Enlarging green spaces
IT TOOK a question from Sister Josephine Bacaltos of the Good Shepherd Sisters to voice out what many of the attendees have been wondering all morning: With all of the ordinances which sought to preserve the environment, how had flood-prone Davao City reached this point? “I grew up here in 1946,” revealed Sister Jo, one of Davao’s stalwarts in gender advocacy. “And yet I cannot recognize it now; Davao is green but now it has become brown.” A few among the motley group of development workers, civic action groups and non-government organizations in the audience chuckled. It was a question that perhaps defined the whole event, the Green Forum, which was organized to commemorate World Environment Month last June. Green vs Brown Spaces Earlier that morning, Executive Director Dam Vertido of the Mindanao Land Foundation, had treated the participants to a timeline presentation of Davao City’s urban spaces. “This is Davao through the years,” he said as he presented old photos of the municipal park in front of the SP, the Acacia intersection, and the campuses of Holy Cross and Ateneo. He pointed out that because of expanding population and urban transport, the city has been enlarging common spaces by cutting down trees and concretizing pavements resulting in the modern sprawl that is today’s Davao City. Such development characterizes the battle between green and brown spaces, he said. “Open spaces and easements have to be sacrificed in favor of the more pressing need to provide urban spaces for the city population,” Vertido said. A similar situation exists in the uplands. In her own presentation, Interface Development Interventions Policy Specialist Chinkie Pelino pointed out that the absence of properly delineated and demarcated areas set aside for conservation and protection had allowed monocrop plantations to gain a foothold in identified water recharge areas. “We need to manage our upland resources responsibly and sustainably because this will have an effect downstream. The health of our urban and coastal ecosystems is inextricably tied into the ecology of the uplands,” she said. Dr. Ruth Gamboa, from the University of the Philippines in Mindanao, agreed. “More than half of the damage in the coral reefs comes from land based activities,” she said. “Therefore a ridge to reef approach in managing our resources must be implemented to address these problems.” Green Solutions Coming from the recent intensive lobbying which resulted in the passage of a more environment-friendly City Zoning Ordinance, forum participants were understandably eager to plan the next steps in their collective vision for a Green Davao. The afternoon workshops yielded a lot of recommendations: the Upland Ecosystem Working Group recommended the streamlining of conflicting guidelines in the implementation of national laws and local ordinances protecting the environment, citing the implementation of buffer zones as an example; the Urban Ecosystem Working Group suggested the relocation of settlements located in danger zone areas and the establishment of greenbelts along river easements to help mitigate flooding, as well as the widespread adoption of rainwater harvesting among the populace; the Coastal Ecosystem Working Group, meanwhile, pushed for community based rehabilitation and management of mangroves and the strict enforcement of the Fisheries Code, putting emphasis on a vigilant Bantay Dagat to protect local fish stocks. A common thread was highlighted among these recommendations – the need for more widespread Information and Education Campaign, interwoven with sustained lobbying at the City, so that these changes can take root and the dream of a Green Davao will bear fruit. “Dabawenyos already know what they want now and in the future. Gusto nila yung meeting our resources without compromising the capability of the future generations to meet their own need. Maybe the next question is how to translate this awareness into something significant and with high impact activities,” Dr. Gamboa said. Next Steps For Vertido, as he sought to answer Sister Jo’s question, the fight does not end with the passage of the amended Zoning Ordinance. “Like many past ordinances, unless it is linked to the development plan of the city and complied with, it can only be fleeting. CLUP compliances have to be supported by civil society,” he said. Ellada “We need to follow it through, and this is where (CSOs) can do better. Don’t stop at the passage of the ordinance, the best evidence is the availability of the budget and the use of the revenue,” Vertido added. Councilor Leonardo R. Avila III, who was also at the forum, agreed. “CSOs play a great role because we can’t leave this to officials. People-legislators will always respond to the call for a specific brand of legislation so if CSOs come together to clamor for a sustainable Davao City, then it can happen,” he said. (SUNSTAR DAVAO)
Land use plan gets final council nod
