Environment and Development Defined

Caring for the Environment has become a by word – such that we have “environmental” related shows, articles and what not where ever we go.

Today we relate the word ENVIRONMENT to planting trees, protecting sea turtles, global warming, La Niña – El Niño, and solid waste management. Being “Environmental” in a sense has come to mean caring for planet earth and nature.

So being an Environmentalist automatically means some one who cares for nature. As popularly defined, “Environmentalists” are people who desire to protect and preserve nature to ensure that future generations get to enjoy the benefits that nature has bestowed on us today.

Environment as commonly translated into Cebuano is “Kinaiyahan”, in Pilipino – “Kalikasan”. The way the word is translated into our very own language connotes the “natural physical environment”.

These common translations –Kinaiyahan and Kalikasan - have narrowed the usage of the word Environment to the natural environment.

Since we see only see the natural environment that surround us, we attempt to come up with measures to preserve and protect the natural environment, to maintain its current status or to bring it back to what is used to be in the past.

Conflicts arise when protection, preservation, conservation; of the natural physical environment; gets sidelined by “Development”.

The word “development” is popularly translated in Cebuano as “Asenso” and “Pag-angat” in Pilipino, implying betterment of living situations through increased incomes.

A least used synonym of environment is surroundings. This is translated as “Palibot in Cebuano and Kapaligiran in Tagalog”. When we use “Palibot – Kapaligiran” as our translation of “Environment” our awareness and understanding of the natural environment gets a broader perspective.

The use of surroundings would then have an effect on the definition of development.

Development would then mean – an improvement on quality of life and not just an increase in income.

When we look into the quality of life as a definition for development, our actions on how we increase our incomes become more meaningful. The way we treat our surroundings becomes more integrative and wholistic in its approach.

So “asenso nga kinabuhi” – improved quality of life would mean a “haruhay nga palibot” –harmonious surroundings.

While “matahum nga kinaiyahan” – beautiful surroundings, would imply “makanunayong pag-asenso” – continuous development.

Now the question – How do we attain continuous development while maintaining beautiful surroundings?

I’m no Jungle Ape, so I don’t have the “experiential” exposure to preserving and protecting lush forests and jungle while at the same time having that quality of life humans envy so much – like sleeping on a tree all day, without any worry at all.

I’m an Urban Ape. I’ve been exposed to so much “development”.

But I might have learned a few lessons from my Jungle cousins, so keep me company. I might just share a few tricks on how to attain “development” from a Jungle Apes perspective.

Urban Planning For All

Laws exist to guide human behavior and set limits to what can and can't be done. Plans are created to set the direction to a destination. Houses are necessary for shelter and protection, a very basic necessity of Modern Human Civilization.

With out houses, we would all be living in rocks, caves at worst on top of trees – just like Apes.

The demand for houses grows in direct proportion to the population growth. This demand is felt acutely in all growing urban areas of the world today. Without proper planning, living conditions in urban areas become similar to stone age shelter conditions at worst, or likened to living in crowded isolation – so many houses grouped together but lacking access to basic community services.

As a discipline or profession, urban planning is so misunderstood, that upon mention of the phrase “urban planning” to the average layperson, they end up just nodding their heads pretending that they understand.

When the phrase is mentioned in so called professional circles like engineers and the like, they end up with the curt reply – “We can't afford that. That is a very expensive service that is best left for affluent countries and the rich.” Even some functionaries government planning and regulatory agencies shun the profession like the plague.

The Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board is one such agency mandated to look into Housing Development plans and this agency is tasked to look into the manner that land is being used by developers and local government units. The agency is tasked to assist local government units in promulgating land use and zoning policies that local legislative bodies may promulgate.

The housing industry is considered as a multiplier industry. Players in the industry are supposed to be regulated and guided properly by the HLURB in their site development plans.

But what has happened in reality.

