What is Endosulfan?

Endosulfan is a neurotoxic organochlorineinsecticide of the cyclodiene family of pesticides. Being an endocrine disruptor, it is highly toxic. It is banned in the European Union,Cambodia, and several other countries, while its use is restricted in other countries, including the Philippines. It is still used extensively in many countries including the US and . It is made by Bayer CropScience, Makhteshim-Agan, and Hindustan Insecticides Limited among others, and sold under the tradenames Thionex, Thiodan, Phaser, and Benzoepin. Because of its high toxicity and high potential for bioaccumulation and environmental contamination, a global ban on the use and manufacture of endosulfan is being considered under the Stockholm Convention

Endosulfan has been used in agriculture around the world to control insect pests including whiteflys, aphids, leafhoppers, Colorado potato beetles, cabbage worms, and other pests. It has also seen use in wood preservation, home gardening, and tse-tse fly control, though it is not currently used in any vector control campaigns. The World Health Organization estimated world wide annual production to be about 20 million pounds (9,000 metric tons) in the early 1980s.mancozeb and monocrotophos, with almost 180 million pounds manufactured in the period 1999-2000. In India, more endosulfan is produced than any other pesticide except

killer pesticide endosulfan finally banned in Benin!

After almost 10 years of environmental damage and a large number of deaths among cotton growing communities, the infamous insecticide endosulfan is finally on its way out from West Africa. On 16th February, the government of Benin, one of the 3 largest cotton producers in the region, announced that the chemical would be banned after the existing stocks are used up.

This decision comes a result of a recommendation from the region's pest management experts who have finally recognised the unacceptable hazards of endosulfan, and paves the way to a probable phase out in most West African cotton producing countries - our sources suggest that Mali, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast are committed to phasing the insecticide out by the end of the 2008/9 growing season.

Pesticide found inside capsized ship

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday advised residents not to eat fish caught near the MV Princess of the Stars that capsized off Romblon, following reports that the vessel was found to be carrying a pesticide shipment.

from: gmanews.tv

Countdown to Armageddon : Doomsday 2012

Very interesting Prophecy!

Part 1



Part 2

Outcry of Disappointment

I’ am deeply saddened for what happened to M/V Princess of the Stars. Many lives where lost because of this accident. Some of them are nowhere to be found. This tragedy causes panicked not only for the families and friends of the victims, but also for the people of Sibuyan Island.

Why?

Fishing is one of the main sources of income for Sibuyanons. According to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), there is a possibility that fishes could have fed off from the bodies inside the vessel. The water could have been contaminated from the septic waste and other chemicals that might have spilled off into the water.

My brother used to have 3 fishing boat in Magdiwang (another town in Sibuyan Island). This kind of tragedy can ruin his business. Some of his buyer will hesitate to buy from him.

Belinda Raymundo, chief of the BFAR product testing laboratory, advised people to thoroughly rinse and take off the internal organs of all the fish they would be buying from the market.

She also said the best way to prepare fish dishes is to have the fish deeply fried to ensure that bacteria are killed.

There are many questions, which needs an answer. Who will be punished this time? Sulpicio Lines? Coast Guard? MARINA? PAG-ASA?

Hmmmm!

Sign of Hope from Magdiwang

As of 2:00 PM on June 23, 2008, my cousin Alvin texted me from Quezon City, about the situation in Magdiwang. He told me that his father called him up (from Silum) around 1:30 PM. According to him, typhoon "Frank" is the strongest typhoon that hit Sibuyan Island , many trees fell down, houses were damage and there is no supply of electricity all over the Sibuyan Island. The supply of electricity well restore after a month.

M/V Princess of Stars

Please pray for all the passengers of M/V Princess of Stars.

Sulpicio Lines releases passenger manifest, list of survivors from there website:

http://www.sulpiciolines.com/

video courtesy from even demata.

URGENT APPEAL: NATURE'S GRUDGE HAUNTS SIBUYAN ISLAND: Sibuyanons Appeal for Help

Sibuyan Island, Romblon, Philippines

Early this morning, the inhabitants along the coastal and riverbank areas of the ice-age island of Sibuyan in the middle of the Philippine archipelago started to evacuate to higher grounds because of typhoon Frank. Houses, villages and houses, among others, along the seacoasts and rivers are totally washed-out by big waves and strong current of overflowing rivers.

Evacuees are now housed in churches, schools and homes of families who are not affected. To this hour, an estimate of 10,000 people are affected by the typhoon."I am so afraid. The sea-level is rising very fast and the waves are as big as a two-storey house," Glori Macato, a public teacher, says while shivering.The parish church and the public plaza of San Fernando are now full of evacuees, the Church is doing its best respond to the needs of the people," says Sr. Lucy Caballero, a nun working for Basic Ecclesial Communities.

M/V Princess of the Star of Sulpicio Lines is now stranded on one of the coastlines of the island. This 44,860-hectare island in the province of Romblon has been in the limelight because of the island-people's strong opposition to the tough push of mining industry by the Philippine government which shall devastate almost 20,400 hectares.