AS EXPECTED, the Davao City Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Clup) got the final approval by the City Council Monday afternoon. The council passed the measure on third and final reading, with the title “An ordinance approving and adopting the zoning ordinance of Davao City for 2013-2022, incorporating as integral part thereof, Volume 1, which is the Clup, and volume 3, which is the sectoral studies.” It garnered 23 votes from all the council members who were present Monday. Councilor Melchor Quitain was the presiding officer. Incoming Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was on vacation leave, while Councilors Karlo Bello and Paolo Duterte were on official business. Councilor Bernard Al-ag failed to vote because he arrived late. Meanwhile, around 100 environment advocates broke into cheers as the ordinance was finally approved. The amendments included the declaration of conservation zones and the establishment of buffer zones between conflicting zones like commercial and residential zones or industrial and agricultural zones. A minimum of 10 meters of buffer zone planted with trees is mandated in this amended Clup. “In behalf of the civil society who actively and substantially provided inputs in the drafting of the revisions to the Clup, we would like to thank the councilors for approving the ordinance after so many deliberations,” said Idis Executive Director Ann Fuertes. Despite some last minute fears of an intense lobby by subdivision developers against the proposed zoning of Shrine Hills into an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone, the ordinance was quickly approved by all the councilors present. It was their first agenda on this last day of their council session. Fuertes, however, said that while this is a victory for the advocates of the Green Davao vision, there are still lots of work to be done. Also included in the amended Clup is the addition of the Water Resource Areas, as well as the declaration of Marine Protected Areas in the city. The zoning ordinance also provides the no-reclassification policy within five years for all areas identified under general zone (agriculture, conservation, water resource, and non-tillage) and three years for sub-urban zone (residential, industrial and commercial). However, should property developers want to reclassify a zone that has been approved under the Clup, they would need at least 75 percent or 21 votes of the City Council. The city’s Water Resource Zone has also been mapped out. The special use permit already issued to two memorial parks that are to be built in identified Water Resource Zone in the city may also be revoked “subject to the requirement of due process of law and when public interest so requires.” “The next challenge is to sustain the engagement of the civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the ordinance. We won’t expect it to be easy but then as long as we are all united in seeing through our vision of a Green Davao City, the challenges will be surmountable,” Fuentes said. (Ara Casas, Sunstar Davao)
Shrine Hills now a protected zone
ENVIRONMENTALISTS participating in the revisions of Davao City’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan (Clup) welcomed the City Council’s decision to protect Shrine Hills from further urbanization by designating it as a protected zone. Idis policy advocacy specialist Chinkie Pelino lauded the move as a “strong exercise of political will” as the City Council in a special session last Thursday moved to declare Shrine Hills as an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone. “What this means is that further subdivision development will be prohibited along the hilly terrain in order to protect its ecological value as the city’s nearest green park,” she said. The City Council has zeroed in on the proposed Clup, conducting several special sessions, and prioritizing contentious issues on the proposed updated zoning ordinance. The council considered the item on proposed Clup vital, discussing it effectively by holding special sessions during the first two weeks of June. Among the controversial issues settled during the special sessions were declaring Shrine Hills as protected zone and not double low density residential zone as proposed earlier; and the possibility of revoking the special use permit already issued to two memorial parks that are to be built in identified Water Resource Zone in the city. Councilor Arnulfo Cabling said these were the two “opposing issues” under volume 2 (proposed Updated Zoning Ordinance). The possible revocation of the two memorial parks with special use permit issued was agreed on June 10, leading to the rewording of the Section 7.3 of the proposed ordinance as: “Subject to the requirement of due process of law and when public interest so requires, special use permit granted for cemeteries and memorial parks or areas within the water resource zone as provided within may be recalled and revoked.” The Shrine Hills issue, on the other hand, was also settled on June 13. On Tuesday afternoon (June 18), the City Council will tackle anew the proposed Clup embodying the updated Sectoral and Land Use Plans of the city and the draft updated zoning ordinance. Cabling earlier said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has certified it as urgent in order for the City Council to approve the measure before her term ends. Pelino, who attended the council session on the Clup