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Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider Legarda: China caused P35-B worth of environmental damage due to its reclamation activities in WPS

Legarda: China caused P35-B worth of environmental damage due to its reclamation activities in WPS

Published Oct 11, 2022 04:25 pm

The environmental damage caused by China to Philippine marine life due to its reclamation activities in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) reached P35-billion.

This was revealed by Senator Loren Legarda during today’s public hearing by the Senate finance sub-committee B chaired by Senator Cynthia A. Villar on the proposed 2023 P23-billion budget of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

The figure cited by Legarda probably came from the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) which recently asked for a closed door meeting with senators on sensitive national security issues.

Legarda said the estimated environmental damage was caused by the reclamation and other maritime activities by China in the WPS.

NICA figures also showed that China’s maritime activities caused a decrease in fish production valued at P20.4 billion or 7.2 million kilos of fish.

‘’You don’t know that,’’ Legarda told DENR Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo Loyzaga.

Loyzaga conceded that these figures did not come from DENR as ‘’we are still undertaking studies and evaluating.’’

‘’We have undertaken marine scientific research and supported expeditions to the WPS from 2017 to 2021,’’ she said.

Yulo said there is a pending proposal to the Office of the President to declare the Pagasa island in the Eastern Kalayaan island group a marine protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) but because of security concerns it is being deliberated at the National Security Council.

‘’It is still pending at the Office of the President,’’ she added.

Legarda, a well-known environmentalist, also sought the assurance of the DENR on the protection of the country’s ecosystem and biodiversity.

“It is important to balance livelihood which is generated by sustainable and responsible mining. At the same time, the conservation and preservation of degraded areas so that to the best extent possible through nature-based solution, we will be able to restore it in order that the local communities do not suffer from the degradation of extraction from the land which was mined,” she said.

In response, Loyzaga assured that the department under her leadership would do its best to protect and preserve the environment and natural resources of the country.

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