Protecting the environment is everyone’s obligation – Cocoy Abbas

PENRO Abbas briefs participants to the Lanao del Sur environment consultation meeting. TNRS Photo by Alan Amantiad

By PHIL PA-ALAN and ALAN AMANTIAD 

Marawi City, Philippines

June 20, 2016

“Protecting the environment and natural resources is an obligation of everyone as this is a God-given trust to us,” according to Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) Cosain Abbas of DENR-Lanao del Sur when he briefed the guests and participants of the status of Lanao del Sur Environment and Natural Resources through power point presentation last June 20. 

Abbas said he believed we will be asked in the hereafter if we perform our role in protecting the environment as he discussed the dwindling forest lands and forest covers.

The environment provincial director said as of 2010, Lanao del Sur had some 83,835 hectares of closed (canopy) forest and 78,559 hectares of opened (canopy) forest.

He said the decrease in forest cover is mainly due to conversion of forest lands into agricultural lands; other land use like settlements; timber poaching; and mangrove forest (458 hectares) are not attended. He said DENR-ARMM has reforested around 928 hectares under the NGP and BUB/BFP since 2012.

PENRO Abbas also cited the Poor Solid Waste Management caused by several factors such as improper segregation of wastes at the household level; poor waste collection; open waste dumpsite is prohibited (RA 9003); sanitary landfill is required; absence of material recovery facility (MRF) at all levels; community cooperation is wanting; solid wastes are water pollutants; methane (green house gas) causes global warming; solid waste management is LGUs responsibility, DENRs’ role is monitoring.

He also mentioned about air pollution and water pollution.

He said Lake Lanao water is now classified Class “A” which means that the water is potable after undergoing purification (at least boiled).

He added that Lake Lanao is not under the jurisdiction of DENR-ARMM. He said uncontrolled waste disposal into water bodies (lakes and rivers) contributes to water pollution. TNRS