DENR renews call for biodiversity protection

CEBU, Philippines - As the Philippines is considered as one of 18th mega-biodiversity countries in the world due to its vast natural resources and a home to various animals and plants that can only be found here and not anywhere in the world, environment officials challenged the people to do its share to avert the effects of environmental abuse.

Jeremias Dolino, DENR undersecretary for Line Bureaus (Mines and Environment) said that as the International Year on Biodiversity with a theme “Biodiversity is life, biodiversity is our life,” is being observed, it is highly important that people work together to protect and conserve biodiversity and ecosystems to sustain our life and the lives of the future generations.

Dolino, a Cebauno, who is reportedly being groomed to be the next DENR secretary, said that the two-day Environmental Congress that carries a theme, “Many species. One planet. One future” echoes the global cry to conserve the wealth of life on planet Earth.

“It is a wake-up call, albeit belatedly, to humanity to fully accept that were responsible for what is happening to our environment at present and for the consequences in the future and with that acceptance, comes the realization that it is our task, our mission, to stop destruction, to minimize the loss of lives and habitats and to reverse this downward trend,” Dolino said in his speech.  

According to the 4th National Report on the Convention of Biological Diversity in 2009, the Philippines have two-thirds of the Earth’s biodiversity and about 70 percent to 80 percent of the world’s plant and animal species.

Dolino added that based on that report, the Philippines is also fifth in the world in terms of the number of plant species and ranked fourth in bird endemism and home to 3,214 different species of fish.

He added that the figures shows how blessed the country is but unfortunately, these numbers have been rapidly dwindling and now the Philippines is one of the world’s hotspots—with  a large number of endangered and threatened species.

Teresita Mundita Lim, who presented a video on Climate Change and the Diminishing Biodiversity, tackles the linkage between biodiversity and climate change. The video also discussed the climate change, its causes, indicators of global warming and its effects to Philippine biodiversity.

Former DENR undersecretary Rene Rueda said that the biodiversity in the Philippines is unique due to its rich tropical forests which once clothe the islands that have been isolated from the mainland Asia for many thousands or million of years.

Rueda added that the condition of our ecosystems and the loss of our biodiversity directly affect our country’s economic development thus, the loss of biodiversity no longer remains an environmental issue but economic as well.

“Biodiversity loss in the Philippines demands the greatest attention and priority not only by our political decision-makers but by every Filipino. The stewardship of nature is a responsibility we all share,” he added.   (FREEMAN NEWS)