“Preservation and responsibility are significant in taking care of our environment that helps us live.

Avacena, Enrique. (2018) “The Philippine Environment: Epicenter of Wealth, Beauty, and Destruction.”
Asia Pacific Perspectives, Vol. 15, no. 2, 55-57

The article “The Philippine Environment: Epicenter of Wealth, Beauty, and Destruction.” Was written by
the Communications Director, Ecological Society of the Philippines, Enrique Avanceña in 2018. The
article states that Filipinos were truly honored with the beauty of nature. The Philippines has the richest,
most diverse marine environment thrives, and Is the center of marine shore fish diversity in the world.
Our land also includes the fertile plains by grand mountain ranges with tropical forests, with all kinds of
incredible life forms, but we Filipinos, have been destroying our environment and hence our country is
facing environmental issues that make the environment suffer and also us.

This article seeks attention, specifically for us Filipinos to awake our senses, to not just tell ourselves
that we are going to take care of our environment, but to do so. Its purpose is to tell us that the
environment where we get our resources and help us live is now slowly deteriorating, vanishing, and
getting destroyed because of our greediness and carelessness that are the killers of the environment.

The strongest point focuses on how the Philippines is in critical risk, notwithstanding the beauty of our
environment. The problem is us, our carelessness and greediness hugely contribute to the depletion
which puts us and the environment in grave danger, and how we respond to the environmental
destruction. The main claim is that the Philippines is undergoing environmental problems that need to be
handled to avoid its demolition for future generations.

The 70% first growth of our tropical forest is lost, and whatever is left behind will also disappear quickly
soon, and sadly, reforestation cannot refurbish the fragile co-dependent ecosystems that live in virgin
forests.

The Philippines’ coral colonies are being demolished. In consonance with Antonio M. Caparols in 2016,
he stated the destruction of South China Seas coral colonies by China. On July 18, 2011, he also
revealed the deliberate destruction of a marine environment which produces fish for the entire world.
60% of our coral colonies were destroyed dangerously by small fishermen who used dynamite and
cyanide to catch fish which destroyed the breeding ground and home of the fish. They went farther
which made fish scarce. Erosion is caused by the massive deforestation in the mountains that cause
siltation that can end up being a deadly killer of corals.

Our oceans are also facing environmental problems because of the countless plastic waste from us
Filipinos who are one of the top five in plastic contributors. Experts foretell that when 2025 arrives, there
will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. It just shows how disgustingly immoral we are even as a tiny
country.
The Philippines’ environmental laws that are the “best”, are often not reinforced even though it is rated
on the paper as the best environmental protection laws in the world. But other than that, there is a total
ban on logging of our forests, open pit and strip mining is also not allowed by executive order. President
Duterte realized the many dangers of climate change posed to the Philippines, and that is why the
Philippines and other nations made the Climate Vulnerable Forum.

Alexandra Gamboa, current manager of Government Initiatives in the Philippines for RARE, said that
Filipinos should level up their carbon footprint reduction game now that involves concrete steps we can
all take. The second figure, Dalai Lama said that we have to work together to meet the challenge of
climate change. And also said that because of our intelligence, we can create problems on a large scale.

Two enlightened leaders held this reality. In 2015, Pope Francis issued “Laudato Si: On the care of our
common home.” While Donald Trump and other scientists still deny the existence of climate change.
Pope was ahead to knowledge, and to call for urgent action.

In answer to the challenges introduced by environmental destructions resulting in climate change in the
Philippines, ESP has opened the planting of Mangroves in two areas in Negros Islands. Mangroves
covered the islands from erosion due to waves and tides and supplied breeding grounds and home to
aquatic life. The main reason for the quick removal of mangrove forests has been their most usable
source of cooking fuel. It burns wood longer and generates intense heat, it is used to bake the ‘pan de
‘sal Philippine staple bread. It also adds a unique smokey flavor to the bread.

ESP is cautious to replant mangroves only in places where forests had lived before but were depleted as
it can affect the biodiversity of the sea in planting them where they did not live. ESP is also about to start
on the reforestation of Sierra Madre Mountain ranges. Moreover, a handbook is being made by foresters
before planting, it is based on studies and interviews with the indigenous people. A new approach is also
being made by RARE working with local people to use the balance in using and preserving resources.

I can link this article to our lesson on how humans affect the environment. Human activities, resource
use, and pollution are parts of environmental issues. When people are greedy, they tend to over expend
natural resources just for their wants that can intensify climate change, soil degradation, etc. When
humans throw their waste in the water, it can cause water pollution that can kill the fishes.

In conclusion, the Philippines’ environmental beauty is facing issues in the mountains, coral colonies,
oceans, not reinforcing the environmental laws, and climate change. This article is hugely necessary for
us Filipinos to see, for us to use our intelligence in preserving and taking care of the beauty of our
environment. So that it could be saved for future generations, and to avoid the harmful effects of climate
change, we must work effectively together. We must not only tell ourselves to take care of our gorgeous
environment but to do so in enforcing concrete steps that can help the environment.