WITH all the resources being funneled into ecosystem management, the country’s biodiversity management should be improved.
The ambitious Philippine Biodiversity Sustainable Action Plan or PBSAP should address habitat loss and overexploitation of protected areas till the year 2028. This may be easier said than done given our propensity to relax our guard and our “ningas kugon” mentality.
The country's blueprint in managing its natural wealth, which is aplenty was conceptualized after thorough consultations with various sectors at the national and regional levels, taking into account China's passion and enthusiasm to explore the same if we neglect or ignore it.
Remember the Benham Rise, now renamed Philippine Rise. Suddenly, we went into action when we noticed other foreign countries taking notice of it and moving to explore it.
Our authorities noted that only less than 1 percent of our coral reefs remain in excellent condition and have observed a decline in the number of forest specie. So Biodiversity Management Bureau chief Theresa Mundita Lim was led to declare: the state of the Philippine biodiversity is alarming at this point but there are improvements.
The ecosystem complements our environment set up and here more funds, either sourced locally or overseas, are needed to institute more measures to develop and/or improve our environment. Our forested areas have dwindled through the years via unrestricted illegal logging and, of course, unabated mining. The denuded mountains are but silent witnesses of indiscriminate cutting of trees, the DENR (Department of Environment and Natural Resources) is helpless to stop the malpractice.
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Speaking of the Philippine Rise, renamed as such via executive order no. 25 signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, may present itself as a rich source of minerals and vast sea resources. It sits on a 24 million hectares undersea region located northeast of Luzon. It may even
be a good tourist attraction and destination. With the recent proclamation of our exclusive ownership and possession thereof, there is no fear for tourists, local or foreign, to inhabit it.
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The Philippines is rich in minerals, natural resources and biodiversity species. It is our obligation to keep these sacred and whole. Our authorities need to focus their attention to preserve them at all costs.