Sibuyanons appeal to the Philippine government, especially to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as she and her companions who are flying to the United States tonight.

In this regard, in behalf of the island people, the Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for the Environment, Inc., (Sibuyan ISLE), is appealing for any help you may extend such as medicine, blankets, canned goods, noodles, among others.

RODNE R. GALICHA

Coordinator

Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for Environment, Inc. (Sibuyan ISLE) /

Sibuyanons Against Mining (SAM)

E-mail: kalikasan101@gmail.com

Website:http://www.sibuyan.com

Phone: +63.918.269.7059

Imagine a world without Filipinos

Muhammad Al-Maghrabi became handicapped and shut down his flower and gifts shop business in Jeddah after his Filipino workers insisted on leaving and returning home. He says: “When they left, I felt as if I had lost my arms. I was so sad that I lost my appetite.”

Al-Maghrabi then flew to Manila to look for two other Filipino workers to replace the ones who had left. Previously, he had tried workers of different nationalities but they did not impress him. “There is no comparison between Filipinos and others,” he says. Whenever I see Filipinos working in the Kingdom, I wonder what our life would be without them.

Saudi Arabia has the largest number of Filipino workers — 1,019,577 — outside the Philippines. In 2006 alone, the Kingdom recruited more than 223,000 workers from the Philippines and their numbers are still increasing. Filipinos not only play an important and effective role in the Kingdom, they also perform different jobs in countries across the world, including working as sailors. They are known for their professionalism and the quality of their work.

Nobody here can think of a life without Filipinos, who make up around 20 percent of the world’s seafarers. There are 1.2 million Filipino sailors.

So if Filipinos decided one day to stop working or go on strike for any reason, who would transport oil, food and heavy equipment across the world? We can only imagine the disaster that would happen.

What makes Filipinos unique is their ability to speak very good English and the technical training they receive in the early stages of their education. There are several specialized training institutes in the Philippines, including those specializing in engineering and road maintenance. This training background makes them highly competent in these vital areas.

When speaking about the Philippines, we should not forget Filipino nurses. They are some 23 percent of the world’s total number of nurses. The Philippines is home to over 190 accredited nursing colleges and institutes, from which some 9,000 nurses graduate each year. Many of them work abroad in countries such as the US, the UK, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Singapore.

Cathy Ann, a 35-year-old Filipino nurse who has been working in the Kingdom for the last five years and before that in Singapore, said she does not feel homesick abroad because “I am surrounded by my compatriots everywhere.” Ann thinks that early training allows Filipinos to excel in nursing and other vocations. She started learning this profession at the age of four as her aunt, a nurse, used to take her to hospital and ask her to watch the work. “She used to kiss me whenever I learned a new thing. At the age of 11, I could do a lot. I began doing things like measuring my grandfather’s blood pressure and giving my mother her insulin injections,” she said.

This type of early education system is lacking in the Kingdom. Many of our children reach the university stage without learning anything except boredom.

The Philippines, which you can barely see on the map, is a very effective country thanks to its people. It has the ability to influence the entire world economy.

We should pay respect to Filipino workers, not only by employing them but also by learning from their valuable experiences.

We should learn and educate our children on how to operate and maintain ships and oil tankers, as well as planning and nursing and how to achieve perfection in our work. This is a must so that we do not become like Muhammad Al-Maghrabi who lost his interest and appetite when Filipino workers left his flower shop.

We have to remember that we are very much dependent on the Filipinos around us. We could die a slow death if they chose to leave us.

by: Abdullah Al-Maghlooth | Al-Watan, almaghlooth@alwatan.com.sa
http://www.arabnews.com

MNHS Grand Reunion Pictures

Pictures courtesy of Miss Kit and Faith Molo...

Cockfighting or Sabong

Cockfighting is considered as one of the main pastime for sibuyanons. Cockfighting is a centuries-old blood sport in which two or more specially bred birds, known as gamecocks, are placed in an enclosure to fight, for the primary purposes of gambling and entertainment. A cockfight usually results in the death of one of the birds; sometimes it ends in the death of both. A typical cockfight can last anywhere from several minutes to more than half an hour.

Cockfighting in the Philippines is called “Sabong”, it is one of the Philippines’ national sports … there are illegal and legal cockfights (Even the Philippine boxing hero Manny Pacquiao has a cock called “Pac-Man”) … if you go into any home in the Philippines you would find at least 2 cocks (if there is an older male in the household) many would gamble on the fight, cocks in the country are treated like humans, they would feed them, give vitamins, and give them a shower … if the cock has been injured, but still alive, they would usually use it for reproduction, for fighting they would use gloves in an illegal fight, but would use blades in the legal fights …



Cockfighting is considered as gambling and pastime for others. But what we need to understand, are the disadvantages and effects to other people. This can ruin or destroy our family, your family and even your relationship with other people. A lot of money is used to bet every game. Instead of giving this to your own family, you will be obsess to bet every game, just to fulfill your happiness.