essay about natural resources of the philippines

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12 Environment and Natural Resources

• Published: March 2003
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Discusses the state of the Philippine environment by studying the trends of available data on environmental quality and natural resource degradation, and comparing them with those of other Asian countries. It then presents a brief review of theoretical links among environment quality, resource depletion, and development strategies and outcomes, considering Philippine data in light of this theory. Recent economic trends and policy initiatives affecting the environment and development are discussed, and simulation results indicating likely trends in economic and environmental variables under alternative policy regimes are presented. The chapter concludes with what past experience and current trends might indicate for the future of the Philippine environment.

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Managing the use of natural resources: how ecosystem accounts helped in the Philippines

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The Philippine Seas: Biodiversity and Ecological Impacts of Natural and Anthropogenic stressors in Tropical Reef Systems

Original Research 11 November 2022 Sea surface carbonate dynamics at reefs of Bolinao, Philippines: Seasonal variation and fish mariculture-induced forcing Raffi R. Isah ,  1 more  and  Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone 3,999 views 2 citations

Retraction 21 April 2022 Retraction: Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Expressed Gene Complement and Acute Thermal Stress Response of Acropora digitifera Endosymbionts Frontiers Editorial Office 842 views 0 citations

Original Research 24 February 2022 Restriction Site-Associated DNA Sequencing Reveals Local Adaptation Despite High Levels of Gene Flow in Sardinella lemuru (Bleeker, 1853) Along the Northern Coast of Mindanao, Philippines Kevin Labrador ,  3 more  and  Ma. Josefa Pante 2,617 views 2 citations

Loading... Original Research 17 February 2022 A Snapshot on the Distribution of Coastal Phytoplankton Communities in Five HAB-Affected Bays in Eastern Visayas, Philippines Stephanie Faith Ravelo ,  5 more  and  Marietta B. Albina 10,443 views 1 citations

Loading... Original Research 04 February 2022 Global Mass Spectrometric Analysis Reveals Chemical Diversity of Secondary Metabolites and 44-Methylgambierone Production in Philippine Gambierdiscus Strains Zabrina Bernice L. Malto ,  5 more  and  Lilibeth A. Salvador-Reyes 3,473 views 5 citations

Original Research 27 January 2022 Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Expressed Gene Complement and Acute Thermal Stress Response of Acropora digitifera Endosymbionts Stephanie Faith Ravelo ,  1 more  and  Cecilia Conaco 2,243 views 1 citations

Original Research 25 January 2022 Nearshore to Offshore Trends in Plankton Assemblage and Stable Isotopes in Reefs of the West Philippine Sea Aletta T. Yñiguez ,  3 more  and  Gil S. Jacinto 3,414 views 0 citations

Loading... Original Research 06 January 2022 Spatial and Short-Term Temporal Patterns of Octocoral Assemblages in the West Philippine Sea Jue Alef A. Lalas ,  7 more  and  Maria Vanessa Baria-Rodriguez 3,443 views 4 citations

Loading... Original Research 26 October 2021 Implications of Community-Based Management of Marine Reserves in the Philippines for Reef Fish Communities and Biodiversity Sara E. Marriott ,  4 more  and  Kim de Mutsert 10,523 views 3 citations

Loading... Original Research 20 October 2021 Zooxanthellae Diversity and Coral-Symbiont Associations in the Philippine Archipelago: Specificity and Adaptability Across Thermal Gradients Andrew F. Torres ,  1 more  and  Rachel Ravago-Gotanco 8,925 views 7 citations

Loading... Original Research 18 October 2021 First Evidence of Cryptic Species Diversity and Population Structuring of Selaroides leptolepis in the Tropical Western Pacific Lorenzo C. Halasan ,  1 more  and  Hsiu-Chin Lin 3,654 views 7 citations

Loading... Original Research 06 October 2021 Spatial Planning Insights for Philippine Coral Reef Conservation Using Larval Connectivity Networks Patrick R. Pata  and  Aletta T. Yñiguez 8,133 views 8 citations

Original Research 09 September 2021 Individual and Interactive Effects of Ocean Warming and Acidification on Adult Favites colemani Mikhael Clotilde S. Tañedo ,  3 more  and  Maria Lourdes San Diego-McGlone 5,081 views 0 citations

Loading... Original Research 18 August 2021 Through the Boundaries: Environmental Factors Affecting Reef Benthic Cover in Marine Protected Areas in the Philippines Fleurdeliz M. Panga ,  3 more  and  Porfirio M. Aliño 17,347 views 4 citations

Publication: Governance of Natural Resources in the Philippines : Lessons from the Past, Directions for the Future

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Environment

Millions of Filipinos rely on agriculture, forestry, and fisheries for their livelihoods, but frequent natural disasters, ineffective management, and lapses in environmental law enforcement threaten these critical natural resources. Water and air pollution levels exceed generally accepted health standards; and greenhouse gas emissions are increasing from rapid urbanization, land conversion, mismanaged plastic waste, and increased demands on the transport and power sectors. These drivers, coupled with the country’s location in the Pacific, make the Philippines consistently rank as one of the world’s most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and natural disasters.

The U.S. government has a strong, decades-long partnership with the government of the Philippines on environmental conservation. Through USAID, the United States partners with the Philippines to protect the Philippines’ vast natural resources, promote water and energy security, support the country’s low carbon transition, combat illegal and exploitative fishing practices, and reduce vulnerability to climate change impacts and natural disasters.

Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO)

The Philippines is among the largest contributors to global ocean plastic pollution. The country generates an estimated 2.7 million tons of plastic waste each year, with approximately 20 percent ending up in the ocean. Clean Cities, Blue Ocean (CCBO) is USAID’s flagship program to address the global crisis of ocean plastic pollution. CCBO works in 10 countries to reduce ocean plastic pollution directly at its source by strengthening waste management systems and building circular economies, city by city. In the Philippines, CCBO (buy-in) helps develop, test, and implement new models that promote the 3Rs (reduce, reuse, recycle) and enhance solid waste management; facilitate partnerships and investment around key needs such as infrastructure; and strengthen local systems to build the Philippines’ resiliency. CCBO is piloting solutions to stop the flow of plastic pollution into the waters within and surrounding the country, including several of the most problematic areas. The project is working with partners to design and implement holistic strategies that address each step in the waste value chain—from production to its end use—prioritizing the most inclusive, economically viable, and environmentally sustainable solutions.

Climate Resilient Cities (CRC)

The Philippines, one of the fastest urbanizing countries in the East Asia and Pacific Region, is among the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of climate change, ranking first in the 2022 World Risk Index. Climate Resilient Cities (CRC) advances resilience by helping Philippine cities adapt to, mitigate, and manage the impacts of climate change and disasters. Project activities focus on enhancing the cities’ capacity to understand, use, and communicate climate data – including vulnerability and risk data; improving the cities’ abilities to access and manage climate financing; and enabling cities to implement or upscale innovative, nature-based solutions to conserve, restore, or sustainably manage the environment. The project works with various stakeholders such the national and local governments, non-governmental organizations, academia, and the private sector. Under a donor to donor agreement, the Korea International Cooperation Agency buys-in to the CRC activity.

