SPEECH OF SECRETARY ANTONIO H. CERILLES
CONFERENCE OF COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES
IN THE PHILIPPINES

Manila Midtown Hotel
May 27, 1999

THE DISTINGUSHED MEMBERS AND OFFICERS OF THE LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES OF THE PHILIPPINES HEADED BY THEIR PRESIDENT - SAN JUAN MAYOR JINGGOY ESTRADA, COLLEAGUES IN GOVERNMENT, FRIENDS IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR, NONGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS AND
PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS, FRIENDS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.

I WISH TO CONGRATULATE THE ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS OF THIS FIRST CONFERENCE OF COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES. DEFINITELY, THIS IS A LANDMARK IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION OF OUR COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS BECAUSE OF THE GROWING AWARENESS, INVOLVEMENT AND COMMITMENT OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS.

BY THIS TIME, 1 AM SURE YOU ARE AWARE THAT OCEANS ARE THE DOMINANT FEATURES OF OUR PLANET EARTH COVERING MORE THAN TWO-THIRDS OF THE EARTH'S SURFACE. THEY ALSO PLAY A KEY ROLE IN THE WATER CYCLE, THE CHEMISTRY OF OUR ATMOSPHERE AND THE MAKING OF CLIMATE AND WEATHER. MORE IMPORTANTLY. SINCE THE DAWN OF CIVILIZATION, THEY HAVE BEEN A SOURCE OF FOOD. THEY HAVE ACTED AS A NETWORK OF SHIPPING LANES AND A PLAYGROUND. AND IN MORE RECENT YEARS, THEY HAVE BECOME SUPPLIERS OF ENERGY, MINERALS AND MEDICINES.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THE BIOLOGICA WEALTH OF THE EARTH'S OCEANS IS CONCENTRATED ALONG THE NARROW STRIP FORMED BY THE CONTINENTAL SHELVES, NAMELY, THE COASTAL MARGINS AND ESTUARIES. HERE ARE FOUND THE MAJOR FISHING GROUND AND THE MOST PRODUCTIVE HABITATS - MANGROVES, SALT MARSHES, MUDFLATS, SEAGRASS AND SEAWEED BEDS, AND CORAL REEFS. BASICALLY, THE COASTAL MARGINS AND ESTUARIES, HAVE THE HIGHEST BIOLOGICAL PRODUCTIVITY ON EARTH.

IT IS NO WONDER THAT THEY ARE ALSO HOME TO MOST OF THE WORLD'S POPULATION. SIX OUT OF 10 PEOPLE LIVE WITHIN 60 KILOMETERS OF COASTAL WATERS AND TWO THIRDS OF THE WORLD'S CITIES WITH POPULATION OF 2.5 MILLION OR MORE ARE NEAR TIDAL ESTUARIES. AND, WITHIN THE NEXT 20 YEARS, THE POPULATION OF THE EARTH'S COASTAL ZONE IS PROJECTED TO ALMOST DOUBLE. SURELY, THIS POPULATION PRE-SSURE, PLUS EVER-INCREASING RESOURCE CONSUMPTION AND THE IMPACTS OF CLIMATE CHANGE AND SEA LEVEL RISE, WILL HAVE MAJOR IMPACTS ON THE COASTAL ZONE. ALSO, THEY WILL PROVIDE THE BENCHMARKS OF OUR SUCCESS OR FAILURE.

