Save Palawan Movement Regina Paz Lopez

BioDiversity

Philippine Land Vertebrates: 2011 EstimatesTotal species Endemic Species % Endemic

Land Mammals 237 181 76%

Breeding Land

Birds

395 172 44&

Reptiles 259 168 65%

Amphibians 102 78 77%

TOTAL 993 601 61%

Spain 435 25 6%

Brazil 3131 788 25%

Source: Haribon Foundation 2003 based on ESSC 1999





The Island Ecosystem

A. Mangrove

B. Forest

C. Coral

D. Cropland

E. Human Settlement

F. River/Creek

G. Seagrass beds

The mining area with open pit is letter H. B2 represents denuded forest.

The darker tint of the coral reef at the left side represents dead corals.

Acidic Pagcolbon

river in

Rapu-Rapu.

The shore at the outfall of Pagcolbon River. Water from the outlet

is also acidic.

Pagcolbon upstream Pagcolbon outlet

Contaminated Tailings, mud, silt carried by rainwater by run-off

and river/creeks downslope towards the sea.

Contaminated Tailings, mud and

silt that flowed downslope towards

the sea.

(Ungay and Hollowstone)

Fish Killing in Rapu-Rapu (2007)

(Credit: Conservation International)

- 13 species of seagrass recorded in Palawan

(81% of the known seagrass species in the

country)

- 31 species of mangroves in Palawan (90%

of the known mangrove species in the

country)

- 44,500 hectares of mangrove forests in

Palawan (40% of the remaining mangroves

in the country)

- 379 species of corals (82% of the total coral

species recorded in the entire country)

- 89% of total reef fish recorded in the

country is found in the corridor

- 4 of the 5 marine turtles are found in

Palawan

- 15 of the 25 recorded marine mammals are

reported from Palawan

- 18 species of freshwater fish is found in

Palawan (50% endemic to the province)


- 26 species of amphibians (25% endemic to

the country, majority are confined to the

corridor

- 69 species of reptiles found in the corridor

(29% are endemic to the country)

- 279 species of birds (10% are endemic to

the country)

- 34% of bird species are migratory, making

the region a vital flyway for migratory

birds


- 58 species of terrestrial mammals are

recorded, 19 or 33% are endemic to the

country, 16 are restricted to the corridor


Palawan as an Island Ecosystem

• “Palawan is composed of a long main island lying in a northeast to southwest axis and surrounding it are clusters of lesser islands…..The main island has a tall steep mountain spine running down its length fringed by narrow coastal plans protected from storm waves by fringing coral reefs and mangrove swamps. Although seemingly lush and bountiful, the environment of Palawan is fragile and its topsoils are relatively thin, poor and prone to erosion.” (Source: Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan, Towards Sustainable Development, Prepared by the Palawan Integrated Area Development Project Office with the assistance of Hunting Technical Services Limited England in association with the Orient Integrated Development Consultants, Inc., Philippines and Sir Mac Donald and Partners, England)

Effect of mining,

topsoil is removed

In Palawan, rain induced landslides can affect

43.7% of the island.

Palawan is No. 27 of 32 provinces with poverty

incidence of 40% which is susceptible to hazards.

Its not worth the risk!

(MTPDP – Chapter. Ten.)

Platinum Group Metals, Inc.

(PGMC); photo by Lorenzo Tan

Closer view of PGMC mine site; Photo by Bandillo ng Palawan

(August 2007)

With Mining Application!!!

Effect of mining, topsoil is removed

Mining area of Berong Nickel Corporation which plans to expand large-scale

mining operations into natural forests. The mined area forms part of the

Victoria-Anepahan Range, a key biodiversity area.

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sat

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Pre

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red

by

:

Co

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rva

tio

n I

nte

rn

ati

on

al-

Ph

ils

Damage of mining

Year 1987

Natural Forest with

Mining Application

La

nd

sat

Ima

ge

Pre

pa

red

by

:

Co

nse

rva

tio

n I

nte

rn

ati

on

al-

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ils

Damage of mining

Year 2001

Natural Forest with

Mining Application

Expansion of mining activities are being pursued in the Bulanjao range

which is still covered with natural forests which serve as watershed to

lowland communities. (Photo by CI)

With mining application!!!

