Experiences of Environmental Beauty & Degradation (J.

Dacillo)
NARRATIVES and THEMES
Narrative 1/Story 1 (or you can put a pseudonym)
When I left Cavite City in 1970 and stayed in a dormitory in the University of the Philippines I
always look forward to Saturdays. This the day of the week that I go back to Cavite City and be with my
family and friends. I cherish the days these shorts days, Saturdays and Sundays as we hang around the
city and simply visit friend and walk around the shores of Manila Bay. (Known as Canacao bay on the
west and Caraballo on the east ) Cavite City is isthmus, a small body of land connected by a short strip to
the mainland. All around the city is Manila Bay where you could swim, catch fishes, pick up crabs grow
aquaculture, or play on its wetlands at the north side are deep shores serving as dockyards to Philippine
Navy and the US Sangley Naval base. Around this bay is breakwater that prevents flooding of the area.
On the South there are mangroves and shores where you could swim, and where we can stroll
and collect sea shells along the way. The mangrove serves as a playground of my childhood. We were
prohibited to the area warning us that the water is not safe for swimming, there are quick sand and we
may lose our track in the mangrove. While we feign ignorance of not going to the mangrove but, the
amor seco in stuck on our pants easily gives us away, resulting in the scolding of our parents. Cavite City
is actually a fishing village and a naval repair shop might.
My weekly trips to Cavite City, I may say is a trip back memory lane. The bus that would take to
the city passes along Manila Bay. While traversing in the city of Manila I look back at the spot where
would take weekly picnics and swimming on Sundays. It also reminds me that, in front of Aristocrat
Restaurant is where people congregate in the afternoon, rent lounge chair sand and over sticks of
barbeque and bottles of beer watch the famous manila bay sunset.
As I pass to Pasay, there are patches of mangroves where migratory birds can be seen on
October. These are white cranes coming from China. In Paranaque, where is a long stretch of sea shore
with a private beach resort known as the Jale beach. Going down to Las Pinas, are also pockets of
mangroves. In Paranaque and Las Pinas river, you can see salambaw, bamboo raft with a crane like
device that scoops fishes in the river. In Bacoor, there where aqua culture where mussels and oysters
are caught. They were not cultured. As I traversed Kawit, I look at the rivers were women washes
clothes. The municipal emblem of Kawit are women washing clothes from borders coming from manila.
The next stop is the Noveleta, where you have salt beds and mangroves. These salt beds are also home
of some migratory birds. You will enjoythese white birds with their red tall skinny legs as they sashayed
in the beds. Now I were reminded that I am near Cavite City where there is only one entrance in the city
and I could already smell the scent of salty air and a cool breeze telling me that I am home. On the way I
see ambulant vendors selling mud crabs and shrimps. I passed at the left side of the bay where there are
three private beach resorts. I fully remembered these beaches are made of white sand. All throughout
the bay there are small fish ports where small fishing vessels are docked. They usually carry the catch of
the night from fishing along manila bay..
Now back at 2012, with the passing of time I never realize a lot has changed. I was pre-occupied
with my career and did not notice my changing environment. In Manila and Pasay, the bay has been
reclaimed and what you see are structures, hotels, restaurants, and malls. There is no more places
where you could, rent lounge chair where you could enjoy the famous Manila Bay sunset. The scenic
sunset has been blocked from the public. The breakwater is just few meter away from the shore and the
mangroves are gone. The migratory birds no longer make a stopover in the area. Even scent of the sea
has been transformed into noxious pollutants like particles, suspended solids, etc. The famous Jale
beach resort which was the location settings for Philippine movies is now closed. There is no more sea
shore. The Cavitex, express way was built and in between the expressway and Jale beach are colonies of
informal settlers. The pockets of mangrove still remain but they don’t support aqua culture. There are
still fish ports but these are bigger ones because the fish caught come all the way from as far as Visayas.
There is no more samlambaw in the rivers and Las Pinas and Paranaque, since these river can no longer
support fishery. The mangrove area in Bacoor and Las Pinas has been converted into human
settlements, both formal and informal. The rivers in Kawit can no longer be used to wash clothes. In
Novelta, the salt beds are gone and so are the migratory birds are gone too.
While I enter Cavite City, the scent has been changed from a salt scent aroma to the obnoxious
smell coming from sea shore which has been converted to an open dump sited there are also no more
ambulant vendors. And we can no longer stroll on the shore because there were reclaimed for human
settlements. In 2012, together with my team in Maynilad, I started the, “ Ibalik Ang Bakawangan sa
Manila
Bay Program.” At that time, we where not thinking of mangrove as first defense against flooding or its
potential for carbon sequestration. I simply want my childhood playground be restored. We planted
mangrove in Cavite Cite, Kawit, Bacoor, Novelata and Rosario Cavite. Similarly, Sen. Villar still headed
the LPPACHEA (Las Pinas, Paranaque, Critical Habitat and Ecotourism Area ) which reclaimed 17 hectares
on Las Pinas sea shore into mangrove areas. The migratory birds in Cavite and LPPACHEA where back
although. We were not successful in Rosario. Similarly, I did not realize that the ambulant vendors of
mud crabs and shrimps were back in Cavite City. When I went home I saw it for myself the
transformation.
Now, I think like I am the Wizard of Oz singing Home…”.Living in this brand new world is just a
fantasy “ Is the value progress?