IT IS WIDELY ACCEPTED THAT AS A RESULT OF HUMAN ACTIVITIES, COASTAL AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS HERE AND ABROAD ARE RAPIDLY DETERIORATING. FOR EXAMPLE, MORE THAN THREE-QUARTERS OF GLOBAL MARINE POLLUTION COME FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES VIA DIRECT DISCHARGES, RIVERS AND THE ATMOSPHERE. THIS HAS BEEN BROUGHT ABOUT BY POOR PLANNING AND POOR REGULATION OF URBAN, INDUSTRIAL, RESORT AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPNT. AT THE SAME TIME, NEW ENGINGEERING AND DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS ARE DRASTICALLY MODIFIYING COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS ON A LARGE SCALE. THEY ARE ALSO AFFECTED BY CHANGES IN SALINITY AND SEDIMENTATION AS A RESULT OF DAMMING RIVERS AND SILTATIONS DUE TO DEFORESTATION AND OTHER LAND-BASED SOURCES. THEY ARE ALSO FAST BECOMING THE CESSPOOL OF ORGANOCHLORINES, SYNTHETIC CHEMICALS AND HEAVY METALS, PLASTIC AND OTHER DEBRIS.

MORE OR LESS, THIS HAS BEEN THE TREND. EARLY THIS DECADE, THE U.N. GROUP OF EXPERTS ON THE SCIENTIFIC ASPECTS OF MARINE POLLUTION OR GESAW REPORTED THAT COASTAL POLLUTION HAS BEEN ON THE RISE TOGETHER WITH THE RAPID DESTRUCTION OF COASTAL HABITATS WORLDWIDE. IT LIKEWISE CONCLUDED "IF UNCHECKED, THESE TRENDS WILL LEAD TO GLOBAL DETERIORATION IN THE QUALITY AND PRODUCTIVITY OF THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT."

ASIDE FROM THIS IS THE THREAT TO GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY. OVERFISHING, FACILITATED BY NEW TECHNOLOGY AND COMBINED WITH NATURAL POPULATION FLUCTUATIONS, HAS LED TO THE DECLINE OF SOME FISHERIES AND TO GREATER INSTABILITY IN OTHERS. OVEREXPLOITATION HAS REDUCED THE YIELDS OF MANY FISHERIES BELOW THE THEORETICALLY SUSTAINABLE HARVEST. COMPETITION HAS ALSO GROWN AS SHOWN BY THE POACHING OF OTHER NATIONALITIES IN OUR WATERS. IN THE PHILIPPINES, WE HAVE SEEN THIS AS EARLY AS THE SEVENTIES WHEN THE BUREAU OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES TEMPORARILY CLOSED SOME TRADITIONAL FISHING GROUNDS. AS A RESULT, IN SEVERAL REPORTS, THE FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OBSERVED THAT MOST TRADITIONAL MARINE FISH STOCKS GLOBALLY HAVE REACHED FULL EXPLOITATION. IN THIS DECADE ALONE, FISH CATCH HAS DECLINED IN SEVERAL FISHING AREAS WORLDWIDE LIKE IN THE SOUTHEAST PACIFIC, THE NORTHWEST PACIFIC, THE NORTH PACIFIC AND NORTHEAST ATLANTIC.

AS I SAID EARLIER, I AM TRULY GLADDENED BY THIS CONFERENCE MAINLY BECAUSE I BELIEVE THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS PLAY A PIVOTAL ROLE IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT, IF NOT, IN THE PROTECTION AND CONSERVATION OF OUR MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEM. THIS IS BECAUSE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ARE THE KEY UNITS FOR ENVIRONMENTAL CARE SINCE THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE AMONG OTHERS LAND USE PLANNING, DEVELOPMENT CONTROL, WATER SUPPLY, WASTEWATER TREATMENT, WASTE DISPOSAL, HEALTH CARE, PUBLIC TRANSPORT AND EDUCATION WHlCH HAVE IMPACTS ON THE COASTAL ZONE. THEY ARE ALSO RESPONSIBLE FORCOLLECTING TAXES AND ENACTING LOCAL ORDINANCES. HENCE, THEY ARE THE UNITS OF GOVERNMENT THAT ARE BEST ABLE TO UNDERSTAND THE DAY TO DAY NEEDS OF THEIR CITIZENS, THAT REPRESENT THEM MOST DIRECTLY, AND WITH WHICH CITIZENS HAVE. MOST CONTACT.

