RP’s wetlands under threat of destruction

Amid threats of water shortage due to the expected occurrence of the El Niño phenomenon this year, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued a public appeal to intensify efforts in saving coastal areas in the country.

DENR Secretary Elisea Gozon issued the appeal as the country joined the global community in the observance of World Wetlands Day 2003 yesterday.

Gozun stressed that much of the coastal areas are currently threatened by the human need for fresh water and food resources.

She pointed out that coastal zone are being endangered by overexploitation and poaching.

The country’s coastal zones covers 11,000 square kilometers of land and 267,000 square kilometers of coastal waters. Gozun said heightened human activity is causing these areas to be endangered.

Aside from habitat destruction, chemical and biological pollution from households and industries, and impact of modernization, Gozun said the country’s coastal areas are becoming extinct.

"Our wetlands are being converted into fishponds, agricultural and commercial areas. Open access to it and the discharge of hazardous wastes such as mine tailing, factory and fertilizer discharges result to destruction and loss of endemic and indigenous wetland species," she said.

Gozun noted that wetlands and its conservation are only mentioned in some provisions of the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, the National Integrated Protected Area Systems Act (NIPAS) of 1992, Wildlife and Cave Act, among others.

Gozun appealed to lawmakers to come up with a national policy on wetlands. She said it would be an important step in recognizing wetland problems and identifying solutions while bringing the issue to public attention.

She said the DENR is presently implementing the South China Sea Project, an Asian regional project funded by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) which seeks to drawp up an action plan on the conservation of the country’s wetlands.