http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/15 Sat, 25 Apr 2026 21:43:37 GMT 2026-04-25T21:43:37Z https://ani.seafdec.org.ph:443/bitstream/id/79b7762c-594c-4487-b96a-0189f4e538a9/ http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/15 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17554 Bottles containing cyanide found in Chinese sampans at Ayungin Shoal-NSC Naval, Rex Anthony A ranking National Security Council (NSC) official on Monday said that intensive laboratory testing confirmed that yellow bottles recovered by the Navy (PN) from Chinese sampans operating near BRP Sierra Madre (LS-57) AT Ayungin Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) were “positive for the presence of cyanide.” “The bottles containing cyanide were seized by the Navy from Chinese sampans in February 2025 and on October 24, 2025. Laboratory analysis conducted by the National Bureau of Investigation [NBI]’s Forensic and Scientific Research Service has conclusively established that the yellow bottles seized from the sampans contain cyanide, a highly toxic chemical known to cause severe and irreversible damage to humans and marine ecosystems,” the NSC spokesperson, Assistant Director General Cornelio Valencia Jr., said in a statement. Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17554 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17550 Diving Calamianes: Exploring history highlighted by dugong encounters Jimenez, Arabelle There are places in the Philippines that feel like postcards come to life—and then there’s the Calamianes, one of the many gems of the MIMAROPA Region in the Philippines. MIMAROPA (Region IV-B) is an administrative region in the Philippines composed of five island provinces: Mindoro (Occidental/Oriental), Marinduque, Romblon, and Palawan. Tucked in the northernmost reaches of Palawan, the Calamianes group of islands is where history, legend, and raw natural beauty collide in ways that feel almost unreal. Composed primarily of Busuanga, Coron, Culion, and a scattering of smaller islands, the Calamianes is more than just a destination—it’s a layered story waiting to be explored above and beneath the water. Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17550 2026-04-11T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17549 Marcos halts excise tax on LPG, cuts toll in fish ports Medenilla, Samuel With the effects of the prolonged Middle East crisis now creeping into food prices, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. announced measures to keep cooking gas affordable and reduce the operational costs of farmers and fisherfolks. He made the announcement in a hastily called press conference in Malacañang on Monday amid rumors of his alleged poor health as well as criticisms on the government’s alleged slow response on the impact of the Middle East crisis. It was the first time Marcos exercised his power under Republic Act 12316, which takes effect on April 14. Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17549 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17548 DA pushes ₱10/kilo subsidy for fishers as fuel costs now eat 80% of production Pelonia, Ada; Mayuga, Jonathan The Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to launch a new subsidy program for fishers, as persistently rising fuel prices threaten to cripple the local fishing industry. Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel Jr. said the DA is mulling over allocating P10 to commercial and municipal fishers for every kilo of landed catch on government fish ports, as pump prices already cornered up to 80 percent of their production cost. ”Our fishing sector will really suffer, especially the commercial ones [operating in General Santos] because fuel used to account for 40 to 50 percent of their production cost, but it’s now at 70 to 80 percent,” Tiu Laurel said in a Senate hearing on Monday. Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12174/17548 2026-04-14T00:00:00Z