IN RECOGNITION OF THE ROLE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, TWO OF MY 14-POINT STRATIGIES RELATE TO LOCAI, GOVERNANCE. ONE IS TO STRENGTHEN THE CAPACITY FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF THE COASTAL AND MARINE AREAS AND THE OTHER IS TO STRENGTHEN PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN DENR AND LOCAI, GOVERNMENT UNITS.

UNDER THESE TWO THRUSTS, WE ARE PROMOTING EFFICIENT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL AND MARINE AREAS. DEVELOPING CLOSE INTER-AGENCY AND INTERSECTORAL PARTNERSHIPS ESPECIALLY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, AND LOCAL COMMUNIT1ES IN ADDRESSING ENVIRONMENTAL AND NATURAL RESOURCES PROBLEMS. AN EXAMPLE OF THIS IS THE PRESENT WORK OF THE COMMISSION FOR THE INTEGRATED CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SULU AND CELEBES SEAS.

ORGANIZATIONALLY, I HAVE TRANSFERRED THE FUNCTIONS OF THE FIELD OPERATIONS OFFICE DIRECTLY UNDER MY OFFICE WHEREAS BEFORE THIS WAS MANAGED BY AN UNDERSECRETARY FOR FIELD OPERATIONS. MY INTENTION IS TO IMPROVE FURTHER THE DELIVERY OF SERVICE TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES. ALSO, I WILL SOON BE ESTABLISHINGIN AT LEAST ONE COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE UNIT PER CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT.

THROUGH THESE EFFORTS AND OUR CURRENT STRATEGIES, WE HOPE TO ENABLE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND LOCAL COMMUNITIES TO BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE GOVERNORS OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT, TO ENABLE THEM TO DEVELOP BETTER LOCAL SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES AND CONVERT THEM INTO ACTION; AND, MORE IMPORTANTLY, TO MAKE THEM MORE EFFECTIVE IN PROVIDING HIGH QUALITY LIVING FOR ALL THEIR CONSTITUENTS AT SUSTAINABLE LEVELS OF CONSUMPTION.

REALIZING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPREHENSIVE COASTAL ZONE PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT, EARLY THIS JANUARY, I ISSUED AN ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER ADOPTING THE WATERSHED AND ECOSYSTEM PLANNING FRAMEWORK. THIS FRAMEWORK REFERS TO THE HOLISTIC, MULTIPLE-USE AND SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF ALL THE RESOURCES WITHIN A SPATIAL UNIT KNOWN AS THE WATERSHED. RELATED TO THIS, I HAVE DIRECTED ALL OUR OFFICES AT THE DENR TO REVIEW AND REALIGN ALL PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS, INCLUDING THEIR BUDGET, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRIORITY WATERSHED AREAS OF THE REGIONS. AS A WHOLE, THIS PLANNING FRAMEWORK IMPLEMENTS WHAT HAS BEEN DEFINED UNDER PHILIPPINE AGENDA 21.

IN GENERAL, OUR PRESENT AND FUTURE ACTIONS WILL FOCUS ON FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENTS WHICH HAVE BEEN SET FORTH IN PHILIPPINE AGENDA 21. AMONG THESE TARGETS WHICH ARE ON-GOING OR HAVE BEEN MET ARE THE ADOPTION OF A NATIONAL MARINE POLICY, THE FISHERIES CODE, PREPARATION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF THE COMPREHENSIVE COASTAL ZONE MANAGEMENT PLAN, AND REVISION OF THE RULES AND REGULATIONS ON FISHING METHODS, AMONG OTHERS.

BUT ASIDE FROM FULFILLING OUR COMMITMENTS UNDER PHILIPPINE AGENDA 21, WE SHALL ALSO FOCUS ON NEW, INNOVATIVE AND EFFECTIVE FORMULAS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WILL STRENGTHEN OUR EFFORTS IN CONSERVING KEY AND THREATENED MARINE SPECIES AND GENE POOLS BY IDENTIFYING AND RECOMMENDING NEW MARINE AND COASTAL AREAS FOR INCLUSION IN THE NATIONAL INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREAS SYSTEM OR NIPAS. THESE AREAS WOULD SERVE AS REPLENISHMENT AREAS FOR MARINE RESOURCES.

