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A mangrove swamp. Photo: Wikipedia Will mangroves be an effective barrier against onslaught of  stormy waves? In the aftermath of widespread destruction in Eastern Visayas brought about by super typhoon Yolanda last Nov. 8, 2013, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was immediately tasked to come out with an effective plan to at least mitigate the negative impacts of super typhoons upon the coastal areas in the areas devastated by the recent calamity . The DENR's task at hand seems to be a gargantuan feat that needs extra-cautious attention from those who are supposed to undertake the project. The topic I'm referring to revolves around a scheme that will identify coastal areas facing the Pacific Ocean to be planted with mangroves. According to Wikipedia, "mangroves are various types of trees up to medium height and shrubs that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics – mainly between latitudes 25° N and 25° S. T...

The sensitive issue of toxic waste-dumping had again taken center stage when MT Glenn Defense Marine Philippines, Inc., a Singapore-based sub-contractor responsible for the collection of toilet and kitchen wastes of the United States Navy ships, was criticized for allegedly violating the environmental marine laws of the Philippines. When the name of the United States Navy came into the picture, the immediate reaction of Philippine environmentalists and critics was that the ships that were used to dump those hazardouz wastes had ignored the provisions set forth in the VFA. As to how this mess had gotten out of hand, the public is yet to find out exactly. But based on the news reports that circulated in the print, broadcast and online media, it appeared that what the sub-contractor did was not in accordance with established environmental laws of the Philippines after the ships belonging to Glenn Defense Marine Philippines purportedly dumped the said toxic wastes into the waters off t...