‘Philippines committed to combat illegal wildlife trade’

MANILA, Philippines — A senior member of the House of Representatives vowed to uphold the Philippines’ commitment to combat illegal wildlife trade as she called on global leaders to protect and conserve biodiversity. 

“I urge countries in Southeast Asia to initiate a regional initiative to ensure a collaborative and connected response against IWT,” Occidental Mindoro Rep. Josephine Ramirez-Sato, head of delegation to the recent London Conference held Oct. 11 to 12, said in behalf of the national government. 

She said combatting IWT is a challenge for each country. 

Sato, from the independent opposition, said a whole of government approach – which aptly describes the Filipino tradition of bayanihan or heroism is being adopted in the country wherein all stakeholders help out. 

At the Illegal Wildlife Trade Conference 2018 at Evolution, Battersea Park in London, Sato declared the country’s push for “Bayanihan for Collective and Connected Actions to combat IWT.”

The London Conference convened a global coalition against IWT as part of a coordinated effort and develop the valuable work brought forward under Vietnam and Botswana’s leadership at previous conferences and in international fora. 

Sato, a biodiversity champion in the House, was invited by the United Kingdom to the event. 

She gave assurance that the Philippines has been stepping up efforts to fulfill its commitments to the London Declaration on IWT. The Philippines continues to work to eradicate the market for illegal wildlife products. 

The Philippines, according to Sato, is the first non-elephant range state and the first in the ASEAN region, if not in Asia, to destroy the government’s stockpile of illegal elephant ivory. 

As of 2018, at least 19 countries and states have followed suit and destroyed part of their stockpiles of illegal ivory. 

Sato also disclosed that while courier service providers were being used by unscrupulous traders in the past, they have now become government’s partners in combating illegal wildlife trade. 

“We have also launched the ‘Stop IWT campaign’ targeting agencies and private entities operating in major air and seaports. These include airline companies, boat and vessel operators, cargo forwarders and courier service providers,” she said.  

“To date, the campaign has covered 20 air and seaports all over the Philippines,” she added. 

The Philippines is not uniquely troubled by IWT, even as other countries face equally serious threats. 

“The Philippines loses at least P50 billion a year due to IWT alone. These include revenue that should have been paid by illegal wildlife collectors and traders, the market value of resources involved, the ecological role of the wild-collected resources and the damage to their habitats incurred during poaching,” Sato said. 

She said IWT is no longer just an environmental crime. 

“This is more than just poaching, illegal collection and hunting of rare, exotic, endemic and endangered species and wildlife. We strongly believe that IWT is a transnational crime alongside illegal drugs, arms and human trafficking,” Sato said.  

Meanwhile, in Beijing, China says it will allow trading in products made from endangered tigers and rhinos under “special circumstances,” reversing a previous ban and bringing condemnation from conservation groups.

A notice from the Cabinet issued Monday avoided mentioning any change in the law, saying instead that it would “control’” the trade and that rhino horns and tiger bones could only be obtained from farmed animals for use in “medical research or in healing.”

“Under the special circumstances, regulation on the sales and use of these products will be strengthened, and any related actions will be authorized, and the trade volume will be strictly controlled,” the statement said.

Tiger bone and rhino horn are used in traditional Chinese medicine, despite a lack of evidence of their effectiveness in treating illness and the effect on wild populations. Chinese demand for ivory is also blamed as a driver behind the slaughter of African elephants, despite Beijing banning all trade in ivory starting from this year. 

No reason was given for the lifting of the ban, which was implemented in 1993 amid a global push to protect fast-disappearing endangered species. – With AP