Time to stem the tide of plastic pollution, writes Henrylito D. Tacio, describing what plastics are, how much we use them, their harmful effects and environmental impacts, plus positive industry actions taken to reverse plastic-related problems and pollution.. DAVAO, 27 June 2018.Filipinos, particularly businessmen, seemed to heed the advice that was given to Oscar-nominated Dustin … For the past few years, companies from around the world have found ways to use the potential of tidal hydrokinetic energy to furnish clean, reliable power. Global warming, which is linked to the emission of greenhouse gases, affects the planet in a variety of ways, including a reduction in water resources, the diminishing of certain ecosystems, glacial melting and the potential of plant and animal extinction. 6.Air Pollution—Significant air-quality controls on factories, cars and other emissions sources have radically reduced air pollution levels over the past 30 years in the United States, Japan and Europe. Menu. [28], At 04:40 on November 8, 2013, Super Typhoon Haiyan, also known locally as “Yolanda”, made landfall in the Philippines in the Guiuan municipality. Under the liability provisions of the Superfund law, anyone found responsible for the waste at a site can be held liable for the full cost of cleanup, even if the toxins were disposed of legally at the time. Ocean acidification has dire consequences as it causes coral bleaching and ultimately leads to the collapse of coral reefs (usaid). chemicals that deter and eliminate certain pest populations including insects Kahana, Ron, et al. COVID-19 is affecting the lives of millions of people and, also, the environment. [25], 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. However, in recent years, concerns have increased worldwide about the potential wide ranging direct and indirect health effects of the large scal … In 2009, Tropical Storm Ketsana cost the Philippines $33 million to repair damaged roads and bridges. [22] Rising sea levels increases salinity which leads to a loss of arable land and irrigation water. Ignorance may be bliss, but its getting increasingly difficult to ignore the damage weve done to the environment, especially when the effects have been hitting so close to home. So what is the country doing about plastic pollution? Philippines - Philippines - The period of U.S. influence: The juxtaposition of U.S. democracy and imperial rule over a subject people was sufficiently jarring to most Americans that, from the beginning, the training of Filipinos for self-government and ultimate independence—the Malolos Republic was conveniently ignored—was an essential rationalization for U.S. hegemony in the islands. [33] Women are often relegated to be the caretakers of children which increases the burden and stress placed on them as well as inhibiting them from escaping from conflict ridden areas[33], Climate change could simultaneously reduce the Philippines’ supply of energy and increase its demand for energy. [28] Specifically in the Philippines, average temperatures are “virtually certain” to see an increase of 1.8 to 2.2 degrees Celsius. [5], Only 5% of the total population is connected to a sewer network. Based on an analysis of land use pattern maps and a road map an estimated 9.8 million acres of forests were lost in the Philippines from 1934 to 1988. [28] 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. Since it takes 30–35 years for a second-growth forest to mature, loggers had no incentive to replant. Many Filipinos depend on what the government gives for them and we blame the government too if there is something that went wrong. 9.Deforestation—Every company that uses wood, paper or even cardboard packaging has some stake in, and responsibility for, the state of our forests, both public and private. [38] The group said activists have also been harassed, vilified, "red-tagged," and labeled as terrorists or "enemies of the state. Other environmental problems that the country is facing include pollution, illegal mining and logging, deforestation, dynamite fishing, landslides, coastal erosion, wildlife extinction, global warming and climate change. [33] Some of the problems caused by extreme climate events in agrarian areas that are prone to civil conflict that disproportionately affect women include loss of customary rights to land, forced migration, increased discrimination, resource poverty and food insecurity. The heavy rains and increased temperatures lead to increased humidity which increases the chance of mosquito breeding and survival. The unsurprising result of these and related policies is that out of 17 million hectares of closed forests that flourished early in the century only 1.2 million remain today. Recent research points to the environment as an important component for the transmission of resistant bacteria and in the emergence of resistant pathogens. [33] For example, climate change is linked to increase civil conflict in the Mindanao region which increases the number of casualties and deaths of young men in the area. [22] The floods and landslides caused by extreme rainfall degrade watershed health and water quality by increasing runoff and erosion that increases sedimentation in reservoirs. It took a long time for the water to be drained especially in along Pasig. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is responsible for the formulation and implementation of policies, guidelines, and rules related to environmental management, as well as the management and conservation of the country’s natural resources. 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. [29][30] Typhoon Haiyan crucially damaged over 1.1 million houses across the country and displaced over 4.1 million people. [29][30] According to the NDRRMC, the storm cost the Philippines about 3.64 billion US dollars.[30]. Since sludge treatment and disposal facilities are rare, most effluents are discharged without treatment. [26] Leaving over 6,300 dead, 28,688 injured, and 1062 missing, Typhoon Haiyan is the deadliest typhoon on record in the Philippines. Yet, in the midst of rising temperatures, ocean acidification, the psychological effects of “eco-anxiety,” and cross-disciplinary debates about the Anthropocene, Dhillon finds hope. [22][28] 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. [32] Rice, wheat, and corn crops are expected to see a 10% decrease in yield for every 1degree C increase over a 30dC average annual temperature. "Projections of mean sea level change for the Philippines." For those whose livelihoods that depend on fishing, recreation and tourism, the effect of declining fisheries may be severe. [41] One of the initiatives signed in part of the strategy was the 1992 Earth Summit. [31] 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. Many companies face pressure about their contribution to sprawl, yet all humans are guilty of contributing to this problem. The Philippines scored 35 out of 100, and the evaluators noted that any country with a score below 50 had a serious corruption problem, according to The Philippine Star. Overpopulation is the root of almost all problems in the Philippines and for the country to progress, it only needs to solve overpopulation and everything else will follow. Upon signing the 1992 Earth Summit,[42] the government of Philippines has been constantly looking into many different initiatives to improve the environmental aspects of the country. With more than 100 million people currently living in the Philippines, it is ranked as the 12thmost populous country in the world. Indigenous peoples and “their longstanding resistance to environmental devastation are clear signposts of who should guide us into the future” (Dhi… Ermita is Manila's most air polluted district due to open dump sites and industrial waste. 