amendments, also said that the City Council had agreed that upon the approval of the amendments to the zoning ordinance, all existing subdivision projects and structures at Shrine Hills will be declared “existing but non-conforming.” Under the amended Clup, the Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-zone is defined as “areas intended for massive greening program for ecological enhancement in major urban zone as precautionary and pro-active approach to climate change adaptation and part of risk reduction management against flooding,” particularly in areas prone to landslides. A previous Mines and Geosciences Bureau study has identified some portions of Shrine Hills as highly susceptible to landslides and flooding. Because of these amendments, all the Preliminary Approval on Locational Clearances (Palcs), which were granted to the high class subdivisions currently being developed in the area, will be revoked. “Only climate mitigating and adapting development will be allowed in the area, subject to the approval of City Council and based on the guidelines that will be developed by the City Engineer’s Office,” Pelino said. Despite the early victory, environmentalists are still keeping their fingers crossed as a lot can still happen during the days leading to Tuesday’s regular session, when the council is expected to adopt the amendments during the second reading of the proposed ordinance. Idis executive director Ann Fuertes called on Dabawenyos to show their support for the ordinance, adopting the amendments to the Clup. “Now more than ever, we need to support this city’s development direction by showing up at the SP (City Council) session and help push for the approval of this ordinance,” she said. Once the ordinance is passed and the amendments adopted, Fuertes said green groups are looking forward to a participatory and multi-sectoral approach in developing Shrine Hills into a green park. (Arianne Caryl Casas, Sunstar Davao)
Davao reefs in ‘dismal state’
DAVAO CITY — Silt coming from the deforested upland slopes along Davao’s watershed areas is putting the coastal biodiversity in peril, according to a watershed profile study commissioned by the Interface Development Interventions (Idis). In a statement emailed to Sun.Star Davao, Idis said siltation, previous blast fishing, and wave action have been identified as the reasons why the reefs of the seven coastal barangays belonging to the Talomo-Lipadas and Panigan-Tamugan watershed system are in a “dismal state.” “Based on the documents we have reviewed for this study, the coastal resources of these communities, particularly in five of them, is in poor condition,” said Philippine Eagle Foundation (Pefi) Conservation Director Jayson Ybanez, who presented the study at the Ateneo de Davao University last month. The communities identified were Bago Aplaya, Binugao, Daliao, Lizada, and Sirawan in Toril District. Idis commissioned Pefi, led by Ybanez as the lead researcher, to conduct the Resource and Socio-Economic Profile for the Talomo-Lipadas and Panigan-Tamugan watersheds. Funding for this study was made possible through a grant from the United States Agency for International Aid (USAid) under the Foundation for the Philippine Environment’s Upscaling Forest Reforestation Efforts in Key Biodiversity Areas Project. Other than the coral reefs, Ybanez also said that the area’s mangrove habitats, which used to be dense, are also disappearing. “The earliest data we have is from 1956, when there used to be 154 hectares of mangrove forests. In 2001, this was reduced to 51 hectares,” he said. The threats to these habitats are alarming since it leads to loss of species diversity. Ybanez’s research team has already documented at least two threatened species of mangrove trees. “These two are locally known as Tiduk-tidukan and Piapi,” Ybanez said. The survey team was also able to document the existence of five species of pawikan, which are now classified as “threatened species” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. These are the Hawksbill, Olive Ridley, Loggerhead, Leatherback and Green Sea turtles. Idis Executive Director Ann Fuertes said that this situation underscores how extensive the impact of the watersheds is for Dabawenyos. “Because watersheds catch the rain and send it out to the sea together with the accumulated soil, pesticides, garbage and other pollutants, they are good focal points for sustainably managing our city’s coastal resources,” she said. “What we are seeing now is that there is a direct causal linkage between the threats to the upland and marine environments. If there is deforestation in our watersheds, the silt will come down and destroy the corals and mangroves on which our fisheries depend on. Toxic pesticides in the run-off will kill the marine biodiversity which is present in our waters, she added. “Given this scenario, it is imperative to address these linkages and the root causes in a sustainable and comprehensive manner at the socio-economic and policy level so that we can protect and restore what is left of these ecosystems,” Fuertes said. (Arianne Caryl N. Casas- SunStar Davao/Sunnex)
Animals, some rare, now threatened by poisonous chemicals in Davao watersheds