We have subdivision projects where in home buyers end up with the short end of the stick. Their subdivisions are located in flood prone areas. Social service facilities so lacking. Garbage disposal a problem and the presence of security personnel, like the police next to nothing. To top it all some subdivisions end up located in areas that are not serviced by the regular public transport service; like public utility jeepney's.

When subdivision projects get fully occupied and problems start to crop up, home owners end up being passed around from one government agency to another, and then the local government unit, when all of these problems would have been anticipated at the level of the HLURB.

It would be best if HLURB does its job properly at best by providing the necessary guidance to local government units and developers so families who sacrifice hard earned money get their money's worth. Imagine paying a monthly amortization on a house when your house gets flooded every time it rains, or your monthly transportation budget is three times your monthly amortization.

When residents living in subdivision projects start experiencing problems that have a negative impact on their quality of life – there is a failure in the Urban Planning process. And this is being experienced by a lot of subdivision residents.

Mind you, Urban Planning is not just for the rich or highly urbanized cities. Urban planning must be implemented properly much more for the poor and even more so in rapidly developing urban areas like Davao.

Or else... the Apes in the Jungle might end up living a much better life that us urban citizens.

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This appeared on the 29 July 2006 issue of Mindanao Times

OF WATER AND CAUSES

The campaign to protect Davao City’s watersheds to ensure that the quality and quantity of our water supply is maintained has been around for almost a decade now.

Call it intransigence, call it bullheadedness, call it by any name that you want, this cause needs to go on, and keep on going while people living in Davao need water.

Groups advocating for the protection of Davao City’s water resources have continually called for the wise utilization of the upland areas. These areas lie within the Talomo – Lipadas watersheds and the Tamugan River Watershed.

Consequently, large scale Cavendish Banana plantations that have expanded in these areas in a very short time became the focus of the campaign. The whole issue was brought to the attention of the Davao City Council way back in 1997. The campaign has kept on for almost 10 years now.

In the meantime, the plantations have kept on expanding. What have been gained over the years have just been tokenisms that would not really ensure the protection, sustainability and maintenance of the quality and quantity of Davao City’s water supply.

It is easy to fall into the trap of drawing a line in the sand and concluding that this campaign is similar to a battle where it would be convenient for an observer to tell who the protagonists are. It is even more dangerous to say that the triumph of one side would mean the defeat of the other.

This cause needs to be re-examined and understood clearly for what it has become now.

We all need our water today and in the days to come. We need to protect our water from all types and sources of contamination. This is the line advocacy groups have taken.

The Cavendish banana plantations support the regional economy. With out it, Davao City’s progress would be hampered. The plantations create work in the uplands and earn dollars for our economy. This is the line Banana companies take anywhere they go.

The whole affair seems to be the proverbial immovable object meeting an irresistible force.

The Davao City council has been the arbiter in this ongoing discourse, dialogue, argumentation and debate.

The whole affair can go on and on… ad infinitum till the angels and demons fight their final battle.

But what has been accomplished so far?

Countless committee hearings have been called. The Davao City Sanguniang Panglunsod Environment Committee chairpersons have gone through the musical chairs process. Reams of reports have been made. Length upon length of newspaper space, radio air time and television broadcast slots have been allocated on this issue. Yet, we do not see any thing concrete happening on our watersheds.

The efforts exerted by the Davao City Council to look into this matter are laudable. The work that Councilors Cabling and Avila have done contributed a lot. The passage of the Implementing Rules and Regulations of the Davao City Water Code can be considered landmark legislation in protecting our water sources. The ongoing hearing’s to enact an aerial spraying ordinance in Davao City is also concrete evidence of a concerted effort to initiate reforms on plantation production methods to safeguard the environment.

The companies operating Cavendish banana plantations on our watersheds need to be honest enough to admit that indeed they are using very toxic chemicals in their crop protection and pest management practices, that has been found to affect the quality of water in other countries where these are used. Case in point – the nematicides that are being used to combat the spread of nematodes. This can directly affect the quality of the water that is being used by households near plantations. Do we have to wait for 5 years for the companies phase out the use of these chemicals?