Themes:
1. The Beauty of a Pristine environment/The Beauty of an Unspoiled ecology (of Cavite and the
places like Manila, Pasay & Paranaque).
2. Thriving of economic livelihood and organic food sources for the locals in a preserved and
conserved environment.
3. Disruption and changes in the economic livelihood.
4. Degradation of the environment as experienced by our 5 physical senses.
5. Loss of ecological beauty as experienced by our internal senses of appreciation.
Narrative 2/Story 2
His community before is well known for the vastness of physical features such as the
hills, and living organisms such as narra, anahaw, hills grown guava trees, passion fruit, bats,
Philippine monitor lizard (bitatawa) and tortoise. He happily shared how they interacted with
tortoises and bitatawa out of nowhere from their playing venues. He and his playmates before
would go to the vast hills to harvest guava fruits, berries, mango, and passion fruits for their
merienda. He joyfully recollected how they climbed from one guava tree to another without the
fear of falling. They even played hide-and-seek in the hills without the fear of getting bitten by
bees and other harmful animals such as snakes. He recounted those childhood memories.
His excitement ran out as he cited his experiences by the time he had a clear view of the
world. He witnessed how his then playing site, hills were flattened to pave the way for the
construction of the concrete roads which led to the nearby barangays. He mentioned the uproar
of chainsaws every time a tree was cut down. Birds in that area flew away to search for another
home as they were being driven by the new settlers. He imagined how other living creatures in
that area slowly and sadly sought refuge on other hills. The area was cleared down and the nature
he called the playing site is now entirely different. It became new, modernized and
industrialized. There are concrete roads, rice mills, commercial businesses, factories, and other
establishments. They are mushrooming the area that signifies development and progress.
As their community is developing and progressing, he encounters various environmental
degradation. Hills conversion to agricultural, commercial and residential areas. The hilly Ilagan
before is now flattened as they develop roads that connect to other towns and barangays of the
area. Trees are being cut down along the roads in the hilly areas. Most of the hill ranges before
are now unrecognizable as hills as they are erected with establishments. Along the national
highway of the city, the booming commercial businesses are lined up. Some hilly areas are
converted to agricultural areas. Many people practiced the kaingin system just to acquire a larger
area to cultivate crops without considering the impact to the environment. Further, hills are
converted to residential areas where subdivisions are also mushrooming.
Habitat loss. With the conversion of the hills to agricultural, commercial and residential
areas, many animal species such as tortoise, bitatawa, and bats lost their homes. Some thrive and
eventually seek refuge in the nearby ecosystem. I just hope they reached Sierra Madre. As such,
the aforementioned animals are no longer regularly seen unlike before.
Flash Flood. The flash flood was allegedly due to the indiscriminate timber harvesting in
the vast area of Sierra Madre and not enough trees in the community that serve as ecological
barriers during natural disasters such as flash flood. During the onslaught of typhoon Ulysses, his
house flooded, reached the second floor and stayed for a day. It caused certain property loss such
as appliances and crops. That was the time that the entire city put into a state of calamity. Many
barangays were submerged in water for a few days. That was actually my first time to witness
the wrath of the nature. Scary, indeed!
Siltation. Due to erosion, pieces of rocks and soil are carried away due to heavy
downpour. When they reach a body of clear water, the water becomes murkier. Upon reaching
Cagayan River that traverses Ilagan, the soil and pieces of rock that go along with the water are
deposited in a body of water. As a result of flood, some covers the small bodies of water such as
creeks to appear shallower, muddier and murkier. It reached the residential areas, thus becoming
a greater challenge to the community.
Illegal poaching. The Bitatawa is also poached for food as well as tortoise. The Northern
Sierra Madre Natural Park houses this kind of endangered species and it prohibits the killing and
eating of bitatawa. Many people are still hunting bitatawa because this remains a sumptuous and
exotic meal especially the farmers.
Pollution. Pollution comes in various forms around his community. Due to the erection
of factories in the area, it resulted in production of harmful gases that mixes with the fresh air.
There are many residents that grow pigs and erect poultry near the residence that causes the air to
be stinky. More and more people want to own private vehicles that may also contribute to air
pollution. There are not enough trees that can absorb air coming from the smoke-belching
vehicles, factories and domestic businesses.
Some factories too just discharge with waste in a creek that degrades the nearby body of
water and when it reaches Cagayan River, it partly destroys the ecosystem. The creek near their
residence is a home of water hyacinth.
The population of the area is increasing. With that said, waste has become a challenge.
Some people indiscriminately dump their garbage anywhere. When it rains, this rubbish clogs
the drainage; when it reaches the body of water, it pollutes the water as well as the aquatic life
and certainly returns to people.
After our long conversation, I asked him about his contribution to environmental
degradation. He became straightforward in his answer and I categorize his answers into two: not
applied knowledge and skills, and lack of proper attitude. He has the knowledge about how the
environment is being distracted due to human actions. He knows the 5 Rs in waste management:
reduce, reuse, recycle, repair and recover. However, he certainly does not practice it. Like for
instance, when their house was flooded, all the affected appliances were discarded. He eventually
resorted to buying new ones. He and the entire household do not have a compost pit but they
segregate waste. They own a piggery in which the waste that comes from the piggery directly
leads to the nearby creek. They do not have a septic tank that serves as a reservoir of waste that
comes from their piggery.