Energy Secure Philippines (ESP)

Energy Secure Philippines (ESP) supports the Philippine Department of Energy and the Energy Regulatory Commission in advancing clean energy as envisioned in the Philippine Energy Plan for 2040, the core of which is centered on the pillars of ensuring energy security, expanding energy access, and promoting a low-carbon future through multi-stakeholder support and engagement. Working with the government and private sector, the project aims to mobilize at least $750 million of private investments into the energy sector and at least 500 MW of additional electricity generating capacity. ESP helps improve the operational performance of select electric distribution utilities, as well as support their financial viability and strengthen resilience against shocks and stresses, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The project also supports the increased deployment of advanced energy sources and systems. Specifically, the project supports implementation of key policies and regulations that will advance the use of renewable energy and promote energy efficiency, smart technologies, and physical and cybersecurity capabilities. ESP also enhances competition in the power sector so that more consumers can enjoy lower electricity costs. The activity also provides small grants to incubate and pilot novel and innovative solutions on various cross-sectoral issues.

The Philippines depends on coral reefs for food and income valued at $22 million annually. Fish provide more than 50 percent of Filipinos' dietary protein. However, unsustainable fishing practices and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing have affected coastal and marine biodiversity. Fish Right promotes sustainable fisheries by improving local marine ecosystem management, establishing fishing regulations, “right-sizing” fisheries to increase fish stocks in government-designated fisheries management areas, and managing the impact of climate on fisheries and coastal resources. The program works with fisherfolk, provincial, and municipal governments and community-based organizations to improve management of marine key biodiversity areas. By 2025, the program expects to see a 10 percent increase in fish number and weight as a result of improved management of 2.5 million hectares of marine waters, benefitting more than 2 million people.

Forestry and Climate Change Support Program

Since 2011, USAID has partnered with the United States Forest Service to build the capacity of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), local governments, indigenous peoples, communities, and the private sector in designing and implementing forest protection and restoration activities as natural climate solutions, and monitoring their effectiveness. The renewed partnership under the program provides technical assistance on developing and rolling out of the national forest monitoring system to enable accurate and reliable measurement, reporting, and verification of greenhouse gas emissions from the forestry and land use sector; improving the design and implementation of the national forest resource assessment and forest inventory; and strengthening capacity for forest and grassland fire management.

Investing in Sustainability and Partnerships for Inclusive Growth and Regenerative Ecosystems (INSPIRE)

INSPIRE provides grants to civil society organizations (CSOs) and indigenous peoples’ groups in priority areas to implement local conservation and climate actions that advance environmental governance, promote inclusive growth, and restore natural ecosystems. The activity enhances the capacity of CSOs, indigenous peoples’ groups, and local communities to demand and participate in good natural resource governance; improves legal frameworks that support customary rights to land and water in biologically significant areas; and increases the transparency and accountability of various stakeholders about how natural resources are managed, extracted, and brought to market.

Local Works: Mindanao Bamboo Value Chain Development Program

In this Local Works activity, USAID partners with BUKTAMACO, the economic arm of the Bukidnon- Tagoloanon tribe, in establishing and developing an inclusive, locally-led, bamboo-based economy in Mindanao. This activity helps the tribe participate in the global export market using innovative solutions to address development challenges and create self-reliance. Specifically, this project will develop 1,500 hectares of giant bamboo plantations, interplanted with native hardwood trees; establish nurseries and post-harvest processing capacity to create a locally-led, sustainable value chain that meets global market standards for bamboo products; secure legal, financial, and carbon rights for indigenous peoples' ancestral lands; and develop a methodology and registering for carbon offsets. Through these activities, the project is providing sustainable incomes and livelihood for the marginalized indigenous communities and small landowners, improving environmental conditions in bamboo plantations, facilitating robust data collection, learning, and registration and verification for carbon credit trading; and empowering and providing financial autonomy for women.

Meloy Fund for Sustainable Community Fisheries

The fisheries and seafood industry employs 1.4 million people in the Philippines, and fish accounts for up to 50 percent of the total intake of animal protein. While coastal fisheries help conserve biodiversity and protect communities from natural disasters, exploitation and overfishing are serious challenges that lead to reduced seafood production, lower incomes for fishing communities, and degraded coastal ecosystems. Sustainable fisheries is gaining wide support across the world, presenting a significant opportunity to support related enterprises and coastal communities, as well as mobilize private sector investments. However, businesses poised to take advantage of this opportunity lack access to finance because they are often perceived as too small or too risky. They need loans to adopt new technologies, implement best practices, grow, and in some cases, start-up. The Meloy Fund is an impact investment vehicle that incentivizes the development and adoption of sustainable fisheries by making debt and equity investments in fishing-related enterprises that support the recovery of coastal fisheries.

Partnering with the Development Finance Corporation, the Meloy Fund aims to mobilize $17.5 million in financing over twelve years. This assistance helps borrowers expand their sustainable fish and seafood production and improve their incomes, and promotes more sustainable practices and technologies to protect coastal systems.

Philippines Counter Wildlife Trafficking and Protected Area Management

The project strengthens the capacity of the Philippine government to combat wildlife crimes, more effectively manage protected areas, and analyze geospatial data to monitor environmental programs through technical assistance delivered by the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) through its International Technical Assistance Program. The project continues the longstanding partnership between USAID and DOI, which has been ongoing since 2004.

The Philippines faces water security challenges that include a growing population, unsustainable land use, and severely deficient wastewater management. To address these challenges, the country requires an adequate and dependable supply of clean drinking water, elimination of open defecation in rural and poor communities, increased access to safely managed sanitation services, and sustainable water resources. The Philippines’ vulnerability to climate change will make water security even more challenging in the future as drought, typhoons, and sea level rise threaten the country’s watersheds, water resources, and water and sanitation systems. In partnership with the Government of the Philippines, Safe Water seeks to improve water security for water-stressed communities through increased access to water supplies and sanitation services, more sustainably managed water resources–including critical forests and watersheds, and a stronger policy and enabling environment. The project aims to provide local government units, water service providers, and watershed councils with the information, incentives, and partnerships to identify and address barriers to a water-secure future—yielding life-saving gains in access to water supply and sanitation services for unserved and underserved communities in the Philippines.

Sustainable Interventions for Biodiversity, Oceans, and Landscapes (SIBOL)

SIBOL supports the Philippine government to achieve its goals of improving natural resource governance, sustainably managing natural resources, and reducing environmental crimes and unsustainable practices—leading to greater ecosystem stability and inclusive green growth. The project aims to support a resilient Philippines in which communities, the private sector, and government collaboratively protect the Philippines’ rich natural resources. SIBOL's Planetary Health approach uses cutting-edge science, coordinated and inclusive governance strategies, and powerful economic incentives to protect and conserve biodiversity and the benefits it provides to communities.

U.S. Peace Corps Small Project Assistance (SPA) V for Environment

USAID continues to support the Peace Corps through small grants, training, and program design and management assistance on sustainable coastal resources management, effective marine protected area management, and climate adaptation. With USAID support, the SPA program advances strategic partnerships with local governments by developing local champions to lead community-based biodiversity conservation and climate change adaptation programs. The SPA benefits more than 20 coastal municipalities that have high marine biological significance but are also highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Through the SPA, USAID partners with Peace Corps Philippines to strengthen the capacities of local environment and fisheries officers and communities to protect, manage, and sustainably finance the protection and conservation of biodiversity and natural resources. Volunteers work with community counterparts to identify common concerns, develop strategies to address these concerns, and implement small-scale community-level projects.

