The Condition of the Philippine Environment

By Dr. Rodolfo John Ortiz Teope

 

When I first set foot on one of the lesser-known islands of the Philippines—perhaps a quiet islet in Visayas or Mindanao—I was struck by the raw beauty around me. The horizon stretched endlessly. Coral reefs shimmered beneath turquoise waters. Mangrove forests hugged the coast. And I was reminded: this archipelago of over 7,000 islands is not just land separated by sea—it’s a tapestry woven by life, culture, and sacred ecosystems.

But the paradise I saw also carries scars. As a nation of almost 85 million people, we face familiar struggles: poverty, rapid industrial growth, and population pressures. We have also abused our natural wealth: coral reefs damaged by blast fishing, rivers polluted beyond repair, mountains denuded by slash-and-burn farming, and forests ripped down for timber and mining.

And yet, within that pain, I’ve seen sparks of hope—endeavors that remind me that we still can choose a different path.

 

I. Deforestation: A Lost Forest’s Lament

At the dawn of the 20th century, nearly 70% of the Philippines—about 21 million hectares—was cloaked in forests. By 2010, forest cover had dwindled to about 23% of our land area—just over 6.8 million hectares (NAMRIA, 2010). The Philippines lost some 3.4 million hectares between 1990 and 2005 alone—a staggering 32% decline (FAO, 2005).

For every logged landscape, millions suffered: Indigenous communities displaced, vulnerable wildlife erased from memory, and hillsides turned to silt that floods lowland communities. Riverbanks turned to rubble, sediments choked marine life, and our climate shifted.

 

II. Responding with Roots & Legislation

Seeing the devastation—knowing we’ve lost more forest in a generation than we’ve reclaimed—I introduced two strategies:

1. A 25-year ban on commercial logging—a proposal born from the urgency to let nature heal.

2. “Luntiang Pilipinas” (Greening the Philippines)—a grassroots movement to plant at least 100 forest trees in every local plaza, turning town centers into living lungs. To date, over 1,800 tree parks have sprung up, each reflecting a community’s commitment to renewal.

 

III. Air Pollution: Hidden Threats in Our Cities

Walk through Metro Manila on a calm morning, and you may see the sky—but feel the haze. Vehicle exhaust dominates. Industrial emissions linger. Respiratory illnesses rise; children struggle with breathing; adults suffer fatigue and poor concentration.

Although the Philippines ranks relatively low in pollution on broad continental AQI lists, on the ground, smog is real. Metro Manila air often surpasses WHO-recommended PM2.5 thresholds—even official standards remain unchanged since 1999, and monitoring stations are few and unevenly located

 

IV. Clean Air Act of 1999: Passing the Promise

In response, we crafted the Philippine Clean Air Act (RA 8749). The law outlines:

• Emission standards for vehicles and factories;

• Public information and education campaigns;

• Collaboration with local governments;

• Pollution monitoring and accountability mechanisms.

Yet implementation remains inconsistent. Enforcement is weak, older vehicles continue polluting, and other pollutants like sulfur dioxide and ozone go unmonitored. Local pollution levels still exceed safe levels, especially in Metro Manila and Cebu.

Still, the law was a landmark—a declaration of our right to breathe clean air.

 

V. Water Pollution: Rivers That No Longer Flow

Nearly half of our water pollution stems from household waste. In Metro Manila, only about 7–8% of the population is connected to sewer systems. Sixteen major rivers, including several in our urban centers, run biologically dead during the dry season.

These conditions cost us dearly—an estimated $1.3 billion annually in economic losses (around ₱62 billion) from health care, lost livelihoods, and environmental damage.

To confront this, I supported the Water Crisis Act of 1995, which created a commission to assess water needs, monitor supply, and recommend systemic reforms.

By 2003, 86% of Filipinos had access to improved water sources—demonstrating slow, painful progress (World Bank Monitor, 2004).

 

VI. Waste Management: Mountains of Garbage

In Manila alone, 6,000 tons of trash are generated daily. Only nine cities and 46 municipalities across the country have formal waste programs. Around a quarter of garbage is illegally dumped—into vacant lots, waterways, or streets—causing flooding and health hazards.

Trash fills landfills beyond capacity. Forecasts once warned: without intervention, annual waste generation would rise by 40% by 2010.

The Integrated Solid Waste Management Act of 2001 was our response—providing legal frameworks, technology access, and community support to manage garbage more humanely.

 

VII. Philippine Agenda 21: A Shared Vision for Sustainability

In 1992, the Earth Summit signaled a global commitment to sustainability. The Philippines responded with Philippine Agenda 21, which reframed development as communal, ecological, and people-centered. It emphasized:

• Area-based development across islands;

• Integrated strategies grounded in the nation’s archipelagic reality;

• Local communities, civil society, government, and business were all included in the decision-making process.

The Agenda was not a static plan—it built on existing strategies, enlisted Indigenous communities, NGOs, and local governments, and intended to make sustainability part of the national DNA.

Yet natural resource depletion continued. The issues were not simply delays—they stemmed from persistent environmental resilience.

 

VIII. Reflections: Ecology, Communities, and Moral Duty

I share these stories not to dwell on failure, but to affirm that awareness—with action—can heal. The Philippines is not condemned. We are still navigating choices between exploitation and healing.

I remember village leaders, small fisherfolk, and Indigenous elders who inspired me. I remember town children who ask, “Will our rivers flow again?”

Every policy, every bill, every movement—like Greening Philippines or local river clean-ups—must come with moral introspection. Are we building an economy for people? Are we protecting ecosystems for our children?

 

Conclusion: A Living Pact with Nature

The Philippines is more than islands and coastlines—it is relationships between people, mountains, seas, and sky. Our environmental legislation—whether the Clean Air Act, reforestation bans, or Agenda 21—are all attempts at repair. They are promises reimagined.

But laws alone don’t save forests, rivers, or air. Only values saved, only people engaged, and only communities connected can restore our natural heritage.

I remain faithful to a future where every Filipino breathes clean air, drinks pure water, and walks beneath forests that once again hum with life. That’s not just a dream—it’s a promise still worth fighting for.

 

References 

• Food and Agriculture Organization. (2005). Global Forest Resources Assessment.

• Philippine National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA). (2010). Land Cover Mapping.

• World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our Common Future. Oxford University Press.

• Republic Act No. 8749. (1999). Clean Air Act of 1999. Government of the Philippines.

• World Bank. (2004). Philippines Environment Monitor 2004.

• Republic Act No. 9003. (2001). Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001.

• Earth Summit. (1992). Agenda 21. United Nations.