1. 2012 IN REVIEW: Environmental issues and struggles
that made the news
1. ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION
a. Abundant natural resources
Philippines is considered to be 5th mineralized country in the world, the 3rd country in terms of gold reserves, 4th in copper
and 5th in nickel. Total value of resources could reach around $840 billion to $1 trillion. These reserves could be used to
support national industrialization and agricultural modernization if properly regulated and developed (CEC Phils, 2012).
In 2008, the Philippines was the 6th top fish producing country in the world with its total production of 4.97 million metric
tons of fish, crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants. This constitutes 3.12% of the total world production of 159.1 million
metric tons (CEC Phils, 2012).
The country has a variety of renewable and non- renewable energy sources which can lessen dependence on fuel imports.
Oil reserve estimates exclude potential reserves in Mindanao, Mindoro, the Visayan Sea and the Spratlys.
b. High levels of biodiversity
The Philippines is one of the 18 mega-diverse countries globally. On a per unit area basis, the country is said to be the most
diverse. It ranks 25th worldwide in the total number of amphibian, bird, mammal, reptile, and vascular plant species with
10,127 terrestrial species (CEC Phils, 2012).
c. Prime agricultural lands
Agriculture is still the backbone of the Philippine economy and prime source of livelihood of Filipinos. About 70% of
population belong to the peasantry.
2. 2012 HIGHLIGHTS
a. Mining Executive Order No. 79
President Aquino signed the Executive Order 79 which further liberalizes the mineral resources of the country. It further
promotes foreign plunder of mineral resources, strengthens the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, weakens local opposition,
intensifies large-scale mining operations, aggravates environmental destruction, promotes unfair revenue sharing and
perpetuates human rights violations (KPNE, 2013).
b. PHILEX Mine Spill
According to the Factsheet produced by the Fact Finding Team, an estimated volume of 20 million metric tons of tailings
was released in the Philex Mining spill. This volume of tailings is almost 13 times greater than the volume of Marcopper
tailings spill in 1996. Moreover, there is a high level of copper found at the Agno-Balog junction which is about 4.5 times
greater than the maximum tolerable copper content in soil (Fact Finding Team, 2012).
In San Felipe West, reported cases of residents with LBM and itchy sore throats were observed after drinking water from
wells beside the impacted river during the 1st week of August. Agricultural irrigation was not possible as water from
affected river carried whitish substance. There was a decrease catch of carp fish right after the TP3 collapse. Goldpanning
was impossible in the river due to tailings deposit. Mine workers were forced to report to TP3 and Balog River thus,
exposed to all kinds of hazards resulting to several accidents and deaths (Fact Finding Team, 2012).
c. Citinickel Mining Pollution
In Española, Palawan, Citinickel Mining Corporation disturbed the residents because of faulty mine tailings system resulted
to various negative impacts to people and environment. In an Environmental Investigative Mission (EIM) conducted by
environmental and scientist group on November 2012, shows that mine tailings pond is prone to leakage different water
systems in the area. A high level of nickel content was recorded Pulot Interior, one of the sample site, with 12,532.47 ppm
which is 250 times greater than the maximum tolerable content of 50 ppm. Also, high concentration level of manganese and
chromium was recorded (Fact Finding Team, 2012).
Farmers claim an almost 50 percent reduction in their harvest. Grain discoloration, with patches of red and green, was
observed due to irrigation water from Pulot River. Meanwhile, fisherfolks have move farther from the shore and spent
longer hours to catch for at least two kilos of fish. There are recorded cases of upper respiratory tract infection, bronchial
asthma, acute bronchitis, acute pneumonia, pulmonary tuberculosis and skin diseases (Fact Finding Team, 2012).
d. Subic Toxic Waste Dumping
For decades, the US military dumped toxic wastes in the waters of Subic Bay. The most recent incident was in October
2012 where Glenn Marine, contractor of US Navy tasked to collect toilet and kitchen waters from ships among others,
dumped untreated wastes whose toxicity levels were about 700 times the allowable level. In a news article, Senate
investigators have found out that Glenn Marine violated Philippine environmental laws. They revealed that it has no
clearance from the Philippine government to dispose waste in the sea and there is no equipment to test whether the waste is
harmful to marine life (PDI, 2012).
e. Tubbataha Grounding Incident
Tubbataha is an important link in the food chain. The reef park, along with the adjacent Jessie Beazley and Cagayancillo, is
a major source of coral and fish larvae that are distributed to Sulu Sea, a major breeding area for fishes (Tsk Force
Tubbataha, 2013).
The USS Guardian is an Avenger Class Mine Countermeasures Ship, that weighs 1,300 tons and measures 68.3 meters in
length. Worth $277 million, the minesweeper is equipped with Precise Integrated Navigation System, a Surface Radar,
Mine Hunting Sonar and Gyro Compass—all advanced navigation features needed to locate mines underwater. Ironically,
the US Navy initially claimed that their trespass was due to navigational error (Task Force Tubbataha, 2013).
The estimated size of damaged reef area as of February 23 is more than 4,500 sq.m or 0.45 hectare in area, and around 10
meters in depth (Task Force Tubbataha, 2013).
f. Manila Bay Reclamation Project
Critical habitat for the survival of threatened, restricted range and congregatory species.
About 38 of 100 reclamation projects are proposed to be done in Manila Bay covering areas like Bulacan, Cavite,
Pampanga, Bataan and NCR, with a total area of 26, 234 hectares (SMBM, n.d). The reclamation project might bring
serious problems such as flooding, liquefaction, loss of habitat to marine and bird species, reduce ecological services and
displacement of people and communities (ASAP, n.d).
g. Pablo Tragedy
There were more than 1000 recorded deaths, more than 800 were missing, more than 700,000 affected families or
equivalent to more than six million people (PDI, 2012).
The areas devastated by typhoon Pablo are geographically and ecologically connected to places where massive logging
operations have historically taken place (Kalikasan Partylist, 2012).
Based from investigations, the impact of disaster was aggravated by disaster unpreparedness, logging operations and land
conversion into plantations for agricultural export (Kalikasan Partylist, 2012).
h. Human Rights Violations
There are 26 recorded cases of killings among environmental defenders from year 2012 to 1st quarter of 2013 (including
Cristina Morales, leader of Barug Katawhan). Most of them are mining activists. One of the bloodiest cases of killing was in
October 2012 when the 27th Infantry Battalion massacred the pregnant Juvy Capion and her two sons. (Kalikasan-PNE,
2013)
3. ASSESSMENT OF GOVERNNMENT'S ACTIONS ON ENVIRONMENTAL EVENTS

2. a. The Aquino administration shows no political will to hold environmental criminals accountable for their crimes
b. President Aquino’s environmental policies are skewed towards foreign interests
c. There is a lack of pro-people and pro-environment policies to address people’s needs and environmental protection
d. The Aquino administration continues to perpetuate human rights violations among environmental defenders through its
military forces
e. No justice has been served to all victims of political killings and other forms of harassment
CONTACT
Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment
kalikasan.pne@gmail.com or 02 9248756
Center for Environmental Concerns – Philippines
info@cecphils.org or 02 9209099