Environmental Management

MAJOR ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

IN THE PHILLIPPINES
 A. Environmental Problems

The Philippines are prone to natural disasters,

particularly typhoons, floods,
landslides, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and
tsunamis, lying as it does astride the
typhoon belt, in the active volcanic region
known as the “Pacific Ring of Fire,” and in the
geologically unstable region between the Pacific
and Eurasian tectonic plates
The Philippines also suffers major human-
caused environmental degradation aggravated
by a high annual population growth rate,
including loss of agricultural lands,deforestation,
soil erosion, air and water pollution, improper
disposal of solid and toxic wastes, loss of
coral reefs, mismanagement and abuse of
coastal resources, and overfishing.
Water pollution

Although water resources have become scarce in some

regions and seasons, the Philippines as a whole has
more than enough surface and groundwater. However,
neglecting to have a coherent environmental policy has
led to the contamination of 58% of the groundwater in
the Philippines. The main source of pollution is
untreated domestic and industrial wastewater. Only
one third of Philippine river systems are considered
suitable for public water supply.
 It is estimated that in 2025, water availability
will be marginal in most major cities and in 8 of
the 19 major river basins. Besides severe health
concerns, water pollution also leads to problems
in the fishing and tourism industries. The
national government recognized the problem
and since 2004 has sought to introduce
sustainable water resources development
management
Only 5% of the total population is connected to a sewer
network. The vast majority uses flush toilets connected
to septic tanks. Since sludge treatment and disposal
facilities are rare, most effluents are discharged without
treatment.

According to the Asian Development Bank, the Pasig

River is one of the world's most polluted rivers.
Deforestation

Over the course of the 20th century the forest cover of

the Philippines dropped from 70 percent down to 20
percent. In total, 46 species are endangered, and 4
were already eradicated completely. 3.2 percent of
total rainforest has been left. Based on an analysis of
land use pattern maps and a road map an estimated
9.8 million ha of forests were lost in the Philippines
from 1934 to 1988. Illegal logging occurs in the
Philippines and intensify flood damage in some areas
 According to scholar Jessica Mathews, short-
sighted policies by the Filipino government have
contributed to the high rate of deforestation:

The government regularly granted logging

concessions of less than ten years. Since it takes
30–35 years for a second-growth forest to
mature, loggers had no incentive to replant.
Compounding the error, flat royalties
encouraged the loggers to remove only the most
valuable species
Air pollution

Due to industrial waste and automobiles, Manila

suffers from air pollution, affecting 98% of the
population. Annually, the air pollution causes
more than 4,000 deaths. Ermita is Manila's most
air polluted district due to open dump
sites and industrial waste. According to a report
in 2003, The Pasig River is one of the most
polluted rivers in the world with 150 tons of
domestic waste and 75 tons of industrial waste
dumped daily
Climate change

One of the most pressing environmental issues impacting the

Philippines is climate change. As an island country located in
the Southeast Asia Pacific region, the Philippines is extremely
vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Some of these
impacts include increased frequency and severity of natural
disasters, sea level rise, extreme rainfall, global warming,
resource shortages, and environmental degradation. All of these
impacts together have greatly affected the Philippines’
agriculture, sex, water, infrastructure, human health, and coastal
ecosystems and they are projected to continue having
devastating damages to the economy and society of the
Philippines
Impacts of global warming

Due to its geographical location, climate,

and topography, the Philippines is ranked third on the
World Risk Index for highest disaster risk and exposure
to natural disasters. 16 of its provinces, including
Manila, Benguet, and Batanes, are included in the top
50 most vulnerable places in Southeast Asia, with
Manila being ranked 7th. Four cities in the Philippines,
Manila, San Jose, Roxas, and Cotaboato, are included in
the top 10 cities most vulnerable to sea level rise in the
East Asia and Pacific region.
The country is consistently at risk from severe
natural hazards including typhoons, floods,
landslides, and drought. It is located within a
region that experiences the highest rate of
typhoons in the world, averaging 20 typhoons
annually, with about 7-9 that actually make
landfall.In 2009, the Philippines had the third
highest number of casualties from natural
disasters with the second most victims
Climate change has had and will continue to have
drastic effects on the climate of the Philippines. From
1951-2010, the Philippines saw its average temperature
rise by 0.65 degrees Celsius, with fewer recorded cold
nights and more hot days. Since the 1970s, the number
of typhoons during the El Niño season has
increased.The Philippines has not only seen 0.15
meters of sea level rise since 1940, but also seen 0.6 to
1 degree Celsius increase in sea surface temperatures
since 1910, and 0.09 degree c increase in ocean
temperatures since 1950
[During the time period from 1990 to 2006, the
Philippines experienced a number of record-
breaking weather events, including the strongest
typhoon (wind speeds), the most destructive
typhoons (damages), the deadliest storm
(casualties), and the typhoon with the highest
24 hour rainfall on record
Future projections

