State of the Philippine Environment presented by Rev. Pepz Cunanan at the Young Leaders Summit 2014, organized by Young People's Ministries http://pinoyyouth.org

1. The State of the
Philippine Environment:

2. The Philippines is one of the 17
biological wealthiest nations

3. THE PHILIPPINES = Megadiversity
Country and Biodiversity Hotspot
“The Philippines is one of the few
nations that is, in its entirety,
both a biodiversity hotspot and a
megadiversity country, placing it
among the top priority hotspots
for global conservation.”
Conservation International

4. What is
biodiversity
?
Is
biodiversity
important?
MS Dolas
AC Alcala

5. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
Ecosystem Services
•GAS REGULATION, e.g., CO2/O2
balance, O3 for UVB protection
•CLIMATE REGULATION, e.g.,
greenhouse gas regulation,
•DISTURBANCE REGULATION,
e.g., storm protection, flood
control, drought recovery
•EROSION CONTROL and
SEDIMENT RETENTION, e.g.,
prevention of loss of soil by
wind, runoff, or other removal
processes

6. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
Ecosystem Services
•NUTRIENT CYCLING, e. g.,
•DISTURBANCE REGULATION,
e.g., storm protection, flood
control, drought recovery
•WATER REGULATION, e.g.,
production of water for
industrial and agricultural
processes
•WATER SUPPLY, e.g.,
provisioning of water by
watersheds, reservoirs and
aquifers

7. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
Ecosystem Services
REGULATING
SERVICES
•Invasion resistance
•Herbivory
•Pollination
•Seed dispersal
•Climate regulation
•Pest regulation
•Natural hazard
protection
•Erosion regulation
•Water purification

8. IMPORTANCE OF BIODIVERSITY:
Ecosystem Services
CULTURAL
SERVICES
•Spiritual and
religious values
•Knowledge system
•Education and
research
•Recreation and
aesthetic values
•Sense of place and
inspiration

9. Philippine
Forests
1
2
3
4
5
6
1 Lowland rainforest, 2 Montane rainforest,
3 Mossy rainforest, 4 Pine forest 5 Karst or
limestone forest, 6 Mangrove forest

10. Our Forests
…… hhoosstt oonnee ooff tthhee wwoorrlldd’’ss
rriicchheesstt ddiivveerrssiittyy ooff ppllaanntt
aanndd aanniimmaall ssppeecciieess
 88,,112200 ssppeecciieess ooff fflloowweerriinngg
ppllaannttss
 33,,550000 ssppeecciieess ooff
iinnddiiggeennoouuss ttrreeeess
 3333 ssppeecciieess ooff
ggyymmnnoossppeerrmmss
 664400 ssppeecciieess ooff mmoosssseess
 224400 ssppeecciieess aanndd
ssuubbssppeecciieess ooff mmaammmmaallss
…have provided food,
medicines, timber, non-timber
forest products,
fuel, and numerous other
resources to our
indigenous brothers and
sisters since time
immemorial. As they
have shown, such
resources can be
sustainably produced if
managed and protected
properly.

11. TRENDS: Forests
• critically
endangered.
• Total forested area in the
country as of 2003 = 7.2 M
hectares or 24% of total land
area of 30 M hectares. The
Philippines needs forest cover
of 54% of total land areas in
order for it to be ecologically
sound and able to sustain its
ecosystems and their
services.

12. Our Forests
Have been
shrinking at an
average rate of
2% per annum or
a deforestation
rate of 550,000
hectares a year or
63 hectares per
hour) – one of the
highest in the
world!
Causes of
deforestation
•Logging (ffrroomm 11999911 ttoo
11999999 aalloonnee,, lloowwllaanndd
ddiipptteerrooccaarrpp ffoorreessttss
ddeeccrreeaasseedd bbyy 1122%%..))
•Forest conversion for
agricultural purposes,
such as plantation of
export crops (temperate
zone vegetables, oil
palm, banana, pineapple,
rubber, bio-fuels, etc.)
•Mining, industrial
development,

15. 70% 60% 40%
30% 23.7% 22.2%
P
HI
L.
F
O
RE
ST
C
OV
E
R

20. Seagrass bed
Coral Reef Tropical
Coastal
Ecosystem
s
Mangrove Forest

21. MANGROVES
50+ species worldwide
35-40 species found in the Philippines,
Including 20-30 species of shrubs & vines
Remaining primary mangrove forests are found
in Pagbilao Bay (Quezon Province), Ulugan Bay
(Palawan) and Bais Bay (Negros Oriental).

