Envitonmental problems

The State of Environment

• Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor

• Center of the center of marine shorefish diversity in the world

• (Sulu-Sulawesi Marine Ecoregion)

The State of Environment

• Philippine Water Resources

• Water Supply = 146.0 Bcu.m
• Water Consumption = 40.9 Bcu.m

• Consumption Ratio = 28.0%

The State of Environment

• One of the hottest ‘hot spots’ in habitat destruction

The State of Environment

• Massive loss of forest cover which is now down to only about 18% of our total land area
• Only about 800,000 hectares of virgin forest left

The State of Environment

• Threatened and endangered species (increasing in about 9.7% annually)
• Only 5% of our coral reefs remain in excellent condition
• 30-50% of our seagrass beds were lost in the last 50 years
• Only 112,400 hectares of mangroves left (decline from 450,000 ha in 1918)

The State of Environment

• The degradation of coastal and marine ecosystem has affected fish production
• Catch per municipal fisherman significantly went down from about 1500 kg per year in 1987 to about 1100 kg per year in 1996 and declining still because of overfishing

The State of Environment

• Groundwater levels going down by 5-10 meters for the last several decades that led to saline intrusion and ground subsidence
• Sixteen major rivers, five in Metro Manila, are biologically-dead during summer months due to pollution
• 48% of water pollution is caused by household waste, compounded by the lack of an adequate sewerage system

The State of Environment

• TSP levels above the standards by as much as 200% causing adverse health impacts