USAID-Philippine Government Ocean and Marine Science Support Program

The Ocean and Marine Science Support Program, a buy-in to the Regional Development Mission for Asia’s Interagency Agreement with NOAA, aims to strengthen the governance and resilience of coastal and ocean ecosystems. Under the renewed partnership between USAID and NOAA, the program supports the Philippine government institutions and coastal, ocean, and fisheries scientists and managers in addressing illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; advancing sustainable fisheries management; and improving management effectiveness of national marine protected areas and networks through peer-to-peer scientific and technical research exchanges, training workshops, and technical assistance.

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Geography and Natural Resources

Geography, Natural Resources, Seasons and Climate

The Philippines is one of the largest archipelagos in the world. Its coastline is irregular and longer than the coastline of the United States. This unique geographic characteristic exerted a strong influence on the socio-economic life of primitive and early settlements as well as later communities in the Philippines. Trading posts were established along the coastal areas. Today, some of these trading posts like Manila and Cebu have become major urban areas in the Philippines. The coastal areas and freshwater lakes and rivers are rich sources of fishes. Approximately ^^ ** 2,000 species of fish have been identified and some of these are used for commercial purposes. These marine products include bangus (milkfish), barile (tuna), banak (mullet), dalag (mudfish) and dilis (anchovy). Other marine products include suso (snails), alimango (crabs), hipon (shrimps), lobsters and clams as well as edible seaweeds, shells, corals and pearls.

The landscape of the Philippines is shaped by its mountains and volcanoes. In Luzon, there are five major mountain ranges, namely: Caraballo, Cordillera, Sierra Madre, Zambales and Tagaytay. The Caraballo and Cordillera mountain ranges are found in the northern portion of Luzon while the Sierra Madre mountain range is located in the west-north portion of Luzon (Quezon, Aurora, Nueva Vizcaya, Cagayan provinces). The Zambales range is situated in the provinces of Zambales and Bataan while the Tagaytay range is situated in the southern Tagalog provinces of Cavite and Batangas. In the island of Mindanao, there are four major mountain ranges, namely: Surigao, Butuan, Central-Western and Western. The highest mountain, Mt Apo (9,692 feet), is located in the central-western range.

Active volcanoes can be found in the various regions of the country. Among these volcanoes, Mt. Pinatubo, Taal volcano and Mt. Mayon have produced the most destructive eruptions. The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1990 buried towns, killed dozens of people and rendered tens of thousands of people homeless. The eruption of Taal volcano in 1911 killed more than 1,300 persons and its eruption in 1966 buried six barrios and killed hundreds of people. On the other hand, these volcanoes have made the land very fertile, and the produce of the land, however inadequate during certain periods of time, has sustained the Filipino people throughout its history.

The Philippines is rich in natural resources. Its fertile land produces a variety of crops such as coconut, copra, banana, pineapples, sugar, gum, resins and rubber. Some of these agricultural crops are raised for export. Rice, which is the staple food of Filipinos, is produced, largely, in the Central Plains of Luzon. Rice production often falls short of consumption requirement, and quite ironically, the Philippines is a rice importer. Plant and animal life is extremely diverse, and many plants and animals are endemic to the Philippines, which means they can be found only in this country. The Philippines holds the distinction as ^^ ** one of the seventeen countries whose combined plant and animal species account for ** 70-80% of the world's biological diversity. It has approximately ** 52,177 species of flora and fauna. From among these living things, an estimated ** 14,000 plant species and ** 1,130 animals with backbones (terrestrial vertebrates) are found in forest areas. However, the wildlife environment faces a number of problems and challenges. Some Philippine animals and plants are now listed in the CITES Appendix I as critically endangered species. The endangered Philippine species found in the list include, among others, the Calamian deer, giant scops owl, Koch's pitta, Mindoro imperial pigeon, Palawan peacock pheasant, Panay flying-fox, Philippine crocodile, Philippine eagle, Philippine tamaraw, Visayan warty pig and various types of orchids. Forest management is at a critical stage. Only remnants of the total forest area during the early 1900 remain and they are found in the mountain ranges. The survival of these plants and animals depends on the conservation of forest and wildlife environment.

Animal Info: The Philippine eagle is one of the largest (if not the largest) eagles in the world.

Seasons and Climate Info

Seasons: Dry and Wet Seasons

Dry Season: December - May

Wet Season: June - November

Climate: Tropical

Cool and Dry: December - February

Warm to Hot: March - May

Rainy: June - October

Cool and Dry or Rainy: November

** Some Conservation Programs Info

Palawan Wildlife Rescue and Conservation Program

Pawikan Conservation Program

Philippine Crocodile Conservation Program

Philippine Endemic Species Conservation Program

Philippine Raptor Conservation Program

Philippine Spotted Deer Conservation Program

Philippine Tarsier Conservation Program

Tamaraw Conservation Program

Visayan Warty Pig Conservation Program

--------------------

Important Notes:

^^ ** See Natural Resources and Biological Diversity > Fish Species, Fishermen Sector and Fish Production

^^ ** See Natural Resources and Biological Diversity > Forest

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Philippine Geography

Location.  The Philippines  is an   archipelago of   7,107  islands   and   islets  and  it is located in Southeast Asia. Naturally, the international boundaries of the Philippines are defined by the great bodies of waters surrounding it. On the east, it is bounded by the Philippine Sea, which forms part of the great Pacific Ocean; on the west and north, it is bounded by the South China Sea; and on the south, it is bounded by the Celebes Sea.

Archipelago and Island Groups. The islands and islets of the Philippines are grouped into three major island groupings: Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. Luzon is composed of islands and islets found in the northern part of the country. These include the Luzon mainland, Batanes Island, Babuyan Island, the Hundred Islands in Pangasinan province, Corregidor and all the islands and islets located north of the country. Luzon is the biggest island group and the Luzon mainland is the largest island. The Visayas is an island grouping located centrally. This island group makes up what is now called "Central Philippines." Among its major islands are Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Leyte, Negros and Samar. The third island group, Mindanao, consists of islands and islets found in the southern part of the country. These include the main island of Mindanao, which is the second largest island, Basilan and Tawi-Tawi and all the islands and islets found south of the country. Palawan, which was considered a part of the Mindanao group of islands in the past, is a province of Region IV-B (MIMAROPA), and this region consists of provinces from the Luzon group of islands (See “Regions, Provinces and Places of Interest”). Palawan is often placed --- unofficially and informally --- in the Mindanao group of islands.

Info - National Territory of the Philippines as Stated in the 1987 Philippine Constitution: Article I - National Territory: The national territory comprises the Philippine archipelago with all the islands and waters embraced therein, and all other territories over which the Philippines has sovereignty or jurisdiction, consisting of its terrestrial, fluvial, and aerial domains, including its territorial sea, the seabed, the subsoil, the insular shelves, and other submarine areas. The waters around, between, and connecting the islands of the archipelago, regardless of their breadth and dimensions, form part of the internal waters of the Philippines.

