Wednesday, May 18, 2022
manilastandard.net
ADVERTISEMENT
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Others
    • Pets
    • Pop.Life
      • Newsmakers
      • Hangouts
      • A-Pop
      • Post Its
      • Performances
      • Malls & Bazaars
      • Hobbies & Collections
    • Technology
      • Gadgets
      • Computers
      • Business
      • Tech Plus
    • MS ON THE ROAD
      • Sedan
      • SUV
      • Truck
      • Bike
      • Accessories
      • Motoring Plus
      • Commuter’s Corner
    • Home & Design
      • Residential
      • Commercial
      • Construction
      • Interior
    • Spotlight
    • Gallery
      • Photos
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Seminars
      • Exhibits
      • Community
    • Biyahero
      • Travel Features
      • Travel Reels
      • Travel Logs
  • Advertise with Us
No Result
View All Result
manilastandard.net
No Result
View All Result
Home News Top Stories

Lopez scored for charcoal making plan

Christine F. HerrerabyChristine F. Herrera
May 2, 2017, 12:01 am
in Top Stories
Reading Time: 4 mins read
A A
77
SHARES
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Email

ENVIRONMENT Secretary Regina Lopez has ordered the creation of a P9.4-billion backyard industry for charcoal making that would exclusively benefit the private company Biochar, which is owned by her trusted lieutenant Undersecretary Philip Camara, a Lopez critic said Monday.

In DENR Administrative Order 2017-05, a copy of which was obtained by the Manila Standard, Lopez orders all regional offices, bureaus and attached agencies of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to implement the multi-billion-peso Biochar program nationwide.

The order designates DENR Undersecretary Philip Camera, who is also the president of the privately held Biochar, as the manager and supervisor of the program. 

Earlier, Biochar was awarded the P9.4-billion contract without the benefit of a public bidding, and no feasibility or scientific study, said Manuel Galvez, a general partner of Airboard Co. and one of the 23 parties that opposed Lopez’s confirmation before the Commission on Appointments.

It was Camara who drafted and recommended the approval of the administrative order that he and Lopez signed on Feb. 23, Galvez said. 

ADVERTISEMENT

Camara said Biochar has the potential to provide alternative livelihood to local communities, given that the country consumes 22 million cubic meters of wood for fuel and charcoal per year.

Lopez added that the Biochar program was a “remarkable climate change mitigation technology with  poverty alleviation through community enterprise.”

Environment Secretary Regina Lopez

But Galvez said the program was unscientific and untested, with not a single pilot project to show how it works.

“That’s pure baloney. Biochar is not even a technology. Camara’s Biochar company has no project to show it’s working. Gina Lopez is giving her USEC some P9.4 billion in public funds when this private company did not even have a track record to speak of,” Galvez said.

“Gina Lopez is introducing a program that is untested and unscientific and will only encourage kaingin [slash and burn practices], violate the Clean Air Act and a move that will make a private company owned by Camara really rich at the expense of the public and the government. Gina creates a backyard industry for uling (charcoal) that legitimizes kaingin,” Galvez said.

“That’s a clear case of graft and corruption and in the case of Camara, a clear case of conflict of interest,” Galvez said.

Even before the program could start in full swing, Camara resigned on April 7 after the Civil Service Commission ruled he was not qualified to be an undersecretary.

“Biochar is neither an invention nor innovation as it is just a usual coal-making process done mostly in rural areas. With the DAO, DENR misleads the public by saying it is adopting a new technology.  What Gina tries to propagate is an adaption of a private company’s business efforts using government funds. A clear case of graft: Biochar, a private company is not a non-profit organization, will manage the proffered business,” Galvez said.

Biochar, Lopez said, is charred biomass strictly from agricultural wastes like rice hull and straw, bagasse, pill shell, mango seed, coconut husk and shell and corn cobs, which are produced by high heating or not less than 500 degree Celsius with very limited oxygen.

Lopez clarified that cutting of any trees to serve as raw materials for biochar is strictly prohibited.

“However, biomass coming from trees such as wood chips, seeds, twigs and branches can be permitted,” she added. 

Lopez said biochar has 52 known uses, including as feed additive in animal farming, carbon fertilizer, insulator, protection against electromagnetic radiation, water decontaminant, biomass additive, ingredient in cataplasm for insect bites and abscesses, fabric additive for functional underwear, and filling for mattresses and pillows.

Lopez explained that biochar also draws carbon from the atmosphere, providing a carbon sink on agricultural lands and that after its initial or cascading use, biochar can be recycled as a soil conditioner.

