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Friday, September 22, 2023
Southern Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao affected by ITCZ — Pagasa
High sulfur dioxide emissions cause volcanic smog over Taal
Sep 22, 2023 09:25 AM
The ongoing unrest at Taal Volcano, which is characterized by high sulfur dioxide (SO2) emissions, is causing volcanic smog, or “vog,” the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said on Friday, Sept. 22.
Phivolcs detected 4,569 tons of sulfur dioxide emissions during a 24-hour observation of the active volcano in Batangas, which produced significant volcanic smog.
This is slightly higher than the 4,322 tons recorded on Thursday, Sept. 21.
In an advisory on Thursday, Phivolcs said it has observed a “large cloud of SO2 over and stretching west of Taal Lake.”
“Vog has been affecting the Taal Region since the first week of September 2023 as an average of 3,402 tons per day of SO2 has been degassed from Taal Volcano for the month,” it said.
‘Vog’ threats
“As a reminder, vog consists of fine droplets containing volcanic gas such as SO2, which is acidic and can cause irritation of the eyes, throat and respiratory tract with severities depending on the gas concentrations and durations of exposure,” Phivolcs explained.
“People who may be particularly sensitive to vog are those with health conditions such as asthma, lung disease and heart disease, the elderly, pregnant women and children,” it added.
Phivolcs advised those vulnerable to vog to limit their exposure by avoiding outdoor activities, staying indoors, and closing doors and windows to block out vog.
Residents were also advised to cover their noses, “ideally with an N95 facemask.”
“Drink plenty of water to reduce any throat irritation or constriction. If belonging to the particularly sensitive group of people above, watch over yourself and seek help from a doctor or the barangay health unit if needed, especially if serious effects are experienced,” Phivolcs said.
It also warned that acid rain could be produced during periods of rainfall and volcanic gas emission over areas where the plume disperses, causing crop damage and corroding metal roofs on houses and buildings.
Alert Level 1 remains
Taal Volcano remains on Alert Level 1, which means it is still experiencing a "low-level unrest," Phivolcs said.
Under Alert Level 1, sudden steam-driven or phreatic explosions, volcanic earthquakes, minor ashfall, and lethal accumulations or expulsions of volcanic gas are possible and could endanger areas on Taal Volcano Island (TVI).
Phivolcs emphasized that entry into TVI, Taal's permanent danger zone, must be strictly prohibited, particularly in the vicinity of the main crater and the Daang Kastila fissure.
We need to preserve our coral reefs
Sep 22, 2023 00:03 AM
How important are coral reefs?
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, “coral reefs are some of the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on Earth. Coral reefs support more species per unit area than any other marine environment, including about 4,000 species of fish, 800 species of hard corals and hundreds of other species. Scientists estimate that there may be millions of undiscovered species of organisms living in and around reefs. This biodiversity is considered key to finding new medicines for the 21st century. Many drugs are now being developed from coral reef animals and plants as possible cures for cancer, arthritis, human bacterial infections, viruses, and other diseases.”
That is how valuable coral reefs are to mankind. Therefore, it is incumbent upon everyone — Filipino or otherwise — to preserve them for our existence.
The subject is brought to the fore in the wake of the destruction of corals and coral reefs at Rozul (Iroquios) Reef and Escoda (Sabina) Shoal, both located in the West Philippine Sea and within the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Philippines.
Rozul Reef, located at the southern end of Recto (Reed) Bank in the northeastern portion of Kalayaan Island Group (Spratly Islands) in Palawan, is known as a haven for different species of fish and other marine life because of the natural coral reef growing around it which serves as their shelter.
Based on a recent survey conducted by the Palawan-based Western Command (WesCom) of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), there was nothing left of the corals at Rozul Reef and Escoda Shoal.
“There’s nothing left, they are destroyed and only debris was there,” Vice Admiral Alberto Carlos, WesCom commander, said in a recent news forum.
The WesCom said the destruction of corals and coral reefs were discovered after Chinese vessels swarmed the areas.
In view of this, the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) has begun studying the best legal course of action to take.
“The OSG is in the fact-finding and data gathering stage of its study on legal options regarding WPS issues,” Solicitor General Menardo I. Guevarra said on Wednesday, Sept. 20. “These matters require a lot of prudence and circumspection in view of their potential long-term impact on our national interests.”