Mined area of Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation

Limestone quarry in Gotok,

Sandoval, Bataraza

Dumpsite within the mining site of RTN

Governing Laws and Policies

• Proclamation No. 219 (1967) establishing Palawan as a Game Refuge and Wildlife Sanctuary

• Proclamation No. 2152 (1981) establishing Palawan as a Mangrove Reserve

• UNESCO Man and Biosphere Reserve

• National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS, January 1992)

• Republic Act No. 7611 (or the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan, or SEP law, June 1992)

Issues of Governance

MTPDP 2011 – 2016, Chapter 10

(Final Draft)

• Challenges and opportunities to ensure

ecological integrity:

1. Transparency on public disclosure.

2. Equitable distribution on mining benefits.

3. No standard resource and environment

valuation (full cost\benefit analysis).

4. Conflicting and overlapping policies.

5. Insufficient capacity of government for

environment and natural resources mgt.

6. Inadequate implementation of laws.

7. Insufficient program to increase value added

natural resources.

Continued..

Rizal- 1124,833.45 has

Nickel

Aborlan – 7969,502.92 has.

Brooke’s Pt. 37121,969.35 has

Nickel

Espanola -1245,824.51 has

Nickel and limestone

Roxas- 317,473.50 has

Silica

Puerto Princesa City-42112,154.67 has

Quezon-4193,181.83 has

Nickel and limestone

San Vicente- 54,993.13 has.

Silica

Dumaran -5812.67 has.

Silica

El Nido -4150 has.

Silica/Nat Gas

Bataraza- 2260,642.30 has.

Limestone, Nickel,HPP

Narra- 4461,443.31 has

Applications for Mineral Exploration, Mineral Production Sharing Agreement (MPSA) and Small Scale Mining Permit (SSMP) in Palawan

Coron- 6573 has.

Prepared by the Palawan NGO Network, Inc. (PNNI)

Balabac - 517,093.63 has

Nickel, Gold, Copper, Chromite

Taytay-1230,820.50 has.

MINING APPLICATIONS

on the “Last Frontier”

Palawan’s Key Biodiversity Areas Mining Applications

Health Hazards

Water Pollution

(Photo by Professor Patrick Regoniel)

Affected coastal

area of

Colandorang Bay,

Balabac due to

abandoned and

unrehabilitated

copper mine

Metal Poison Health Risks

(Marinduque)

Old Man with Blisters and Boils (Marinduque)

Boils and scars due to acid

mine drainage and heavy

metal poisoning

(which flowed through

the rivers)

- Siocon, Zamboanga

del Norte

Wilson Manuba and his father Pedro – both Calancan Bay fishermen are

suffering from severe Arsenic Poisoning, they can no longer work.

Agriculture and Food Security

Issues

Unhealthy soil caused by

mining

Healthy soil

Healthy Rice Field which is in danger

due to the acid mine drainage to be

brought by Intex Resources

(Oriental Mindoro)

Barren Rice Field which is biologically

dead for 16 years due to mine tailings of

Marcopper

(Marinduque)

Rice FieldBarrier

Toxicated Rice Field

Other side of the river used to be a rice field, but is now dead due to the toxic

chemicals from operations of Victoria Gold Mines in Benguet. Farmers built a small

barrier to prevent contamination on the other side.

Used to be a healthy rice field with 7.33 M kg of rice worth US$ 2.27M per annum,

but is now dead due to the toxic pollution of the rivers caused by mining.

(Cervantes, Abra)

As of 2008, NGOs placed the count at 800

abandoned mine sites have not been cleaned up

while the MGB insists that there are only seven

major abandoned mines collectively known as

“The Dirty Seven” for their levels of pollution.

Clean-up costs are estimated in billions of dollars

and the damage caused will be never be fully

reversed.

