DAVAO CITY (PIA) – The proliferation of foreign tree species and the decreasing habitats of endemic native flora are said to be one of the contributing factors in the spread of mosquitoes and the diseases related to it like malaria, dengue and lymphatic filiriasis. Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, chairman of the Coalition for the Elimination of Lymphatic Filiriasis-Philippines (CELF-Philippines), said that the planting of foreign species of trees like African Mahogany and Australian eucalyptus has disturbed the ecosystem which has caused the mosquitoes to spread. According to Tan, ideally endemic tree species makes ideal growing habitats for native plants, which has defenses for mosquitoes. Native plants also are habitat for insects and small animals which feed on these mosquitoes thus controlling their numbers. Tan said the planting of foreign species is akin to mono-cropping which is not an ideal ecosystem. Galvez is encouraging people to instead plant endemic local trees and plants like in reforestation projects. He said that banaba, guava, Philippine Mahogany and Mindanao eucalyptus could be planted instead of imported varieties.

M.S.U. LAUNCHES ANTI-DENGUE DRIVE

MARAWI CITY – City Health Officer Dr. Paisal Edris reported that cases of dengue went high on June and July. In a phone interview, Edris told the Manila Bulletin that there was no fatality, citing their intensive information drive in the different barangays (villages). City Mayor Sultan Fahad Pre Salic earlier issued a directive order to all village officials to cooperate with city government unit it its massive clean-up drive. “Since this concerns everybody, we have to involve the academicians like the Mindanao State University (MSU), System, Department of Education and private schools for advocacy campaign on preventive control against dengue like cleanliness for its strategy,” Salic said. As this developed, the MSU launched an environmental and health advocacy campaign spearheaded by the Office of the Vice Chancellor on Research and Extension and in collaboration with Mamitua Saber Research and Technology Center, University Extension Services – MSU Marawi, Radjah Indarapatra Lodge No. 387, R-X and ARMM Lanao, F&AM, College of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Integrated Provincial Health Office, and Marawi City Health Office. (Asa Madale)

MINDANAO EXPORTERS TO GET CERTIFICATION

DAVAO CITY (PNA) – Mindanao exporters are being urged to undergo International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certification as a strategy to overcome “technical barriers” to trade and allow them to effectively compete in international markets. Renato Navarette, managing director of Certification International Philippines, noted that today’s companies operate in a highly “dynamic environment,” which require them to continuously improve their internal production and management systems. “Organizations can achieve better results if they equipped with a well-defined plan of action (which ISO certification can provide),” Navarette said during the recent Mindanao Exporters’ Forum held at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas here. He explained that ISO 9001:2008 is a quality management standard which applies to all types of organizations.