STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENTProblems, Challenges& Government Action

A REPORT IN PA 847Special Problems in Government Organization

_______________________________________________________________Shany Lou Solatorio

Gemmary VillahermosaElla Belle CrausosEdelaine Gealon

Peter-Jason SenarillosLeonardo Ternio

SECTION 16 ARTICLE II, 1987 PHILIPPINE CONSTITUTION

“The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”

ENVIRONMENT FRAMEWORK

1. Improved conservation, protection and rehabilitation of natural resources

2. Improved environmental quality for a cleaner and healthier environment

3. Enhanced resilience of natural systems and improved adaptive capacities of human communities to cope with environmental hazards including climate related risks

ENVIRONMENT FRAMEWORKPhilippine Development Plan: 2011-2016

FORESTRY

Situationer:• Philippine forest at 7.2 M ha or 24% of country’s land

area

• 8 M ha of forestlands degraded (26% of land area)

Forest Management

70%

60% 40%

30% 23.7% 22.2%

PHIL.

FOREST

COVER

Government Actions:• Total log ban in natural forests to conserve & protect

(E.O. 23)• Created National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force

Forest Management

• Confiscated 10.6 M bd. ft. of logs/lumber valued at P 317 M

• Filed 269 cases for illegal logging• Closed 215 wood processing plants

Government Actions:

Forest Management

• Established National Greening Program, biggest reforestation in Philippine history (E.O. 26)

Plant 1.5 B trees in 1.5 M ha in 6 years (27.8% higher than past 50 years).

For 2011, target is 50 M trees in 100,000 ha.

Government Actions:

Forest Management

CLEAN AIR

• Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) in Metro Manila is 166 micrograms/normal cubic meters (μg/Ncm) in 1st half of 2010

84% beyond standard of 90 μg/Ncm (WHO)

Other polluted cities: San Fernando, Calapan, Cebu, Zamboanga, Davao

Situationer – Major urban centers are polluted

Clean Air

• 80% of pollution due to vehicular emissions• Per WB, 18M Filipinos exposed to air pollution, with

health cost & loss of income of P 7.6 B/year

Situationer – Major urban centers are polluted

Clean Air

Government Actions:

More stringent air emission standards for Compression & Spark-Ignition Engines (motorcycles & tricycles)

• Strengthened enforcement & regulations

Agreement with Earth Day Network to make EDSA “Linis Hangin Zone.” (cellphone to catch smoke-belchers)

Clean Air

DENR, LTO, MMDA, etc. worked to reduce traffic & ensure compliance with emission testing to reduce vehicular emissions

Government Actions:• Strengthened enforcement of regulations

Clean Air

• Strengthened enforcement of regulations Developed program with ADB to provide credit for

conversion of tricycle engines to electric

Government Actions:

Clean Air

• As of June 2011, pollution reduced by 32% from 166 to 113 μg/Ncm.

Government Actions:

Clean Air

1st Sem 2010 2nd Sem 2010 1st Sem 20118090

100110120130140150160170180

166

133.5

113

90

Total Suspended Particulates (TSP) Level

ActualStandard

TSp

leve

l (ug

/Ncm

)

CLEAN WATER

• Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), or demand for oxygen in water, for 19 major rivers in 2010 at 27 milligrams/liter, 4x the standard at 7 mg/L

Clean WaterSituationer – Waterways/esteros in major urban centers unfit for human activity

Government Actions:Initiated “Adopt an Estero Program”

Before After

Estero de Paco, Manila (ABS-CBN Foundation)

Clean Water

Before After

Estero de Paco, Manila

Adopt an Estero Program Government Actions:

Clean Water

Before After

Estero de Paco, Manila

Adopt an Estero Program Government Actions:

Clean Water

226 Major companies have adopted waterways

nationwide (Examples: Jollibee, San

Miguel Foundation, Toyota, Masinloc Power Corp.)

Adopt an Estero Program Government Actions :

Clean Water

• Reduced solid wastes

Required Philippine Plastic Industry to develop program for retrieval/collection/ recycling of plastics

Launched “Reusable Bag Campaign for Greener Environment” with major malls & supermarkets

Government Actions:

Clean Water

• Reduced solid wastes Agreement with 11 Metro Manila LGUs for solid waste

management systems in subdivisions/ condominiums. Initially, 4,717 homeowners associations identified

Government Actions: Clean Water

GEOHAZARD

• Philippines is prone to natural disasters due to geographical location & geological attributes: landslides, flooding, earthquakes, tsunami, etc.