- Legacy of Disasters 2011, published by Alyansa Tigil Mina

“The Dirty Seven”

1. Bagacay Mines – Philippine Pyrite CorporationBagacay, Hinabangan, Western Samar (1956 – 1992)


2. Tagburos Mines – Palawan Quick Silver MinesTagburos, Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (1953 – 1976)


3. Basay Mines – Basay Mining Corp.Brgy. Malinao, Basay, Negros Oriental (1978 – 1994)


4. Mogpog Mines – Consolidated Mines Inc.Mogpog, Marinduque (1977 – 1979)

Heavy Metal Poisoning (Marinduque)

Dead Mogpog River – Acid Mine Drainage


5. Benguet Mines – Black Mountain MinesTuba, Benguet (years of operation not determined)


6. Benguet Exploration - Thanksgiving Mine Inc. Tuba, Benguet (years of operation not determined)


7. Atok Mines – Western MinolcoAtok, Benguet (1974 - 1982)

Insufficient SOCIO-ECONOMIC BENEFITS

to the Local Community

• Bataraza, Palawan: After almost 30 years of mining operations of Rio

Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC), the municipality of Bataraza

lags behind other municipalities in the delivery of basic services, such as

electricity, water, transportation and education and remains to be among

the poorest municipalities of the province. Data from the mining company

contained in their 2001 Environmental Impact Statement for their

Hydrometallurgical Processing Plant (HPP) Project indicate such poverty

incidence.

Mined waste dump site which

might flow towards the forest

Which has more weight?

Jobs, scholarships, day

care centers,

infrastructure,

revenues/taxes

Clean air, clean and adequate

water supply, productive

farmlands, healthy coral reefs

and fishery resources,

watersheds, biodiversity

OR

“A 50-year old tree has a

value of $193,250”

(approximately Php9M)

(Prof TM Das of Univ. of Calcutta)$62,000 - oxygen, air pollution

control and soil pollution

control (Php 3M)

$37,500 - water (P1.8M)

$31,250 - organic fertilizer (P1.5M)

$31,200 – recycles (P1.5M)

$31,250 - habitat (P1.5M)

(source: Conservation International)

Mount Mantalingahan

Mount Mantalingahan

Mount Mantalingahan

Mount Mantalingahan

Mount Matalingahan

Mount Mantalingahan

Mount MantalingahanRich Biodiversity

Mount MantalingahanThe “Katutubo”

Mount MantalingahanThe “Katutubo kids”

Mount Bulanjao

Mount Bulanjao

Bulanjao Rice Field

Sibuyan Island

• GALAPAGOS OF ASIA

- because of the magnificence of its flora and fauna

• WORLD’S DENSEST FOREST(Identified by National Museum)

• In a single hectare, 1,551 trees comprising

123 species, which 54 were endemic• With 131 Species of Birds

• CENTER OF ENDEMISM

(Field Museum in Chicago Illinois)

• 35 endangered and endemic species in almost all

barangays outside the protected areas.

Sibuyan Island

Sibuyan Island

Sibuyan Island

Enchanted Sibuyan Stream

Sibuyan Island

Sibuyan clear water

Sibuyan Island

Some Endemic Species of Sibuyan

Sibuyan Island

• MPSA (Mineral Production Sharing Agreement)

• 1,580.8010 hectares approved

• 3,578.4102 hectares for application

• EP (Exploration Applications)

• 15,046.3687 hectares for application

Sibuyan Island

MINING APPLICATIONS!!!

Economic

The

Puerto Princesa Experience

PROMOTING CLIMATE CHANGE

ADAPTATION

IN CITY TOURISM PROGRAMS FOR

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

Tourist Income: 2.4B Tourist Arrivals:

268,942 (2009) Most number

foreign visitors: American, Korean, German, Japanese, Chinese, Canadian, Australian French and Swiss

In line with the City’s sustainable development

program there are only two major projects that are

being promoted heavily : TOURISM……

FISHING

10,600 MT fish exports

1.8 MT sold at local market

Shoreline stretches over 416 kms.

Coastal waters covers 327,583 has.

