Category: Lab Notes

Lab Notes | Rosario’s black sand: That which we call home

Juan is just one out of many fisherfolk unable to make a living from the sight that greets them in the morning and lulls them at night. When reclamation started in Manila Bay and in Bulacan Aerotropolis, it meant finding source material for dumping, and there is no need to look farther than Cavite whose coasts are rich in black sand. High in iron content, the black sand can be used for concrete and asphalt production—a vital ingredient for built infrastructure.

Lab Notes | What must be done to the suspended land reclamations in Manila Bay?

By KELVIN S. RODOLFO, PhD* Note: Over two months have passed since the verbal announcement of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. on the suspension of reclamation activities in Manila Bay. However, no clear guidelines have been released yet. Reclamation activities such as seabed quarrying continue in Manila Bay. Bulatlat.com What can be done with these atrocities…

Lab Notes | Fraudulent activities via SIM registration

Marginalized populations, such as those without official identification documents or those who cannot pay to register, may be disproportionately affected by SIM registration requirements. This may result in their exclusion from necessary communication services and further marginalized groups that are already at risk.

Lab Notes | A tainted vision for environmental rehabilitation: The case in Manila Bay

Ironically, DENR failed on its supposed promise of genuine rehabilitation and protection of Manila Bay that should also benefit the surrounding dependent communities, along with the concern of viewing Manila Bay as a dispensable experiment for its programs and initiatives that are not true to conservation initiatives and much worse, are not in line with science-based applications…

Lab Notes | Would granular lockdowns in Metro Manila work in the face of a Delta surge?

Assuming that the areas under granular lockdown are identified as potential sources of infection, what interventions are being done to ensure the risk of transmission is mitigated or even bring down infections? How are tracing and testing protocols being implemented? In the case of indoor establishments and workplaces, what engineering and administrative controls are in place? In the context of airborne transmission of COVID-19, disinfections are simply not enough.

Lab Notes | Mangroves 101: Why we need to #SaveTaliptip

Once the aerotropolis is built, the hazards of the storm surfaces and high tide would be more pronounced – especially since we’re in the Philippines, a country hit by tens of typhoons a year. And this will only get worse as storms get more violent and sea levels rise due to climate change – and in fact, destroying mangrove trees release tons of carbon dioxide due stored in their soils.