Books - "The Constitutions of the Philippines," Anvil Publishing Inc., 2005; "The Constitution of the Philippines Explained," Revised Ed., 2000 Nolledo, Jose N., 1992; "The New Constitution of the Philippines Annotated," Nolledo, Jose N., 1997 / Pamphlet - Philippine Constitution of 1987

Natural Resources and Biological Diversity

Marine and Aquatic Resources. Since the Philippines is an archipelago, it possesses an irregular coastline, and this coastline is one of the longest coastlines in the world. The Philippines' coastline and marine environment offer a wide variety of habitats such as mangrove forests, coral reefs, sea grass beds, estuaries in coastal areas, and hydrothermal vents. These habitats are home to ** "468 scleratine corals, 1,755 reef-associated fishes, 648 species of mollusks, 19 species of seagrass and 820 species of algae," which make the Philippines as one the richest coastal and marine environment in the world. Mangrove forest cover has nearly doubled in size since 1995. Prior to this period, mangrove forest cover underwent a drastic decline --- ** from 450,000 hectares in 1918 to 120,000 hectares in 1995. The area size of coral reefs in the Philippines is estimated at ** 27,000 square kilometers. More than ** 70% of coral reefs cover are in poor or fair condition while only ** 5% are in excellent condition. These coral reefs are a source of livelihood. It is estimated that ** 62% of the population living along coastal areas are directly dependent on coral reef cover for their livelihood. In addition, the Philippines holds the distinction as the country with the ** second highest seagrass diversity in the world. ** Nineteen species are found here, and they constitute 55% of the total number of species in East Asia.

Inland Waters. Inland waters such as lakes, rivers, ponds, streams, marshes and swamps are home to more than ** 316 fish species. Approximately ** 121 of these species are endemic while about ** 76 of these fishes are threatened species. Other animals that live in inland waters are waterbirds, amphibians and the critically endangered Philippine crocodile.

There are more than 70 lakes in the Philippines and ** 10 of them are considered as the major lakes of the country in terms of area and their contribution to the culture and livelihood of the people living near these lakes. The largest of these lakes is Laguna de Bay with an area of 3,813.2 square kilometers, and it is a rich source of commercially valuable fishes such as bangus (milkfish), catfish, tilapia and biya. In this lake, too, can be found plants and animal species which are endemic to the country. Threats to the lake environment are the following: wastewater dumping, watershed habitat alteration, urbanization and introduction of exotic (alien) fishes. The second largest lake is Lake Lanao and it is a reservoir for the Agus hydroelectric power plants which supply more than half of the electric power of Mindanao. It is a major source of food and livelihood, it acts as a water transport highway and it serves as venue for cultural activities. Threats to Lake Lanao's environment include the following: pollution, soil erosion due to indiscriminate logging in the watershed, extensive use of land near the lake for farming and the environmental effects of the hydroelectric dam. The third largest lake is Taal Lake and it is where the Taal volcano, the smallest volcano in the world, is located. The place is a major tourist attraction but the fishing industry in the area is on the decline due to pollution of the lake environment and unregulated fish cage operations.

^^ ** Fish Species, * * Fishermen Sector and ** Fish Production. It is estimated that there are 3,212 fish species in the Philippines, and it is assumed that there are more fish species still to be identified or accounted. Of the 3,212 fish species already identified, 731 fish species are considered commercially important. In spite of this immense wealth, the incidence of poverty in the fishermen sector in the Philippines was the highest in year 2006. As of year 2008, total fish production amounted to 4,965.8 metric tons valued at Php (Philippine peso) 215,511.1 million. Fish production from aquaculture amounted to 2,407.7 metric tons valued at Php 81,518.4 million. Fish yield from municipal fishing was 1,332.9 metric tons valued at Php 70,967.0 million while fish production from commercial fishing was 1,225.2 metric tons valued at Php 63,025.7 million.

 Forest. Forest biodiversity is an integral part of Philippine biological diversity. The country is ** one of the ^^ ** eighteen countries whose biodiversity account for 70-80 percent of the world's plant and animal species. It has approximately ** 52,177 species of flora and fauna. Most of the Philippine forest cover is located in the Sierra Madre mountain range of Luzon island, Palawan, Eastern Visayas and Mindanao. The country's forests are a home to some of the world's rare and most endangered species of plants and animals. Approximately ** 14,000 plant species are found in the forests and approximately 45 to 60 percent of these species are endemic, which means that they are found only in the Philippines. The country ranks fifth in the world in terms of number of plant species. On the other hand, there are a lot of ** threatened plant species: 99 plants are identified as critically endangered species, 187 are classified as endangered, 176 are listed as vulnerable and 64 plants are considered as threatened species.

The country's forests are a home to an estimated ** 1,130 terrestials vertebrates or animals with backbones. One hundred seventy-five (175) of these species are land animals, three hundred ninety-five (395) are land birds, two hundred fifty eight (258) are reptiles and one hundred one (101) are amphibians. Approximately 554 of these species are endemic. The Philippines ranks fourth in the world in terms of number of endemic birds present in the country (See "List of Some Endemic Birds of the Philippines.) On the other hand, there are a lot of threatened animal species: 24 animals are identified as critically endangered species, 28 are classified as endangered and 85 animals are listed as vulnerable. A lot of these Philippine animals are listed in CITES Appendix I, which is a list of the most endangered animals in the world. Calamian deer, giant scops owl, green turtle, hawksbill turtle, Mindoro imperial pigeon, Palawan pheasant peacock, Panay flying-fox, Peregrine falcon, Philippine cockatoo, Philippine crocodile, Philippine eagle and the Philippine tamaraw: these are some of the animals found in CITES Appendix I. The protection and conservation of the forest is important not only for the Philippines but also for our planet earth. In addition, the forest is a source of livelihood for millions of Filipinos. For some indigenous people, the forest is a major, inseparable component of their local culture, and the destruction of the forest may mean the disintegration of a main part of their culture and way of life.

Conservation and Eco-Tourism. In order to protect and conserve the richness of the country's biodiversity, some laws were enacted by the Philippine Congress. Four of these laws are listed below and these are:

• Republic Act 7586: Known as the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, the Act was a landmark piece of legislation aimed at protecting forest, wetland and marine areas. The Act's declared policy was ** "to secure for the Filipino people of present and future generations the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals through the establishment of a comprehensive system of integrated protected areas within the classification of national park as provided for in the Constitution." It defined protected areas as ** "portions of land and water set aside by reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation...." It also defined protected landscapes/seascapes as ** "areas of national significance which are characterized by the harmonious interaction of man and land while providing opportunities for public enjoyment through recreation and tourism within the normal lifestyle and economic activity of these areas...."
• Republic Act 8371: Known as the Indigenous People's Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997, the Act was a landmark piece of legislation which reaffirmed, legally, the rights of indigenous peoples to their ancestral land and to promote their culture and practice their way of life. These people have practiced multi-crop agriculture which has helped keep the country's biodiversity. The Act's policy was to ** "recognize and promote all the rights of Indigenous Cultural Communities/Indigenous Peoples (ICCs/IPs)...within the framework of national unity and development...to their ancestral domains to ensure their economic, social and cultural well being...." The ICCs/IPs were granted the right to ** "control, develop and protect their sciences, technologies and cultural manifestations, including human and other genetic resources, seeds, including derivatives of these resources, traditional medicines and health practices, vital medicinal plants, animals and minerals, indigenous knowledge systems and practices, knowledge of the properties of fauna and flora...." At the same time, the Act enumerated the ICCs/IPs' responsibilities and one of these was ** "to preserve, restore, and maintain a balanced ecology in the ancestral domain by protecting the flora and fauna, watershed areas, and other reserves...."
• Republic Act 8550: Known as the Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, the Act provided for the protection and conservation of coastal and marine species and their habitats. The Act declared ** "food security as the overriding consideration in the utilization, management, development, conservation and protection of fishery resources" as one of its policy. It made the ** "conservation, protection and sustained management of the country's fishery and aquatic resources" as one of its objectives. It banned the introduction of foreign aquatic species in Philippine waters and it provided for the "conservation and rehabilitation" of rare, threatened and endangered species.
• Republic Act 9147: Known as the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001, the Act provided for the conservation and protection of wildlife species and their habitats. Stated in the Act were ** four objectives: "(a) to conserve and protect wildlife species and their habitats (and) to promote ecological balance and enhance biological diversity; (b) to regulate the collection and trade of wildlife; (c) to pursue, with due regard to the national interest, the Philippine commitment to international conventions, protection of wildlife and their habitats; and (d) to initiate or support scientific studies on the conservation of biological diversity."

