Master?

Man has always been seen as the master of the world, if not the universe. How we have developed or evolved into intelligent beings way beyond that of other living organisms has made us the de facto supreme beings of everything. But the way we handle what limited resources have been given to us – and make no mistake, they are limited – makes me think if we deserve the pedestal that we ourselves have claimed.  Case in point, a total of P50 million pesos, P15 million pesos worth right here in Cebu, were intercepted by officials from several agencies including the Bureau of Customs and the DENR. The corals were harvested off the coast of Cotabato in the Sulu Sea, from an area twice the size of Manila! More than 21,000 pieces of the fan-shaped coral were recovered from the raid in Cotabato, while 375 pieces were intercepted here in Cebu. Both seizures are believed to have been harvested from the same area. And for what? Jewelry. Coral accents on jewelry have risen in demand over the past couple of years, spawning a new form of poaching on the protected reefs. Black coral is protected under the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species and Wild Fauna and Flora. But who cares about the law if it is profitable? In this country, money can but the laws. 

As a certified diver, I do care a lot about the sea and its preservation. I have witnessed some of the most beautiful living things beneath the ocean surface. Some, like the corals, have lived undisturbed for centuries. Not anymore. For the harvested black corals, life was ended by greed and vanity. The Palace has called for the boycott of black coral items, in an effort to stem further harvesting of the precious coral. But for as long as there is a market, for as long as there is a need to be adorned with this rare organism, the call will fall on deaf, even apathetic ears. Just like ivory, just like blood diamonds, just like other animal parts used to “treat ailments”. This will continue until there is no more to harvest, no more to mine, no more to kill.

We decimate the wonderful limited resources we have, for profit, to the point where nobody can no longer benefit from them. Our attitude is that the whole world replenishes itself for the taking, and we do, even with the knowledge that everything in this world perishes. So tell me, are we deserving of the title “master”, or are we in fact, idiots?