20 years after Fr. Neri Satur’s death: “Bukidnon’s ecological situation is worse”– Bp. Cabantan

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/13 October) Two decades after the death of Fr. Neri Satur, Bukidnon’s ecological situation “is perhaps even worse than during his time,” Bishop Jose A. Cabantan said in his pastoral letter released to mark the 20^th anniversary of his death today.

Kalilangan lumber trader charged for transporting ‘excess’ forest products

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/27 September) The Community and Environment and Natural Resources Office of Malaybalay filed charges against the owner of a truck from Kalilangan town that transported naturally grown forest products beyond allowable excess.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Leon C. Equipelag, special forestry prosecutor, before the Office of the City Prosecutor on Sept. 19, a copy was obtained by Bukidnon News on Sept. 27, Julieta Edma and Eric Chester Edma are accused of violating the Revised Forestry Code as amended by EO 277 in relation to Art. 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines.

Buseco apologizes; city council: apology not enough on brown outs

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/Sept 30-Oct.1) The Bukidnon
Second Electric Cooperative (Buseco) apologized to the members of the
Malaybalay City Council amid City Councilor Melchor Maramara’s inquiry
on the frequent brownouts in Brgy, Kalasungay, where he lives.

The city council invited Buseco officials including Malaybalay branch
manager Juancho T. Chiong with public relations officer Leonard Lleros
to shed light on the matter during their 35th Regular Session on
Sept.27, 2011.

Fr. Nery memorial race draws 500 runners

MALAYBALAY CITY –  (Bukidnon News Dispatch/01-02 October) The first
ever Fr. Nery Satur memorial run, organized in time for the
commemoration of the 20th anniversary of his death, drew more than 500
participants on October 1.

The five-kilometer run started around 6:45a.m. at the Freedom Park
Covered Court. The Diocese of Malaybalay and the Archdiocese of Manila
sponsored the event to mark Satur’s death anniversary this year.

Colonia Brothers top Malandog Trail Run

Malaybalay City – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/ 30 Sept) Running brothers Leonard and Leo Colonia topped the Malandog Ridge 10k Trail Run held on September 24, 2011 in BFI Compound, Sumpong, Malaybalay City. Fifty four out of the sixty eight actual registrants joined the race.

Runners race off during the trail run event on Sept. 24

Participants ran through the tough and challenging route which started from BFI compound, went uphill to the Malandog Ridge peak where the Tabios Tower view deck once stood, descended down to Malaybalay City Swimming Pool in Can-ayan and back to the starting line.

Capitol intensifies ‘Greening’ Program

MALAYBALAY CITY(Bukidnon News Dispatch/ 29 Sept.) — About 400 Benguet Pines and 1,300 Mahogany Seedlings were dispersed to be planted, mobilizing majority of the provincial government employees of Bukidnon for the tree-planting activity last September 23 at the Provincial Tree Park.

Re-scaling produces higher excess for Kalilangan lumber trader

MALAYBALAY CITY – The re-scaling of apprehended lumber transported by a Kalilangan lumber trader produced a much higher excess, Felix Mirasol, chief of the environment department’s Community Environment and Natural Resources Office in Malaybalay told Bukidnon News Thursday.

Mirasol said the repeat measurement of the forest products now under police and DENR custody, requested by the lawyers of Julieta Edma, truck owner, showed that they were actually transporting 443 pieces of flitches (tablon) or cuts ready for sawing to smaller lumber pieces measured to be about 11, 718.64 board feet.

Rehab of Rio Grande de Mindanao, “a high priority, high impact” project

MALAYBALAY CITY (Bukidnon News Dispatch/ 29 Sept)– The Rehabilitation of the Rio Grande de Mindanao is one of the 10 high priority and high impact proposed projects as presented in the Mindanao River Basin Integrated Management and Development Plan, a copy of which was obtained by Bukidnon News.

In the last chapter of the 16-chapter master plan released in July 2011, the Presidential Task Force on the Mindanao River Basin Rehabilitation and Development outline the selected priority projects based on a list of programs and interventions “extensively and exhaustively” reviewed by the task force’s technical working group.

Kalilangan lumber trader charged for transporting ‘excess’ forest products

MALAYBALAY CITY – (Bukidnon News Dispatch/27 September) The Community and Environment and Natural Resources Office of Malaybalay filed charges against the owner of a truck from Kalilangan town that transported naturally grown forest products beyond allowable excess.

According to the criminal complaint filed by Leon C. Equipelag, special forestry prosecutor, before the Office of the City Prosecutor on Sept. 19, a copy was obtained by Bukidnon News on Sept. 27, Julieta Edma and Eric Chester Edma are accused of violating the Revised Forestry Code as amended by EO 277 in relation to Art. 309 and 310 of the Revised Penal Code of the Philippines.

Felix Mirasol, chief of Community Environment and Natural Resources Office – Malaybalay, admitted this is one of the notable forest product apprehensions after President Benigno Aquino III issued Executive order no. 23, in February this year, declaring a moratorium on logging in national and residual forests in order to prevent its destructive effects and protect watersheds and river systems.