Clearly, the protection and conservation of the natural environment and natural resources lead only to so much benefits for the people residing within and around the area as well as for people living elsewhere. Food security is achieved and can be enhanced. Water remains pure and plants are preserved, some of which have medical value. Animals live the kind of life they have led for thousands of years and ecological balance is maintained. Community environment are kept clean and green, and life becomes less stressful. Parks and sanctuaries are established and eco-tourism flourishes.

Major Lakes Info

Laguna de Bay, Lake Bato, Lake Buluan, Lake Labas, Lake Lanao, Lake Lumao, Lake Mainit, Lake Pagusi, Naujan Lake and Taal Lake. (Lake Lanao is one of the seventeen ancient lakes in the world.) ( Source: Report/Website - 4th National Report of 2009, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines, 2010 Version of the Website)

Marine-Aquatic-and-Inland-Waters-Resources and Incidence of Poverty Info

The fishermen sector had the highest poverty incidence (49.9%) in year 2006. It also posted the largest deterioration in poverty incidence between 2003 and 2006. ( Source: Website - National Statistical Coordination Board of the Philippines, 2010 Version of the Website)

Mineral Resources Info

Metallic Minerals: Chromium, Copper, Gold, Iron Ore, Lead, Nickel, Manganese, Silver, Zinc

Non-Metallic Minerals: Asbestos, Clay, Coal, Gas, Limestone, Oil, Salt, Sand

Mineral Production Rank of the Philippines in the World

Gold - Rank 3rd

Copper - Rank 4th

Nickel - Rank 5th

Chromate - Rank 6th

(Source: Website - Department of Trade and Industry of the Philippines (2008-2010), 2010 Version of the Website)

Eco-Tourism Sites in the Philippines Info

Agusan Marsh, Batanes, Banaue Rice Terraces, El Nido in Palawan, Hundred Islands, Mount Makiling, Mount Mayon, Puerto Princesa Underground River, Taal Volcano and Taal Lake, Tagaytay, Tubbataha Reef National Park ( Sources: Report - Interconnected Lives: The Second Philippine National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines [and the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility], 2004)

Protected Areas in the Major Island Groups Info

Luzon:  Apo Reef Natural Park,  Batanes Protected Landscape/Seascape,  Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park and  Subic-Bataan Natural Park

Visayas:  Mount Canlaon Natural Park

Mindanao:  Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary,  Mount Apo Natural Park,  Mount Kitanglad Natural Park,  Siargao Protected Landscape/Seascape,  Turtle Island Marine Natural Park ( Sources: Report - Interconnected Lives: The Second Philippine National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 1998-2001, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines [and the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility], 2004)

Narra Tree Info

The narra tree is the national tree of the Philippines. It is a big and sturdy tree and the timber derived from the narra tree is often used as a material for housing and building construction as well as for making furniture and wooden handicrafts.

It is quite popular among Filipinos but it is quite expensive to buy a thing made of narra.

** List of Some Endemic Birds of the Philippines

Black-faced Coucal (Centropus melanops banken)

Found or known to have occurred in Biliran, Bohol, Leyte, and Samar

Black-hooded Coucal (Centropus steerii)

Found or known to have occurred in Mindoro

Blue-backed Parrot (Tanygnathus sumatranus duponti)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon

Blue-capped Wood-Kingfisher (Actenoides hombroni)

Found or known to have occurred in Mindanao (Mounts Apo, Busa, Hilong-hilong, Kitanglad, and Pasian)

Blue-naped Parrot (Tanygnathus lucionensis lucionensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon and Mindoro

Brown Banded Rail (Dryolimnas mirificus)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon (Apayao, Benguet, Camarines Norte, Kalinga, Mountain Province, Nueva Ecija, and Nueva Vizcaya)

Brown Hawk-Owl (Ninox scutulata palawanensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Palawan

Coppersmith Barbet (Megalaima haemacephala haemacephala)

Cream-bellied Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus merrilli faustinoi)

Found or known to have occurred in the Northern Sierra Madre Mountain (from Baler, Aurora to Cagayan province)

Dark-eared Brown-Dove (Phapitreron cinereiceps brunneiceps)

Found or known to have occurred in Basilan and Mindanao (Bukidnon province and Mounts Apo, Busa, Hilong-hilong, Kitanglad, Malindang and Mayo)

Flame-breasted Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus marchei)

Giant Scops-Owl (Mimizuku gurneyi)

Found or known to have occurred in Mindanao

Green Racquet-tail (Prioniturus luconensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon and Marinduque

Guaiabero (Bolbopsittacus lunulatus lunulatus)

Island Swiftlet (Collocalia vanikorensis palawanensis)

Little Grebe (Tachybaptus ruficollis philippensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Bohol, Cebu, Guimaras, Luzon, Mindoro, Negros, Palawan and Panay

Luzon Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba luzonica griseolateralis)

Found or known to have occurred in Northern Luzon

Luzon Scops-Owl (Otus longicornis)

Mindanao Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba criniger leytensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Leyte and Samar

Mindanao Lorikeet (Trichoglossus johnstoniae johnstoniae)

Found or known to have occurred in Central Mindanao

Mindanao Scops-Owl (Otus mirus)

Found or known to have occurred in Mindanao (Mounts Apo, Hilong-hilong, and Kitanglad)

Mindoro Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba platenae)

Mindoro Imperial-Pigeon (Ducula mindorensis)

Mindoro Scops-Owl (Otus mindorensis)

Negros Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba keayi)

Found or known to have occurred in Negros

Negros Fruit-Dove (Ptilinopus arcanus)

Found or known to have occurred in Mt. Kanlaon, Negros

Palawan Peacock-Pheasant (Polyplectron emphanum)

Palawan Scops-Owl (Otus fuliginosus)

Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon, Leyte, Samar and Mindanao

Philippine Eagle-Owl (Bubo philippensis philippensis)

Philippine Hawk-Eagle (Spizaetus philippensis philippensis)

Philippine Scops-Owl (Otus megalotis megalotis)

Found or known to have occurred in Catanduanes and Marinduque

Philippine Trogon (Harpactes ardens herbeti)

Found or known to have occurred in Northeast Luzon

Pompadour Green-Pigeon (Treron pompadora amadoni)

Purple Swamphen (Porphyrio porphyrio pulverulentus)

Found or known to have occurred in Basilan, Bohol, Luzon, Mindanao, Mindoro and Panay

Ruddy Kingfisher (Halcyon coromanda linae)

Rufous Hornbill (Buceros hydrocorax hydrocorax)

Spotted Buttonquail (Turnix ocellata benguetensis)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon (Abra, Benguet, Aurora, Ilocos Norte, and Isabela)

Spotted Imperial Pigeon (Ducula carola carola)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon, Mindoro, and Sibuyan

Sulu Bleeding-Heart (Gallicolumba menagei)

Found or known to have occurred in Tawi-tawi

Walden's Hornbill (Aceros waldeni)

Found or known to have occurred in Guimaras, Negros, and Panay

Whitehead's Swiftlet (Collocalia whiteheadi whiteheadi)