WE BELIEVE A LOT OF WORK NEEDS TO BE DONE IN PREVENTING MARINE POLLUTION FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES. THIS IS ONE AREA WHERE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE. IN THIS REGARD, WE WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE ON THE PRECAUTIONARY APPROACHES, NAMELY, THE "POLLUTER PAYS PRINCIPLE" AND "USER PAYS PRINCIPLE." TO PREVENT MARINE POLLUTION, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE AND MOTIVATE BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO ADOPT TECHNOLOGIES WHICH REDUCE OR ELIMINATE POLLUTION AT SOURCE WHILE AT THE SAME TIME IMPROVE AND ENFORCE RULES AND REGULATION S AND PROMOTE ECONOMIC INSTRUMENTS. RELATEDLY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO DEVELOP NEW IF NOT IMPROVE ON EXISTING WATER QUALITY CRITERIA AND EFFLUENT STANDARDS.

RELATED TO PREVENTING MARINE POLLUTION FROM LAND-BASED SOURCES, WE WILL PUSH FOR MAJOR CHANGES IN AGRICULTURAL AND INDUSTRIAL PRACTICES; THE DEVELOPMENT, ADOPTION OR EXPANSION OF TREATMENT FACILITIES BOTH ALONG THE COAST AND FAR INLAND. FOR EXAMPLE, WE WILL WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE IN REDUCING RUNOFF FERTILIZERS AND LIVESTOCK WASTES THROUGH THE ADOPTION OF HIGH STANDARS OF LAND HUSBANDRY; AND IN RIGOROUS CONTROL OF HERBICIDES, PESTICIDES, NITRATE AND PHOSPHATE FERTILIZERS.

ANOTHER AREA WHERE MUCH WORK HAS TO BE DONE ESPECIALLY WITH LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE THE COASTAL MUNICIPALITIES IN BATAAN PROVINCE, IS THE PREVENTION OF POLLUTION FROM SHIPS AND OFFSHORE INSTALLATIONS. IN RESPONDING, IF NOT MITIGATING EMERGENCIES SUCH AS OIL SPILLS, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP NEW GUIDELINES TO IMPLEMENT, FOR EXAMPLE, THE INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION MARPOL CONVENTIONS ON OIL POLLUTION AND THE DUMPING OF TOXIC MATERIALS FROM SHIPS AND IMPROVE ON OLD AND OUTMODED LEGISLATIONS ON MARINE POLLUTION.

AS WE CAN SEE FROM THE VARIOUS PREVIOUS AND MORE RECENT OIL SPILLS IN THE COUNTRY, WE HAVE TO IMPROVE OUR CONTINGENCY PLANNING AND EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES AND OUR OUTMODED LAWS ON MARINE POLLUTION. MORE SO, WE HAVE TO SEE TO IT THAT THE SHIPPING AND PETROLEUM INDUSTRIES START ADOPTING HIGH ENVIRONMENTAL PERFORMANCE STANDARDS AND COMMIT THEMSELVES TO SUSTAINABILITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL EXCELLENCE. ALSO, WE HAVE TO WORK WITH THEM TOWARDS ESTABLISHING CLEAR AND EFFECTIVE PROCEDURES IN PREVENTING AND RESPONDING TO OIL SPILLS.

