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by Antonio Manaytay/MindaNews
Thursday, 13 August 2009 08:28
IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay (MindaNews/12 August) -- A Church-based program on disaster risk reduction urges a concrete program of action in the eventuality the sea level will rise by one-meter, affecting 12 of the province’s 16 towns.
“Clearly, the time to address the risks with the rise of sea level is now,” Gualberto Largo, coordinator of the Social Action Ministry of the Prelature of Ipil, said Tuesday.
According to the social action coordinator, it is important for the local governments concerned “to institute mitigating measures in the event the sea level rises.”
“These measures include identification of relocation sites where people will be evacuated and massive reforestation of mangrove areas in areas most vulnerable to increase of sea level,” he said.
Earlier this week, former beauty queen-turned-environmentalist Lorraine E. Schuck called on the provincial government and other concerned government agencies to take stronger action to ease the effects of climate change in the province.
“The time for stronger and concerted efforts to address the adverse effects of climate change is urgent more than ever in the light of a recent scientific study released by the University of the Philippines,” Schuck, in a July 31 phone interview, said.
A study made by the Climate Change Program of the University of the Philippines in Los Banos (UPLB) showed that if the country’s sea level rises merely by one meter due to climate change, Zamboanga Sibugay is the fourth most vulnerable province in the country.
According to the study, 12 of 16 towns of the province or 8,330 hectares will be submerged following a one-meter rise.
Schuck, executive vice president of Carousel Productions which stages the annual Miss Earth-Philippines, said the study should serve as a strong warning to everyone “to start caring for Mother Earth”.
The annual Miss Earth beauty pageant promotes the protection and preservation of the environment.
“It shows that the problem is not remote but rather a very imminent one that should move us into more stronger actions to address it,” she explained as she called on all officials of the province “to develop a policy environment that will pro-actively address the threat posed to lives and livelihood.”
She urged: “It is a must for the provincial government to start rethinking its development plan by incorporating climate change to it.”
Largo, however, clarified that “climate change is not the only caused by sea-level rise..”
He said pressure from the “so-called development with faster rate of infrastructure construction also causes the rise of sea level.” But he was quick to admit that the concept of sea-level rise is “no longer a remote possibility.”
“In fact, the social action ministry has been in the forefront of developing coping and adaptation mechanism for our communities against the effects of climate change,” he said.
One of these efforts, he said, was a project in coordination with Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) to develop “floating farms” in Siay town of the province. The project started last year.
“The idea was to develop flood-resistant farm technologies so that the farmers will not be adversely affected by the changing climate,” Largo explained.
In the case of the permanent rise of sea level, Largo shared with Schuck’s call for the local government “to start rethinking its development plan by factoring climate change into it.”
The Climate Change Program of UPLB presented the results of its analysis at an exhibit last month during the observance of National Science and Technology Week (NSTW) 2009 in Los Baños sponsored by the Los Baños Science Community (LBSC) held at the historic UPLB Baker Hall..
Cagayan province is the most vulnerable with 16 towns or 13,134 hectares expected to go under water; Palawan ranks second with 17 towns affected or 9.146 hectares; followed by Iloilo with 16 towns affected or 8,647 hectares; Zamboanga Sibugay; and Camarines Sur with 27 towns affected or 8,139 hectares.
Completing the list of 10 provinces that will be most adversely affected by a one-meter sea level rise are Negros Occidental, 7,870 ha.. in 25 towns; Capiz, 7.094 ha. in seven towns; Bohol, 5,985 ha. in 24 towns; Tawi-Tawi, 5,987 ha. in eight towns; and Sulu, 5,728 ha. in 19 towns.
On the whole, 167,290 hectares in 171 towns in the top 10 provinces will be most adversely affected by a one-meter sea rise.
Cagayan also is the most vulnerable in case the country’s sea level rises to two meters as a consequence of climate change; 22,746 ha. in 19 towns, submerged.
Camarines Sur comes second with 17,039 ha. in 28 towns inundated.
The Bicol province is followed by Palawan, 13,609 ha. in 19 towns; Negros Occidental, 10,368 ha. in 13 towns; Iloilo, 10,709 ha. in 19 towns; Negros Occidental, 10,368 ha. in 25 towns; Capiz, 9,738 ha. in seven towns; Bohol, 9,509 ha. in 27 towns; Northern Samar, 8,654 ha. in 21 towns; and Zamboanga Sibugay, 8,349 ha. in 14 towns.
A total of 264,447 hectares in 180 towns will be submerged in case the country’s sea level rises by two meters owing to climate change. (Antonio M. Manaytay/MindaNews)
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