Worcester's Buttonquail (Turnix worcesteri)

Found or known to have occurred in Luzon (Benguet, Nueva Vizcaya, and Rizal)

^^ ** See Geography, Natural Resources, Seasons and Climate > Paragraph 1

^^ ** See Geography, Natural Resources, Seasons and Climate > Paragraph 4

** Sources: 2004 Statistics on Philippine Protected Areas and Wildlife Resources and National Red List of Philippine Fauna, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Department of Natural Resources, Philippines, 2010 Version of the Website (**Note: Sources of List of Some Endemic Birds of the Philippines)

** Source: Interconnected Lives: The Second Philippine National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity 1998-2001, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines (and the United Nations Development Programme Global Environment Facility), 2004

* * Sources: 4th National Report of 2009, Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB), Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippines, 2010 Version of the Website and National Statistical Coordination Board of the Philippines, 2010 Version of the Website

** Source: Philippine Congress - House of Representatives Website, 2010

Photo Credit:

Taal Lake and Volcano - Public Domain Photo, Courtesy of Jhun Taboga via Wikipedia

Banaue Rice Terraces - Public Domain Photo, Courtesy of “agricmarketing” via Wikipedia

Philippines: 1st Edition / Table of Contents

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/philippines-1st-edition

Introduction

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/philippines-i-and-ii

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/geography-resources/

Places and General Information - A

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/places-general-info-a/

Places and General Information - B

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/places-general-info-b/

Additional Information

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/additional-info/

More Information

Filipinos, Culture, Heroes and Heroines; Education

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/filipinos/

Inspiration, Acknowledgement and References

philippines-atbp.jimdofree.com/philippines-part-vii-inspiration-acknowledgement-references/

• Philippines: 1st Edition
• Eclectic Sources
• Selected Topics
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Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services

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The Philippines has a bounty of minerals, cropland, timber, and coastal and marine resources. These natural resources make up an estimated 19% of the nation’s wealth, contributing to the country’s consistent GDP growth. However, rapid economic development is placing pressure on the country’s already stressed natural resources, exacerbated by the impacts of global climate change. 

The implementation of natural capital accounting in the Philippines is timely, as the current administration emphasizes governance reforms that include transparent and science-based decision making while pursuing sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth.

WAVES in the Philippines

The results of the policy analysis and recommendations from the WAVES-Philippines accounts will provide a solid understanding of how the government can address competing claims on the country’s natural resources. Moreover, the results of the ongoing environmental accounting will inform government strategies being considered in the next Philippine Development Plan.

The story so far

Mineral accounts:  Preliminary physical and monetary asset accounts have been produced for gold, copper, nickel and chromium, from 2000 to 2012. 

Mangrove accounts: A scoping study has been completed and data collection is currently underway.

Ecosystem accounts: Scoping visits to the Laguna Lake basin and Southern Palawan determined which ecosystem services to include in the accounts.

For Laguna Lake, two areas were considered: Laguna de Bay region and Laguna de Bay basin. The accounts developed include a land account looking at cover and changes (2003-2010); a water account; an ecosystem condition account; and an ecosysterm services supply and use account. 

Accounts for Southern Palawan consist of land accounts containing cover and changes; forest and carbon accounts showing the sequestration and capture of carbon; an ecosystem condition account, and an ecosystem service supply and use account; as well as an an ecosystem asset account. The accounts were developed at various levels: the Pulot watershed, the municipality of Sofronio Espanola, and all of southern Palawan. 

For both ecosystems, technical reports have been completed and policy analysis is underway. 

WAVES Lead Government Agency

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA)

Country Steering Committee

Representatives from the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) – designated as vice-chair; Department of Finance (DOF); Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); Department of Agriculture (DA); Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA); Climate Change Commission (CCC); Office of the Presidential Adviser on Environmental Protection (OPAEP); and the Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines (ULAP).

Country Coordinator

Marnel Arnold Ratio

World Bank Regional Staff

Stefanie Sieber and Maya Villaluz

Wealth Accounting and the Valuation of Ecosystem Services (WAVES) is a World Bank-led global partnership that aims to promote sustainable development by ensuring that natural resources are mainstreamed in development planning and national economic accounts.

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• Wealth accounting
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Top Natural Resources in the Philippines For Business

April 22, 2020 | Ronnie Salonga

What are the top natural resources for business in the philippines, biodiversity, agriculture, land for establishments.

The Philippines is highly known for its tourism because of its pristine beaches and breathtaking mountains. With more than 7,000 islands, this comes as no surprise as the archipelago is considered one of the best countries to invest in today. With the country’s many benefits, one of them being its abundance in natural resources, this article will go in-depth on the top natural resources in the Philippines that any business can invest in.

The Pearl of the Orient’s natural resources has been one of the many notable reasons why local and foreign investors have chosen to establish a business venture in the country. Read on to see the top natural resources in the Philippines you can invest in for your business.

As mentioned, the Philippines has more than 7,000 islands. The country is considered as one of the 19 mega-biodiverse countries in the world. It ranks fifth globally in terms of its number of plant species. That’s not all, the country’s waters are also noted as the epicenter of marine biodiversity on the planet.

Because of these factors, you can already see why the Philippines has been growing both socially and economically . Land and water are two of the most important economic resources needed to support agriculture and fishery.

The country also contains breathtaking beaches and sceneries, along with vast forests, rivers, and waterfalls. These make the country a great pick for eco-tourism, plant-based industries, and other ventures that rely on natural resources.

The Philippines is home to more than 20 billion metric tons of metal and non-metal deposits widely spread across the country. The islands of Luzon and Mindanao carry most of the country’s gold, iron, ore, lead, zinc, chromic, and copper. On the other hand, the Visayas region is the principal source of limestone, marble, asphalt, salt, sulfur, and many more.

Tapping into the rich veins of mineral in the Philippines is one of the most substantial capital investments that can both promote the country’s assets as well as generate cash flow at the same time.

Agriculture contributes to the Philippines’ economic development greatly. It is made up of 4 subsectors: farming, fisheries, livestock, and forestry. However, the largest agriculture enterprise in the Philippines is its crop cultivation. Its main agricultural crops are rice, corn, coconut, sugarcane, bananas, coffee, and mangoes. Several parts of the Philippines are home to secondary crops such as peanuts, cabbages, onions, and other fresh produce.

If you think about what fuels your day, a large part of it is food. People can’t live without it. Investing in agriculture means that you value keeping the business of farming and the act of nourishing your consumers. When you invest in agriculture, you are investing in sustainability. This value only appreciates over time.

The fertile land of the Philippines is not the only source of livelihood in the country. It has grown to become home to light and medium industries as well. There has been a rise in the development of industrial parks in strategic locations all over the country. If you are looking for space to establish a light or medium business, industrial parks in the Philippines will give you growth opportunities.

Industrial parks in the country can provide contiguous space complemented by established infrastructure, security, access to local terminals, and great location. Your business can also benefit from the wide roads, waste treatment facilities, and efficient commercial amenities. Industrial zones are designed to attract foreign investments into the Philippines in order to drive economic growth and business competitiveness.

Key Takeaway

If you’re looking to invest in the Philippines, you are provided access to the various natural resources that can benefit your business. As mentioned, the Philippines is a strategic location for light and medium businesses. If you are looking to venture into these kinds of industries, Science Park of the Philippines is happy to be of service.

Click here to learn more about industrial parks in the Philippines and how they can help you grow your business!

