Abundant Resources

Philippines is considered to be 5th mineralized country in the world, the 3rd country in terms of gold reserves, 4th in copper and 5th in nickel. Total value of resources could reach around $840 billion to $1 trillion.

In 2008, the Philippines was the 6th top fish producing country in the world with its total production of 4.97 million metric tons of fish,crustaceans, mollusks, and aquatic plants. This constitutes 3.12% of the total world production of 159.1 million metric tons.

The country has a variety of renewable and non-renewable energy sources which can lessen dependence on fuel imports. Oil reserve estimates exclude potential reserves in Mindanao, Mindoro, the Visayan Sea and the Spratlys.

High Levels of Biodiversity

The Philippines is one of the 18 mega-diverse

countries globally. On a per unit area basis, the

country is said to be the most diverse. It ranks 25th

worldwide in the total number of amphibian, bird,

mammal, reptile, and vascular plant species with

10,127 terrestrial species.

Prime Agricultural Land

Agriculture is still the backbone of the Philippine

economy and prime source of livelihood of Filipinos.

About 70% of population belong to the

peasantry.

In San Felipe West, reported cases of residents with LBM and itchy sore throats were observed after drinking water from wells beside theimpacted river during the 1st week of August. Agricultural irrigation was not possible as water from affected river carried whitish substance.

There was a decrease catch of carp fish right after the TP3 collapse. Goldpanning was impossible in the river due to tailings deposit. Mine workers were forced to report to TP3 and Balog River thus, exposed to all kinds of hazards resulting to several accidents and deaths (Fact Finding Team, 2012).

In Española, Palawan, Citinickel Mining Corporation

disturbed the residents because of faulty mine

tailings system resulted to various negative impacts

to people and environment. In an Environmental

Investigative Mission (EIM) conducted by

environmental and scientist group on November

2012, shows that mine tailings pond is prone to

leakage different water systems in the area. A high

level of nickel content was recorded Pulot Interior,

one of the sample site, with 12,532.47 ppm which is

250 times greater than the maximum tolerable

content of 50 ppm.

For decades, the US military dumped toxic

wastes in the waters of Subic Bay. The most

recent incident was in October 2012. In a

news article, Senate investigators have found

out that Glenn Marine violated Philippine

environmental laws. They revealed that it has

no clearance from the Philippine government

to dispose waste in the sea and there is no

equipment to test whether the waste is

harmful to marine life.

The USS Guardian is an Avenger Class Mine

Countermeasures Ship, that weighs 1,300 tons

and measures 68.3 meters in length. Worth

$277 million, the minesweeper is equipped

with Precise Integrated Navigation System, a

Surface Radar, Mine Hunting Sonar and Gyro

Compass—all advanced navigation features

needed to locate mines underwater.

Ironically, the US Navy initially claimed that

their trespass was due to navigational error.

About 38 of 100 reclamation projects are

proposed to be done in Manila Bay

covering areas like Bulacan, Cavite,

Pampanga, Bataan and NCR, with a total

area of 26, 234 hectares.

The reclamation project might have

brought serious problems such as flooding,

liquefaction, loss of habitat to marine and

bird species, reduce ecological services

and displacement of people and

communities

There were more than 1000 recorded

deaths, more than 800 were missing, more

than 700,000 affected families or

equivalent to more than six million people.

The areas devastated by typhoon Pablo

are geographically and ecologically

connected to places where massive

logging operations have historically taken

place.

There are 26 recorded cases of killings among

environmental defenders from year 2012 to

1st quarter of 2013 (including Cristina Morales,

leader of Barug Katawhan). Most of them are

mining activists. One of the bloodiest cases of

killing was in October 2012 when the 27th

Infantry Battalion massacred the pregnant

Juvy Capion and her two sons.

Primary forests in the Philippines are being destroyed due to both logging and agricultural expansion, significantly decreasing the Philippine's natural resources. This type of deforestation is leading to a variety of global changes, as well as numerous local changes.

Landslides caused by widespread flooding have killed 200 people in the central and southern Philippines. Massive deforestation is blamed for the floods.

Dynamite fishing is an illegal practice that is

mostly done by people who believe that

this is the best way of catching fish.

Dynamite fishing distracts the corals reefs

and fish loses the place where they could

reproduce. Fish and other aquatic animals

are very sensitive to these chemicals. Most

of them reduce their swimming abilities.

Some of the chemicals used in making

dynamites are not good for the human

health.

If we want to preserve our beautiful

places here in the country, we

must learn to limit ourselves. We

must learn to stop such actions.