Statement of Solidarity for Mother Earth

On the occasion of the coming International Earth Day, I am reprinting herewith a Statement of Solidarity I penned for Balangaw, the official publication of Responsible Stewards of the Earth, Inc. RSE, Inc. was an environmental group I co-founded way back in 1997 in Bicol. It pursued the mission of being true to its name: to spread the gospel of true and responsible stewardship of the earth. The organization was, however, very unfortunately infiltrated by traditional politicians. We decided to fold tent because of that (a sad story and a very sad experience but a very good eye-opener for me, especially on how this cursed species called traditional politicians devilishly boombazzle almost every well-meaning project that manages to break ground in this part of the globe).

The facts mentioned in the Statement were based on data available in 1997. They may most probably be worse today as evidenced by the fact that we find the earth today no better, in fact objectively worse, than in 1997. The call, however, remains and indeed becomes more pressing by the day:

Unite to save our mother earth!

Statement of Solidarity

International Earth Day

April 22

“And the Lord God took man, and put him into the paradise of pleasure, to dress it, and to keep it.”

- Genesis 2:15

With the advent of the industrial, scientific, cultural and technological revolutions, the cravings of man for a more sophisticated and luxurious life has become so intense that he soon forgets his responsibilities, and the need to maintain a balance between his desires and his resources, as well as the effects of his mundane explorations. Amid the gigantic tumult of a changing environment, amid the bedlam and furor of voices, amid the thundering throes and agony of the oppressed and the victims of poverty, man is undoubtedly digging his own grave, as he continuously permits the ruts and quagmires of an ecological imbalance, the irresponsible stewardship of the natural resources, and the improper utilization of the wealth and wonders of a vast world.

To date, deforestation alone is occurring in a massive scale, happening largely among the 3,000 mile-wide belt of tropical forest which stretches around the world. No amount of reforestation to date, can keep up deforestation. It is proceeding at a calculated rate of 50 acres per minute – over 72,000 acres every day – more than 25 million acres every year! It is estimated that by the year 2,000, the world will be consuming an estimated 300 million cubic meters of hardwood. Only one third of the existing forest will be left.

In the Philippines, much closer to our homes, out the original 30 million hectares of trees, only 900,000 hectares of virgin dipterocarp forest remain. At the present rate of cutting, this could disappear within 7 to 12 years.

Lately, the government’s attempts to lift the ban on export of lumber in compliance with the demands and pressure of the IMF only emphasized the zero commitment of the administration to environmental protection and further displayed how the government plays the role of an accomplice to the rape of our forests and to the murder of our nation. FAO records show that over the last 25 years, we sold over 101.6 million cubic meters of prime logs abroad, subsidizing developed countries with cheap timber.

Other environmental concerns in our country are equally alarming. 17% of over 5 million hectares of arable land has been badly degraded. Over 70% of our coral reefs are ravaged, mostly through blastfishing, poison and sedimentation. Between 1920 and 1988, Philippine mangroves, one of the most productive and biologically diverse wetlands, were stripped by over 462,000 hectares. Only 38,000 hectares remain today, leaving our coastal zones ecologically brittle. Half of our endemic forest flora, with irreplaceable genetic building blocks, is now gone, with the actual figure probably higher. The same is true of our wildlife.

The call, the challenge, indeed the demand, is very clear: the consolidation of man’s efforts and potentials to counteract the rising tide of the present ecological maladies in order to save the world, humankind, and to prepare ourselves for the years to come.

We, therefore, heeding the call of the Almighty Creator to become His responsible stewards of the earth, and through our demonstrated efforts and dedication, do solemnly pledge to:

1. Encourage every individual who believes in the Almighty Creator to live – in thoughts, in words and in deeds – as responsible stewards of the earth;
2. Help preserve nature by personally initiating and actively participating in environmental protection and development activities;
3. Contribute our share in saving wildlife, wildlands and the natural environment, whether in our homes and front yards or at the national level;
4. Be ever vigilant never to give up the future well-being of our children and of the generations-to-come for destructive technological and scientific practices today that are marginal at best and ephemeral at worst;
5. Never to allow a species’ extinction or decimation as a result of greed, ignorance, political ambitions, or just poor judgment.

Signed:

Kiko Gacias; Bishop Jesus Y. Varela, DD
Roni Gile; Msgr. Francisco P. Monje
Melchor Baliatan
Dines Gile; Plus: Hundreds of other signatories