up to the coastal area, police added.
26 students from Central Luzon get scholarship grants from BFAR
Arcellaz, Princess Clea (Sun • Star Publishing, 2022-01-22)
Twenty-six students from Central Luzon qualified for the scholarship program of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The beneficiaries are part of the total 2,015 students from different parts of the country who will be part of the agency’s Fisheries Scholarship Program (FSP) for the school year 2022-2026.
3 bays in Samar placed on red tide alert
Gabieta, Joey (Philippine Daily Inquirer, Inc., 2023-10-08)
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has warned the public not to consume shellfish products taken from three bays on Samar Island where the red tide toxin was detected. “To safeguard human lives, we are issuing this warning as a precautionary advice to the public to refrain from gathering, selling, and eating all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. locally known as ‘alamang’ or ‘hipon’ from these bays,” said BFAR in its local shellfish bulletin on Friday. According to BFAR, affected by the red tide toxin were the Irong-Irong Bay in Catbalogan City, Samar province
3 nabbed for illegal fishing
Amoroso, Ed (Philippine Star Printing Co., Inc., 2025-01-25)
Three fishermen were arrested for alleged illegal fishing in Gasan, Marinduque on Friday. The suspects, whose identities were not immediately known, reportedly yielded illegal fishing equipment worth over P1 million, according to the Philippine Coast Guard Substation-Gasan.
3-month closed season begins in Visayan Sea
Castor, Rjay (Daily Guardian Multi-Media Services, Inc., 2023-11-15)
The Visayan Sea will be closed to fishing from November 15 to February 15 next year to ensure the conservation of the fish species in the area. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in Western Visayas said that the three-month hiatus, known as ‘Ang Pahuway sang Baybay’ (The Rest of the Sea), is in line with Fisheries Administrative Order No. 167-3.
3-month fishing ban on Visayan Sea ends in Feb.
(Panay News, Inc., 2019-01-05)
The closed season in the Visayan Sea for sardines, herrings and mackerels that started on Nov. 15, 2018 would end next month. “Prohibiting fishers from catching them will increase the population of these species. It is really for fishers so they can have increased catch and increased income,” said Regional Director Remia Aparri of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR). The closed season will run until Feb. 15, stated BFAR’s Fisheries Administrative Order 167-3.
3rd Sardines Congress tackles sustainability
(BusinessWorld Publishing Corporation, 2018-10-04)
The 3rd National Sardines Industry Congress opened yesterday, Oct. 3, in Zamboanga City, dubbed as the Sardines Capital of the Philippines. The three-day event is focusing on the sustainable use of the fish resource, which is a major industry in the Zamboanga Peninsula Region. In a statement, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said there will be “science sessions as well as industry-focused sessions” to be participated in by representatives from the local and national government, the commercial sector, academe, and non-government organizations.
4 provinces still on red tide alert
Valencia, Czerina (Philippine Star Printing Co., Inc., 2012-10-04)
Shellfish from the waters of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Misamis Occidental and Masbate remain positive for red tide toxins, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said yesterday. In its Shellfish Bulletin No. 23, BFAR said shellfish harvested from the Dumanquillas Bay in Zamboanga del Sur, Murcielagos Bay in Zamboanga del Norte and Misamis Occidental, and the coastal waters of Milagros town in Masbate are still positive for paralytic shellfish poison “beyond the regulatory limit.” BFAR said all types of shellfish and Acetes sp. (alamang) gathered from these areas are not safe from consumption.
46 fall in illegal fishing crackdown in Cavite
Unite, Betheena Kae (Manila Bulletin Publishing Corporation, 2018-11-03)
Fory-six fishermen onboard two fishing boats were rounded up in a recent illegal fishing crackdown in Cavite, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said Friday. The fishermen were caught fishing off Puerto Azul, Ternate, Cavite using an illegal fishing method called “Danish Seine” or locally known as “hulbot-hulbot”. According to the Coast Guard, “Danish Seine” is a fishing method often used in commercial fishing which is strictly banned in the Philippine waters because of its tendency to destroy and damage the coral reefs, sea grass beds, and other marine life habitats pursuant to Section 92 of Republic Act 8550 (The Fisheries Code of the Philippines).
6 fishers cleared of dynamite fishing
Visperas, Eva (Philippine Star Printing Co., Inc., 2018-04-09)
Six fishermen accused of dynamite fishing have been acquitted by a Dagupan court for lack of evidence. In an eight-page decision issued recently, Robert Pedeglorio, Jonathan Vidal, Eddie Ablog, Salvador Imbat, Jonathan Gonzales and Jimmy Rentar Jr. were declared not guilty by Presiding Judge Emma Torio of the Regional Trial Court Branch 41. Torio said the prosecution failed to present evidence against the accused, who were charged of engaging in dynamite fishing. Records showed the six were spotted on board a boat by personnel of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) in the Lingayen Gulf on July 16, 2012.
7 LGUs to get P1-M fishery projects
Macahilo, Max N. (Daily Guardian Multi-Media Services, Inc., 2015-01-29)
Seven towns and cities in Region 6 are entitled to receive P1 million worth of projects from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) for registering the highest number of municipal fisherfolk. The seven LGUs from Negros Occidental, Guimaras and Iloilo are included in the 100 cities and towns which topped the Municipal Fisherfolk Registration or FishR. Fish-R is BFAR’s year-long program designed to enhance, fast track and complete the Municipal Fisherfolk Registry of coastal Local Government Units (LGUs) nationwide in accordance to RA 8550 or the Philippine Fisheries Code.
70 oil spill-affected families return home
Rendon, Jennifer P. (Daily Guardian Multi-Media Services, Inc., 2020-07-16)
Seventy families from Barangay Mansaya, Lapuz, Iloilo City returned home on Wednesday almost two weeks after an oil spill incident displaced them. Gabino Ramon Mejia, head of plant operations of AC Energy Philippines, said they comprised the first batch of households who could go home following a risk assessment conducted by several stakeholders. AC Energy Philippines owns Power Barge 102 stationed at Bo. Obrero, Lapuz which exploded on July 3, 2020 and caused an oil spill.
84% of oil spill affected shoreline 'cleaned'
(Sun • Star Publishing, 2023-05-14)
Over 84 percent of the coastline affected by the oil spill in the waters off Oriental Mindoro due to a sunken oil tanker has already been cleaned up. In a report to President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said as of May 10, of the 74.71 kilometers of affected coastline, 62.95 kilometers, or 84.26 percent which covers the municipalities of Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, Bulalacao, San Teodoro, Baco, and Puerto Galera, has been cleaned.
86 illegal fishers caught in N. Iloilo
Nepomoceno, Jezza (Panay News, Inc., 2018-09-06)
A total of 86 fishermen were apprehended for illegal fishing in the waters of the northern towns of Concepcion and Carles early this month. They were using active gears such as trawl, ring net and modified bag net locally known as baskal and without permits from the municipal governments concerned. Reports from the Iloilo Provincial Bantay Dagat on Tuesday disclosed that the fishermen were mostly residents of Concepcion