Advocacy groups on the other hand need to realize that concessions and compromises have to be made, and the only way to achieve that is to bring the banana companies to a dialogue based on mutual trust and confidence.

The banana companies have actually more to lose when this whole campaign gets to be raised to its next logical level – an international campaign and expose’ on their current production practices – which would consequently affect many farm workers and contract growers.

In the event the watersheds are left unprotected and continually abused, our generation of Davaoeños won’t be the losers, it will be the next generation at the losing end.

While Enforceable and Concrete measures need to be put in place, it is obvious that banana companies need to initiate operational reforms from within themselves. They may have contributed a lot to the economy, but their negative effects on small communities seem to offset their gains.

There is that simple case of rainwater run off from large Cavendish banana and pineapple plantations that affect adjacent small farms. Plantations should be responsible enough to install rain water runoff management measures.

The City council needs to ensure that the legislation they enact are enforceable.

Out of curiosity, I’d just like to pose this scenario – in the event and aerial spraying ordinance is passed and the ordinance says that aerial spraying is a no-no in Davao City, what will the city do if the spray planes keep on flying? Or because of the ordinance, the companies will demobilize their plantation operations in the city and move out.

And the advocacy groups need to take on other pressing issues on the watershed to ensure the quality and quantity of Davao City’s water is maintained.

URBAN APE was once connected with IDIS Inc., a lead advocacy group in the watershed protection campaign. This SPIDER sees the watershed campaign as a lifelong personal advocacy.

Museums Point the Future By Way of the Past

Change is the only constant in this universe. Those who fail to anticipate its effects suffer its consequences.

As a growing city, Davao needs to find ways to project itself into the future so residents living within its confines get to harness the advantages its rich resources offer. Davao’s rich cultural heritage and the peaceful melding of different cultures are strategic psychic resources.

Efforts to establish the Davao Museum at the old Court of First Instance Building in Magallanes Street is timely. The construction of a museum building by the Philippine Women’s University at University Avenue at Juna Subdivision is another laudable initiative. These two museum projects are indeed very fortunate developments for Davao City.

These parallel efforts are evident of an emerging awareness and concerted agenda to put together a showcase of THE Culture and History that permeates Mindanao in general and Davao in particular.

Museums have very long incubation periods before one can say the museum has a functional role in community development. Doing research and archiving collections are gargantuan efforts that will need a lot of resources which need to be sustained through time. The tasks of doing research and unifying divergent ideas will be daunting. Yet, only museums can do these tasks.

By collecting artifacts, chronicling events and archiving stories these museums encourage the present generation to participate in setting the future direction of Davao City so different options are explored and discussed and Davao’s future potentials are taken into full consideration.

By retaining the façade of the old Court of First Instance building Davaoeños would be reminded that the building was once a court house where judgment was rendered on numerous judicial matters that had a lot of bearing on what Davao and Southern Mindanao is today.

It would be tragic for Davao City if the façade of the old building would be taken down too (This column is being written as the building is being demolished, with the façade still there).

It would be more tragic if these two museums would just end up as bodegas of native artifacts – old tools, clothes, pictures and what not – where in school children are required to see and pay an entrance fee because it is a school requirement.

Or the museum becomes a shrine of some persons’ personal effects, completely disjoint from the present except for the fact that that person played a political or whatever role in the city’s past.

And these museums would become a farce if they would eventually be established for the consumption of foreign tourists who have no real stake in our cultural past and future potentials.

Culture frozen in time, dried, preserved and put out for local or foreign pedestrian observation loses relevance. Exerting a lot of effort and spending large sums of money to archive artifacts - clothing, instruments, beliefs and tradition -, without understanding the forces that caused the demise of their use and relevance in the life of the community, will become an exercise in futility.

Many institutions set up museums with the unexpressed hopes of preserving culture and earning a profit. That is - their collection will inspire school children to love the “culture” on display and foreigners would willingly pay a nice sum to see the “cultural” collection.