Situationer:

Geohazard

• Completed geo-hazard mapping of all provinces/ cities/municipalities at 1:50,000 scale

• Distributed 65,000 map sheets to all LGUs• More detailed mapping started for 88 landslide-prone

cities/municipalities (scale of 1:10,000)

Government Actions:

Geohazard

• Conducted coastal geohazard assessment of 46 coastal municipalities

MINERAL REFORMS

• Started cleansing of idle mining applications under “use it or lose it” policy. Additional 5.2 M ha have been opened for new and serious investors, resulting from cleansing/denial of 2,136 pending and idle mining applications (97% of total)

• Suspended acceptance and processing of new mining applications to ensure successful implementation of the on-going cleansing of mining applications

Mineral Reforms Situationer:

Mineral Reforms

• Cleansing the remaining idle mining applications under the “use it or lose it” policy.

Government Actions:

GOOD GOVERNANCE

• Removed opportunities for graft and corruption Policy shift to donate confiscated logs/lumber to

DepEd, instead of auctiono Donated 2.282 M bd. ft. of confiscated logs/lumber to DepEd, LGUs, and other government offices (additional 5.5 M bd.ft. for donation)

o Produced 9,699 armchairs, 174 school desks, 171 tables, 55 cabinets & repaired 197 buildings (i.e., schools, chapel, mun. buildings & CENRO Offices), etc)

Government Actions:

Good Governance

• Removed opportunities for graft and corruption

Rationalized and reduced DENR checkpoints from 274 to 118 or by 57%

Government Actions:

Good Governance

• Removed opportunities for graft and corruption Installed 902 Closed Circuit Television (CCTV)

cameras up to field offices Eliminated face-to-face transactions

Government Actions:

Good Governance

• Strengthened prosecution and justice systemNo. of

PersonnelShow cause issued 118

Formally charged 31

Fined/Suspended 7

Dismissed from service 10

Government Actions:

Good Governance

Filed 297 cases for illegal logging

• Strengthened prosecution and justice system Strengthened capacities of DENR personnel,

prosecutors & judges through trainings with the Supreme Court

Government Actions:

Good Governance

PUBLIC ASSESSMENT

• From one of the most corrupt in December, 2009, DENR is now the 4th least corrupt agency in March 2011 (Pulse Asia Survey)

• Environment ranked 4th in assessment of government performance by Movement for Good Governance (August 2011)

Public Assessment

OVERALL PERFORMANCE(Pulse Asia Survey)

• Efforts of government in stopping the destruction & abuse of environment

Period Approval Rating Disapproval Rating

Net Approval Rating

October 2009 +27 -39 -12

March 2011 +48 -16 +32

June 2011 +50 -14 +36

Public Assessment

INVESTMENT PROSPECTS

INVESTING in theFORESTRY SECTOR in the

PHILIPPINES

• Industrial Tree Plantation• Agroforestry• Eco-tourism• Wood Pellet• Bio-energy

Investing in the Forestry SectorPotential Areas for Investment

Investing in the Forestry Sector

Region 9

Region 10

Region 11

Region 12

Region 13

Potential Areas forTree Plantations

• Identification of Clear investment zones – Forest Land Use Planning process transparent and participatory• Simplified procedures for investing that reduce transaction costs• Stable policy environment which guarantees the right to harvest or benefit from investment

- Secured land tenure - De-regulated policy especially in harvesting

planted trees - Harmonized policies with LGUs, NCIP, NGAs

Investing in the Forestry Sector Policy Reforms Underway to Encourage

Private Sector Participation

Investing in the Forestry SectorAdoption of Investment Portfolio Approach

• To encourage public-private forestry investments through reduction of transaction costs by undertaking preparatory work relative to completing documentary requirements and securing necessary clearances

• To develop investment portfolio package options for private investors on potential forestry enterprises (industrial tree plantations, agroforestry, ecotourism , etc.)

Objectives

Investing in the Forestry SectorInvestment Portfolio ApproachObjectives

• To ensure forestry projects are in accordance with national and LGU plans (Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUP), Forest Land Use Plans (FLUP)

• To allow synergy and convergence of government agencies’ programs

ConclusionGovernment efforts at resolving environmental

problems have begun to take effect especially during the present regime. The problems however are already serious and may not be resolved right away. The nature of the problems require the collaborative efforts of both private and public sector, local, national, and international organizations, and thus, intervention should also be in that scope.

One thing is sure however, a strong will is required to implement programs that will have significant impact for the good of the environment.