ARCH 159

SHORT RATED ASSESSMENT NO. 4

Land, Its Nature, and Issues of Land Reform

Romina Legaspi Jose

2014-21920

Submitted to:
Professor Maria Lisa V. Santos

Submitted on:
November 24, 2020
Short critique on
“Preservation or Conversion? Valuation and Evaluation of a Mangrove Forest in the
Philippines” by Ron Janssen and Jose E. Padilla

In this paper written by Ron Janssen and Jose E. Padilla, the Pagbilao mangroves were
used for the case study in proving the benefits of the preservation of mangroves. As highlighted
in the study, mangrove ecosystems have been in a declining rate due to its conversion to
aquaculture fishponds. The research aimed to study its economic value, equity, and
environmental quality using a cost-benefit and multicriteria analysis. The paper enumerated
multiple land management alternatives for the mangrove systems that would yield certain
economic values and community-government interventions and management systems.
Although the economic benefits of mangrove ecosystems were properly established, the latter
two objectives (equity and environmental quality) had vague outcomes as there are more
degrees as to which these can be studied.

Development
The development of mangrove forests would entail supporting the growth of these
forests along with the improvement of current economic and social factors that are derived
from these, without sacrificing the mangrove forest itself. Sustainable practices would then be
used, wherein the forest would properly and sufficiently replenish itself before harvest (making
use of subsistence forestry or commercial forestry methods). The state of these ecosystems
would then be in a continuous change of replenishment and harvest. However, the development
of mangroves may not be an easy task, as these have certain requirements and conditions that
need to be met, such as the proper soil/sand properties, lack of strong tidal current, appropriate
temperatures, and good erosion.

Conservation
The preservation of the mangrove forests imply the maintenance of the forests in its
current state. This generally indicates that the ecosystems are not to be touched or harvested,
allowing these ecosystems to thrive without having to constantly replenish itself. This would
result to a healthy ecosystem, as it would barely have any human intervention. However, the
study mentioned that in order to actually preserve these forests, an international intervention
would be required to financially support the preservation efforts. Such efforts include the
maintenance of the aforementioned requirements and conditions. Local government units can
only go so far in such a feat, since the economic benefits of this may not be as high as when
the land is used for aquaculture. Thus, its benefits may not be immediately felt by the public.

Conversion
The conversion of mangrove ecosystems to aquacultural lands entails the degradation
of the mangrove ecosystems to make way for brackish water fishponds. As what was mentioned

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in the history of the mangrove ecosystems in Pagbilao municipality, mangrove conversion was
a common alternative because of the stresses on food security from growing residential
developments. Because of the increase in population, the necessity of land conversion
presented itself, which could only be addressed by immediate aquaculture. This method is
preferred specifically by investors who earn the most from aquaculture practices.

The development of mangroves prove to be more efficient in the long run as compared
to the conversion of these ecosystems. Conversion entails the degradation of the land, while
development pushes for the continuous existence. Although the economic benefits of
conversion are easily valued, the loss of life and the consequences outweigh the benefits. Like
what was asked in the study, can we put a value on the loss of life?

There are pros and cons when discussing conservation and conversion of mangrove
ecosystems. In terms of environmental quality, conservation becomes the most necessary
method. Conservation entails the continuity of life and a healthy biodiversity in coastal
communities. Mangroves also help in protecting these communities from storm surges and
floods. On the other hand, in terms of economic quality, conversion reigns supreme. The
benefits of these cannot be ignored, as this can provide continuous livelihood and investors.
This can support families, local government units, and ultimately the national government.
However, when climate change takes it turn for the worse, the communities may be the first to
experience its negative effects. Thus, conservation would have been the clearer option when it
comes to the preservation of life in a general perspective.

Having been made aware of the different methods that may be applied to preserve,
develop, and convert mangrove systems, I must take into consideration the economic and
ecological implications of all these alternative methods and similar procedures. Proper
environmental impact assessments must be done in any project in order to maintain the
ecological health of the area. This proves to be of great importance especially at an urban scale,
because changes done can have massive impacts on health and safety. In the same way,
sustainability must not stop merely at the introduction of green spaces into areas. This should
go deeper and into the systemic aspects, as sustainability accounts for all components of
society.

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Short critique on
“Urbanization Process and the Changing Agricultural Landscape Pattern in the Urban
Fringe of Metro Manila” by Isidoro R. Malaque III and Makoto Yokohari

The paper by Isidoro Malaque III and Makoto Yokohari describe the physical changes
that occur at the boundaries of Metro Manila. These changes come in the form of agricultural
land conversion to a developed urban landscape. The paper compared the state of the
Northwestern area of Metro Manila to its Southeastern counterpart. As seen in the study, the
value of the land determined the transitions of the different areas, wherein the Northwestern
area experienced a slower transition due to expensive land while the Southeastern area had a
more direct change due to cheaper land. The interaction between farmers and land developers
was also highlighted, as there exists certain compensations that come with the purchasing of
the land. The paper concluded by emphasizing the importance of the co-existence of urban and
agricultural land for better urban ecological health and productivity.

Development vs Conversion
Evident in the study are the push-and-pull scenarios in terms of the costs and benefits
of the development of urban landscapes and the conversion of agricultural lands. Although the
immediate conversion of such lands prove to be necessary due to the growing needs of the
population and lack of viable land options, the gradual development of the land would yield
better results both economically and environmentally. Its slow transition would allow the land
to replenish its lost natural resources, giving the land time to heal. This was scene in the
Northwestern study, wherein the farmers continued farming due to the time it took for the urban
landscape to grow. However, in either scenario, whether development or conversion, the
proposed urban planning scheme must suggest a balanced ecological health for the city. This
entails proper planning and placement of green landscapes and even agricultural land across
the city.

Conservation vs Conversion
These two methods are on opposite sides of the spectrum, and both create different
arrays of implications. In an urban perspective, the conversion of land becomes prominent and
also very necessary. Due to migrations into the city, the ever-growing population, and housing
needs, the government partnered with private developers opt to satisfy such housing
requirements by obtaining land that can be easily converted. After establishing the residential
nodes, the commercial, institutional, and industrial nodes then follow. Urban growth and
expansion is inevitable once land has been converted, as seen in the study. On the other hand,
in a provincial perspective, land conservation must be respected at all costs. Not only do
agricultural lands produce the goods to support the city, these lands provide livelihood to
generations of families. For the case of forest lands, these act as protection to cities and as
carbon sinks. The government must strictly implement the preservation of these lands, as these
present equal importance to the development of urban landscapes.

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 Architectural design has a huge role to play in the expansion of city centers. However,
the fact that there exists a separate branch of architecture called “sustainable architecture”
implies the lack of sustainability efforts in the pure form of architecture. Now in the changing
social climate, sustainability practices are encouraged to be the norm when designing buildings.
Because the growth of a city is inevitable, the built environment must act as if land was not
converted in the first place. This means that architecture must become one with the
environment in all forms, not merely only until face-value.

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