Haring Ibon Issue 43

July-September 2010 Issue no. 43

www.haribon.org.ph

The best of Philippine biodiversity

Water is Life

Haring Ibon The best of Philippine biodiversity

A quarterly magazine on biodiversity conservation by the Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc.

As Haribon’s media partner for creating public awareness on biodiversity conservation, The Manila Times generously provides Haribon a regular opinion column and free space for feature stories and announcements.

Read the “Only in the Philippines” endemic species feature every Monday, “Haribon Corner” every Tuesday, “Nature for Life” column every Saturday and the Green Revolution page every Sunday.

Haring Ibon is intended for its members, staff, networks and the general public. Its pages aim to heighten awareness and appreciation of our fragile ecosystems and threatened species, and how our ways - from national policies to individual lifestyles - impact on these. Analyses, views, researches, community stories and photo essays hope to offer a reader-friendly resource.

EDITORIAL BOARD Anabelle E. Plantilla

Blas Troy R. Tabaranza Jr. Noel A. Resurreccion

Christine G. Cenal

Belinda dela Paz

Mithi Laya S. Gonzales

Je-el C. Ong

Mike Edrial EDITORIAL TEAM Managing Editor

Layout & Design CONTRIBUTORS

Aira Simon Ryan G. Palacol Angie Adviento Alyansa Tigil Mina Andy L. Boncayao Athena Chua Gregorio dela Rosa, Jr. Denise Fontanilla Don Geoff Tabaranza

CIRCULATION Membership Lyn Urriza

Networks, Corporate Partners and Donors Christine G. Cenal General Public Yasmin Ponce

Haribon is the BirdLife International partner in the Philippines and a World Conservation Union member.

Haring Ibon is registered with the National Library Bibliographic Services Division, ISSN No. 0117-1259.

Philippine Copyright © by Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, Inc. with the national office located at 2/F Santos and Sons Bldg., 973 Aurora Boulevard, Cubao, Quezon City, 1109 Philippines; Tel. (632) 434-4642 / 911-6089; Fax: (632) 434-4696; www.haribon. org.ph; E-mail: communication@haribon.org.ph.

We welcome contributions in the form of articles, photographs, artworks and letters to the editor. The opinions and views expressed by the writers and artists do not necessarily reflect the official views of Haribon and its partners or donors. For contributions and advertisements, membership and donations, call Haribon at 911-6089.

Inside

Vol.43 5

forest sustains life’s survival

7

Sibuyan Locals Call for the Protection of the Galapagos of Asia

By Aira Simon

18

By Haribon Foundation

21

By Alyansa Tigil Mina

10

13

a haribon potting & nature trip the 2nd asia-pacific coral reef symposium

By Gregorio dela Rosa, Jr.

24

Advocacy updates

27

kahirapan: hadlang din sa pagpapanumbalik ng kagubatan

By Denise Fontanilla

Sexual dimorphism in birds

By Gregorio dela Rosa, Jr. & Don Geoff Tabaranza

Declaring Water as a human rights

By Denise Fontanilla

30

By Rowena Mendoza-Matabang

quiz bee 2010: ecology & local history

By Andy L. Boncayao

38 A DAY IN A LIFE 3 Voices & Numbers 4 Gift Trees 32 people & events 40 Membership 44 Punong Pinoy Series

Photo by haribon

message

from the Chief Operating Officer

T

here was no specific paragraph pertaining to the Environment in P-Noy’s first SONA. Somehow he briefly mentioned two words, watershed and trees. For environmentalists like us, this is a reason enough to celebrate. He went further by saying, “Kasalukuyang pumi pila ang mga tao para makakuha ng tubig. Pati po ang La Mesa Watershed ay hindi nila pinatawad. Para magkaroon ng tamang supply ng tubig, kailangan ang mga watershed. Sa watershed, puno ang kailangan. Pati po iyon na dapat puno ang nakatayo, tinayuan nila ng bahay!”

The relationshi p between forests and water is now better understood and the ecological benefits of forests are well accepted. Forests provide the best water quality since soil erosion in an undisturbed forest is extremely low. In China, flooding and droughts cause huge economic losses each year.

Chinese traditional wisdoms had intuitively linked flooding and drought to loss of forest vegetation. Even scientists observed that restoring forest vegetation would enhance preci pitation, occurrence of natural springs, augment stream flow and combat droughts and floods. According to FA0 (2004), China has the largest forest plantations in the world at 45 M hectares or ¼ of the world’s total. In Europe, forest is a major land cover type, and recent droughts and floods have drawn new interest in the role of forest in influencing river flow regimes.

