While the whole world is intent on growing trees to reduce global warming, the DENR is fast tracking the issuance of the cutting and relocation of trees affected by the construction of the DPWH by delegating to 147 CENROs the power to issue permits. Such an action has doused cold water on the zeal of environmentalists to protect the trees and the forests.
This most recent move of the DENR exposes farther the lack of seriousness of the part of the present administration in addressing the problem of global warming. It produces so much words. In the 2018 SONA President Rodrigo Duterte exhorted that “concerned agencies and local government units…uphold the concept of intergenerational responsibility in the exploration and utilization of our mineral wealth, the protection and preservation of our biodiversity, anchored on the right to a balanced and healthy ecology.”
But contradictory actions proved the words are hallow: relying on coal power plants instead of moving with full speed on renewable energy; open pit mining despite the well-publicized sufferings endured by the indigenous people, farmers and fisherfolk due to mining. The suspicious rush to build the Kaliwa Dam exposes the lack of a transparent Environmental Impact Study rationalizing that such data is “confidential” notwithstanding the trumpeted Freedom of Information through an executive order.
The concern to fast track the “Build, Build, Build” program while needed for the economy has to be tempered by the biggest problem – global warming which has now reached 1 degree centigrade. Business for profit should take a back seat for the sake of the danger the country – the world – is facing. Otherwise we are “painting a sinking ship”.
About 10,000 lives were lost and billions of pesos spent due to the 315kph winds of Yolanda when the global warming was 0.8 degrees centigrade. Will the gains of the Build, Build, Build program outweigh the cost of another Super Yolanda now that we are moving closer to 1.5 degrees centigrade?
“The window of opportunity on achieving the 1.5 degrees centigrade limit on the Paris Agreement is fast closing”, according to Sen. Legarda in the website of the Climate Change Commission of the Philippines, “and any delay will result in the irreversible”. The signs of the danger are already experienced by everyone… everyday: much warmer 2018 than last year; floods have worsen; the dam in Laos collapsed last August 11 and another dam in Myanmar dislocated 33,000 people last August 30, both this year. We have expected DENR with all its studies, experiences and resources to lead us in addressing global warming but what we are getting is the opposite.
Let us wake up the giant that is in each of us to save Mother Earth!
Fr. Pete Montallana
Chairperson, SSMNAI
September 4, 2018
