Ondoy aftermath

It came and shocked all of us. We never expected that it would come this early. Although we’ve been warning people that in the near future our environment would show us its full force, we never thought that the near future we’re talking about refers to the present already.

The destruction that Ondoy brought us made many of us realize that it is high time that we take our environment seriously. Being the stewards of the environment, we’ve been tasked to make sure that the next generation would still have adequate resources for them to be able to have a life that not only facilitates physical but, more importantly, human development. 

The problem, however, is that instead of working together, people, especially the powers that be, have started the blame game. Nobody wants to take responsibility (except for Bayani Fernando who, admitted his responsibility for the flooding). The DENR Secretary wants to sue the LLDA Chair. The LLDA Chair, on the other hand, blames the DENR Secretary. The local government officials concerned are very silent as to what they have failed to do to prepare for a deluge like Ondoy. These officials should be reminded that the management of the environment is one of the services decentralized to them.

I believe that every one of us should be blamed for what had happened. It is not just the government. The people’s way of living also aggravated the effects of Ondoy. The world has seen how we have been helping each other during and after the deluge that’s Ondoy. It is high time that we show to the world that we are ready to take our responsibility as stewards of the environment. 

Striking a Balance

It is difficult for a man, scavenging on the garbage dump created by affluence and profligate consumption and extravagance of the rich or fishing in the murky waters of the Pasig River and the Laguna Lake or making a clearing in the forest so that he can produce food for his family, to understand why protecting birds, fish, and trees is more important than protecting him and keeping his family alive.

How do we strike a balance between environmental protection, on the one hand, and the individual personal interests of people, on the other?

- HERMOSISIMA, JR., J.

Laguna Lake Development Authority vs. Court of Appeals, et al., G.R. no. 120865-71, December 7, 1995

ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNER BOARD EXAM

On 11-12 June 2008, the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) through the Board of Environmental Planning will hold the Professional Licensure Examinations for Environmental Planners. A new set of Environmental Planners will again be available for multi-million projects.

I can vividly remember that during our time, which was actually just two years ago, I was very excited to take the said examinations. I had just finished  my Diploma course from the U.P. School of Urban and Regional Planning (UP-SURP- the only urban and regional planning school in the Philippines). I was so eager to practice Environmental Planning. No one can practice Environmental Planning in the Philippines without a license from the PRC. Fortunately (thanks to my prayers and my very capable professors from UP-SURP), I was able to survive the examinations despite me suffering from flu then. Unfortunately, one (1) out of the twelve (12) students/graduates from the UP-SURP who took the examinations failed.

I am the 574th licensed Environmental Planner in the Philippines. So far, considering the number of hopefuls that pass the EnP Board Exams every year, the Philippines has now have approximately 630 licensed Environmental Planners (this number includes those who have failed to renew their licenses).

One unsolicited advice for those who are going to take and successfully pass the EnP Board Exams this year- consider the profession as a vocation not a money-making business. I have heard a lot of stories from my colleagues that there are some who study Urban Planning and take the Board Exams just to be able to make money. It is true that an Environmental Planner can rake as much as a million per project (that is, if you have built a very good reputation as a Planner). However, the clients that badly need your service are not your multi-million real estate companies or your mutilateral agencies. The clients that badly need your service are your local government units, especially those categorized under the 3rd to 5th class categories.  

As an Environmental Planner, I would like to request the other licensed Environmental Planners and those who are to be licensed soon to share your expertise to our local government units. If you can, at least, take a pro bono project once a year or once very two years. The proof that I practice what I preach is my Plan.Works Co. I, together with the EnP Board Exams topnotcher in 2006, established this planning firm that primarily caters to local government units who cannot even afford to send their Planning and Development Officers to take special planning courses in UP-SURP. However, inspite the pro bono service that we offer, some local government officials and officers are still hesitant to engage us because this would still entail expenses for materials and transportation.

To the EnP hopefuls this year, God bless and may you share your expertise to our needy clients. 

INTERNATIONAL DAY FOR BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

The world will be observing the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22 May 2008 with its theme revolving around Biodiversity and Agriculture. The theme is very appropriate as many countries in the world are experiencing crisis in food. In the Philippines, many families have to line up just to be able to buy cheap rice. It is ironic because our Department of Agriculture has just reported that there has been a rise in agricultural production. 

The Philippines is endowed with one of the highest biodiversity in the world. Many scientists even consider the Philippines as the center of the center of marine biodiversity in the planet. Sadly, this biodiversity is also the fastest to diminish. This problem is a result of the concept that is very prevalent in the Philippines- the tragedy of the commons.

The Visayan Sea is a good example of the Tragedy of the Commons. Because of the abundance of marine resources and the misconception that all of these resources are for free, people take everything from it to their hearts’ content. Since there is a conception that these resources in the Visayan Sea are not owned by anyone, everybody uses them to the point of being abusive to the environment. People worry that if they do not harvest all these resources somebody else would do so. Hence, instead of just harvesting within the sustainable yield of the area, it results in overharvesting.

In this light, it is urgent for the Philippine Government to declare certain areas in the country as biodiversity hotspots. These biodiversity hotspots will ensure that the resources in these areas are protected and set apart for the future generation. Moreover, the Government has to fastrack its determination of the maximum sustainable yield as required by the Philippine Fisheries Code. In this way, it will be ensured that the harvesting of marine resources is  sustainable. 

And most importantly, the people must have to change their mindset. Our generation is not here to exploit the resources that we have. Our generation is here to make sure that the generation to come will enjoy the same resources that we have today.

"ANG DAGAT AY BUHAY"

I visited the website of oneocean.org, which is sponsored by the USAID and I got this music file, which is appropriate for the celebration of the Month of the Ocean. The song is entitled "Ang Dagat ay Buhay" from the music and lyrics of Vehnee Saturno and vocals by Chris Villongco.

ANG DAGAT AY BUHAY

Music and lyrics by Vehnee Saturno/Vocals by Cris Villongco

Courtesy of BMG Records, Inc.

Karagatan ay buhay, pagyamanin mo

Mga ilog at dagat, ito’y bigay sa’yo

Bakit natin hahayaan na sila’y masira pa

Ang kulay asul na tubig, paiitimin mo ba?

CHORUS

Ating pagyamanin ang bigay sa atin

Ang asul na tubig ay buhay

Huwag nang sayangin pa

Ang lahat ng dagat, ilog at ang lawa

Ito’y dapat na mahalin, ito’y dapat na sagipin

Pagka’t ang dagat ay siyang buhay natin

Ang yaman ng dagat di pang habang-buhay

Ngayo’y halos wala na, ang yaman niyang taglay

Mahalin natin ang dagat, tulad ng mga pangarap

Dahil ito ay buhay ng lahat

(CHORUS)

BRIDGE

Ang buhay ng dagat ay nasa atin

Pagka’t ang dagat ay siyang buhay natin

ang dagat ay buhay