Fully depreciated when finally returned to the soil, the black carbon will slowly build up in the soil and over a few generations, the soil’s biochar content could easily reach 50 to 100 tons per hectare.

But Galvez questioned these claims, seeking any study to show that biochar would mitigate the effects of climate change.

He also questioned why a private entity, Biochar, would manage a government program.

Also on Monday, some environmental advocates said they were bewildered over the supposed influence being wielded by Leo Jasareno, a close adviser of Lopez.

Jasareno, former head of the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, was fired by President Rodrigo Duterte last year but retained by  Lopez as a consultant.

Pio Mercado, spokesperson of the pro-environment group Caraga Watch, said Lopez’s “over-reliance with Jasareno will likely cause her downfall.” 

“And we don’t want that to happen because we support her [Lopez], we share the same advocacy,” said Mercado, whose group was tapped by Lopez as one of the non-government organizations that took part in last year’s nationwide mine audit.

Caraga Watch, a multi-sectoral group composed of religious and progressive sectors, has accused Jasareno of corruption and other irregularities when he was still MGB director.

“The problems hounding the mining industry today got worse when Jasareno was at the reigns of MGB. Before that, he was head of the tenements division, and was instrumental in approving dozens of new mining areas that should have been protected,” Mercado said. 

Mercado said Lopez should have taken her cue from President Duterte when he fired Jasareno last September.

“The President had no trust in him [Jasareno], so that should have been Gina’s cue for her not to trust Leo.What’s so special about this guy?” the Caraga Watch spokesperson added.

Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers echoed Mercado’s view, saying Jasareno had “clearly lost the trust and confidence of the President.”

Worse, Barbers said Lopez may be held liable by law for entrusting Jasareno with “sensitive government documents even without a proper appointment.”

“We found out that he’s [Jasareno] not formally employed with DENR, and he’s only acting as personal consultant of the DENR secretary,” Barbers said. With Lance Baconguis

Tags: Backyard industryBiocharCharcoal makingDepartment of Environment and Natural ResourcesSecretary Regina LopezUndersecretary Philip Camara
ADVERTISEMENT
Christine F. Herrera

Christine F. Herrera

Related Posts

Congress set to canvass votes

byRey E. Requejoand3 others
May 18, 2022, 1:50 am
0
285
Speaker Velasco backs Romualdez as his successor

BBM camp seeks respect for people's will amid plea to stop tally Congress will start the canvassing of votes for...

Read more

Laguesma, Ople tapped to head labor, migrant workers’ portfolios

byRey E. Requejo
May 18, 2022, 1:40 am
0
636
Speaker Velasco backs Romualdez as his successor

Presumptive president Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. has asked former Labor Secretary Bienvenido “Benny” Laguesma and migrant workers' advocate Susan "Toots"...

Read more

Sara hands-off on appointments

byManila Standard
May 18, 2022, 1:30 am
0
455
6 died, 2 injured in road mishap in Mt. Province

Presumptive vice president Sara Duterte-Carpio said Monday she will neither lobby for officials hailing from Davao nor interfere in the...

Read more

New law gives honorarium to SK members

byVito Barceloand1 others
May 18, 2022, 1:20 am
0
318
Vax wastage, infection surge feared in Odette-hit areas

All Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) members are now entitled to a monthly honorarium and other privileges after President Rodrigo Duterte signed...

Read more

Cray paces paltry 4-gold haul, PH still 3rd in SEAG

byRiera U. Mallari
May 18, 2022, 1:10 am
0
196
Speaker Velasco backs Romualdez as his successor

Hanoi—Ageless runner Eric Cray, cue artist Rubilen Amit, taekwondo jin Kurt Barbosa, and a muay thai duo saved the day...

Read more

Speaker Velasco backs Romualdez as his successor

byMaricel Cruz
May 18, 2022, 1:00 am
0
273
Speaker Velasco backs Romualdez as his successor

Speaker Lord Allan Velasco on Tuesday endorsed House Majority Leader and Leyte 1st District Rep. Martin Romualdez as his successor...