Future projections for the current trajectory of

climate change predict that global warming is
likely to exceed 3degrees Celsius, potentially
4degrees, by 2060. Specifically in the
Philippines, average temperatures are “virtually
certain” to see an increase of 1.8 to 2.2 degrees
Celsius
There will also be an increase in: the number of
days that exceed 35degree C; that have less than
2.5 mm of rainfall; and that have more than
300mm of rainfall. Additionally, climate change
will continue to increase the intensity of
typhoons and tropical storms. Sea levels around
the Philippines are projected to rise 0.48 to 0.65
meters by 2100, which exceeds the global
average for rates of sea level rise.[
Combined with sea level rise, this stratification
into more extreme seasons and climates
increases the frequency and severity of storm
surge, floods, landslides, and droughts. These
exacerbate risks to agriculture, energy, water,
infrastructure, human health, and coastal
ecosystems.
Alarming Waste Problem in the Philippines

The Philippines is looming with garbage

problems despite the passage
of the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act or the Republic Act
(RA) 9003.
 2007 first quarter data from the
National Solid Waste Management
Commission shows that there are 677
open dumpsites, 343 controlled dumps,
and 21 landfills in the country. An
additional 307 dump sites are subject for
closure or rehabilitation plans but without
definite schedules for enforcement. About 215
additional landfills are being proposed to
be set up nationwide.
 Environmentalists stress that Republic Act 9003 calls for the
adoption of the best environmental practices in ecological waste
management and explicitly excludes waste
incineration as an ecological option. These polluting disposal
facilities are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions to the
atmosphere which adds to global warming.

Landfills and open dumps, according to studies, account for 34

percent of human related methane emissions to the
atmosphere, a global warming gas that has 23 times
more heat-trapping power than carbon dioxide.

These landfills and open dumps are illegal under RA 9003.

RA 9003 further calls for the
establishment of materials recovery
facilities, or ecology centers, in every
barangay or cluster of a barangay.

To date, only 1,923

ecology centers exist, serving 2,133
barangays of a total 41,975 nationwide
People’s Behavior towards Waste

Behavior is a key cultural aspect that is

embedded in people’s way of life.
Studying a community’s behavior and
introducing new ones requires intensive,
long term, and creative social marketing.
This can be done by studying the
demographic and cultural fiber of the
community through immersions and
capacity building activities
The Resources, Environment and Economics Center for Studies, Inc.’s (REECS)
2002 study on household waste management systems and the attitudes and
behavior showed that:

1. Waste management is still perceived by many as the responsibility of

government.

2. Public participation in waste management, especially in segregation at

source, remains limited.

3. More extensive awareness- raising activities and training on ecological

waste management are needed, together with stricter enforcement of
the Law and local ordinances must be observed.

4. There is lack of community empowerment and political will to resolve

the problem.
The Philippines’ Response to the Problem of Climate Change

As a manifestation of the country’s commitment

to engage in multilateral efforts aiming to
address the global problem of climate change
and achieve sustainable development, the
Philippines has participated in the discussions
and negotiations leading to the ratification of
various international agreements
The most important outcomes of these negotiations include:

1. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change

(UNFCCC) ratified on August 2, 1994

2.The Kyoto Protocol, which was ratified on November 20, 2003

3. The Medium Term Philippine Development Plan of 2004-2010

(MTDP) underscored the need to manage the environment more
effectively in order for the country to address the problem of
poverty particularly in the rural areas.
 These international
agreements are geared towards the
mitigation of the effects of climate
change and the strategic adaptation to
the conditions.
1. In the United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change in 1992, the Philippines expressed
adherence to the principles of sustainable development
and environmental preservation based on the notion of
equity and the unique capabilities of the participating
countries. More specifically, Article 3 of the UNFCC
states that countries who have aligned themselves with
the mandates set forth by the Convention “should
protect the climate system for the benefit of present
and future generations of humankind, on the basis of
equity and in accordance with their common but
differentiated responsibilities and respective
capabilities.”
Under the Kyoto Protocol, developing countries
such as the Philippines are called to pass and
implement national measures that shall advance
the international community’s agenda
pertaining to environmental preservation
through the reduction of greenhouse emissions
(GHGs) in the atmosphere. Pursuant to the
provisions in this treaty, the Philippines passed
national legislations to uphold the agreements
embedded in the Kyoto Protocol.
The Clean Air Act of 1999, otherwise known as
Republic Act 8749, was enacted in order to
arrive at an effective air quality management
program that will mitigate the worsening
problem of air pollution in the country.
Reinforcing the country’s drive towards a
healthier environment was the enactment of
the Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 (RA
9003) that aimed at providing a comprehensive
solution to the country’s garbage problem.
 PHILIPPINE CLIMATE CHANGE ACT OF 2007
This bill seeks to create a National Framework
Program on Climate Change
Mitigation, Adaptation and Communication and
establish mechanisms to reduce
greenhouse gas emissions from energy, power,
transport and manufacturing sectors to
usher in a low-carbon revolution in the
Philippines and institutionalize the country's
commitments to international efforts to address
the problem on climate change