The best and worst of times

This is the best of times, now that names of legislators long perceived to be misusing their  Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) have been “vulgarized” (the word taken from the Pilipino word “nabulgar”). Best of times because this could start a culture of honesty, sincerity, commitment among national leaders.

And  the worst of times for  some of the legislators being crucified by trial by publicity who are believed not to have partnered with the Queen of Hustlers Janet Napoles.

The worst of times, if many — for sure not all — of those lawmakers are charged with plunder and put behind bars while their cases are pending.

The worst of times, if  the senators  are forced to vacate their seats for cots inside  jails, resulting  in the “collapse” of the Senate — which eventuality Senate President Franklin Drilon says will not happen;  the senators may go, he says, but the Senate as an institution remains. Hardly comforting words.

Newspaper editors have quickly mobilized their reporters to ask the senators found in whistleblower Benhur Luy’s list of erring senators for their comments. All said no, they never even met hustler Napoles.

One of my favorite senators is Loren Legarda, and her office quickly issued a statement of the legislator’s denying making deals with Napoles. Herein is Loren’s response:

“I categorically deny any alleged involvement with Ms. Janet Napoles. I do not know her and have never dealt with her personally or otherwise. I have never endorsed any NGO to benefit from my PDAF. Any statement to the contrary that may be in her supposed affidavit is a perjured lie and is actionable criminally against her and all those involved in this political smear campaign.”    

Luy is reported to have extricated Loren from the list, saying that “There was an attempt (to include her name) but I heard she was dropped because she scrutinized it and she was very keen on receipts.”

Truth to tell, I have long been an admirer of female senators, having read about their advocacies: Miriam Defensor-Santiago,  Loren Legarda,  Pia Cayetano and Cynthia Villar.

Loren’s concern for the   environment she takes very seriously as she  chairs  the Senate committee on climate change, committee on environment and natural resources, and committee on cultural communities. Her reputation has led to her election as the United Nations Champion for Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation for Asia-Pacific.

For the environment, disaster resilience and climate change, she has produced Luntiang Pilipinas, and such documentaries as “Ulan sa Tag-araw: Isang Dokyo Drama Ukol sa Pagbabago ng Klima”; “Ligtas Likas,” â€œNow is the Time,”  â€œBuhos” and “Ligtas,” two collaborations between the senator and noted director  Brilliante Mendoza.  Her latest project, â€œPhilippine Marine Biodiversity,“ done again with Mendoza.  

Philippine Marine Biodiversity was launched three weeks ago. Just the other evening, I had the opportunity to watch this docu which Loren   plans to show in movie houses, schools, and other public places in an attempt “to raise awareness of the current condition of the country’s marine life and underwater resources.”

Photos of the colorful underwater creatures, weeds and corals, are so fascinating, they take your breath away.  You can’t doze off while the pictures are shown on screen. The seven-minute docu is narrated by Loren and directed by Brilliante Mendoza. It is produced by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Philippine Information Agency. Underwater videography is by Robert Suntay, and photos are from the Network of Underwater Digital Imagers. The Apo Island case study is through the courtesy of Greenpeace.

Imagine the scenery that is described by the script. The first, describes  blue waters in  the Philippine waters cradling the world’s richest marine ecosystem. Vast coral reefs, sea-grass beds and dense mangroves bursting with color and life, line the coasts and depths of  the islands.   The so-called “coral triangle” is home to more than three quarters of the world’s coral species, and over 2,000 marine plants and animals.

The natural abundance of the Philippine  seas benefits more than half of the country’s 98 million citizens, mostly farmers and fisherfolk living on coastal lands.

The  documentary  talks about our enchanting islands as among the world’s top tourist destinations, their pristine white sand and crystal clear waters attracting thousands of tourists each year.

But, the documentary warns,  these natural treasures are not forever bountiful, says the documentary. The risk of losing them pervades through human abuse, neglect, apathy and inaction.

In the past 30 years, our coastal ecosystems have  significantly declined.

Seventy per cent of our mangroves are damaged. Twenty per cent of our sea-grass are destroyed. Nearly 90 per cent of coral reefs are endangered. Only one per cent of underwater rainforests remain pristine.

It would take many years for the corals to form, grow and flourish anew. The mass of fish species in our coasts has dwindled to  one tenth since the 1940s.

Overfishing, destructive fishing, urbanization and pollution degrade our marine ecosystems.

*        *        *

The documentary features the successful marine conservation program of  Apo Island in Negros Oriental.

In the 1970s, dynamite and cyanide fishing were common in the island. As coral habitats were destroyed, the  fish dwindled and the community inhabitants risked losing their source of food and income.

In 1982, the town adopted a marine conservation program that stopped unsustainable fishing ways.

Dr. Hilconda Calompong of the  Silliman University Marine Lab,  relates in the video document that the intervention done was a small fish sanctuary, at that time, in about six hectares, and it was a way of focusing the fisherfolk that they should start looking at the sea as a limited resource, not an open resource.

Daniel Ocampo, Greenpeace campaigner, says  the  program’s main objective was to deploy coral modules.  These are artificial structures made of natural dead corals that can actually encourage new growth. These were deployed in a “no-take zone marine sanctuary.” The main goal there (was) to help provide habitats for the fishes which used to live in living coral  and also to stabilize the rubble wherein you are encouraging new growth without being damaged again.”

Parts  of the island were made into a marine sanctuary, where locals took turns in guarding the coasts from any fishing.

Mangrove reforestation, fisheries management, and the establishment of a marine protected area, vigilance,  monitoring and intervention from the government and local folks stopped persistent illegal fishing and unregulated shipping.

After three years, the sanctuary and its neighboring areas steadily produced  more fish. Mario Pascobello, town  chief, said it took time before the local people were convinced about the benefits of the project.

“Through discipline and cooperation in the community, the marine ecosystem of Apo Island fully recovered after ten years. The long and difficult path to recovery has taught the Apo Island inhabitants to favor and apply more sustainable ways of fishing,” the documentary says.

Says Dr. Calumpong: “I think Apo Island has become a model for marine reserves not only in the Philippines but also around the world. I think we are proud of that and we continually try to get more information so that we can improve the management of our fisheries through marine reserves.”

Watch out for announcements on where you can view Loren’s video documentary.

This documentary was produced with no help from a Napoles NGO.

*   *   *

My email:[email protected]