Political Plan(t)s

An article from a recent issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer did not surprise me at all. It was regarding the “Green Philippine Highway Program” project of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The reporter observed that the launching of the projects in different places was more like a political campaign. This is exactly what I thought when I saw a similar launching here in Negros Oriental on TV.

The project is a political gimmick. It’s not practical, it’s difficult to implement, and definitely there are many more important things the DENR should focus its attention on, such as the Guimaras Oil Spill. Planting trees a long the national highway that stretch 3,439 km. across the country is just a waste of time, money, and effort. Can’t they think of anything better? I’m really starting to believe that the GMA administration has really not one any good to our country.

Maybe there are indeed good intentions, and I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but I have serious doubts about the project. I believe there’s a bigger hidden (political) agenda here. What’s the real intention of the project? Mainly, it’s for exposure. Since the project covers major highways from north to south of the Philippines, I’m quite certain there will be billboards displaying the proponents and people behind the project, maybe even have a poster for every tree planted. I remember in 2004 when almost all electrical posts around Manila had banners with GMA’s image on it. Then there were those clean-up volunteers found along highways wearing vests with the letters GMA at the back. That is what they’re trying to do again. Think of it as an early electoral propaganda for people like Sec. Reyes.

It is quite possible that Sec. Reyes is planning to run for Senator next year. You should have seen him launching the project. As I mentioned already, it was like a political campaign. He even wore a vest like most politicians do during election period. He had this big program with a full-house audience that do not seem to care about the project. Even just in the way he talked, he was as smooth as the veteran politicians. And then he cracked jokes and even worse, sang a couple of songs. With regard to the project he was supposed to be launching, he did not really do a good job in elaborating its details. There was nothing concrete in what he said. Even when interviewed, he was vague and even seemed uncertain. In the end, he only spent a little time with the project and more time in politicking. And he did the same in all the places where the project was launched. Tsk tsk tsk… A very Gloria-esque way of doing stuff – spending our money for a disguised way of campaigning.

Ticking Time Bomb

The recent Guimaras oil spill really saddens me, and perhaps every environment-loving person not only here in the Philippines, but anywhere in the world. The white beaches in the Visayas islands are known to be one of the best ones in Asia. And the same group of islands has been considered the center of the world's richest marine life.

However, because of the sinking of Solar 1 somewhere near Guimaras, a major environmental disaster is threatening the area. Solar 1 was carrying 2 million liters of bunker fuel. When it sank, it leaked around 200,000 liters, which had gradually spread towards the nearby islands of Panay and Negros. This means that there is about 1.8 million liters still trapped inside the tanker at the bottom of the sea, and is slowly continuing to leak. Hence, this is why some refer to this looming catastrophy as an ecological "ticking time bomb." Sooner or later, the entire amount of fuel will completely leak out of the vessel and harm the rich marine resources in the area. Unless we do something about it, potentially the biggest oil spill in our country's history (there was a 300,000 liter oil spill off Semirara island last year) may even possibly reach the nearby Boracay island, famous for its white beach.

Greenpeace, an environmental organization, describes the area hit as a delicate ecosystem rich in marine life, mangroves and reefs. It is really too early to assess the damage caused by the oil spill. As of the past weekend, oil from the tanker has contaminated some 220 kilometers of coastline, destroyed 454 hectares of mangroves and 58 hectares of seaweed farms. The spill had also destroyed the livelihoods of thousands of people dependent on fishing for a living. It could also be disastrous to the tourism industry in the areas affected.

Just how could we prevent the oil spill from becoming worse? How can we stop the flow of oil leaking from the sunken vessel? The problem is we do not have the technology to "suck" all the oil from the tanker. We do not even know the exact location of the vessel. And if we do know where it really is, still our divers and marine equipment do not have the capabilities to go that deep underwater - about 3,000 feet.

The only thing we could do right now is to clean-up the seas in our own little ways. It is said that it would take years before we could totally clean the sea. The hundreds of villagers in the area are trying to mop up the slick with improvised tools such as bamboo poles, rice straw, dried grass, used sacks and even clothing. At sea and off beaches booms have been erected to contain the oil which is scooped out and taken away for disposal.

It's a good thing the government has already asked for foreign assistance. To me, that's the only chance we could still somehow contain the calamity. Let us remember that the environment is something we should all be responsible for because it doesn't only affect a country, but it affects the entire world as well. Hopefully, its not yet too late.

Environmental Advocacy

A few days ago, a well-known environmental advocate gave us a lecture at the SU College of Law. I expected it to be boring but it turned out the opposite. It was very interesting and, to an extent, fun. In fact, I was inspired by how dedicated he was in his advocacy. The speaker, by the way, was Atty. Antonio A. Oposa, Jr., author of the popular environmental law book "A Legal Arsenal for the Philippine Environmental". That family name may ring a bell to you. If you are an environmentalist, studied law, or have browsed through some SCRAs (Supreme Court Reports Annotated), I'm sure your familiar with the landmark case of Oposa vs. Factoran.

Just to give you an idea, that famous 1990s case was a suit asking the cancellation of all the logging license agreements in the country and to order the government to stop accepting, processing, renewing or approving new timber licenses. The ruling established the principle of intergenerational equity in Philippine jurisprudence. This means that every generation has a responsibility to the next to preserve the environment. It established that the right to a balanced and healthful ecology is a specific legal right that one can go to court with and that a timber license granted by the government to a concessionaire does not constitute a contract whose enforcement cannot be stopped.

Oposa, a Bisaya (Cebuano), is a lawyer, but he prefers to be known as an environmental advocate. Perhaps that has got to do with the fact that his biggest (and in a way, only) client is Mother Nature herself. He pioneered the practice of environmental law in the Philippines and is one of Asia's experts in this field.

He is a team leader of the Visayan Sea Squadron, an outreach group of the Law of Nature Foundation which he heads. They hope to preserve the threatened waters of the Visayan Sea. In his lecture, he explained that this area is at the apex of the fabled Visayan Marine Triangle that lies at the heart of the Sulu-Sulawesi eco-region, the richest marine eco-region in the world.

Because of this, he has waged so many battles against environmental foes such as commercial fishing syndicates and logging companies. As a matter of fact, he has even gone head to head against the government with regard to certain environmental laws. He has already sued (and won) several LGUs for failing to implement laws for the preservation of the environment. As he said, "suing the government" had become a hobby of his.

His lecture, as I said, was so inspiring, and it was for most of those who were there. His dedication and commitment to saving and conserving Mother Nature was unbelievable. I was convinced at what he said that our rich environment is gradually deteriorating. I felt that indeed it was our responsibility to ensure that future generations may also experience the beauty of our environment and the earth as a whole.

I have all praises for this guy. He is just incredibly passionate with his pro bono work of serving the farmers and fishermen. He converted his beach house in Bantayan Island into a learning center where kids and adults could learn about solid waste management, coral reef protection and terrestrial ecosystems. He even put up marine and bird sanctuaries.

He says that his advocacy and practice of this field of law may not be that lucrative, but it is fulfilling, knowing for a fact that he was fighting for something that isn't only beneficial for one or a few persons, but the entire human race. Environmental advocacy, indeed, is a cause worth fighting for.