In our country today, Fili pinos are hanging tenaciously to our last 804,900 hectares of old growth di pterocarp forest and about 2.7M hectares of logged-over or residual forest. Because of this, we lost the luxury of having a stable water supply for people to drink, or for agricultural and industrial use. It’s either

we have too much water that results in disasters like floods or landslides, or we don’t have enough water and experience droughts, diseases etc. Most people are already aware of why we are in this kind of situation – deforestation! Take for example the Marikina Watershed, which is a protected area.

How much forest is left in the watershed? The people greatly outnumber the trees!

However, it doesn’t help any of us if we would keep pointing fingers at those who we think are at fault. It’s about time we do something! Climate Change is now aggravating our situation.

Let’s not wait for another Ondoy to happen.

We would like to thank everyone who joined us in our ROAD to 2020 campaign by partici pating in the Million Hectare Challenge. Together, we can make the restoration of 1 Million Hectares of our native tropical rainforest, a reality.

Blas R. Tabaranza, Jr. Chief Operating Officer Haribon Foundation

Haring Ibon

numbers

368.8

Millimeter of rainfall on Sept.

26, 2009, during Typhoon Ondoy.

(Narissma presentation, 2009)

75

percent of Water withdrawals from the agricultural sector in the philippines.

Do you agree with UN's Human Right to Water and Sanitation?

Yes, I agree with UN’s resolution on Human Right to Water and Sanitation. Clean water and basic sanitation are essential to sustain life. Without these, we are jeopardizing people’s health and their right to live decently.

Agnes Lucente, haribon member

(Sauer & Klop 2004)

0.11 US dollars per cubic meter of water for domestic use in Metro Manila.

I agree 101%. Water is life and in order to sustain life, the source of life should be clean, healthy and safe. This is a 'human right' that everyone must enjoy.

Jhe Tavera, haribon member

(ADB, 1997)

metric tons of Energy consumed from hydroelectric power plants in the philippines.

Yes, I strongly agree with the UN's declaration that access to clean and safe drinking water and sanitation is a human right because water is a very basic human need and sanitation impacts the quality of water sources and human health.

(World Resources Institute, 2003)

Melisa Therese Malingan, haribon member

674,000

35,645 us dollars per year per hectare of ecosystem services provided by tidal marshes, mangroves, lakes, rivers, swamps and floodplains.

(Costanza et al. 1997)

68,404 hectares is the Total area of the wetlands under the RAMSAR Convention.

(RAMSAR 2010)

4 sites Designated by the RAMSAR Convention as Wetlands of International Importance in the philippines (Agusan March Wildlife Sanctuary, Tubbataha Reefs National Marine Park, Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary, and the Naujan Lake National Park).

(RAMSAR 2010)

Access to clean water means life, health and well-being. It is a basic human right that the state must recognize and protect.

The state should be able to provide this access to all people within its territory without discrimination. Protection of watersheds from illegal loggers and squatters; banning haphazard use of toxic chemicals to prevent pollution of rivers, lakes and coastal waters; regulating commercial extractive activities like mining and quarrying and massive tree planting in denuded forests are some of the measures being done by the state to protect our water resources. Haribon has been in the forefront of volunteer efforts to fast track tree planting nationwide with its Rainforestation Program, Road to 2020. Let us strengthen this advocacy with our whole-hearted support and cooperation.

Yes, I agree with the United Nations' right to water and sanitation. God has given everyone the right to live. With that right comes the right to all the basic necessities to preserve life, including, and most especially water. It is difficult to imagine life without water. But since people must not only survive, but keep themselves healthy as well, there must be right to sanitation.

Victor Arguelles, haribon member Yes, I agree to UN’s Human Rights to Water and Sanitation. As I understand it, this resolution provides the right to have a safe, clean, accessible and affordable drinking water and sanitation for all, specifically those proportions of people who are unable to afford a safe drinking water and half of people who have no access on basic sanitation. It also confirms that governments have obligations to ensure access to safe drinking water and sanitation under international human rights law.

Lorraine Grijaldo, haribon member Definitely. The US Census Bureau estimates the world’s population to be around 6.8 billion at present and the UN expects that it would reach 7 billion by 2011. The percentage of potable drinking water around the world is estimated at less than 1% of the world’s water. Some claim it is1-2%. Either way, we all need to be more conscious of our consumption of this scarce resource. There might not be enough to go around in the coming years.

