|
SAYING
nearly 10 percent of the country’s waterways are in
serious stages of degradation, Environment Secretary
Lito Atienza on Tuesday affirmed the government’s
determination to pursue the cleanup of vital river
systems and lakes, but said the state alone cannot do
it.
He
called on Filipinos to take a proactive role in
protecting the environment and the country’s natural
resources.
At rites
marking the celebration of Earth Day at the SM Mall of
Asia, Atienza said the country was blessed with rich
natural resources, and these should not be squandered in
order to benefit the present and future generations. He
underscored the need to ensure the equitable
distribution of the country’s natural wealth to benefit
all Filipinos, especially the poor and marginalized
sectors.
“One of
the shortest ways to achieve genuine progress is to
properly manage our bountiful riches with the full
participation and involvement of our people,” Atienza
added. “We are so blessed with resources, yet why do we
stay poor? This is because we have mismanaged our
resources and not because of our big population, as
claimed by some groups.”
As it
is, there are enough environmental laws in place, but
the problem lies in ineffective and inefficient
implementation, said Atienza, who recently approved the
deputation of governors to enforce environmental laws in
their respective jurisdictions.
At the
same time, Atienza asked the crowd that converged during
the event, with the theme “Tubig ay Buhay: Ating
Pagyamanin at Linisin,” to support the government’s
campaign to clean up the rivers, lakes and bodies of
water. According to him, the country has 421 major
rivers and 20 river basins, but around 50 of these are
in various stages of degradation.
The DENR
chief earlier directed the Laguna Lake Development
Authority (LLDA), an attached agency of the DENR, to
start demolishing illegal fishpens and other structures
at the Laguna de Bay today (April 23).
“We will
be closely monitoring the clearing operations of the
LLDA as the DENR is fully committed to rehabilitating
the Laguna de Bay and putting an end to the deprivation
of Filipinos, particularly the small fishermen, from its
gains.”
President Arroyo earlier signed Proclamation 1481
declaring April 22 of every year as the Philippine Earth
Day.
Arroyo
tasked the DENR to be the main convenor of the Earth Day
celebration “to conduct environmental activities in
partnership with the private sector.”
The
proclamation, Atienza said, aligns Earth Day with other
important events in the country as it highlights the
significance of April 22 both as a public and private
domain.
The
Philippines was invited to become a major participant by
Earth Day International only in 2000 although Earth Day
has been celebrated in the country since 1990.
The
proclamation calls on all other government agencies,
including state colleges and universities and
government-owned and -controlled corporations and
interested organizations from the private sector, to
furnish a listing of their environmental activities to
the DENR, which is tasked to come up with a nationwide
list of environmental activities.
Earth
Day Network Philippines (EDNP) chairman Elisea Gozun
said, meanwhile, that the proclamation will help greatly
in removing the misconception that Earth Day is just a
yearly one-time event.
EDNP
country coordinator Odette Alcantara said, for her part,
that the proclamation has a “tickling effect” on the
government’s environmental programs.
Meanwhile, the DENR cited seven barangays for having the
best and most efficient ecological solid-waste
management systems.
Secretary Atienza identified the winning barangays as
Old Centro and San Marcos in
San Mateo, Isabela; Butubut Norte, of Balaoan, La Union; Bagong Silang
in Maramag, Bukidnon; Oring-oring in Brooks Point,
Palawan; San Antonio in Cauayan, Isabela; and Lingsat in
San Fernando, La Union.
The
seven were among 300 barangays chosen by the search
organizers and partners during 2006-2007 for practicing
the proper and most efficient solid-waste management
since the program was launched on January 9, 2006.
The
winners received their awards ranging from P500,000 to
P900,000 during the observance of Earth Day at the SM
Mall of Asia in Pasay City.
Atienza
said the nationwide search for model barangays for
ecowaste-management system is a way of enforcing
Republic Act 9003, otherwise known as the Ecological
Solid Waste Management Act of 2000, by giving
recognition, reward and support to barangays to
encourage them to segregate, compost and recycle their
solid wastes. The daylong Earth Day event was capped
with the celebration of a Pontifical Mass at the
Manila Cathedral officiated by no less that Archbishop
Gaudencio Rosales. |
