Days before Kristine (international name: Trami) developed into a severe tropical storm, the Philippine Sea was warmer than usual. Under the warming climate, the typhoon-prone Bicol Region is more vulnerable with decimated forests. Both Camarines Sur and Albay saw a net loss of tree cover from 2000 to 2020, according to Global Forest Watch.
The group said that the government’s counter-insurgency operations are falsely portrayed as successes through the detention of activists and community leaders.
“This must serve as a lesson to all administrations. They should not be negligent if the safety of the students is at stake. They must be proactive in taking additional steps to ensure students’ safety,” Cabajes urged.
“We might need semi-dam dikes to hold the river’s water capacity, while the Bato Lake needs desiltation. But our urgent need is to block the side of the river with collapsed dike,” Mayor Domingo Escoto Jr. said.