Liza Rose Fetalino, haribon member

Gloria Q. Caccam, haribon member

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Give Gift Trees

PhP100 plants one seedling. Be part of the solution.

With every tree planted, the beat of life continues.

Global problems may be big but they can be tackled by individual actions. Each of us can do something about our degraded environment — from forests to the seas. Planting a native tree alleviates climate change and more importantly, it nurtures back to full health our natural ecoysystems.

Natural ecosystems (i.e forests, mangroves, coral reefs), which embrace everything you can lay your eyes upon, provide the very basics for life. We use nature’s products everyday (water, food, medicine, materials for clothing, shelter, commerical and industrial goods). Its services make it possible for us to stay alive: an intact forest prevents flood, filter our air and water, harbors watersheds, locks up large amounts of carbon released in the air; rivers and oceans are sources of fish we eat; mangroves nurse fish, prawns, crabs and shrimps and

are also our natural barriers against rising sea level, strong wave surges and storms.

Over the past 20 years, our forests have been destroyed through deforestation (roughly 100,000-150,000 has/year) and in doing so, we have risked our own quality of life, gambled with the stability of the climate and local weather, threatened the existence of other species and undermined the forests’ valuable products and ecological services.

For a donation of Php100 per Gift Tree, you can support our tree planting activities. Any occasion, when you give a gift to plant native trees, you’ll delight your loved ones. A gift that endures a lifetime and helps make a lasting difference now and for future generations.

Your gift directly benefits Haribon’s ROAD to 2020, a campaign that aims to plant native trees to restore 1 million hectares of forests in the Philippines by year 2020. Our forest restoration activities are in our project sites and watershed areas in Luzon and Mindanao. You are welcome to plant your seedlings with us.

The survival of each ecosystem means the survival of everything in our planet, including us.

Plant Native Trees. Restore Our Forests.

Join the ROAD to 2020 campaign!

Visit www.haribon.org.ph for frequently asked questions.

I want to donate and adopt seedlings now! _____ 200 Pesos = 2 seedling _____ 400 Pesos = 4 seedlings _____ 600 Pesos = 6 seedlings _____ 1,000 Pesos = 10 seedlings _____ 1,200 Pesos = 12 seedlings _____ 1,400 Pesos = 14 seedlings _____ 1,800 Pesos = 18 seedlings _____ 2,000 Pesos = 20 seedlings

To order, please fill-up this form and mail to Haribon Foundation, 2/F Santos & Sons Bldg., 973 Aurora Blvd., Cubao, Quezon City. For more details, visit to www. haribon.org.ph or call 434.4642 or email act@haribon. org.ph.

Date: ______________ Name: __________________________________________ Address:_________________________________________

______________________________________________ I will donate: (pls. specify) ________Pesos = _______seedlings Landline: ________________Mobile No: _________________ I will join the tree planting activity.

Fax No:______________ E-mail: _______________________ I will not join the tree planting activity.

My Gift Trees for:

saving habitats

Forest Sustains Life’s Survival

By Aira simon

W

ater is essential to life on earth but it’s easy to overlook this fact when we have running water from our faucets, and available drinking water from hundreds of water purifying stations. Urbanization had paved the way for man to build a network of tunnels, dams, and plants to distribute water so when we need to wash our clothes, do the dishes, or cook, we can just turn on the nozzle, and forget that what is so conveniently available to us is a product of an ecological cycle taking place in our rainforests.

Photos by haribon

the angat dam

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According to an article, the sources of water in Metro Manila are the following: Balara and Novaliches Treatment Plants (supplies water in east and west zones), La Mesa Dam (stores water from the Angat and Alat Rivers) Angat Dam (supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila's water needs and most of Central Luzon's irrigation needs, before flowing down to the Ipo Dam) and Umiray Tunnel (diverts water from Umiray River in General Nakar, Quezon, toward Macua and Angat Rivers, which in turn flow into the Angat Reservoir)(Inquirer Data). It is important to understand that these are merely water distribution systems. They do not produce water but rather serve as a network for water to reach different areas. So where does water really come from? To arrive

saving habitats on an answer, we need to recall our science class and remember that in nature, everything is interconnected.

