Confronting the eCologiCAl Crisis - A situationer on Philippine environmental issues and struggles

The objectives of this paper are: 1.) To relay updates about the Philippine environmental situation that affects the lives of grassroots communities and the most vulnerable social sectors in the country 2.) To show the link between environmental, human rights, and other developmental issues 3.) To affirm that the struggle to protect and defend the Philippine environment is foremost an issue of adv. [...] It plate in the West and the Philippine Sea Plate in the East, the Philippines lies within the tectonic boundaries of the Manila and Philippine trenches. [...] In this area lies the verde Island Passage corridor, encompassing the provinces of Batangas, Mindoro, Marinduque and romblon, which contains the greatest concentration of marine species in the plant and is known as the “center of the center of marine biodiversity.” The total number of Philippine fish species (for both marine and freshwater ecosystems) currently estimated at more than 3,000 species. [...] From 2004 to 2010, the agriculture and fisheries sectors contributed an average of 18.4% to the country’s gross domestic product (gDP), although this figure is declining.4 The country is one of the largest exporters of coconut oil and sugar worldwide, though this has declined over the years due to the development of substitutes and the increase in number of other exporting countries. [...] The country’s marine and coastal resources are considered the richest worldwide, yet the fisherfolks sector remains among the poorest of the poor in the archipelago.