• Balance of Nature

Nature Knows Best

Ang Kalikasan ang Mas Nakakaalam

• Biodiversity

All Forms of Life are Important

Ang Lahat ng May Buhay ay Mahalaga

• Interconnectedness

Everything is Connected to Everything Else

Ang Lahat ng Bagay ay Magkakaugnay

• Change

Everything Changes

Ang Lahat ay Nagbabago

• Materials cycle

Everything Must Go Somewhere

Ang Lahat ay may Patutunguhan

• Finiteness

Ours is a Finite Earth

Ang Lahat ay may Hangganan

• Stewardship

Nature is Beautiful, and We are Stewards of God’s Creation

Nag Kalikasan ay Maganda, at tayo ang Tagapangalaga ng Nilikha ng Diyos

3.3 TOOL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: PHILIPPINE AGENDA 21

- Through PA 21, we en=vision a better quality life for all through the development
of a just, moral, creative, spiritual, economically vibrant, caring, diverse yet
cohesive society characterized by appropriate productivity, participatory, and
democratic processes and living in harmony within the limits of carrying capacity of
nature and the integrity of creation (PA 21, Section 1.4)
5 Dimensions of Sustainable Development

Economic Dimension

- PA 21 mandates that development of policies be formulated that would

reverse the ill effects of economic modernization to the environment

PA 21 prescriptions for a sustainable economy

a. Discourage inefficient and environmentally destructive technologies and

wasteful patterns of consumption

b. Regulate unsustainable, luxurious and wasteful consumption patterns

c. Promote use of safer and cleaner production technologies, effective

recycling and waste reduction methods

d. Protect laborers against unfair employment practices

e. Highlight the creativity, skills, initiative and diligence of Filipino laborers in

attracting investments, not low wage rates

Human Dimension- cultural and social dimensions

- This aims for the development of health care, education and social well being
of Filipinos, hence, development must be sought for the people and not use
to abuse people for the sake of development

- It also involves enhancing the capabilities of the people to find sustainable

decisions to their problems

PA 21 prescriptions to develop a culture supportive of SD:

a. Encourage and support people’s participation in governance

b. Recognize the importance of culture and social systems in the creation of

wealth

c. Provide equal access to education since it develops the culture and full
potential of people as individuals and as members of the family,
community and society

d. Base approaches to SD on Filipino values, traditions, knowledge and the

areas where we excel

Political Dimension
 - This is manifested in the manner by which local people involve themselves in
making decisions that affect their lives, particularly in the management of
community resources

Prescriptions of PA 21on political aspect:

a. Protect national sovereignty as part of our nation’s right to self

determination

b. Governance at all levels should be guided by participation, cooperation,

partnership and devolution or distribution of power to lower level
management

c. Conduct extensive consultations, dialogues and representations to

achieve participatory governance

d. Formulate policies to make sure that production, distribution, and

consumption will be sustainable

e. Give greater priority to sustainable use of ecosystems by communities in

rural areas

f. Balance rural development with urban development

g. Improve ways at measuring human, social, institutional and ecological

health

h. Promote community based resource management

i. Base efforts for peace and order on everyone’s right to a peaceful and
secure life

j. Include human, environmental, and food security and self sufficiency in

national security concerns

k. Review present policies based on PA 21

l. Use development plans and programs made by stakeholders as basis of

national development planning.

Environmental/Ecological Dimension

- Emphasis should be on protecting the natural resources needed for food

production while increasing and improving production systems to meet the
requirements of the ever growing population

- This entails more efficient use of arable lands and water supplies and
generation of appropriate technologies that will increase farm productivity
 - Prescriptions of PA 21:

a. Respect the carrying capacity or limitations of the environment in the

process of development

b. Environmental management tools should be adopted in policy and

decision making for all stages of economic production

c. Understand the biological limits of natural resource productivity and make

sure that policies reflect these.

d. Look at environmental protection as a responsibility of all individuals,

families, communities and institutions in society

e. The access and control of common resources like water and biodiversity
should be assured for communities

f. Conserve biodiversity through community efforts, with the help of

indigenous people groups and with support from national and local
governments.

g. There should be regular review and strict enforcement of environmental

laws by government institutions.

Technological Dimension (science and technology)

- Technologies should be cleaner, more efficient and more sparing of natural

resources to reduce pollution, help stabilize climate and accommodate
population growth and economic activities.

PA 21 prescribes the following for science and technology to be sustainable:

a. Energy development should promote use of renewable resources,

appropriate technology and energy efficiency.

b. Energy program should aim to reduce local pollution, environmental

degradation and greenhouse gas emissions

c. Indigenous knowledge systems should be promoted

d. Science policy should not promote oversimplified approaches to research,

but should encourage analysis and methods that consider indirect long
term connections

e. Financial support for scientific researches should be increased to make

them independent from what business dictates

f. Environment-friendly technologies suited to Philippine conditions should

eventually replace polluting and destructive technologies.