Make West Philippine Sea a peace park — earth lawyer

China is destroying Philippine coral reefs, a world-renowned Filipino environment lawyer laments. Spawning grounds for the world’s fish need saving. The powerful neighbor must answer for the ruin, says UN-honored Counselor-at-Environmental Law Tony Oposa. Too, Manila can head a global movement to make disputed South China Sea an Asian Marine Peace Park. It can start by declaring the West Philippine Sea portion of the SCS a Philippine Peace Park.

Oposa, a champion of water conservation and cleanup, proposed the marine park in a letter this week to President Rody Duterte. His plea comes amid reports of China’s fishing militia crushing corals in food-rich Scarborough Shoal off Luzon. Also, of China’s Coast Guard seizing Filipino fishermen’s catch outside the 150-square-kilometer zone. In 2013 China concreted seven Philippine reefs into island-fortresses. A UN court ruled that China marred marine ecosystems and escalated tensions.

Oposa had won a Supreme Court case to compel national agencies, cities, and barangays to un-pollute Manila Bay. In his letter, sent through presidential spokesman Harry Roque, he warns Duterte against China’s “money trap.” Excerpts:

“Tinahod nga Nong Digong, amahan sa atong nasod (Respected Elder, Father of the Nation), maayong buntag (good day).

“I write as an ordinary citizen, perhaps speaking also for many others, to congratulate you and say daghang salamat for your strong political will. It took guts to finally clean up that un-flushed toilet bowl called Boracay.

“On behalf of other concerned citizens, I thank you for declaring 50,000 hectares of the Philippine (aka Benham) Rise a marine protected area. Mabuhay ka, Nong Digong.

“May your tribe increase among Filipino mayors. By the way, there is a law requiring that at least 15 percent of seawaters of every coastal town or city must be devoted as fish sanctuary (itloganan sa isda). But like many Philippine laws, it languishes in the sickbed of non-compliance.

“The example you set in the Philippine Rise may well spark positive energy to save Philippine Seas.

“Your handling of the Marawi Crisis also tested your leadership. You handled it well. Dakong pasalamat sa katauhan. (A big thank you from the people).

“Please Take Care. Mr. President, a word of advice to the wise. The government of China will not invade us and take us by force. That is too messy. And too costly.

“China is buying us. That is much easier. And cheaper. Considering how cheap our politicians are, the government of China will soon hold our country’s levers of power. And we will be in their very deep debt, having mortgaged to them the heart and soul of our nation.

“For China the global game of politics is played by power of profit. Money is their only god. It may be the only cultural value left in them after the Cultural Revolution uprooted China’s great culture.

“Making friends with our neighbors is good policy, especially with powerful ones.

“Beware of Gifts. But our sucking up to China is too much. We seem to be mortgaging our national and natural treasures. We are going into deathly debts – debts that we and future generations of Filipinos will have to pay one day, and pay very dearly. We are selling the very soul of our beloved Filipinas – akong pinangga (Philippines, my love). To many it looks like we are not even selling ourselves. We are being given away for free. Thrown in as added benefit is the favorite Filipino salted fish paste, bagoong in Tagalog, ginamos in Bisaya.

“Mr. President, China comes with many gifts, including loans with high interest and crushing conditions. Many things come from China, the world’s factory.

“By the way, from where does much of the Philippine supply of shabu come?

“Please be careful with China, Mayor Duterte. By stroke of luck you now hold power … for the next four years. During your watch, you can make a difference. What kind of difference will that be? For Boracay, Philippine Rise, etc., it is a good and positive difference.

“But this policy of appeasement and heavy indebtedness to China must be thought through one hundred times one hundred.

“These seeming gifts have a hidden rope. That rope will lasso our country’s neck in crushing debt. The experience of Africa and Sri Lanka is your Exhibit A. Please take a moment to seek the advice of international relations specialists – including International Law expert Harry Roque. From them you will see what is happening to the countries that fell for China’s Money Trap.

“Hinay-hinay (Take it easy), Senyor Presidente. We will not only be strangled by China, they will even spit on us.

“Coral Reef Destruction. The destruction of our coral reefs by the Chinese government is unacceptable. There must be a way to hold them to account for this destruction. We have no quarrel with the people of China, where we have many friends. We may have different eyes and tongues, but we all belong to the human family. The problem is with their government.

“As a win-win proposition, may we respectfully suggest that the Philippines spark a global movement to declare the disputed South China Sea the Asian Marine Peace Park. We can begin by declaring the West Philippine Sea as the Philippine Peace Park. Scientific studies show that this area is the breeding ground for fish throughout the world (itloganan sa isda … para sa tibook kalibotan).

“Again, Mr. President, dakong pahalipay ug palakpakan (congratulations and applause) for your political will in Boracay and Philippine Rise. Mabuhay ka.

“(Signed), Antonio A. Oposa Jr., Filipino

“Copy furnished: Secretary of Finance Carlos Dominguez, Secretary of Foreign Affairs Alan Cayetano.”

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