Source: Philippine Biodiversity for Beginners

watershed continuum interrelationship of the forest ecosystem with the coastal ecosystem is best described by a watershed continuum. this refers to an area consisting of the waterhsed and its divide including its connection from headwaters to the reef. source: DENR

Through the sun’s energy and earth’s gravity, water from lakes, rivers and oceans evaporates to form water vapor. Plants also give off water in the form of moisture, or transpiration. Once in the atmosphere, the water vapor cools down to form clouds in the process of condensation.

When too much water is condensed in the atmosphere, precipitation or rain occurs.

Forests absorb rainfall and store it as ground water before slowly releasing it through springs, rivers or watersheds. When excess water can no longer be absorbed by the spaces between the tree roots and the soil, a run off occurs. Excessive run-off in deforested area results in killer flashfloods. Watersheds not only supply water in dams but electricity as well. The Angat Hydroelectric Plant in

Norzagay Bulacan draws energy from water turbines. Without a stable watershed, dams can dry up, be silted and lead to water crisis and energy shortages.

The Philippine forest is called tropical rain forests because of the large amount of rainfall it receives annually. It is our most important source of water.

The Sierra Madre Mountain Range in Luzon is the largest remaining tract of rain forests in the country followed by the forests of Samar in the Visayas.

Forests also serve as home to a rich variety of wildlife species. The Sierra Madre forest is considered as an Important Biodiversity Area according to the study conducted by Haribon and Birdlife International. However, forests in Southern Sierra Madre are under serious threat of illegal mining and logging, charcoal making, and kaingin in spite of it being a major source of water in Metro Manila. If the destruction of our forests continues, we can also experience food shortages and price hikes, because of deficient water supply.

“If water is life, and forests provide water, then we can conclude that forest is life.”

The ecological benefits we derive from our forests are dwindling. Instead of having a ‘sponge’ to absorb rainfall, floods and landslides occur because of lack of trees to hold the water in the soil. Extreme weather conditions caused by global warming or having too much carbon in the atmosphere is also due to lack of carbon sequesters. Forests take in carbon and help regulate the climate.

If water is life, and forests provide water, then we can conclude that forest is life. When we live in the metro, surrounded by buildings and concrete roads, we hardly recognize the significance of forests in sustaining our survival. We need to be reminded that everything in nature is interdependent. The condition of our forests impact our daily lives.

About the author Aira Simon is Haribon’s Communication Assistant.

For comments or inquiries you may email her at: haringibon@haribon.org. ph

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saving habitats

Sibuyan Locals Call for the Protection of the Galapagos ofAsia

By Alyansa tigil mina

S

ibuyanons wil l never succumb to mining investors in their precious land. Today, they continue to stand against threats to their home island, and rich biodiversity area.

Mt. Guiting-guiting Natural Park is home to the world’s densest forest, and endemic species of flora and fauna.

Local government officials from Sibuyan Island, province of Romblon, have recently issued two joint resolutions rejecting mining. The munici palities of Magdiwang, Cajidiocan and San Fernando issued Joint Resolution No. 1 and 2, reflecting over-all sentiments against mining.

The local legislators signed Joint Resolution No. 1 calling for President Benigno “Noy” Aquino, III to declare Sibuyan Island free of all metallic mining (all forms of mining except gravel and sand), while Joint Resolution No. 2 is the same request addressed to DENR Secretary Ramon Paje and to revoke all mining permits issued in the island. Sibuyanons assert their right to protect their rich natural resources.

Sibuyan Island, dubbed as the Galapagos of Asia, is home to a variety of flora and fauna.

It has 123 species of trees, 54 of which cannot be found anywhere in the world, 700 vascular plant species, and 131 species of birds, and the many still yet to be catalogued mammals and rodents. All these rich biodiversity are found in Mt. Guiting-guiting (literally means “sawtoothed mountain” for its jagged ridges) Natural Park and the whole island itself.

Known also as home of the world’s densest forest and the Phili ppines’ cleanest inland body of water, the 44,500-hectare island is also rich in metallic minerals such as nickel and gold. This is why the locals fear that the island will be sold out to mining investors who apply for largescale and small-scale mining permits. Because of the potential ecological impacts of mining in the island, mining has been widely opposed by the locals, which further led to the organizing of

Photos by haribon

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saving habitats “Known also as home of the world’s densest forest and the Philippines’ cleanest inland body of water, the 44,500hectare island is also rich in metallic minerals such as nickel and gold.”

Rigth (top-bottom): the sibuyan island map; Hon. Domingo Marin, shares memories of his son during the death anniversary of anti-mining activist Armin Rios-Marin; and a Nepenthes sibuyanensis.

the Sibuyanons Against Mining/Sibuyan Island Sentinels League for Environment Inc.