Japan and the United States have joined the Philippines in deploring the massive destruction of corals and coral reefs in areas within the Philippines’ EEZ.
We call on all responsible nations to join the Philippines in denouncing this deplorable act as this impacts global food security considering that millions of people depend on the vast South China Sea, where the West Philippine Sea is located, for their food and livelihood. They should also help in the preservation of marine habitats to ensure that we have food on the table everyday.
This is not a matter of territorial dispute, this concerns food security for all.
We should all act now before it’s too late.
La Salle libero Justine Jazareno goes pro with Akari Chargers in PVL
Sep 21, 2023 09:59 PM
AT A GLANCE
Justine Jazaro has decided to leave De La Salle to turn pro with Premier Volleyball League's (PVL) Akari, the team announced on social media on Thursday night, Sept. 21.
Justine Jazareno has decided to leave De La Salle to turn pro with Premier Volleyball League's (PVL) Akari, the team announced on social media on Thursday night, Sept. 21.
The libero is set to join her former Lady Spiker middle blocker teammate Fifi Sharma in the Chargers’ rotation in the season-ending All-Filipino Conference in mid October.
Jazareno, who was part of the La Salle squad which won the UAAP Season 85 championship title, still had two more years of eligibility left.
Like Sharma, who decided to forgo three years of eligibility, Jazareno is likely to have significant playing opportunity with the Chargers as former liberos Dani Ravena and Rachel Jorvina were moved to Akari’s expansion team newcomer NXLed.
The 23-year-old Jazareno will take turns with the Chargers’ starting lineup libero Bang Pineda.
With Jazareno’s move, the Lady Spikers’ defense title campaign just took another blow with the previous departure of senior players Jolina dela Cruz and Finals MVP ace setter Mars Alba.
Careful with the danger of envy
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By Fr. Roy Cimagala
Chaplain
Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)
Talamban, Cebu City
Email: roycimagala@gmail.com
THIS danger usually arises when we are not content with what we have or with what is promised to us. It arises when we tend to compare ourselves with others in an improper way—that is, not for the glory of God but rather for our own self-interest only.
We are reminded of this danger in that gospel parable about a landowner hiring workers at different hours of the day. (cfr. Mt 20,1-16) The landowner saw idle people around and decided to hire them, promising to pay them a certain amount of money. When he saw other idle people in the latter part of the day, he also decided to hire them, promising them to pay them something.
As it turned out, when the time came to pay them, the landowner decided to pay the same amount to everyone, irrespective of the time they were hired. That’s when those hired in the first hour thought they would receive more than what was promised, obviously because they rendered longer time of work.
But the landowner noticed that those hired in the first hour grumbled about their pay, and so, he corrected them saying, “Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what is yours and go. What if I wish to give this last one the same as you?”
That’s when the parable ended with the intended concluding lesson with these intriguing words of Christ: “Are you envious because I am generous? Thus, the last will be first, and the first will be last.”
Indeed, we need to be most wary of this danger of envy that would lead us to feel entitled just because we came ahead of the others, or more gifted and privileged than them. That would lead us to think that those who came later than us or who are less gifted than us to be better rewarded by God than we are if they were given the same treatment.
What we should rather do is to be content with what we have as given by God through his different ways, and just focus on what we have to do to fulfill our duties and responsibilities. Anyway, in the end God knows what to give us in return, and he can never be outdone in generosity.
We should just be generous in our self-giving without feeling entitled. This was the example of Christ himself who, being God, emptied himself to become man and to bear all the sins of men by dying on the cross, all for the purpose of saving mankind. (cfr. Phil 2,7)
He reiterated this point when he lamented about the domineering sense of entitlement of some of the leading Jews of his time while praising the poor widow who put all that she had into the temple treasury. (cfr. Mk 12,38-44)
While it’s true that we obviously are entitled to our rights, we should not feel entitled to privileges and favors that are above our rights and needs. If they come and we cannot avoid them, then let’s be thankful.
But let’s be reminded that these privileges, favors and blessings are meant for us to strengthen our desire to serve more and not to be served. But as it is, we should try to avoid them, since they tend only to spoil and corrupt us.
We have to be most wary when we happen to enjoy some privileged positions or status in life because we tend to think that we deserve more entitlements. And not only would we expect them. We may even demand them for us.
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