7.Waste Management—The EPA estimates that the 1,200 Superfund sites across the country will require about $200 billion to clean up over the next 30 years. However, neglecting to have a coherent environmental policy has led to the contamination of 58% of the groundwater in the Philippines. Asia faces growing vulnerability to environmental problems, with severe consequences. Environmental Degradation and Some Economic Consequences in the Philippines - Volume 15 Issue 3. "Climate Change, Agricultural Production and Civil Conflict: Evidence from the Philippines. About us – The Asia Foundation is a nonprofit international development organization committed to improving lives across a dynamic and developing Asia. More than 4,000 Americans perished suppressing the Philippines–more than 10 times the number killed in … [22] There will be more power outages on average in addition to an increased demand for power, specifically cooling. [22] These natural disasters will also cause millions of dollars in damages to urban infrastructure like bridges and roads. [22] Droughts and reduced rainfall leads to increased pest infestations that damage crops as well as an increased need for irrigation. [18] According to Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the country produces an average of 41 ktons of garbage daily with almost 10 ktons/day coming from Metro Manila alone. [23] GHG is the leading cause of global climate change. National actions are grounded in laws to ensure robustness. [22] This erosion from the loss of coral reefs and mangroves increase the chance of coastal flooding and the loss of land. [22], The Philippines is sometimes considered the most dangerous country for environmental activists. The problem of overpopulation is one of the factors that causes unemployment. A giant storm would wreak havoc on these informal settlements and cause the deaths and displacement of millions of people who inhabit 25 different coastline cities. Located in Southeast Asia, the Republic of the Philippines comprises 7,107 islands. A poor rice crop can lead to large impacts on the wellbeing of poor Filipino and cause widespread contempt for the government and more support for insurgent groups. The likelihood that the Philippines will reach the Millennium Development Goals on poverty, education, maternal health, HIV/AIDS and environment is low. More information about Philippines is available on the Philippines Page and from other Department of State publications and other sources listed at the end of this fact sheet. As the pandemic spreads in different parts of the world, its consequences run farther than closed borders, scarce hand sanitizer, and social distancing protocols. Coal has long been the primary power source in the Philippines, and large-scale power plants act as a … [33] The effect that the combination of severe climate events and civil conflict has on Filipino women is further exacerbated by discriminatory policies, belief and practices, and restricted access to resources. Compounding the error, flat royalties encouraged the loggers to remove only the most valuable species. “Weather patterns could become unpredictable, as would extreme weather events, hurricanes could become much stronger and more frequent,” wrote Lulu Bucay in a brochure produced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. Rising sea levels, heavy rainfall and flooding, and strong typhoons pose an enormous risk to the Philippines’ infrastructure. 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. Antibiotic resistance and its wider implications present us with a growing healthcare crisis. [19] While most local government units establish a Material Recovery Facility (MRF), implement segregation at the source, and collect and process all recyclable and biodegradable materials, most of the municipal solid wastes are either disposed in the dump sites or openly burned which further worsen the quality of heavy polluted air in the cities. According to the 2011 Tropical Forestry and Biodiversity Analysis commissioned by USAID, the destruction of biodiversity and natural resources remains a core environmental problem in the Philippines. In addition, the country is surrounded by large bodies of water and facing the Pacific Ocean where 60% of the world's typhoons are made. About 25% of coastal municipalities in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao are affected by this and the issue is expected to get worse with sea level rise.[22]. [22] Since the 1970s, the number of typhoons during the El Niño season has increased. For example, in addition to being one of the world's most vulnerable cities to climate change due to geographical location, Manila has also been shaped by globalization and abides by many tenants of neoliberal urbanism, including "a strong focus on private sector led development, attracting global capital, market oriented policies and decentralization".These cities experience challenges to their own climate resilience due to this double exposure to climate change and globalization, where many cities are most at risk to climate events in addition to having a large percentage of the population live in informal settlements with weak infrastructure.Four million people, or about a third of Manila's population, lives in informal settlements which puts them at higher risk and danger from tropical storms and flooding, and they often have fewer resources available to recover from damages caused by environmental hazards. The herbicide glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl) glycine, has been used extensively in the past 40years, under the assumption that side effects were minimal. As much a 41.8% of the country’s GHG emissions come from the burning of coal and fuel oil for electricity generation. [3] Besides severe health concerns, water pollution also leads to problems in the fishing and tourism industries. This article incorporates public domain material from the Library of Congress Country Studies website http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/. 1.Climate Change—This catch-all includes rising sea levels, changes in rainfall patterns, more severe droughts and floods, harsher hurricanes and other windstorms, and new pathways for disease. The Philippines with a score of 52, ranked 101 among 113. An official of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Batanes yesterday said that despite frequent rains and typhoons, climate change has … One devastating effect: increase in the number of tropical cyclones and storms. [2], It is estimated that in 2025, water availability will be marginal in most major cities and in 8 of the 19 major river basins. [6] According to the Asian Development Bank, the Pasig River is one of the world's most polluted rivers, running through the capital city of Manila. Other articles where Environmental resistance is discussed: biotic potential: …an organism is restricted by environmental resistance, any factor that inhibits the increase in number of the population. Third world countries are more vulnerable to the consequences of climate change (one of this is Philippines). 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