On October 3,2010, anti-mining advocates celebrated the death anniversary of then Munici pal Councilor Armin Rios-Marin who was killed during a protest rally against mining.

Three years after the killing of Marin, locals still stand firm—they will not trade their land for anything. “The fight against mining will never end. As long as these mining companies continue to come in, we will not sleep,” said Domingo Marin, father of Marin and now San Fernando munici pality councilor.

In a recent Sangguniang Panlalawigan meeting held last October 4, Alyansa Tigil Mina Sites of Struggle Officer and local Sibuyanon Rodne Galicha presented the threats of mining in the island and the map of the island showing the many pending applications in the peri pheries of the Mt. Guiting-guiting Natural Park. During the provincial board meeting, Galicha also lobbied for the issuance of a resolution to declare a moratorium on mining in the province.

In a study by the Working Group in Mining in the Phili ppines (WGMP) led by former World Bank environment advisor Dr. Robert Goodland and International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) member Clive Wicks, it was concluded that “no mining should be carried out on Sibuyan Island which deserves its label as a National and International treasure.

It has important primary tropical forest, which is largely intact and is extremely rich in bio-diversity.

Mining in the Natural Park and on coastal lands and in the sea, wil l displace and impoverish many people, including the islands indigenous peoples, on this Treasure Island and affect their human rights, damage water catchments, forests and pol lute rivers and the ocean. Mining wil l undermine the island’s ability to feed itself or develop its significant ecotourism potential.”

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www.paradiseromblon.com

www.sibuyan.com

saving habitats Further, the WGMP discovered that “no Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) has been carried out to manifest the cumulative impacts of al l the proposed mines targeting the island and which the authors believe wil l be a disaster for this up-to-now remote island. Mining applications cover 42% of the whole island. The mining applications overlap 32% of mangrove, montane, primary lowland and secondary lowland forests, 45% of rice lands, and 56% of coconut lands.”

Thirty-four exceptionally clean rivers and 14 sq. kilometers of mangroves are fished in Sibuyan.

Its coral reef cover is intact and coastal water shelter is rich in fisheries. “An average of one mil lion kilograms of fish are harvested here annual ly. Al l these water systems wil l be affected if the island wil l be opened to mining,” said San Fernando Mayor DindoRios.

While some political figures in the province may be pro-mining, the locals will continue to push for legislations for the protection and conservation of their natural resources. In their advocacy, SAM/Sibuyan ISLE say, “Sibuyanons are human beings with dignity, they are not like lambs to be sacrificed by their own government for the sake of economy dictated by greedy oligarchs”.

About the author Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), an advocacy group and a people’s movement that upholds the rights of the present and future Filipinos against the persisting injustices related to mining, is an alliance of mining-affected communities and their support groups of NGOs/POs and other civil society organizations convened by HARIBON Foundation, Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center — Kasama sa Kalikasan/ Friends fo the Earth Philippines (LRC-KsK/ FoE Phils.) and Philippine Partnership for the Development of Human Resources in Rural Areas (PhilDHRRA). mt. guiting guiting, sibuyan island, romblon.

For comments or inquiries, you may call ATM at (632) 426.6740

Photo from www.paradiseromblon.com Haring Ibon

Toog

Petersianthus quadrialatus

The Toog is endemic to the Philippines and is found in primary lowland forests.

Toog is a large tree growing up to 30 meters tall. The stem is straight and branchless for up to 20 meters. The outer bark is reddish-brown and flaky. Its leaves are simple and spirally arranged.

The flowers are white.

The timber of Toog is used for the production of veneer and plywood and for general construction. The seeds are said to be edible and the leaves have been used medicinally.

Source; E.S. Fernando. B.Y. Sun, M.H. Sun H.Y. Kong and K.S. Koh (2004). Flowering Plants and Ferns of Mt. Makiling.

44

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ROAD to 2020 UPDATE Bring back our natural forests. Plant Native Trees.

Target: 1,000,000 hectares

Planted: 282.36 hectares (as of July 31, 2010)

999,717.64 hectares to GO! For more information about ROAD to 2020 or how you can donate online or adopt a seedling, visit www.haribon.org. ph or email: act@ haribon.org.ph.

Legend Forest Cover Closed canopy Open canopy

You can also call at (632) 434.4642/ 911.6089, (+63) 922.815.1941.

Data source: Forest Cover of 1988 - DENR Haribon Foundation, Inc.