Themes:
1. The joy, enjoyment and satisfaction from the abundance and biodiversity of the flora and
fauna.
2. Environmental degradation due to the introduction of human structures which are artificial,
non-organic and unnatural.
3. Loss of fauna biodiversity caused by illegal poaching and habitat loss.
4. The escalating ecological destruction happens with more destructive natural disasters.
5. Human attitude of indifference is partly the reason for the rapid deterioration of our ecology.
Narrative 3/Story 3
A 60-year-old elder who lives in a barrio in Nabua, province of Camarines Sur vividly recounts
the
grandeur of nature in his childhood. He happily shared that the environment then is green with huge
trees
in sight everywhere and recalled the freshness of air and bounty of natural products relished by people
in
the community every day derived from the rich and diverse ecosystems. He emphasized the calmness of
the surroundings referring to the laidback lifestyle of people. Everyday affairs are not complicated at all
that people enjoy breakfast and thereafter proceed with their daily affairs like working on the farm or
carpentry shops, attending to farm animals, and performing household chores. Farming was done
naturally with the use of simple farming tools like plow and carabao. Clean water naturally flows from
wells. The source of light for homes were simple gas lamps. He even associated the story of Adam and
Eve and provisions of the environment given to them by the Superior Being, more than enough for the
proliferation of mankind. Such is his analogy with the abundant provision of the environment he grew
up with. Yet, he reminisced, people are happy and satisfied in the simplicity of their lives.
As time went by, the population of people increased. He witnessed how the huge trees he saw
in
his childhood slowly diminished and are replaced by small, stunted ones. People started cutting them to
build houses. The building of concrete houses became the fad in the community. Farming practices also
changed over time employing the use of synthetic fertilizers. In terms of conveyance, private cars are
now
common in town, in addition to the increasing tricycles as public mode of transportation. He associated
these changes with the extraordinarily high environmental temperature we are experiencing now
seemingly connecting them with climate change. Declining environmental condition is also evident due
to increasing solid wastes particularly plastic wastes. People started burning solid wastes from the
packaging of countless products.
 As a consequence, Nabua started to experience flooding during successive typhoons and heavy
rains. For him, one way or another, all of the Nabuenos are guilty of being a part of environmental
degradation activities happening in the town, including himself.
To his scrutiny, people now are restless and busy with many affairs in life. He observes that
because of technology the simple lifestyle of people changed. However, he also appreciated the good
side of technology highlighting its contribution in communication, education, and generally making
people's lives better and easier. Today, the simple lifestyle of people in the undisturbed natural
environment of the olden days is what he yearns for.

