A wetland in Metro Manila
Published Apr 21, 2018 04:05 pm
By Nicanor January
NATURE'S STRONGHOLD Las Piñas Paranaque Wetland Park Pond
When we talk about wetland, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as land or areas such as marshes or swamps that are often covered with shallow water or have soil saturated with moisture, the images that come to mind are places in remote areas, and definitely not in cities.
So it may come as a surprise to many to know that Metro Manila is home to one of 2,301 sites in the world that are designated as “Wetlands of International Importance” and are protected under an international treaty called the Convention on Wetlands.
The international agreement, also called the Ramsar Convention and signed by 169 countries, provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
KEEP NATURE ALIVE: Sen. Cynthia Villar leads the mangroove planting at Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park
The Philippines actually has seven sites that are included in the international list of protected wetlands, as follows:
KEEP NATURE ALIVE: and Migratory Birds found here along with 82 other wild bird species coming from as far as China, Japan, and Siberia.
She is the prime mover in the development and conservation of the LPPCHEA. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, she is passionate at making the site a model for environment conservation and learning in the country. Located in the south of Manila Bay, she wants the LPPCHEA to be a thriving wetland ecosystem where urban residents seeking a respite from the daily traffic jams, and polluted surroundings can commune with the wonders of nature, without having to travel far from home.
“We envision it to be the premier learning environment for urban wetlands in the Philippines. We are doing our best also to make it a model of sustainable eco-tourism and a living model of environment that will encourage people to be more aware and involved in the protection of migratory species and critical habitats,” says the diminutive senator, who is gaining popularity as a down-to-earth, hands-on, and no-holds barred lawmaker, always passionate in pursuing her advocacies and defending her position on any issue that comes her way.
Aside from the Ramsar Convention, the LPPCHEA is also a proclaimed critical habitat by virtue of Presidential Decree Nos. 1412 and 1412-A. It is a sanctuary to rare and migratory birds and diverse flora and marine species.
It is composed of two islands, Freedom Island in the Parañaque side, and Long Island in the Las Piñas side.
FLIGHT OF FANCY Las-Piñas Paranaque Wetland Park with different paintings of Migratory Birds
It has 30 hectares of mangrove forest, accepted as the thickest and most diverse in Manila Bay. To date, 11 species of mangroves can be found in the area. These are the bungalon, bakauan babae, bakauan bato, pototan, kolasi, pagatpat, banalo, tabigi, saging-saging, buta-buta, and nilad.
The wetland ecosystem is also home to and known as the breeding area of Philippine ducks, a vulnerable species as listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The Chinese egret, Common greenshank, and Black-winged stilts are also found here, along with 82 other wild bird species coming from as far as China, Japan, and Siberia.
Because of its location within the metropolis, the survival of the LPPCHEA nature reserve has been threatened by reclamation projects and poor solid waste management. Recently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) cancelled the environmental clearance certificate issued to contractors in 2011 because of the potential of their projects to harm the environment.
Villar, who has been at the forefront of the campaign for the conservation of the park, along with majority of Las Piñas residents, filed a petition before the Supreme Court to issue a Writ of Kalikasan to protect Manila Bay from reclamation.
To Villar, the petitioners, and experts, a proposed airport project in the area would cause flooding as high as eight meters in Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite. The destruction of the spawning hotspot of fingerlings, as a result of the project, will also deprive 300,000 poor fishermen of their livelihood.
Along with residents of surrounding communities, schools, and public and private organizations, Villar has been holding regular cleanup and tree-planting activities in the area.
She considers it a major victory when the DENR cancelled the ECC, which prompted reclamation proponents to abandon their projects on Manila Bay.
“With these challenges out of the way, we can now proceed with the realization of our vision to develop the park as a nature lover’s destination in Metro Manila,” Villar says. “The wetland park can be developed as an alternative destination to shopping malls and other airconditioned structures around the metropolis. This way, we can raise awareness on the value of the wetland park to flora and fauna and the surrounding communities.”
Villar also initiated the signing of a memorandum of agreement among the DENR, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the family’s foundation, the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG) for the development of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park at LPPCHEA.
Under the agreement, the DENR will allocate P10 million to build nature trails and board walk and install water and electricity in the area. TIEZA will give P45 million for the construction of facilities, such as the Wetland Center, bird hides, and view towers. Villar SIPAG will finance the construction of the visitors’ center.
The Wetland Center will house a wetland museum, a training center, an office for the DENR, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop.
The development of the wetland park has been designed by the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands as patterned after the Hong Kong Wetland Park, a popular tourist attraction 20 minutes away from the Hong Kong International Airport.
In October 2017, foreign delegates to the 12th Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS-COP12), the biggest international convention on wildlife, were treated to a tour and birding activity at the park. They were among the first visitors to use the newly built facilities that make visiting the park more convenient.
A visitors’ area built with funding from the Villar family is now in place. It serves as a drop-off point and gathering area of people visiting the park. A board walk and bird hides were also built around the area.
The legislator also envisions a river cruise coming from the Las Piñas-Zapote River to the wetland park.
“We need this place to supplement the school lessons of our students on wetland biodiversity, as well as raise support from tourists for wetland conservation,” Villar said.
NATURE'S STRONGHOLD Las Piñas Paranaque Wetland Park Pond
When we talk about wetland, which is defined by Merriam-Webster as land or areas such as marshes or swamps that are often covered with shallow water or have soil saturated with moisture, the images that come to mind are places in remote areas, and definitely not in cities.