Davao City – A team of wildlife researchers from the Philippine Eagle Foundation, Inc. (PEF) has found that the remnant of lowland dipterocarp forests in the Talomo-Lipadas and Panigan-Tamugan (TL-PT) Watersheds, the current and future source of Davao’s drinking water, is the habitat of some twenty eight species that can only be found in the Philippines. “We were able to document 171 vertebrate species, 28 of which are endemic to the Philippines”, said lead researcher PEF Conservation Director Jayson Ybanez who presented the study at the Ateneo de Davao University last April 15, 2013. The survey is part of the TL-PT Watershed Resource and Socio-Economic Profile, which aims to provide technical information to help stakeholders identify and plan the most cost effective way to protect and manage the watersheds. The study revealed that the TL-PT Watersheds is home to the Philippine eagle, the Tarictic hornbill, the rare Mindanao montane racquet tail, the Mindanao scops forest owl, the Mindanao fruit bat, the Philippine flying lemur and the Philippine pygmy squirrel. The team also observed at least two critically endangered tree species as classified by the IUCN. These are the White miranti and the Tanguile species. The Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (IDIS) which commissioned the study under a grant from the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) said that the findings underscore the importance of the TL-PT watersheds. “The richness of the biodiversity in the remaining forest cover of the watersheds should impel every Dabawenyo to protect the watersheds. As reservoirs of biodiversity, these forests are essential to the survival of our endemic species.”, said IDIS Executive Director Ann Fuertes. However, unsustainable agriculture, illegal logging and population pressure continue to threaten these fragile habitats and may force twenty eight of these species into extinction, according to the report. “One of the threats that we found out is that slowly, banana plantations and farms are slowly encroaching towards the forest, even in areas which are considered environmentally critical areas as defined in the Watershed Code.”, said Ybanez. In addition, with only the Malagos watershed as the sole remaining lowland forest that can support these species, it may take some time before the current reforestation initiatives bear fruit and allow these species to thrive again in the watersheds. The proponents of the research urge that a more holistic and inclusive approach should be undertaken in order to conserve the remaining species and habitats and to sustainably rehabilitate the deforested slopes. This include the use of convergence-building efforts which promote open, participative and effective processes in addressing issues of conservation and resource management. “Adaptive management would be a good scheme, wherein interventions are considered experiments where you refine your way of doing conservation and through that, all of your partners learn through doing.”, said Ybanez. ( MINDANAO DAILY MIRROR)
Plant, animal species at risk in Davao watershed areas
DAVAO CITY — Twenty-eight species of plants and animals inhabiting forested areas in the city limits — particularly those in Talomo-Lipadas and Panigan-Tamugan watersheds — remain at risk due to deforestation, an environmental group said. In time for yesterday’s Earth Day observance, the Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (IDIS) has renewed its call for the conservation of watershed areas. The 28 species under threat were identified through a survey and study commissioned by IDIS to the Philippine Eagle Foundation under a grant from the Foundation for the Philippine Environment with a budget of P750,000. Based on the survey, dipterocarp forest of hardwood and tropical trees are the most threatened as the areas examined continue to attract illegal loggers and small farmers. The study also showed that watershed areas are now penetrated by plantations that resulted in the discovery of banned and harmful pesticides. According to the study, the researchers recommended an integrated approach that include achieving clear biodiversity conservation results and utilizing systematic monitoring strategies. It also recommended the tapping of the community-based residents and natives as primary stakeholders to insure inclusion of indigenous communities in watershed management initiatives. The Talomo-Lipadas and the Panigan-Tamugan watersheds are the chief sources of water for this city’s 1.5 million dwellers. While water supply in the city has remained adequate, both civil society and the Davao City Water District have expressed concern on water quality in the near and medium terms. Mary Ann V. Fuertes, IDIS executive director, said the study was presented last week to the Environmental Management Bureau, the city council’s committee on health, schools, and other civil society groups. “This is to highlight or a call for reflection on what we have done to nature. Watersheds are under threat and there is a need for immediate action for a long-term and sustainable management plan for our watersheds,” she said. (Maya M. Padillo, BusinessWorld)