These worn out, rut filled directions taken by museums ought to be abandoned.

Museums need to be vibrant centers of culture and citizen involvement to be relevant in the life of a city. To achieve such roles, discourse and debate about past events and the anticipated directions that the city will take need to be encouraged. When museums involve the community and enhance its present life and culture, it easily gains much needed community support.

When museums allow the present generation to gain awareness and understanding of the forces that caused dramatic changes in the past, its role as a repository of the past as a guide into the future is fulfilled.

Let us all hope that both museums would take Davao City’s future potentials into consideration as their organizers find ways to archive the past. And not just duplicate each other :-(!

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Published on Mindanao Times July 20, 2006

Until further notice

This blog has been left unattended due to neural malfunction of the bloggers brain. Repairs have been put in place... so it is hoped that the blogger will be able to blog again within the week.

Thanks for checking. ;-)!

The Ideal, The Real and what is Practical

Concern for the Environment has become a catchall attitude today. Many groups are into a activities aimed towards the expression of this concern. In fact, this concern permeated current popular culture, that is would be surprising to find anyone who would not be aware of the need to protect and conserve the Philippine Eagle, the Tarsier, Dolphins, Sea Turtles and Dugongs.

But important environmental issues are issues that far from cute and cuddly and majestic animals living in the wild. Environmental issues are also issues that affect the economy of our country, the livelihood of thousands and -more far reaching- the lives of incoming generations.

When environmental issues that affect the economy, investments and livelihood are discussed, they are no longer cute and cuddly. They become scary and uncomfortable.

When we use our resources, jobs are created, wealth is generated and -ideally- the fruits of our labors shared with other members of our community. This is the essence of every business undertaking that embarks on intensive utilization of our natural resources.

Government on the other hand intervenes by setting up policies that provide guidance on how resources are to be utilized and managed. Ideally, agencies are tasked to see to it that these policies are implemented judicious.

But the gap between what is real and the ideal is so large. This gap has caused battle lines to be drawn between advocates for the sound utilization and protection of our resources and those who are interested in using these resources for job generation and wealth creation. Between these two factions stand people in government, while community residents are caught in the crossfire.

The recent pronouncements by the grouped tasked to investigate the recent mine accident in Mt. Diwalwal is a case in point. The closure of 3 companies engaged in mining operations in the area has been recommended. The body further recommended the strict implementation of regulations so explosives would not be able to enter the mining area.

The policy that the investigation body is proposing in an ideal. But can the ideal be reached considering the harsh realities present in the area. Will the policy be really implemented to the letter?

The need to thoroughly study the situation in Mt. Diwalwal is imperative. Knee jerk reactions to mining accidents will not settle the core issue and solve the problems that beset the area.
Everyone knows that there is Gold in those mountains. Many people, rich and poor alike would like to have their share of that Gold, no matter what the cost. Is government strong enough to impose its presence in the area without fear or favor from any vested interest in the area.

Unless government acts with determination, countless lives will be lost in those mountains. And while those lives are sacrificed, the hope of small miners in attaining the dream of having a comfortable life slowly slips away, while only a chosen few benefit from the gold. And before we know it, the whole area becomes a long lasting monument of government ineptness and dysfunction. Then the gold will be gone forever and we have nothing to show to the next generation.

We may never attain the ideal in Mt. Diwalwal. The reality that hounds residents of the mining community living there bites so deep. We need to put in place practical policy solutions that can be sustained and supported. The present set up of the Mine and Geosciences Bureau of the region needs to the strengthened. Even the current search and rescue capability of emergency response teams in the area need very serious upgrading. Monitoring agencies likewise need to be properly installed.

Unless practical solutions that can be enforced by adequately equipped personnel who have the proper support are put in place sooner in Mt. Diwalwal, the Gold that is taken out of the mountains there will not be enough to pay for the countless lives wasted on mining accidents that will keep coming.

