MANILA, Philippines — President Marcos has urged Filipinos to protect and preserve the country’s maritime and archipelagic resources at the height of tensions in the disputed waters and diminishing coasts in the country.
“Our country is fortunate and blessed with vast maritime and archipelagic resources that can be utilized for the benefit of our people. As stewards of this incredible gift, it is incumbent upon us to preserve and develop these resources to their fullest potential,” Marcos said in his video message for the Maritime and Archipelagic Awareness Month on Monday.
His message came just days after another incident of ramming between the Chinese and Philippine Coast Guards was reported. According to authorities, it was China who “deliberately rammed and collided” with the BRP Teresa Magbanua three times in the West Philippine Sea.
This caused damage to its bridge wing and freeboard.
President Marcos said that the celebration of Maritime and Archipelagic Awareness Month serves as a powerful call to action, urging everyone to raise awareness and actively participate in safeguarding our maritime interests and resources.
“This year’s celebration of MANA Mo is a clarion call to raise greater consciousness on maritime and archipelagic concerns as well as to engage our people in protecting our maritime interests and resources from various threats,” he said.
Diminishing maritime wealth
The University of the Philippines — Diliman Marine Science Institute reported in August that several islands in the West Philippine Sea are losing its lands due to the “overwhelming” sea-level rise
Over the past 20 years, Pag-asa Island has been losing 1,500 square meters of land annually, making it the most eroded among the islands studied. Researcher Anne Drew Carillo attributes this to man-made structures jutting out from the coastline.
The other islands are also losing land, though at a slower rate. Lawak loses 440 square meters a year, Likas loses 740 square meters, and Kota loses 410 square meters.
For such small islands, it said, these losses are significant. Besides rising sea levels due to global warming, these islands are also sinking naturally as atolls.
In contrast, Parola Island has gained land. Dr. Fernando Siringan said that this was due to destructive human activities that unintentionally released sand from the reef flat.
While the land gain might seem like a good thing, it has harmed local biodiversity. Coral reefs were destroyed, forcing fish and other marine life out of their habitats, which hurt local fisheries. Additionally, the land gain is only temporary, the study said.
According to the researchers, losing the corals makes Parola more at risk of future coastal erosion.
“If the area of human activity-damaged sites off Parola is not reoccupied by corals, then a shift to a more erosional state will take place,” project researcher Jeffrey Munar said.
Dr. Siringan likewise said that the Philippine government needs to restore the coast since healthy coral reefs will help protect against waves and provide sediment.