So it may come as a surprise to many to know that Metro Manila is home to one of 2,301 sites in the world that are designated as “Wetlands of International Importance” and are protected under an international treaty called the Convention on Wetlands.
The international agreement, also called the Ramsar Convention and signed by 169 countries, provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.
KEEP NATURE ALIVE: Sen. Cynthia Villar leads the mangroove planting at Las Pinas Paranaque Wetland Park
The Philippines actually has seven sites that are included in the international list of protected wetlands, as follows:
- Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary in Mindanao, with a total area of 14,836 hectares
- Naujan Lake National Park in Oriental Mindoro, with 14,568 hectares
- Negros Occidental Coastal Wetlands Conservation Area in Negros Occidental, with 89,607.8 hectares
- Olango Island Wildlife Sanctuary in Cebu Province with 5,800 hectares
- Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park in Palawan, with 22,202 hectares
- Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Sulu Sea with 96,828 hectares
KEEP NATURE ALIVE: and Migratory Birds found here along with 82 other wild bird species coming from as far as China, Japan, and Siberia.
She is the prime mover in the development and conservation of the LPPCHEA. As chairperson of the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, she is passionate at making the site a model for environment conservation and learning in the country. Located in the south of Manila Bay, she wants the LPPCHEA to be a thriving wetland ecosystem where urban residents seeking a respite from the daily traffic jams, and polluted surroundings can commune with the wonders of nature, without having to travel far from home.
“We envision it to be the premier learning environment for urban wetlands in the Philippines. We are doing our best also to make it a model of sustainable eco-tourism and a living model of environment that will encourage people to be more aware and involved in the protection of migratory species and critical habitats,” says the diminutive senator, who is gaining popularity as a down-to-earth, hands-on, and no-holds barred lawmaker, always passionate in pursuing her advocacies and defending her position on any issue that comes her way.
Aside from the Ramsar Convention, the LPPCHEA is also a proclaimed critical habitat by virtue of Presidential Decree Nos. 1412 and 1412-A. It is a sanctuary to rare and migratory birds and diverse flora and marine species.
It is composed of two islands, Freedom Island in the Parañaque side, and Long Island in the Las Piñas side.
FLIGHT OF FANCY Las-Piñas Paranaque Wetland Park with different paintings of Migratory Birds
It has 30 hectares of mangrove forest, accepted as the thickest and most diverse in Manila Bay. To date, 11 species of mangroves can be found in the area. These are the bungalon, bakauan babae, bakauan bato, pototan, kolasi, pagatpat, banalo, tabigi, saging-saging, buta-buta, and nilad.
The wetland ecosystem is also home to and known as the breeding area of Philippine ducks, a vulnerable species as listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources. The Chinese egret, Common greenshank, and Black-winged stilts are also found here, along with 82 other wild bird species coming from as far as China, Japan, and Siberia.
Because of its location within the metropolis, the survival of the LPPCHEA nature reserve has been threatened by reclamation projects and poor solid waste management. Recently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) cancelled the environmental clearance certificate issued to contractors in 2011 because of the potential of their projects to harm the environment.
Villar, who has been at the forefront of the campaign for the conservation of the park, along with majority of Las Piñas residents, filed a petition before the Supreme Court to issue a Writ of Kalikasan to protect Manila Bay from reclamation.
To Villar, the petitioners, and experts, a proposed airport project in the area would cause flooding as high as eight meters in Parañaque, Las Piñas, and Cavite. The destruction of the spawning hotspot of fingerlings, as a result of the project, will also deprive 300,000 poor fishermen of their livelihood.
Along with residents of surrounding communities, schools, and public and private organizations, Villar has been holding regular cleanup and tree-planting activities in the area.
She considers it a major victory when the DENR cancelled the ECC, which prompted reclamation proponents to abandon their projects on Manila Bay.
“With these challenges out of the way, we can now proceed with the realization of our vision to develop the park as a nature lover’s destination in Metro Manila,” Villar says. “The wetland park can be developed as an alternative destination to shopping malls and other airconditioned structures around the metropolis. This way, we can raise awareness on the value of the wetland park to flora and fauna and the surrounding communities.”
Villar also initiated the signing of a memorandum of agreement among the DENR, Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), Department of Tourism (DOT), and the family’s foundation, the Villar Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance (SIPAG) for the development of the Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park at LPPCHEA.
Under the agreement, the DENR will allocate P10 million to build nature trails and board walk and install water and electricity in the area. TIEZA will give P45 million for the construction of facilities, such as the Wetland Center, bird hides, and view towers. Villar SIPAG will finance the construction of the visitors’ center.
The Wetland Center will house a wetland museum, a training center, an office for the DENR, a restaurant, and a souvenir shop.
The development of the wetland park has been designed by the Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands as patterned after the Hong Kong Wetland Park, a popular tourist attraction 20 minutes away from the Hong Kong International Airport.
In October 2017, foreign delegates to the 12th Session of the Conference of Parties to the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS-COP12), the biggest international convention on wildlife, were treated to a tour and birding activity at the park. They were among the first visitors to use the newly built facilities that make visiting the park more convenient.
A visitors’ area built with funding from the Villar family is now in place. It serves as a drop-off point and gathering area of people visiting the park. A board walk and bird hides were also built around the area.
The legislator also envisions a river cruise coming from the Las Piñas-Zapote River to the wetland park.
“We need this place to supplement the school lessons of our students on wetland biodiversity, as well as raise support from tourists for wetland conservation,” Villar said.