TO ADDRESS THE IMPACT OF NEW DEVELOPMENT PROJECT, I WILL CONTINUE TO IMPLEMENT AND IMPROVE THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT TO PROTECT THE COASTAL ZONE AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS. HENCE, ALL RENEWABLE AND NON-RENEWABLE RESOURCE PROJECTS IN THE COASTAL ZONE AND OCEAN SHALL STILL BE SUBJECT TO EIA.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND AND STRENGTHEN INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION, BOTH REGIONALLY AND AMONG FUNDING AGENCIES AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND PROTECTION OF THE MARINE AND COASTAL ECOSYSTEM. ASIDE FROM THE COUNTRY'S EXISTING COOPERATION WITH REGIONAL FISHERIES BODIES, THERE IS STILL A GREAT NEED FOR GREATER SCIENTIFIC COOPERATION BASED ON AN ECOSYSTEM APPROACH. LOCALLY, THIS IS BEING DONE THROUGH THE PRESIDENTIAL COMMISSION FOR THE INTEGRATED CONSERVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE SULU AND CEI-EBES SEAS. BUT WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE A REGIONAL CENTER FOR TIIE JOINT DEVELOPMENT OF, FOR EXAMPLE, THE SOUTH CHINA SEA.

THROUGH THE COASTAL ENVIRONMENT PROGRAM, WE WILL SUPPORT COMMUNITY-BASED RESOURCE MANAGEMENT RATHER THAN SIMPLY POLICING THE USE OF RESOURCES. HENCE, WHERE LOCAL RULES ARE SUFFICIENT TO ASSURE SUSTAINABILITY, THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR DENR INTERVENTION. BY ADOPTING THIS APPROACH, WE BELIEVE WE WILL BE PROVIDING LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND AN EQUITABLE SHARE IN MANAGING THEM.

MORE IMPORTANTLY, WE WILL FURTHER IMPROVE THE EXCHANGE OF INFORMATION, SKILLS AND TECHNOLOGIES, NOT ONLY TO LOCAL COMMUNITIES, BUT ALSO TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AS WELL. FOR EXAMPLE, THE URBAN POOR, FARMERS, FISHERFOLK, FOREST WORKERS, ARTISANS AND OTHER LAND AND WATER USERS WOULD BE HELPED BY OPPORTUNITIES TO LEARN HOW TO USE RESOURCES SUSTAINABLY AND PROFITABLY. ON THE OTHER HAND, LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS WOULD BE HELPED, AMONG OTHERS, IN IMPROVING AND ENSURING WATER SUPPLIES, IN MINIMIZING PROBLEMS OF WASTE DISPOSAL, IN MAXIMIZING THE USE OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES, IN INTEGRATING SETTLEMENT MAINTENANCE AND SERVICES WITH EMPLOYMENT, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION. BY DOING THIS, WE HOPE TO IMPROVE LOCAL CAPACITIES TO SOLVE THEIR PROBLEMS USING LOCAL KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS.

FINALLY, WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENCOURAGE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS AND COMMUNITIES TO INITIATE AND BE INVOLVED IN ALL STAGES OF ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION, FROM SETTING OBJECTIVES AND DESIGNING ACTIVITIES TO DOING THE WORK AND EVALUATING THE RESULTS. LIKEWISE, WE WILL ENCOURAGE THAT PARTICRPATION SHOULD BE AS BROAD AS POSSIBLE, INVOLVING ALL SEGMENTS OF A COMMUNITY AND ENPHASIZE THAT INDIVIDUAL ACTIONS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

IN CLOSING, THE CHALLENGE TODAY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THE COASTAL ZONES AND MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IS HOW TO USE THE RESOURCES AND SERVICES THEY PROVIDE TO MEET LOCAL, IF NOT NATIONAL, OBJECTIVES WITHOUT DEGRADING THE QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT OR EXHAUSTING STOCKS OF LIVING RESOTJRCES. OUR BOTTOMLINE MUST BE TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF HUMAN LIFE WITHIN THE CARRYING CAPACITY OF SUPPORTING ECOSYSTEMS AND TO ENSURE THAT THE FUTURE FILIPINO GENERATIONS CAN MEET THEIR OWN NEEDS. AND TODAY, MY CONFIDENCE IN MEETING OUR BOTTOMLINE GROWS STRONGER KNOWING THAT LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS ARE FINALLY ON THE ROAD TO SUSTAINABILITY.

THANK YOU AND GOOD DAY!