SUPORTADO ni Sen. Cynthia A. Villar ang panawagan sa pagdiriwang sa taon ito ng World Wetlands Celebration na gumawa ng aksyon para sa wetlands at apela na mag-invest ng financial, human at political capital upang mapigil ang pagkawala ng wetlands at maibalik ang mga nasira.

“In all candidness, this is no mean feat for a state like the Philippines to follow. With our country’s archipelagic nature, we have an abundant number of wetlands that call for much-needed attention,” ayon kay Villar, chairperson ng Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources.

Sa selebrasyon sa Las Piñas Parañaque Wetland Park (LPPWP) noong Feb. 22, iginiit ni Villar na taunang ipinagdiriwang ito ng United Nations para iangat ang public consciousness sa kahalagahan ng wetlands sa ecosystems dahil sa kontribusyon nito sa biodiversity, climate mitigation at adaptation, freshwater availability at sa ekonomiya.

Pinasalamatan niya ang LPPWP- Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) at ang mga partner nito gaya ng Society for the Conservation of Philippine Wetlands (SCPW), Asean Center for Biodiversity (ACB) at ang Philippine Wild Bird Club of the Philippines sa kanilang aktibong paglahok sa pagdiriwang na ito.

Sinabi ng senador na base sa 2016 Atlas of Philippine Inland Wetlands and Classified Caves, meron tayong 314 inland wetlands at 2,487 river systems. Sa 314 wetlands, may 221 lakes, 12 marshes at swamps, 9 peat lands, 39 water storage, at 31 ponds.

Subalit dismayado si Villar na may mga tao kahit na yaong nasa gobyerno na hindi naiintindihan ang kahalagahan ng wetlands.

“And what is even worse is that there are even people within the DENR who should know the significance of wetlands, yet have chosen to be ignorant of it,” giit ni Villar.

Partikular na tinukoy niya ang LPPWP na palagiang nanganganib sa kabila ng pagiging critical habitat, Wetland of International Importance at legislated na protected area sa ilalim ng Expanded NIPAS Act in 2018.

Ayon kay Villar, palaging may bantang masira ang LPPWP dahil sa mga reclamation project sa Parañaque at Cavite.

Kinastigo rin niya ang DENR- Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) sa pagbibigay ng Environmental Clearance Certificates sa mga reclamation projects.

Ginunita ni Villar noong nakaraang taon ang masaklap niyang karanasan nang hindi payagang makasali sa talakayan ng technical experts sa Paranaque reclamation project.

“I was simply told that I am not an allowed participant in the meeting. What was so annoying in the incident is that the EMB personnel presiding over the meeting was ignorant of the existence of the LPPWP- PAMB, the body I represent for the meeting, even when LPPWP PAMB was actually invited by EMB itself in that meeting,” pahayag ni Villar.

“I am ‘crushed’ that EMB has plainly adopted the position of the proponent on this ‘matter hook, line and sinker’ and no further discussion and independent studies were made,” sabi pa niya.

“This is just one of the sad realities we are confronted with in defending this piece of wetland and we have been through tougher times along the way,” dagdag pa ng senador na nangunguna sa pagtataguyod sa wetland park conservation sa loob ng dalawang dekada.

“Apart from the destructive effect to the wetland park, one of the issues I wish to point out to EMB is that the 286-hectare Paranaque reclamation project will obstruct the free flow of water coming from Paranaque River, which is connected to the Las Pinas River in my hometown,” sabi pa ni Villar.

Aniya, magdudulot ito ng matinding pagbaha sa Las Pinas, Paranaque at mga kalapit na lugar sa Cavite.

“LPPWP is a showcase of biodiversity conservation in Metro Manila and we envision it to be the premiere learning environment for urban wetlands in the Philippines as well. We are doing our best also to make it a model of sustainable eco-tourism at its best, while ensuring that its natural ecological attributes are not compromised.” (ESTONG REYES)