Palawan, Philippines

PALAWAN, Philippines - The temporary closure of a nickel mine in April last year has impacted on local employment and economic activities in the sleepy Narra town in the province, a pilot resettlement community for communist rebel returnees.

“It’s sad but the residents are hoping to go back to their jobs,” said Narra Mayor Clarito D. Demaala, Jr.

The town’s name came from the acronym of the National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration (Narra), a state agency created in 1954 to resettle dissidents and landless farmers under Republic Act 1160.

The local government, Mr. Demaala claimed, has lost as much as P160 million since the mining site’s development was suspended due to a dispute between the new and previous operators.

In San Isidro, a host village to the nickel mines, Platinum Group Metals Corp., which operated the mines since 2004, had supported as much as 500 local workers.

Barangay Captain Betty C. Ignacio said downstream businesses started to grow when the residents were hired to develop the 768-hectare mine site. “People started purchasing appliances in cash and some through installment plans.”by - Geefe P. Alba

GMANews.TV

THE government’s bid to produce crops to be manufactured into alternative fuels does not pose any threat to the country’s agricultural production.

Palawan Representative Abraham Mitra, chairman of the House committee on agriculture, assured anew that the plantation of jathropa and other bio-fuel crops will not threaten food production, as long as these are grown in areas that will not disturb the production of agricultural commodities.

Bio-fuel crops should be planted in areas that will not compete with food production,” Mitra said.

The planting of jathropa once earned criticisms when observers noted agricultural lands are being converted into farms for plants with the potential for bio-fuel production.

Mitra said this concern was addressed by the assurance that productive agricultural lands should be spared from bio-fuel crops production.

The lawmaker was in Benguet recently for the region-wide consultation for the review of the Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act (Afma). JC

Sun.Star Baguio

Police have filed charges against 25 Vietnamese who were arrested for allegedly trying to smuggle rice off Palawan coast.

Radio dzBB Palawan reported Friday that the suspects are being locked up in jail while waiting arraignment, while six Filipino companions were released after signing waivers of detention.

The report said the provincial prosecutor’s office found “probable cause” against the Vietnamese.

Early this month, the Philippine Coast Guard foiled a supposed rice smuggling try with the arrest of the Vietnamese and with seizure of 100 sacks of rice.

Coast Guard spokesman Lt. Comdr. Armand Balilo had said that the Vietnamese crew of the vessel carrying rice were caught unloading through motor launch at least 100 sacks of the staple to locals.

He said the craft came from Zamboanga. “Obviously it was not in the area to take shelter. Its crew had intended to unload rice,” Balilo said in an interview over dzBB radio.

Balilo said an agreement among Southeast Asian nations allows fishing vessels from fellow Association of Southeast Asian Nations member countries to take temporary shelter in case of storms.

GMANews.TV

PROCEEDS from the Malampaya is expected to provide a boost to the local economy of power-starved Palawan after the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) approved the release of the province’s share in the Philippines’ largest natural gas field.

“With the Malampaya proceeds, we can now fast-track the medium term development plan and seize current economic opportunities towards the leapfrogging of the province to achieve our desired economic goals,” Palawan Gov. Joel T. Reyes said.

Although most of the country’s oil and gas reserves, including the Malampaya, are located in offshore areas near the province, only half of Palawan is energized.

Based on an interim agreement reached by the national and provincial governments, Palawan stands to collect P2.6 billion representing its 40 percent share in the revenues from the Malampaya.by Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo

Manila Times