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PRESS RELEASE - January 19, 2011 Stakeholders consulted on DENR coastal management program The first of a three series of coastal management consultation is now underway starting January 14, 2011 with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. This consultation was insisted by DENR Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje underscoring the importance of engaging all stakeholders in the consultation efforts to ensure that all issues and concerns in coastal development and management are covered. DENR’s Coastal and Marine Management Director, Carlo C. Custodio, informed that the country’s coastal and marine resources data showed that the Philippines has a total of 36,289 kilometers of coastline, one of the longest in the world. Data further revealed that out of the 1,541 cities and municipalities in the country, 832 are situated at the coastal zone and where 62% of the total population resides. Custodio further informed that the country’s coastal resources include 468 species of scleractinian corals and more than 50 species of soft corals covering about 25,000 square kilometers, sea grasses covering about 27,282 square meters, some 1,755 reef-associated fish species, 5 species of marine turtles, seaweeds, mangroves and other marine mammals. “We have very rich marine resources compared to other countries yet our marine resources are now in a “sorry” condition. We have only 25% of mangroves left and about 5% coral reefs are in excellent condition”, Director Mundita Lim of Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) said. Our coastal resources are threatened because of dynamite fishing, siltation, pollution, coral bleaching, and population explosion at the coastal areas consisting of 62%. The DENR and the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries have no sole responsibility for the development and rehabilitation of this degraded and one-important resource, which economic and aesthetic values were taken for granted in the past. “These series of consultations will now include all sectors of society whose life depends on the bounty of the coastal areas”, Paje said. The consultation will not only include the direct users but will also include the economic chain users. “Everyone must contribute to its development and management now that we are losing a bigger portion of our coastal areas to the rising of the sea water level due to climate change. It is time to converge our efforts towards a holistic development of our resources”, Paje added. DENR Region 6 is also a big stakeholder in this kind of forum since it covers longer and bigger coastal areas that plays a major role in the Pacific region and Sulu-Celebes Seas known as one of the richest in marine and coastal resources. “This is a time for partnership, a time of converging efforts and manpower and financial resources to come up with an efficient coastal management here at the region. This is the strategy of management that our President, Benigno Simeon C. Aquino had emphasized in his latest SONA,” says Regional Executive Director Julian D. Amador. (rac) Regional Public Affairs Office - Region VI Updated : January 19, 2011 Copyright (c) 2010 DENR Region 6, Iloilo City |
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