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Home> Inspirational Message from Congressman Antonio C. Alvarez
Inspirational Message
Hon. Antonio C. Alvarez
Representative, 1st District of Palawan
& Vice Chair, PCSD
Governor Joel T. Reyes, Cong. Abraham Kahlil B. Mitra, Sec. Alfredo E. Abueg, Jr., Vice Governor David A. Ponce De Leon, Distinguished Guests, Ladies & Gentlemen, a pleasant afternoon to all:
As we celebrate the 16th Anniversary of the SEP Law in Palawan, the responsibility of keeping the SEP Promise should be in everyone of us - be you are a student, a military man, politician, academician, farmer, fisherman, businessman, religious leader or a senior citizen maski na ikaw ay Ilocano, Waray, Ilongo, Tagalog, Bicolano o Cebuano, maputi, kayumanggi o mangitit. Why? It is precisely because we have to abide by the provision of RA 7611 which is the guiding environmental law of our province.
The SEP Law
It is of profound honor to every Palaweńo that we have this Law as this is unique to Palawan. Nowhere in the world where there is a legislated comprehensive development framework for the sustainable development compatible with protecting and enhancing the natural resources and endangered environment like the SEP Law. Moreover, it was conceptualized long before the Earth Summit was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1992. While the different countries were still talking about Agenda 21 in early June of 1992, the SEP Bill was already about to be signed by former President Corazon C. Aquino on 19 June, sixteen years ago.
The SEP Law is a compassionate law as it is not only concerned with the improvement of the quality of life of the present but also of the future generations- and this will carried out through the complementation of development and environmental protection activities for the entire province.
In one of the articles I read lately says that “Although the concept on sustainable development evolved a quarter century ago, not a single country is known to have developed a comprehensive strategy to build and eco-economy; to restore carbon balance, stabilizing the population and water table, conserve our forests and preserve the diversity of plant and animal life. Perhaps, he does not yet know the SEP LAW that we have here in Palawan. As what is explicitly stated in the mother SEP Law- “ The ECAN as SEP’s main strategy shall ensure:
* Forest conservation and protection through the imposition of a total commercial logging in all areas of maximum protection and in such other restricted use zones as the PCSD may provide;
*Protection of watersheds;
*Preservation of biological diversity;
*Protection of tribal people and the preservation of heir culture;
*Maintenance of maximum sustainable yield;
*Protection of the rare and endangered species and their habitat;
*Provision of areas for environmental and ecological research, education and training; and
*Provision of areas for tourist and recreation.
Maybe we have to do some IEC at the global level and at the same time have the opportunity to interest possible funding institutions and avail of funding support in the form of grants (in cash or in kind) on what we are particularly in pursuing barangay-based ECAN Zoning and delineation activities throughout the province.
Laying ECAN Zoning on the Ground
I understand the NGOs are one of the top beneficiaries of the SEP Law as I believe that the law is giving them more leverage to access funding for environmental research, community livelihood projects and other environmentally–related projects. I just hope that they shall also be contributory in helping the PCSD and the LGUs in pursuing the ground delineation and marking activities for every barangay with technical support from the PCSDS technical staff. Sixteen years is long enough and it is a challenge for all of us to realize the first dream- that is to at least see on the ground where the ECAN core and restricted-use zones start and end.
This plan which was crafted by scientific experts and was subjected to numerous and intensive sectoral and community consultations spells out on how sustainable development could be attained thru ECANization, the main strategy of the SEP Law.
Other provinces envy us and are eager to have something like SEP in their localities so that they too, are guided by the ecological guiding principles and development framework stipulated under the Law. Let us keep them more envious by concretizing SEP on the ground and later serve as their mentors in coming up with their own.
The Evasive Realization of Communal Forest
I am confident to say that my family and I are subscribing to the rules and regulations of the SEP Law. Pagdanan Timber Corporation which was owned by my brother heeded the provision of the Law despite the heavy financial losses we incurred with the closure of our firm. Way back in 1995, when I was still a mayor, San Vicente was the first to adopt the ECAN Zoning map and the communal forest concept of the Council. While the promise of implementing the communal forest has not materialized yet due to some bureaucratic technicalities, until now, we are keeping the fighting spirit that one day, it could be finally implemented to address the lumber needs of our people. Before the end of this year, it is a challenge for the Council and the staff to finally implement the communal forest system.
Making Eco-tourism Work
Making Palawan an ecotourism capital is one of the promises envisioned by the SEP Law as its magnificent natural sceneries both on terrestrial and underwater are unequalled. In fact, we have two of the protected areas inscribed in UNESCO’s world natural heritage list - the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Marine Park and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean River Natural Park now candidates in the 7 New Natural Wonders.
Eco-tourism is one of the industries most compatible with environmental protection considering that its activities are generally non-consumptive and therefore do not pose environmental hazard when properly planned and regulated.
