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.

6.8 EARTHQUAKE

Early this morning, I received this sms saying that a 6.8 earthquake is predicted by the US GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY in Hawaii to hit Philippine plates tonight, 15 May 2008. Although I do not discount the possibility that the Philippines will experience a strong earthquake sooner or later (our country lies on an earthquake belt), I have some apprehensions about the 6.8 earthquake prediction.

First, I think that the agency in the United States that is considered to be the authority on earthquakes is the US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. This actually is the US counterpart of our very own PHIVOLCS. I did not know that a certain US Geological Society exists.

Second, I took up a few Geology major subjects under my B.S. Geology program at NIGS  and we were taught that nobody can predict earthquake as we can predict storms and typhoons. Hence, this US Geological Society prediction about the 6.8 earthquake is something new to me. I thought that even the most advanced USGS cannot predict earthquakes but here is the US Geological Society predicting not just the occurence of an earthquake but also the time as well as the magnitude of it. If ever the US Geological Society really exists, I believe that the person who started this 6.8 earthquake prediction should be held accountable.

One good thing that this sms brings us, though, is that people are becoming more aware and alert on the possibility of the occurence of a destructive earthquake in the Philippines. Most of us actually might not be aware but since January 2008 until 14 May 2008, the Philippines has experienced more than eighty earhquakes with magnitudes ranging from 1.9 to 6.5 (PHIVOLCS, Latest Earthquake Information, see the list). 

There is no need to panic. Let’s just be more alert and be always prepared because the occurence of a strong, desctructive earthquake in the Philippines is not remote. And, let us all wait for the clarification and announcement from PHIVOLCS officials. 

"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

THE PHILIPPINES CELEBRATES THE OCEAN MONTH

The month of May has been declared as the "Month of the Ocean" through a Proclamation issued by the then President Joseph Estrada on 09 January 1999. Proclamation no. 57 recognizes that "coastal and marine resources provide both economic and ecological benefits such as food, livelihood, recreation and other services, as well as biodiversity, aesthetic value, and shoreline protection". The Proclamation also reiterated the provision in the Constitution that "The State shall protect the nation’s marine wealth in its archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone, and reserve its use and enjoyment exclusively to Filipino citizens" (Art. XII, Sec. 2, para. 2). This Proclamation actually was inspired by the declaration made by the United Nations General Assembly designating the year 1998 as the International Year of the Ocean.

The DENR, DA, and BFAR, among others, have been designated as the lead agencies to spearhead the celebration of the Month of the Ocean every month of May in every year beginning 1999. These lead agencies are mandated to conduct activities that will highlight the conservation, protection, and management of the Philippine coastal and marine resources. As part the activities lined up for the celebration of the Month of the Ocean, the DENR-NCR is set to distribute flyers containing information about the Month of the Ocean as well as about biodiversity on selected Colleges and Universities with trimester schooling and  on various local government units in Metro Manila.

Checking through the list of activities prepared by the DENR, it appears, however, that no actual and direct participation is being solicited from the people. I believe that it would be better if the DENR go beyond mere distribution of flyers. For instance, the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998 mandated the Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources to set the Catch Ceiling Limitations/Maximum Sustainable Yield (MSY).

Section 8 of the Code requires the Secretary to prescribe limitations or quota on the total quantity of fish captured, for a specified period of time and specified area, which may be imposed per species of fish. However, when I inquired about the status of the implementation of this provision from the DENR Main Office, the staff instructed me to inquire from the BFAR, because according to the former, the latter is the one in charge of setting the MSY. When I inquired from the BFAR, they again told me to go to another office, the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI). The problem is, one of the staff of NFRDI told me that they are still in the process of integrating the data. Ten years after the Code has become effective, they are still in the process of integrating the data.

If the DENR is finally able to set up the MSY, this would be the best gift that they could offer to our ailing oceans.

THERE’S NOTHING THAT CAN BE DONE?

In one of the late night news a few weeks ago, I heard Senator Zubiri saying something like ‘wala na tayong magagawa, andyan na yan’ referring to the two high-rise building condominiums being built by a Korean investor within a watershed forest reserve in Subic. I cringe by the mere fact that here is the Chair of the Senate Committee on Land Use who appears to have given up the fight early on. Does the Honorable Senator know that we have more than 100 environmental laws to look at which will provide us with very good options on what to do with those buildings within a watershed?

I suggest that we bring them (the buildings) down if it has been proven that the construction has violated environmental laws. (Apparently the construction had and continues to violate not just environmental laws but our moral laws as well). This may appear to be a drastic recourse but it would be the best for the forest reserve. It would be the best not just for the current generation but, more importantly, for the future generations to come. Our intergerational responsibility requires us to conserve our environment and make sure that the future generations enjoy the same environment that we enjoy today. The money spent for the construction of those buildings is incomparable to the destruction of the forest reserve ecosystem. A single tree brought down in an ecosystem would mean a drastic change in that ecosystem following one of the laws of nature that every thing is interdependent. Hence, we should not be so worried about the construction costs being put to waste.

 I believe that the Honorable Senator, being an environmentalist that he is, would stand up for what is right not just for economic development but for the plight of our environment. There are a plenty of options to do with those eye sores within the Subic Forest Watershed Reserve.