Supplies 50% of fish requirements in Metro Manila

….Agriculture

Governance

Efficiency of Service Delivery

Initiatives to Promote Transparency

• Muro – Ami

• Cyanide Fishing

• Trawl Fishing

• Dead Corals due to

dynamite fishing

Forest cover increased from 52% in 1992

to 63% at present

With the comprehensive environmental

program dubbed as

“Bantay Puerto” (Puerto Princesa Watch)

Source: Environmentally Critical Areas Network Zoning Project /PCSDS

HYBRID SOLAR AND WIND

TURBINE LAMP POST

HYBRID SOLAR AND WIND

TURBINE LAMP POST

A booming tourist destination

Because of new policies and legislations, Puerto

Princesa is now …...

…TODAY...

BEFORE PRESENT

50 Million Investments 10 Billion

7 Banks 32 Banks

3 Hotels 110 Hotels

Infrastructure Concrete Roads

12,000 Tourists 425,000 Tourists

1 Flight a week 11 flights maximum

0 Monuments World Heritage Site

Geological

Magandang Pilipinas Ecotourism Project

PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: DOLPHIN WATCHING

• Organized and trained the Brgy Tulingan Fisherman’s Association with 38

members

• 50% of collection is retained by the association for operations and maintenance.

• Reporting of illegal fishing in Puerto Bay


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Brgy. Tulingan Fishermen’s Association


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Mangrove River Cruise

Sitio San Carlos, Brgy. Bacungan


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Brgy. Iwahig, Iwahig River

GOLD AWARD WINNER

2010 Pacific-Asia

Tourism

Association


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Iwahig Firefly Watching & Mangrove River

Cruise

DalubKaragatan Floating School and Pambato Reef SnorkelingHonda Bay, Brgy. Sta. Lourdes




PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Spelunking at Ugong Rock

•Organized the Tagabinet Community Tourism Association, Inc. with 24 members

(96% female and 4% male)


PUERTO PRINCESA, PALAWAN: Spelunking at Ugong Rock

YEAR 2008 YEAR 2009 YEAR 2010

Visitors Income

(in Million

PHP)

Visitors Income

(in Million

PHP)

Visitors Income

(in Million PHP)

Brgy. Tulingan

Fishermen’s Association,

Inc.

43 0.02 633 0.28 724 0.31

Mangrove River Cruise

(Sitio San Carlos, Brgy.

Bacungan)

254 0.04 928 0.37 474 0.21

Iwahig Firefly Watching 283 0.06 2,844 0.53 5,113 1.04

Honda Bay, Brgy. Sta.

Lourdes

597 0.06 14,645 0.68 18,728 0.94

Spelunking & Summit

View (Ugong Rock, Brgy.

Tagabinet)

109 0.01 1,333 0.13 4,064 0.35

TOTAL: 1,286 0.19 20,383 1.99 29,103 2.85

COMPARATIVE VISITORS TRAFFIC & REVENUE GENERATED



The LOHA’s Market

www.inessence-

organics.com/images/site/market...

www.emarketergreen.com

NAURU

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/83/Karst_following_phosphate_mining_on_Naur

u.jpg

NAURU

www.jandvwilliams.com/Nauru_photos.html

NAURU

http://www.albionmonitor.com/0304a/nauru.html

Nauru Sibuyan Island

Vegetation MapProtected AreasMining ApplicationsThreatened Bird

Localities

DO YOU REALLY WANT TO

GO THIS ROUTE???!!!

PASIG RIVERThe Lifeline of our Nation

Paco Headwater BEFORE

Paco Headwater as of April 6, 2011

Paco Headwater BEFORE

Paco Headwater as of February 14, 2011

OSMEÑA as of April 6, 2011

OSMEÑA as of April 27, 2011

Paco Tenement as of April 6, 2011



Paco Tenement as of March 30, 2011

Paco Tenement as of March 30, 2011

Behind Malacañang: Estero De San Miguel

Near Malacañang

Estero De San Miguel

Pictures taken last January 18, 2011

SAN MIGUEL

WATER SYSTEM

SECTION MAP

SECTION 1

SECTION 2SECTION 3

SECTION 4SECTION 5

Education

Save Palawan Movement Regina Paz Lopez