I hail the PCSD in its boldness and flexibility for allowing soft impact tourism activities in the core or supposedly “no touch areas” and restricted use zones since most of the potential sites for eco-tourism activities could be found in core and restricted-use zones under the ECAN zoning. This is a good move since we can make use of eco-tourism as an environmental monitoring tool. As we are seating here, we do not know what are happening in the core and restricted zones. Nevertheless, in opening the core and restricted-use zones in a regulated manner, we can get feed backs from our local and foreign visitors what’s up and and what’s down there. This is what they also do in Japan and other protected areas in other part of the world. They made use of tourists to monitor what are happening in the remote terrestrial areas while they are dolphin and whale watching, tree climbing, board walking, spelunking??? or bird watching. What local park rangers do is to post a large map in the central park and after their visit, scribble on it what the saw inside the park, where they saw unique flora and fauna. In the case of Palawan, it has another added value, we can get information on where there are on-going illegal activities through eco-tourism.
Furthermore, eco-tourism is a growing industry in Palawan which can generate alternative sources of livelihood thereby helping in weaning the communities away from too much economic dependence and pressure on Palawan’s natural resources;
An Ecotourism Code of Conduct formulated by the PCSD with the assistance of the Department of Tourism (DOT) in coordination with the LGUs and the concerned NGO and private sector in place. The challenge is- we have to identify and develop specific eco-tourism sites throughout the province for regulated botanical tours, bird watching, picture taking, trekking, mountaineering, caving, dolphin and whale watching, swimming, scuba diving, canoeing, kayaking, boardwalking and tree climbing so that we can keep the tourist longer in our province. If we can link up with organized activity-centered groups and market our develop ecotourism activities then we are on the right track. For instance, if we can just hit 0.5 % of Chinese as our major market annually for specific ecotourism activities, that effectively translates to half a million mark of tourists’ arrival.
On food security concern
As we face food security crisis particularly on rice, the more that we should take care of our fishing grounds, forests and watershed areas so that we will have sufficient fish supply and preserve our agricultural production areas which is also a critical support to our to a healthy population and ecotourism requirements.
Making Sustainable Development Work
Our lives indeed are inextricably linked to our environment. I believe sustainable development which is essentially built on three (3 pillars: economic growth, ecological balance and social progress) is a pervasive philosophy to which every stakeholder in society and participant in the whole province and the global community must willingly subscribe.
The world has witnessed rapid, unprecedented technological advances that have had profound bearing on all aspects of the production of goods and services. The increased scale and reach of human activity have led to the mounting pressure on not just the water, air, soil, and other resources but also on the ability of the biosphere to absorb water and regulate climate. Thus, if sustainable development is to be achieved, its potential, it must be integrated with the planning and measurement systems of all relevant sectors of the society- households, academe, government organizations, NGOs, business, among others.
With the whole world around us changing, the environmental challenges facing us are gaining complete dimensions. As part of our global contribution to arresting climate change, we have to preserve our forests, and develop more renewable and low-emission energy sources. In effect, we reduce our dependence on imported fossil fuels and lower our exposure to fluctuations in their price.
Sustainability has become the defining issue of the 21st century. We will all be judged by how we measure up to it – by whether we are part of the problem by refusing to act or part of the solution by taking action to become more sustainable.
While the PCSD is the administrative machinery in the implementation of the Law, the broad role in promoting the social, economic, environmental, and cultural well being of their communities, making sustainable development work rests with the LGUs and other relevant sectors of the civil society.
We are aware that Palawan enjoys a priceless reputation as a province with pristine environment, which is clean and green where people live in peace and bounty. Let us keep it this way. This reputation has been not only a source of great pride to us, but it is also critical to our present and future wellbeing. Let us make sustainability and prosperity go hand in hand. A collective effort on an unprecedented scale is required.
“Keeping the SEP Promise: Sustaining the Spirit, Facing the Challenges”
In essence, as we continuously carry out the SEP Law in Palawan:
*Let us all work together in making the concept of sustainable development work in the fields of agriculture, fisheries, forestry, rural industry, tourism, renewable energy, etc.
* Let us look for proactive solutions so as not allow the increasing population in our province further put our fragile ecosystem under stress to cause irreversible damage to its balance.
* Let us be proactive so that we would not lose of precious biodiversity and not experience the catastrophic natural disasters being experienced by Myanmar, Sri Lanka and other countries devastated by cyclones.
* Let us accept our role as an environment-friendly province to lead on resolving key environmental and sustainable development issues. After all, that’s a responsibility we accepted when we embraced the SEP Law in Palawan.
I believe that in time, our quest for sustainability will become a defining characteristic of Palawan’s unique identity.
Mabuhay and Happy sweet sixteen SEP anniversary!
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