Read more

Stories you may like

  • Ex-Naga dad links Leni’s brother-in-law to illegal drugs

    Ex-Naga dad links Leni’s brother-in-law to illegal drugs

    35786 shares
    Share 14314 Tweet 8947
  • Of course, it was BBM’s project

    30190 shares
    Share 12076 Tweet 7548
  • INC endorses BBM, Sara

    28657 shares
    Share 11463 Tweet 7164
  • Duterte’s seven biggest achievements

    17913 shares
    Share 7165 Tweet 4478
  • Marcos leads SWS survey on presidentiables at 50%

    13535 shares
    Share 5414 Tweet 3384

Print Edition

View More

Recent Posts

  • Sneakers for Makati : AB4.0
  • Conservatives tipped to lose in Australian nail-biter election
  • Forum focuses on Women Empowerment; Nominations for Asia CEO Awards InLife Young Shero of theYear open
  • China deepens support for tech as virus limits options
  • US eases some sanctions on Venezuela: official
  • More than 100,000 people officially missing in Mexico
  • Butler brings heat as Miami sink Boston in series opener
  • Magic win NBA No.1 Draft pick after lottery

Advertisement

Latest News

More than 100,000 people officially missing in Mexico

byAFP
May 18, 2022, 12:00 pm
0
140
More than 100,000 people officially missing in Mexico

By Yussel Gonzalez More than 100,000 people are now listed as missing in violence-wracked Mexico, a grim milestone that the...

Read more

Butler brings heat as Miami sink Boston in series opener

byAFP
May 18, 2022, 11:35 am
0
154
Butler brings heat as Miami sink Boston in series opener

Jimmy Butler scored 41 points as the Miami Heat produced a devastating comeback to defeat the Boston Celtics 118-107 in...

Read more

Magic win NBA No.1 Draft pick after lottery

byAFP
May 18, 2022, 11:00 am
0
138
Magic win NBA No.1 Draft pick after lottery

The Orlando Magic will have the first pick in next month's NBA Draft after winning the league's lottery on Tuesday....

Read more

Lopez elated by warm support from Manileños

byManilaStandard
May 18, 2022, 10:37 am
0
204
Alex Lopez ‘real winner’ of Manila mayoralty race

The Team Pagbabago of lawyer Alex Lopez, who recently ran for mayor of Manila, held a successful 'Pasasalamat motorcade’ last...

Read more

Netflix trims staff to weather slowing growth

byAFP
May 18, 2022, 10:30 am
0
133
End of an era as Netflix faces stagnation

Netflix on Tuesday said it laid off about two percent of its staff in a belt-tightening move after growth slowed...

Read more

Advertisement

ADVERTISEMENT
Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube

ABOUT US

Manila Standard

Manila Standard website (manilastandard.net), launched in August 2002, extends the newspaper’s reach beyond its traditional readers and makes its brand of Philippine news and opinion available to a much wider and geographically diverse readership here and overseas.

Digital Edition

In tone and content, the online edition mirrors the editorial thrust of the newspaper. While hewing to the traditional precepts of fairness and objectivity, MS believes the news of the day need not be staid, overly long or dry. Stories are succinct, readable and written in a lively style that has become a hallmark of the newspaper.

Download – Today’s Paper

Search

No Result
View All Result

6th Floor Universal Re Bldg., 106 Paseo De Roxas cor. Perea Street, Legaspi Village, 1226 Makati City Philippines

Trunklines: 832-5554, 832-5556, 832-5558

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • News
    • Top Stories
    • National
    • World News
    • Pinoy Abroad
    • Features
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
    • Columns
    • Soundbytes
  • LGUs
    • NCR
    • Luzon
    • Visayas
    • Mindanao
  • Business
    • Corporate
    • Economy & Trade
    • Stocks
    • Money
    • Agri & Mining
    • Power & Tech
    • IT & Telecom
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Volleyball
    • Fightsports
    • Active
    • Sports Plus
    • One Championship
    • Columns
  • Entertainment
    • TV & Movies
    • Celebrity Profiles
    • Music & Concerts
    • Digital Media
    • Columns
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Culture & Media
    • Fashion
    • Health and Home
    • Leisure
    • Shopping
    • Columns
  • Pop.Life
    • Newsmakers
    • Hangouts
    • A-Pop
    • Post Its
    • Performances
    • Malls & Bazaars
    • Hobbies & Collections
  • Technology
    • Gadgets
    • Computers
    • Business
    • Tech Plus
  • MS ON THE ROAD
    • Sedan
    • SUV
    • Truck
    • Bike
    • Accessories
    • Motoring Plus
    • Commuter’s Corner
  • Home & Design
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Construction
    • Interior
  • Spotlight
  • Gallery
    • Photos
    • Videos
  • Events
    • Seminars
    • Exhibits
    • Community
  • Biyahero
    • Travel Features
    • Travel Reels
    • Travel Logs
  • Pets
  • Advertise with Us

© 2021 Manila Standard - Designed and Developed by Neitiviti Studios.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Install Manila Standard Web App

Install App