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Essays about: "the natural resources of philippines"

Showing result 1 - 5 of 6 essays containing the words the natural resources of philippines .

1. What are the Difficulties in Settling the South China Sea Dispute : Obstacles to Dispute Settlement Through the Lens of Liberal and Neo-Realist IR Theory

Author : Alexander Pålstam ; [2019] Keywords : UNCLOS ; South China Sea ; International Relations ; Border Dispute ; South East Asia ; Territorial Dispute ; Maritime Dispute ; Neo-Realism ; Liberalism ; Maritime Claims ; Territorial Claims ; China ; Vietnam ; the Philippines ; the USA ; IR ;

Abstract : Sovereignty over the South China Sea waters and the territorial features therein has been a contentious issue since at least the 1970’s, with conflicting claims going back even further. Key concepts of Liberal and Neo-Realist International Relations Theory are used to assess respective theory’s explanatory capability for why the South China Sea Dispute is difficult to settle. READ MORE

2. Informing preparedness planning: Applications of community-based vulnerability and capacity data in the Philippines

Author : Stefanie Eleanor Di Domenico ; [2018] Keywords : Disaster risk reduction ; preparedness ; preparedness planning ; community-based disaster preparedness ; vulnerability ; capacity ; Vulnerability and Capacity Assessments VCAs ; the Philippines ; Social Sciences ;

Abstract : Disasters are not natural, but rather a combination of a natural hazard and its impact on vulnerable people and resources. Therefore, when engaging in disaster risk reduction and coming to an understanding of disaster risk, existing conditions within society should be understood. READ MORE

3. Post-disaster recovery trajectories and community-based management: A case of community-based marine protected areas and their recovery from an earthquake in Bohol, Philippines

Author : Ashley Perl ; [2015] Keywords : recovery ; disaster ; marine protected area ; MPA ; community-based management ; Bohol ; Philippines ; earthquake ;

Abstract : In a time when natural disasters are increasing, and much of the population that are impacted are from the most vulnerable populations, it has become increasingly important to understand how these populations recover. Vulnerable communities often rely on their natural resources as a source of livelihood, and use forms of community-based management (CBM) to govern resource use. READ MORE

4. A study of the Possibilities of Sustainable Building in Timber- in the City of Pines

Author : Mary Lorence Reyes ; [2012] Keywords : ;

Abstract : Our generation is about saving the earth, our one and only home. For centuries resources have been used without the consideration of tomorrow. Modernization contributed to today’s environmental issues such as climate change and greenhouse effects. Effects of past deeds have been seen and experienced. READ MORE

5. Sustainable tourism in the Philippines : a design proposal for Watercolors Resort

Author : Elin Henricson ; Martina Andersson ; [2008] Keywords : tourism ; sustainability ; landscape ; architecture ; Philippines ; resorts ; natural resources ;

Abstract : Reaching sustainable development is one of the major policy debates of our generation. There is a concern about the extended use of the Earths's natural resources and its relationship to economic growth. Significant questions are raised about the likelyhood of natural resource management through mechanisms such as tourism. READ MORE

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Strong Taiwan Quake Kills 9, Injures Hundreds

The earthquake was the most powerful to hit the island in 25 years. Dozens of people remained trapped, and many buildings were damaged, with the worst centered in the city of Hualien.

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• Hualien, Taiwan A landslide after the quake. Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times
• New Taipei City, Taiwan Books flew off shelves as a home shook. @Abalamindo via Storyful
• Taipei, Taiwan Passengers waiting at a train station as some services were suspended. Chiang Ying-Ying/Associated Press
• Hualien, Taiwan People are rescued from a building that had partially collapsed. TVBS via Associated Press
• Hualien, Taiwan Firefighters rescuing trapped residents from a building. CTI News via Reuters
• Taipei, Taiwan Students evacuated to a school courtyard after the earthquake. Lam Yik Fei for The New York Times
• Guishan Island, Taiwan Rocks tumbling down one side of an island popular for hiking. Lavine Lin via Reuters
• Hualien, Taiwan A building leaned to one side after the quake. Randy Yang via Associated Press
• Ishigaki, Okinawa, Japan Watching news on a rooftop of a hotel after a tsunami warning. Chang W. Lee/The New York Times
• Hualien, Taiwan Motorbikes damaged in the quake. TVBS via Associated Press
• New Taipei City, Taiwan Damage in an apartment Fabian Hamacher/Reuters
• New Taipei City, Taiwan Water cascading down a building during the quake. Wang via Reuters

Meaghan Tobin and Victoria Kim

Here’s what you need to know about the earthquake.

Taiwan was rocked Wednesday morning by the island’s strongest earthquake in a quarter century, a magnitude 7.4 tremor that killed at least nine people, injured more than 800 others and trapped dozens of people.

The heaviest damage was in Hualien County on the island’s east coast, a sleepy, scenic area prone to earthquakes. Footage from the aftermath showed a 10-story building there partially collapsed and leaning heavily to one side, from which residents emerged through windows and climbed down ladders, assisted by rescuers. Three hikers were killed after being hit by falling rocks on a hiking trail in Taroko National Park, according to the county government.

By late afternoon, officials said rescue efforts were underway to try to rescue 127 people who were trapped, many of them on hiking trails in Hualien.

One building in Changhua County, on the island’s west coast, collapsed entirely. The quake was felt throughout Taiwan and set off at least nine landslides, sending rocks tumbling onto Suhua Highway in Hualien, according to local media reports. Rail services were halted at one point across the island.

The earthquake, with an epicenter off Taiwan’s east coast, struck during the morning commute, shortly before 8 a.m. Taiwanese authorities said by 3 p.m., more than 100 aftershocks, many of them stronger than magnitude 5, had rumbled through the area.

In the capital, Taipei, buildings shook for over a minute from the initial quake. Taiwan is at the intersection of the Philippine Sea tectonic plate and the Eurasian plate, making it vulnerable to seismic activity. Hualien sits on multiple active faults, and 17 people died in a quake there in 2018.

Here is the latest:

The earthquake hit Taiwan as many people there were preparing to travel for Tomb Sweeping Day, a holiday across the Chinese-speaking world when people mourn the dead and make offerings at their graves. Officials warned the public to stay away from visiting tombs in mountain areas as a precaution, especially because rain was forecast in the coming days.

TSMC, the world’s biggest maker of advanced semiconductors, briefly evacuated workers from its factories but said a few hours later that they were returning to work. Chip production is highly precise, and even short shutdowns can cost millions of dollars.

Christopher Buckley

Lai Ching-te, Taiwan’s vice president, who is also its president-elect, visited the city of Hualien this afternoon to assess the destruction and the rescue efforts, a government announcement said. Mr. Lai, who will become president in May, said the most urgent tasks were rescuing trapped residents and providing medical care. Next, Mr. Lai said, public services must be restored, including transportation, water and power. He said Taiwan Railway’s eastern line could be reopened by Thursday night.

Meaghan Tobin

Taiwan’s fire department has updated its figures, reporting that nine people have died and 934 others have been injured in the quake. Fifty-six people in Hualien County remain trapped.

Shake intensity

Taiwan’s fire department reports that nine people have died and 882 others have been injured in Taiwan. In Hualien County, 131 people remain trapped.

Agnes Chang

Footage shows rocks tumbling down one side of Guishan Island, a popular spot for hiking known as Turtle Island, off the northeast coast of Taiwan. Officials said no fishermen or tourists were injured after the landslide.