Themes:
1. The awesomeness of functioning ecological life and the simplicity of people’s lives in their
community.
2. Growing human population in the area, artificial agriculture and pollution waste from
transportation and other waste products contributed to environmental deterioration in the
area.
3. Natural disasters due to ecological destruction have become more devastating.
4. Simple lifestyle with what nature can provide is preferable to seemingly “better” life provided
by modern technology.
Narrative 4/Story4
I live in Angeles City, classified as Highly Urbanized and located in Pampanga, northwest of
Manila. As with all other urban ecosystems, it is physically dominated by built structures like buildings,
roads, sewers, power lines, etc. Angeles City has always been economically-favored because of its
strategic location, proximity to nearby growth metropolises, suitability to diverse industries, and
availability of
infrastructure developments, that are mainly accessed by other cities and municipalities in Region III
through four major road networks- the NLEx, SCTex, TPLex, and Mc Arthur Highway.
As a result of the city’s busy economic landscape, there is financial stability which ensures
continual economic growth for Angeles. However, a burgeoning economy almost equate to rapid
urbanization, which in turn, causes environmental degradation due to shrinkage of the natural or
biological (plants, animals, and other forms of life) component of the urban ecosystem, giving way to the
expansion of built-up areas.
Environmental Degradation
Economic development in Angeles City continues in parallel with the increase in population,
which leads to sustained expansion of impervious surface areas, particularly paved surfaces. The
conversion of pervious surfaces to impervious surfaces significantly contributes to the warming or
increase in the temperature of my surroundings, especially in Balibago, which is where I live, and
incidentally is one of the most densely developed barangays. Human activities have also increased the
abundance of heat-trapping GHG in the atmosphere which exacerbated heat stress.
The argument that companies are to be blamed, and not individual consumers, for their bigger
part in the rising of global temperatures, does makes sense – but I need to feel like I’m doing something
to prevent a climate catastrophe from unfolding, acknowledging that I have contributed, and taking
responsibility for things going wrong is a good start.
My “Contributions”
Honestly, I feel like confessing and all that is missing is a priest. Maybe you, Doc Jes, may serve as the
proxy for the priest. The following are my contributions (sins?) in the warming of the environment:
1. I am a meat lover. Eating meat affects the environment. Raising cows, pigs and chickens generates as
much greenhouse gas emissions as all cars, trucks and automobiles combined. Most emissions related to
the livestock industry are carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, methane, and ammonia;
2. I love shopping for clothes and shoes. The global apparel and footwear industry is generating a lot of
GHG due to the energy used during their production, manufacturing, and transportation. In addition,
during this time of pandemic, where shopping on-line is safer, these purchases produce much more
packaging waste;
3. I do not use public transport, instead I move around or travel by car. Our personal vehicles are a
major contributor to air pollution, producing significant amounts of nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide,
and particulate matter.

Themes:
1. Loss of natural environment is the price to pay for “unbridled” human-centered economic
growth and rapid urbanization.
2. Green house gases, increased human activities, pollutants of companies and the like are
leading to climate change in the area which is becoming more evident.
3. Change of lifestyle (from a changed attitude) can be a key and starting point in becoming a
more responsible citizen of the planet.
Narrative 5/Story 5
In my previous work where we are developing solar power projects, we are in a looked out for
flat, non-mountainous and suitable areas for developments. In one instance, we have located 115
hectares of private land but falls in a DENR-protected area being part of a watershed. It was considered
suitable for solar development being a flat but is highly-vegetated with trees. As such, since power
projects is government’s project of national significance, we applied for clearance from Protected Area
Management Bureau (PAMB), and DENR tree cutting permit (~5,000 trees) and granted with such.
Even that this is considered a protected area as a watershed, as project developer and granted
with permits, the 115ha of land was cleared and significant number of trees were cut to pave way for
this solar project that might impact the downstream with silt and degradation of the watershed. With
continuation of the sample provided in the experience above, the area and neighborhood, before we
entered the projects is highly protected by the government being a watershed. Minimal development is
happening in the area but small pockets of informal settler, kaingin and hunting is being done by the
locals.
Being the lead of the environment group of my previous company, I am took the lead in applying
for the protected area clearance from PAMB, Environmental Clearance Certificate from Environmental
Management Bureau and Tree cutting permit from the DENR. I also part of the team who spearhead the
tree cutting activities itself.

Themes:
1. Conflict between some “development” projects for human use and the
preservation/conservation of the ecosystem of the area is inevitable.
 2. Environmental protection is not prioritized over development projects even if these projects
sacrifice vital ecological service.

