AN expert has suggested for continuous monitoring of the country’s territory in the West Philippine Sea (WPS) to prevent environmental degradation.
In a news forum in Quezon City on Saturday, Dr. Jonathan Anticamara of the University of the Philippines Institute of Biology also called on the government to build cases against those destroying the environment.
“I think na ang pinakamahalaga para sa akin ay talagang i-monitor natin ito. Bantayan natin at manmanan, kasi nga ang dami nating hindi alam, to be able to establish iyong kung ano nangyari, anong katotohanan,” Dr. Anticamara said.
“Iyon nga, na andoon natin dapat chine-check natin maya’t maya. Otherwise, andito tayo hula tayo ng hula,” he said. “So, therefore kung gusto natin maging 100 percent sure tayo kailangan natin ng maraming ebidensiya, kailangan natin mag-monitor magmanman,” he said.
Anticamara earlier said a research and survey conducted by a group of marine scientists have observed extensive coral bleaching in the Escoda (Sabina) Shoal.
He made the remarks when asked about the bar or standard on the conduct of survey and research, which have to be fact-based, science-based and reasonable. The biologist said monitoring could shed light on questions on environmental impact and reclaiming efforts.
According to Anticamara, the cause of destruction and over exploitation in the WPS is the presence of thousands of Chinese fishing vessels that started to appear in 2013.
“Explicit instruction ni Xi Jinping, mangisda kayo doon sa South (China Sea) kung saan sila dati wala. Ayan iyong ginagawa nilang reclamation noong 2014. Wala silang pakialam sa pagkakasira,” the expert said.
“Sa ngayon iyong ginagawa nila ng mga militia na iyan. Pinapatauhan nila binabantayan nila. Iyong pag anchor noong lahat mga militia vessel na iyon nakakawasak ng coral iyon kasi doon a-angkla iyon sa coral, ‘di sira iyong immediate impact area noong anchor. Tapos, tanikala noong anchor habang nakalutang siyempre iyong barko, umiikot iyan kinakaladkad din iyong coral sa ilalim parang inaararo iyan, so damage na naman iyan.” he said.
Also, the ships anchored closely together block the sunlight needed by the corals, resulting in their gradual death and destruction.
The Chinese do not care about environmental sensitivities, said Anticamara, noting their practice is so destructive.
