DURING the State of the Nature Address (SONA) recently held by Green Convergence, a coalition of non-governmental organizations (NGOs), so many facts were presented, of which most were either disheartening or tragic.
Among the speakers were Energy Secretary Carlos Petilla, Director Mundita Lim of then Parks and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) now called Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB), Executive Director Godof Villapando of the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE) and Climate Change Commissioner member Yeb Sano.
Director Mundita Lim said that our forest cover had been decreasing rapidly. She cited that from more than 22 million hectares of pristine forests, 93 percent of these are gone today. This was heartbreaking.
Why? Because forests are supposed to be ‘the carbon sinks’ of our country. These are the ‘lifeline’ of our terrestrial food chain. Forests and mountains are part of any country’s jewels, so to speak.
Ms. Lim mentioned that our coral reefs of over 22,000 kilometers were, once upon a time, larger than the coastline of continental USA! Now, the same coral reefs are practically destroyed. Only one percent remains in excellent condition.
This really took me by surprise since our country is at the center of the Coral Triangle. It is geographically strategic to be located at the center of the marine area where 30 percent of the world’s reefs are. However, it is an irony that most of our sheer efforts to save our coral reefs were in vain.
In 1979, in Washington D.C., we had painstakingly lobbied, using Presidential Decree 1219, for the total banning, harvesting and extraction of Philippine coral from entry to the United States. Finally, the said decree was amended into the Black Bass and Lacey Acts and signed into law in 1980 by then US President Ronald Reagan.
We were jubilant then, thinking we had achieved a great victory for saving our coral reefs from being exported and sold as dried decors in every city in the world.
Lo and behold! Despite the said ban and even the inclusion of coral reefs into the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the condition of our coral reefs remains miserable!
This must be considered a crime, since we rely on the bounty of the seas for our food and livelihood. The coral reefs are the beginning of the marine food chain along with mangrove swamps and estuaries. Once we destroy this marine food chain, then we will be in danger of recurring food shortages.
For so many years, we expected more hopeful consequences for the improvement of our natural marine resources (underwater structures). However, in all these years, we have witnessed nothing but the continuing degradation of our natural resources!
Our country is a mega-biodiversity country in danger. The number of hot spots and dead zones have increased. Another threat is ocean acidification that has taken its toll in our marine environment.
During the recent SONA discussion, I informed Ms. Lim about a diving experience my brother and I had in Honda Bay, Palawan where the waters were polluted and coral reefs were dead! It was acidic and only jelly fishes were present, which was understandable since these species do not necessarily need oxygen.
We immediately made a report about it directly to the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). Director Mitch Cuna assured that action would be taken to find out what caused the acidification.
Meanwhile, the SONA had some good news mentioned by Ms. Lim, such as the new species that have been discovered recently, notably the Agusan
Marsh now holding over 27 million tons of carbon dioxide and the massive mangrove reforestation done around the country.
A good sign but not enough for us to sustain our people and planet. Yes, we have seen the planet worsen, as our forest and mountains go bald, as our coral reefs become destroyed by dynamites, muru-ami and kayakas fishing, as poverty rises and quality food becomes scarce.
Secretary Petilla, he spoke of the incoming energy crisis and the need to put light and power in place, specially coal and old fossil fuel plants. He even spoke of the government's plan to revive the Bataan Nuclear Power plant (BNPP).
We countered this by citing the experience of Germany which is taking the lead in getting out of nuclear power in the wake of the Fukushima disaster.
We also emphasized on how cheap and affordable solar and wind power is becoming now. We urged Sec. Petilla to follow suit. (We also put forward the prohibitive cost of nuclear plants. Not one single nuclear plant is privately owned largely due to the costs).
We strongly advocated against the present (economic) development model and the need to change it. He agreed but we need to walk our talk. It's sad to see the planet change for the worse. Who cares if our economic growth rate is over 7 percent when none of it is filtered down to the people?
The ecology, alongside its natural capital, is declining fast.
FPE Director Villapando mentioned about the projects they had with government and civil society groups. Sadly, he confirmed that there are indeed many cases of corruption and delays in actual project implementation of the National Greening Program (NGP). Most often, he said, those projects involve planting exotic and invasive species instead of endemic species. (He also mentioned the delays caused by delayed funding by the government counterpart.)
By the way, invasive species are one of the biggest destroyers of our biodiversity. I guess, ignorance of how our ecosystem works is another.
(Education in school curriculum must include Ecology.)
Commissioner Sano ended the forum with his experience in the climate change commission. He urged everyone to make a difference by doing our share.
With over 40 years in the conservation movement, we had fought many battles and had won a few. We're happy that more and more like-minded people now speak with conviction. This is a good example we can all show our youth. In so doing, we allow them to have an unparalleled opportunity to be unwavering environmental leaders someday.
Their own perspective will be strongly influenced by the environment they grew up with. Let it be a good one then.
If there's one war we must not lose, it is this war against climate change! With foresight, vigilance and resolve, it can be done.
We have really seen the planet change and we don’t like it.
For our children and theirs, there is no reason why it cannot be ecologically balanced.
(By: Antonio M. Claparols – President ESP)