Narrative 6/Story 6
As a Civil Engineer working on the design of several land development projects in the country, I
have personally experienced the environmental degradation some of these projects have caused. Like
this one 10-hectare residential subdivision project in Sta. Maria, Bulacan, which was originally a farm
land but has been converted into a residential development. I have personally witnessed its original
state as a rice field, and have seen the beauty of its greeneries, which is truly a gift of nature. But since
the developer client has hired us to design the property as a residential subdivision, as an engineering
professional I have no choice but to execute the design services and follow the wishes of our client. I
have, sadly, contributed to the destruction of the ecosystem in exchange for the development to
provide affordable housing to the people.
This type of project has become prevalent all over the country, and I can just imagine the extent
of environmental degradation it is causing to our ecology. The human population has relentlessly
increased its demands from the earth’s ecosystems in the form of urbanization, and therefore is
destroying our environment.
We need to find solutions by examining the ways in which human-caused environmental
changes such as urbanization, habitat loss, climate change, and nutrient pollution are linked to
environmental degradation. And this is where we must all do our part, not only from the government
sector, but also from the private sector as well. We must prioritize the adaptation of sustainable
planning and development in all of our projects. In this way we will be able to strike a balance between
the progress of development and the conservation of our environment.

Themes:
 1. Land use or land conversion creates impact on the environment.
2. The idea of development is tied up to land conversion needed for urbanization and human
settlements.
3. Holistic and authentic development is striking a balance between healthy environment and
sustainable future.

CLUSTERING/CATEGORIZATION OF THEMES (Structure and Pattern Determination)

A. Ecological beauty and ecosystemic integrity

1. The Beauty of a Pristine environment/The Beauty of an Unspoiled ecology (of Cavite and the
places like Manila, Pasay & Paranaque).
2. The joy, enjoyment and satisfaction from the abundance and biodiversity of the flora and
fauna.
3. The awesomeness of functioning ecological life and the simplicity of people’s lives in their
community.

B. Human attitude and Lifestyle and the environment

1. Human attitude of indifference is partly the reason for the rapid deterioration of our
ecology.
2. Simple lifestyle with what nature can provide is preferable to seemingly “better” life
provided by modern technology.
3. Growing human population in the area, artificial agriculture and pollution waste from
transportation and other waste products contributed to environmental deterioration in the
area.
4. Change of lifestyle (from a changed attitude) can be a key and starting point in becoming a
more responsible citizen of the planet.
5. Environmental protection is not prioritized over development projects even if these projects
sacrifice vital ecological service.

C. Economic Development and other progressive human activities

1. Disruption and changes in the economic livelihood.

2. Environmental degradation due to the introduction of human structures which are artificial,
non-organic and unnatural.
 3. Loss of natural environment is the price to pay for “unbridled” human-centered economic
growth and rapid urbanization.
4. The idea of development is tied up to land conversion needed for urbanization and human
settlements.
5. Conflict between some “development” projects for human use and the
preservation/conservation of the ecosystem of the area is inevitable.

D. Possibility of sustainable & eco-friendly economic development

1. Thriving of economic livelihood and organic food sources for the locals in a preserved and
conserved environment.
2. Holistic and authentic development is striking a balance between healthy environment and
sustainable future.

E. Concrete ecosystemic indicators of environmental degradation (human & non-human, biotic &
abiotic)

1. Degradation of the environment as experienced by our 5 physical senses.

2. Loss of ecological beauty as experienced by our internal senses of appreciation.
3. Loss of fauna biodiversity caused by illegal poaching and habitat loss.
4. Land use or land conversion creates impact on the environment.

F. Climate and weather experiences related to natural disasters

1. The escalating ecological destruction happens with more destructive natural disasters.
2. Natural disasters due to ecological destruction have become more devastating.
3. Green house gases, increased human activities, pollutants of companies and the like are
leading to climate change in the area which is becoming more evident.

Insight-building/Theory development (Connecting & relating the categories)

Anthropocentrism of humanity destroys > Beauty & Integrity of Creation >

Unsustainable economic development > Degradation/Loss of Beauty & Integrity>

Return to Beauty and Integrity?

 anthropocentrism
destroys

return to beauty & integrity

ecosystemic beauty of creation
& integrity gave way to

degradation/loss unsustainable
of beauty & economic
integrity development

Ecosystemic beauty and integrity are “temporarily” marred by human anthropocentrism

because humanity succumbed to unsustainable economic development. However, both the human
and the non-human, the biotic and the abiotic experience these degradation and there seems to be an
internal silent movement and hope to collaborate, preserve one another and return, as far as
possible, to ecocentrism.