A shared responsibility – a healthy environment

Atty. Gloria Estenzo-Ramos

Were you among the captivated viewers of Atom Araullo’s “Philippine Seas” documentary aired by GMA 7 on November 5?

It was excellently crafted and for advocates, a much-needed platform to highlight not just the world-renowned beauty of our seascapes but also of the dire challenges faced by our fisherfolk, and marine wildlife and ecosystems in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

For us in Cebu, there was excitement seeing the Moalboal sardines shoal being featured and which we can appreciate, as responsible tourists, to marvel at year-round.

The famous Manjuyod sandbar in Negros Oriental was majestic, described as the “Maldives” of the Philippines.

The frolicking dolphins in Bais City were a delight. These sceneries and sights are found within Tañon Strait, one of the country’s largest marine protected areas.

Atom Araullo’s interview with Tañon Strait Park superintendent Prospero “Am” Lendio was quite revealing to many as it highlighted the prevalent challenge posed by the operation of the banned commercial fishing within the protected area and which is also happening in our municipal waters nationwide.

We hope that the film will be used as educational material in our schools and universities to trigger action among our children and the youth to be engaged leaders in their communities. We are the world’s second largest archipelago of 7,500 islands.

But, many are not aware of the dire situation that confronts our marine environment and us. Our fisherfolk are among the poorest of the poor in a country considered as the world’s center of the center on marine biodiversity. The marine wealth is not benefiting our fisherfolk and coastal residents.

As the Public Policy Journal on “National Marine Policy Review and Strategic Direction” notes, “The Philippine marine environment is characterized by a series of ironies, according to Naz (2013).

At least 62 percent of the Philippine population resides in coastal areas and more than 50 percent of animal protein consumed by Filipinos is marine; however, fisheries productivity is declining because of overfishing and poor enforcement of laws.

There are over 27,000 square kilometers of coral reefs, but only less than 5 percent is rated as being in good shape.”

Recently, the Biodiversity Management Bureau director Mundita Lim stated that less than one percent of our corals is healthy.

One of the questions that we should ask is how can we make things right so that the present and future generations can still have a sustainable world to live in and guaranteed their right to a healthy, sustainable and safe environment?

Good governance spells a big difference in promoting and respecting our right to a healthful and balanced ecology.

Its defining characteristics are “transparency, responsibility, accountability, participation and responsiveness (to the needs of the people).”

It encompasses “full respect of human rights, the rule of law, effective participation, multi-actor partnerships, political pluralism, transparent and accountable processes and institutions, an efficient and effective public sector, legitimacy, access to knowledge, information and education, political empowerment of people, equity, sustainability, and attitudes and values that foster responsibility, solidarity and tolerance.” (https://www.ohchr.org/EN/Issues/Development/GoodGovernance/Pages/GoodGovernanceIndex.aspx)

Those are the essential ingredients that make possible the sustainable management of our natural life support systems which make for a healthy and resilient planet and people.

In our country, environmental protection is largely devolved to local government units, except for certain activities which are retained by national agencies. Some prioritize it and others are performing below standards as it is clearly not considered as urgent. Overlapping functions of multi-agencies is a convenient excuse not to perform the clear mandates of the law.

A clear example is the case of Tañon Strait Protected Seascape, one of the four major areas in Araullo’s documentary. Consisting of 3 provinces, 42 municipalities and cities and 298 barangays, it was a “paper” park for almost 17 years until the 1st General Assembly of the Protected Area Management Board was convened in 2015, as required by the law, RA 7586, the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act.

As a protected seascape, it was under the jurisdiction of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources but members are from the component provinces, cities, municipalities and barangays, other national government agencies, and from civil society.

The lack of management body, management plan and clear regulations were factors why illegal commercial fishing, pollution, unregulated coastal development thrived for so long.

But, there had been considerable progress in Tañon Strait management since 2015. As Cebu provincial government representative honestly assessed in the recent Coastal Law Enforcement Alliance in Region 7 meeting, there is now better management and enforcement in Tañon Strait, more than other coastal areas in Cebu.

It should be emphasized that it is not government alone that bears the brunt of the responsibility.

There is no denying that our sacred right to a balanced and healthful ecology is a continuing shared responsibility not just of those in government but of the citizenry as well.

Public participation is crucial.

Community leaders recognize that citizens have to be engaged and be encouraged to participate at all levels of decision making at all levels — political, social and economic, as so declared by our Constitution.

We certainly get the governance that we deserve. It takes two to tango, so they say.