Children- the future- of dead miners will end up losers. Their fathers would have been better off just dreaming about the gold.

THE BIODIVERSITY INDEX

In 1992United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro defined biodiversity as "the variability among living organisms from all sources, including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine, and other aquatic ecosystems, and the ecological complexes of which they are part: this includes diversity within species, between species and of ecosystems".

The Philippines is one of the Biodiversity Hotspots in the world. Meaning, our country has one of the highest diversity of living organisms in the planet. It earned the “hotspot” title since we are losing that diversity fast.

A possibly unidentified species of rafflesia, a rare flower known for having the world's largest bloom, has turned up in a forest in Compostela Valley, according to a team of botanists headed by Dr. Domingo Madulid, a curator at the National Museum's botany division.

The exact location of the flower has not been disclosed. The team fears that avid plant collectors might go to the area and collect the bloom. Local officials and residents of the area disclosed that the flower is common in the area. In fact, they are waiting for other buds to bloom.

The main “attraction” (if we may call it that) aside from its large size its very pungent odor when it blooms. The odor is comparable to that of a rotting or decomposing small animal. I recall a conversation with a tribal leader in one of the towns located along the eastern coast of Mindanao who disclosed to me last summer the presence of a similar flower in their forest. It seems that this flower is resident in our forests.

Another characteristic of the Rafflesia is its “parasitic” nature. It only grows on the Tetrastigma vine, which crawls on rainforest floors. Rainforests in Mindanao are usually old growth dipterocarp forests. The existence of the Rafflesia therefore depends largely on the presence of the dipterocarps.

No dipterocarp, no vine. No vine, no Rafflesia.

The National Museum, Botany Division is excited about the find. This will be the fourth species of the Rafflesia found in the Philippines. This increases our Biodiversity Index.

But there are other people who see the ipterocarp forest as a source of good lumber. In fact, some officials have made representations with national government agencies to lift the log ban in Southern Mindanao so dipterocarps can be harvested. The logic behind this is: The money earned from the sale of the logs can contribute to the national economy.

Now we have to make a choice. Rafflesia or Lumber from dipterocarps.

How much can a large, smelly flower possibly earn, compared to 60 to 80 year old harvestable dipterocarps? If you were to make the choice what would it be? What would you do?

Till next week. ;-)!

THREADS OF SEEMINGLY UNRELATED EVENTS

Item 1: Birds from the north migrate to tropical areas of the planet and bring the threat of the Bird Flu Virus. Health agencies around the world and in the Philippines react by disseminating warnings about the avian threat. Chicken prices plummet in Negros Occidental because of a false alarm.

Item2: Green Peace members symbolically storm a coal fired power plant in Masinloc, Zambales recently. Guards in the power plant react violently by beating some of them black and blue. The protesters charge that the power plant is a threat to the environment. Yet, at the very moment that the group breached the perimeter fence of the plant, employees were planting mangroves on the beach a few meters away from them.

Item 3: A motel in this city initiates to improve the beach front near their establishment by filling up the beach with earth-fill to construct a bay walk, a without proper permits from authorities. Legislators and executives from the city state that the project is illegal and threaten to demolish or expropriate what has been constructed. Other people in the know comment that if government execute the threat, then all illegal structures in the public domain must suffer the same fate.

Item 4: An explosion occurs in a tunnel in Mt. Diwalwal in Compostella Valley. The number of casualties until now is uncertain. What is only sure is this: An explosion occurred and there were casualties. For sure, close to ten bodies were recovered.

The four events listed above are testaments of an interaction between us and our surroundings. In the first case, it is nature seemingly putting pressure on humans. In the next, it’s one group claiming to protect nature from what we humans have created. The third, is a case of “good intentions” running afoul with government procedures. While the last, another mining accident we will all forget about in a few months.

This corner will attempt to find the threads that connect these events to each other and to our daily grind. I invite you to post your comments so we can have a dialogue about THE interaction between us and our surroundings.