This document summarizes the state of the environment in the Philippines and government actions taken to address various problems. Key issues discussed include deforestation, air and water pollution, natural hazards, and corruption. To tackle these, the government established programs like the National Greening Program, adopted an estero clean-up initiative, conducted hazard mapping, and instituted reforms to curb graft and illegal logging. Public surveys show approval of environmental efforts has risen and perception of corruption at the DENR has improved. However, fully resolving the serious problems will require sustained collaborative action across all sectors.

1. STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Problems, Challenges
& Government Action
A REPORT IN PA 847
Special Problems in Government Organization
_______________________________________________________________
Shany Lou Solatorio
Gemmary Villahermosa
Ella Belle Crausos
Edelaine Gealon
Peter-Jason Senarillos
Leonardo Ternio

2. SECTION 16 ARTICLE II,
1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION
“The State shall protect and advance
the right of the people to a balanced
and healthful ecology in accord with
the rhythm and harmony of nature.”
ENVIRONMENT FRAMEWORK

3. 1. Improved
conservation,
protection and
rehabilitation of
natural
resources
2. Improved
environmental
quality for a
cleaner and
healthier
environment
3. Enhanced
resilience of natural
systems and
improved adaptive
capacities of human
communities to cope
with environmental
hazards including
climate related risks
ENVIRONMENT FRAMEWORK
Philippine Development Plan: 2011-2016

4. FORESTRY

5. Situationer:
• Philippine forest at 7.2 M ha or 24% of country’s
land area
• 8 M ha of forestlands degraded (26% of land
area)
Forest Management

6. 70% 60% 40%
30% 23.7% 22.2%
P
H
I
L.
F
O
R
E
S
T
C
O
V
E
R

8. Government Actions:
• Total log ban in natural forests to conserve &
protect (E.O. 23)
• Created National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force
Forest Management

9. • Confiscated 10.6 M bd. ft. of logs/lumber
valued at P 317 M
• Filed 269 cases for illegal logging
• Closed 215 wood processing plants
Government Actions:
Forest Management

10. • Established National Greening Program, biggest
reforestation in Philippine history (E.O. 26)
 Plant 1.5 B trees in
1.5 M ha in 6 years
(27.8% higher than
past 50 years).
 For 2011, target is
50 M trees in
100,000 ha.
Government Actions:
Forest Management

11. CLEAN AIR

12. • Total Suspended Particulates
(TSP) in Metro Manila is 166
micrograms/normal cubic meters
(μg/Ncm) in 1st half of 2010
 84% beyond standard of 90
μg/Ncm (WHO)
 Other polluted cities: San
Fernando, Calapan, Cebu,
Zamboanga, Davao
Situationer – Major urban centers are polluted
Clean Air

13. • 80% of pollution due to vehicular emissions
• Per WB, 18M Filipinos exposed to air pollution,
with health cost & loss of income of P 7.6
B/year
Situationer – Major urban centers are polluted
Clean Air

14. Government Actions:
 More stringent air emission standards for
Compression & Spark-Ignition Engines
(motorcycles & tricycles)
• Strengthened enforcement & regulations
 Agreement with
Earth Day Network to
make EDSA
“Linis Hangin Zone.”
(cellphone to catch
smoke-belchers)
Clean Air

15.  DENR, LTO, MMDA, etc. worked to reduce traffic &
ensure compliance with emission testing to reduce
vehicular emissions
Government Actions:
• Strengthened enforcement of regulations
Clean Air

16. • Strengthened enforcement of regulations
 Developed program with ADB to provide credit
for conversion of tricycle engines to electric
Government Actions:
Clean Air

17. • As of June 2011, pollution reduced by 32%
from 166 to 113 μg/Ncm.
Government Actions:
Clean Air
166
133.5
113
90
80
90
100
110
120
130
140
150
160
170
180
1st Sem 2010 2nd Sem 2010 1st Sem 2011
TSplevel(ug/Ncm)
Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) Level
Actual
Standard

18. CLEAN WATER

19. • Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), or demand
for oxygen in water, for 19 major rivers in 2010
at 27 milligrams/liter, 4x the standard at 7 mg/L
Clean Water
Situationer – Waterways/esteros in major urban
centers unfit for human activity

20. Government Actions:
Initiated “Adopt an Estero Program”
Before After
Estero de Paco, Manila
(ABS-CBN Foundation)
Clean Water

21. Before After
Estero de Paco, Manila
Adopt an Estero Program
Government Actions:
Clean Water

22. Before After
Estero de Paco, Manila
Adopt an Estero Program
Government Actions:
Clean Water

23. 226
Major companies have adopted waterways
nationwide (Examples: Jollibee, San Miguel
Foundation, Toyota, Masinloc Power Corp.)
Adopt an Estero Program
Government Actions :
Clean Water

24. • Reduced solid wastes
 Required Philippine Plastic Industry to
develop program for retrieval/collection/
recycling of plastics
 Launched “Reusable
Bag Campaign for Greener
Environment” with major malls
& supermarkets
Government Actions:
Clean Water