22. A hectare of
mangroves
produces 12.5
m3 of firewood
and 900 kg. of
finfish yearly.
(Ronnback 1999)
Are
mangroves
important?
•Act as natural buffer
of coastal areas
against storms, wave
and wind erosion, and
flooding.
•Serve as sinks for
organic and inorganic
materials, including
pollutants.
•Are nursing grounds

23. Seagrass
Beds
• Provide food and shelter
for fish and other marine
organisms.
• Stabilize sediments and
prevents erosion along
coastlines
• Take up dissolved
nutrients and trap sediments
in the water resulting in high
Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary
UNEP water clarity AC Alcala

24. CCOORRAALL
RREEEEFFSS::
rainforests of the
sea
Lush coral reefs of Lanuza Bay Photo by Haribon
Occupy less than 1%
of EARTH’S SURFACE
yet support more
than 25% of world’s
total fish catch
•Contribute at least
US$400 billion a year
to the world economy
•Coral reef fisheries
contribute almost
US$1 billion annually
to the Philippine
economy and provide
livelihood to more
than 1 million small-scale
1 sq. km. of
healthy coral
reef can provide
the protein
needs of more
than 300 people

25. The Philippines is the
“center of the
center” of marine
shore fish
diversity.
Along with Malaysia
and Indonesia, it is
part of the
CORAL
TRIANGLE,
which has the
highest
Rochelle R, Gonzaga
430 species in
70 genera = 80%
of world’s coral
species
12 species
endemic to the
Philippines and
Indonesia

26. TRENDS: Mangroves
 Almost 70% of the mangroves in the Philippines have
been destroyed since the 1920s
 Estimated mangrove areas:
1918 – 500,000 has.
1970 – 288,035 has.
1990s – 140,000 has.
2000 – 109,700 has
The single most significant cause of mangrove
destruction = habitat loss due to intensive and
uncontrolled aquaculture activities.

27. TRENDS: Coral Reefs
 Philippine coral reef surface
approx. 27,000-33,000 sq. km.
 Reefs in excellent condition:
 1991 = 5.1%
 2000 = 4.3%
 2004 = 0.24%
Pict ure soure: I nt ernet
 Rate of coral destruction = 120
ha/day or 36,000 ha/yr from
blast fishing and muro-ami
The Philippines loses $420 million annually
in potential revenues from mismanagement
of fisheries resources.

28. PPHHIILLIIPPPPIINNEE
FFRREESSHHWWAATTEERR
EECCOOSSYYSSTTEEMMSS
211 lakes, 18 major rivers, 22 marshes,
swamps and reservoirs
1,616 species of aquatic plants
3,675 species of fauna

55. Philippine
Biodiversity
Regional
Biodiversity
Status and
Threats

56. Bislig (154,829 has)
Agusan River (120,288 has)
Mt. Agtuuganon & Mt.
Pasian (85,501 has)
Mt. Kampalili-Puting
Bato (169,909 has)
Key
Biodiversity
Areas in
Southern
Mindanao
Mt. Sinaka (1,749 has)
Mt. Apo (99,091 has)
Mt. Hamiguitan (31,879 has)

57. Important watershed areas
in Southern Mindanao
Agusan river basin: 10,921 has
Tagum-Libuganon river basin:
3,064 has
Davao river basin: 1,623 has

58. Overlapping
Boundaries
of Mineral
Potential
Map and
Biodiversity
Priority Map
Diwalwal NRMDC
Amacan Gold Project
Masara Gold Project
Kingking Cu-Au Project
BhP Billiton Pujada
Nickel Project
Batoto Mining
Corp.
PhilCo Mining
(American Sur Corp.)

60. Logging and forest land
conversion  65,000 hectares of Timber License Agreement (TLA)
granted by the Arroyo gov’t to Matuguina
Integrated Wood Products, Inc. owned by Henry
Wee, in the towns of Baganga, Manay and Caraga
in Davao Oriental;
 45,000 hectares of Industrial Forest Management
Agreement (IFMA) granted by the Arroyo gov’t to
Alcantara and Sons (Alsons) in Talaingod, Davao
del Norte; and
 100 hectares of residual forest lands are target for
clearing for the entry of Dole-Stanfilco and AMS –
encroaching the KBA Mt. Kampalili-Puting Bato in
New Bataan, Nabunturan, etc.