25. • Reduced solid wastes
 Agreement with 11 Metro Manila LGUs for solid
waste management systems in subdivisions/
condominiums. Initially, 4,717 homeowners
associations identified
Government Actions:
Clean Water

26. GEOHAZARD

27. • Philippines is prone to natural disasters due to
geographical location & geological attributes:
landslides, flooding, earthquakes, tsunami, etc.
Situationer:
Geohazard

28. • Completed geo-hazard mapping of all provinces/
cities/municipalities at 1:50,000 scale
• Distributed 65,000 map sheets to all LGUs
• More detailed mapping started for 88 landslide-prone
cities/municipalities (scale of 1:10,000)
Government Actions:
Geohazard
• Conducted coastal
geohazard
assessment of 46
coastal
municipalities

29. MINERAL REFORMS

32. • Started cleansing of idle mining applications under
“use it or lose it” policy. Additional 5.2 M ha have
been opened for new and serious investors, resulting
from cleansing/denial of 2,136 pending and idle
mining applications (97% of total)
• Suspended acceptance and processing of new
mining applications to ensure successful
implementation of the on-going cleansing of mining
applications
Mineral Reforms
Situationer:

33. Mineral Reforms
• Cleansing the remaining idle mining applications
under the “use it or lose it” policy.
Government Actions:

34. GOOD GOVERNANCE

35. • Removed opportunities for graft and corruption
 Policy shift to donate confiscated logs/lumber to
DepEd, instead of auction
o Donated 2.282 M bd. ft. of confiscated logs/lumber
to DepEd, LGUs, and other government offices
(additional 5.5 M bd.ft. for donation)
o Produced 9,699 armchairs, 174 school desks, 171
tables, 55 cabinets & repaired 197 buildings (i.e.,
schools, chapel, mun. buildings & CENRO Offices),
etc)
Government Actions:
Good Governance

36. • Removed opportunities for graft and corruption
 Rationalized and reduced DENR checkpoints
from 274 to 118 or by 57%
Government Actions:
Good Governance

37. • Removed opportunities for graft and corruption
 Installed 902 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)
cameras up to field offices
 Eliminated face-to-face transactions
Government Actions:
Good Governance

38. • Strengthened prosecution and justice system
No. of
Personnel
Show cause issued 118
Formally charged 31
Fined/Suspended 7
Dismissed from service 10
Government Actions:
Good Governance
 Filed 297 cases for illegal logging

39. • Strengthened prosecution and justice system
 Strengthened capacities of DENR personnel,
prosecutors & judges through trainings with the
Supreme Court
Government Actions:
Good Governance

40. PUBLIC ASSESSMENT

41. • From one of the most corrupt in December, 2009,
DENR is now the 4th least corrupt agency in March
2011 (Pulse Asia Survey)
• Environment ranked 4th in assessment of government
performance by Movement for Good Governance
(August 2011)
Public Assessment

42. OVERALL PERFORMANCE
(Pulse Asia Survey)
• Efforts of government in stopping the destruction & abuse of
environment
Period Approval Rating Disapproval
Rating
Net Approval
Rating
October 2009 +27 -39 -12
March 2011 +48 -16 +32
June 2011 +50 -14 +36
Public Assessment

43. INVESTMENT PROSPECTS

44. INVESTING in the
FORESTRY SECTOR in the
PHILIPPINES

45. • Industrial Tree Plantation
• Agroforestry
• Eco-tourism
• Wood Pellet
• Bio-energy
Investing in the
Forestry Sector
Potential Areas for Investment

46. Investing in the
Forestry Sector
Region 9
Region 10
Region 11
Region 12
Region 13
Potential Areas for
Tree Plantations

47. • Identification of Clear investment zones – Forest Land
Use Planning process transparent and participatory
• Simplified procedures for investing that reduce
transaction costs
• Stable policy environment which guarantees the right
to harvest or benefit from investment
- Secured land tenure
- De-regulated policy especially in harvesting
planted trees
- Harmonized policies with LGUs, NCIP, NGAs
Investing in the
Forestry Sector
Policy Reforms Underway to Encourage
Private Sector Participation

48. Investing in the
Forestry Sector
Adoption of Investment Portfolio Approach
• To encourage public-private forestry investments
through reduction of transaction costs by
undertaking preparatory work relative to
completing documentary requirements and
securing necessary clearances
• To develop investment portfolio package options
for private investors on potential forestry
enterprises (industrial tree plantations, agroforestry,
ecotourism , etc.)
Objectives

49. Investing in the
Forestry Sector
Investment Portfolio Approach
Objectives
• To ensure forestry projects are in accordance
with national and LGU plans (Comprehensive
Land Use Plans (CLUP), Forest Land Use Plans
(FLUP)
• To allow synergy and convergence of
government agencies’ programs

50. Conclusion
Government efforts at resolving environmental
problems have begun to take effect especially during
the present regime. The problems however are already
serious and may not be resolved right away. The
nature of the problems require the collaborative efforts
of both private and public sector, local, national, and
international organizations, and thus, intervention
should also be in that scope.
One thing is sure however, a strong will is
required to implement programs that will have
significant impact for the good of the environment.