The death toll has risen to nine, according to Taiwan government statistics.

Meaghan Tobin, Siyi Zhao

Officials in Taiwan warned residents to not visit their relatives' tombs, especially in the mountains, this weekend during the holiday, known as Ching Ming, meant to honor them. There had already been 100 aftershocks and the forecast called for rain, which could make travel conditions on damaged roads more treacherous.

Crews are working to reach people trapped on blocked roads. As of 1 p.m. local time, roads were impassable due to damage and fallen rock in 19 places, according to the Ministry of Transportation. At least 77 people remain trapped. A bridge before Daqingshui Tunnel appeared to have completely collapsed.

Taiwan’s worst rail disaster in decades — a train derailment in 2021 that killed 49 people — took place on the first day of the Tomb Sweeping holiday period that year, in the same region as the earthquake.

The earthquake hit Taiwan as many people here were preparing to travel for Tomb Sweeping Day, or Ching Ming, a day across the Chinese-speaking world when people mourn their dead, especially by making offerings at their graves. Now those plans will be disrupted for many Taiwanese.

The holiday weekend would typically see a spike in travel as people visit family across Taiwan. Currently, both rail transport and highways are blocked in parts of Hualien, said Transport Minister Wang Guo-cai. Work is underway to restore rail transportation in Hualien, and two-way traffic is expected to be restored at noon on Thursday, he said.

Taiwan’s preparedness has evolved in response to past quakes.

Taiwan’s earthquake preparedness has evolved over the past few decades in response to some of the island’s largest and most destructive quakes .

In the years after a 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central Taiwan killed nearly 2,500 people in 1999, the authorities established an urban search-and-rescue team and opened several emergency medical operation centers, among other measures .

And in 2018, after a quake in the eastern coastal city of Hualien killed 17 people and caused several buildings to partially collapse, the government ordered a wave of building inspections .

Taiwan has also been improving its early warning system for earthquakes since the 1980s. And two years ago, it rolled out new building codes that, among other things, require owners of vulnerable buildings to install ad-hoc structural reinforcements.

So how well prepared was Taiwan when a 7.4 magnitude quake struck near Hualien on Wednesday morning, killing at least seven people and injuring hundreds more?

Across the island, one building collapsed entirely, 15 others were in a state of partial collapse and another 67 were damaged, the island’s fire department said on Wednesday afternoon . Structural engineers could not immediately be reached for comment to assess that damage, or the extent to which building codes and other regulations might have either contributed to it or prevented worse destruction.

As for search-and-rescue preparedness, Taiwan is generally in very good shape, said Steve Glassey, an expert in disaster response who lives in New Zealand.

“ The skill sets, the capabilities, the equipment, the training is second to none,” said Dr. Glassey, who worked with Taipei’s urban search-and-rescue team during the response to a devastating 2011 earthquake in Christchurch, New Zealand. “They’re a very sharp operation.”

But even the best urban search-and-rescue team will be stretched thin if an earthquake causes multiple buildings to collapse, Dr. Glassey said.

Taiwan has options for requesting international help with search-and-rescue efforts. It could directly ask another country, or countries, to send personnel. And if multiple teams were to get involved, it could ask the United Nations to help coordinate them, as it did after the 1999 earthquake.

Pierre Peron, a spokesman for the United Nations, said on Wednesday afternoon that no such request had yet been made as a result of the latest earthquake.

Meaghan Tobin contributed reporting.

At least seven people have died and 736 have been injured as a result of the earthquake, according to Taiwan’s fire department. Another 77 people remained trapped in Hualien County, many of them on hiking trails. Search and rescue operations are underway, said the fire department.

Aftershocks of magnitudes between 6.5 and 7 were likely to occur over the next three or four days, said Wu Chien-fu, director of the Taiwanese Central Weather Administration’s Seismology Center, at a news conference.

As of 2 p.m., 711 people had been injured across Taiwan, the fire department said, and 77 people in Hualien County remained trapped. The four who were known to have died were in Hualien.

Victoria Kim

Hualien County is a quiet and scenic tourist destination.

Hualien County on Taiwan’s east coast is a scenic, sleepy tourist area tucked away from the island’s urban centers, with a famous gorge and aquamarine waters. It also happens to sit on several active faults , making it prone to earthquakes.

The county has a population of about 300,000, according to the 2020 census, about a third of whom live in the coastal city of Hualien, the county seat. It is one of the most sparsely populated parts of Taiwan. About three hours by train from the capital, Taipei, the city describes itself as the first place on the island that’s touched by the sun.

Hualien County is home to Taroko National Park, one of Taiwan’s most popular scenic areas. Visitors come to explore the Taroko Gorge, a striated marble canyon carved by the Liwu River, which cuts through mountains that rise steeply from the coast. The city of Hualien is a popular destination as a gateway to the national park.

According to the state-owned Central News Agency, three hikers were trapped on a trail near the entrance to the gorge on Wednesday, after the quake sent rocks falling. Two of them were found dead, the news agency said. Administrators said many roads within the park had been cut off by the earthquake, potentially trapping hikers, according to the report.

Earthquakes have rattled Hualien with some regularity. In 2018, 17 people were killed and hundreds of others injured when a magnitude 6.5 quake struck just before midnight, its epicenter a short distance northeast of the city of Hualien.

Many of the victims in that quake were in a 12-story building that was severely tilted, the first four floors of which were largely crushed, according to news reports from the time. The next year, the area was shaken by a 6.1-magnitude earthquake that injured 17 people.

The area has some of the highest concentrations of Taiwan’s aboriginal population, with several of the island’s Indigenous tribes calling the county home .

The county government in Hualien released a list of people that had been hospitalized with injuries, which stood at 118 people as of midday Wednesday.

Across Taiwan, one building fell down entirely, in Changhua County on the west coast, and 15 buildings partially collapsed, Taiwan’s fire department said. Another 67 buildings were damaged. One of the partially collapsed structures was a warehouse in New Taipei City where four people were rescued, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency. Another 12 were rescued at a separate New Taipei City building where the foundation sank into the ground.

Peggy Jiang, who manages The Good Kid, a children’s bookstore down the street from the partially collapsed Uranus Building in Hualien, said it was a good thing they had yet to open when the quake struck. The area is now blocked off by police and rescue vehicles. “Most people in Hualien are used to earthquakes,” she said. “But this one was particularly scary, many people ran in the street immediately afterward.”

Lin Jung, 36, who manages a shop selling sneakers in Hualien, said he had been at home getting ready to take his 16-month-old baby to a medical appointment when the earthquake struck. He said it felt at first like a series of small shocks, then “suddenly it turned to an intense earthquake shaking up and down.” The glass cover of a ceiling lamp fell and shattered. “All I could do was protect my baby.”

Chris Buckley ,  Paul Mozur ,  Meaghan Tobin and John Yoon

The earthquake damaged buildings and a highway in Hualien.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that struck Taiwan on Wednesday damaged many buildings and a major highway in Hualien, a city on the eastern coast, and it knocked out power as it rocked the island.

Across Taiwan, the quake and its aftershocks caused one building to completely collapse and 15 others to partially collapse, according to Taiwan’s fire department. Sixty-seven other buildings sustained damage.

Two tall buildings in Hualien that sustained particularly extensive damage were at the center of the rescue efforts there. Most damage across the city was not life-threatening, said Huang Hsuan-wan, a reporter for a local news site.

Where buildings were reported damaged in Hualien City

“A lot of roads were blocked off. There are a lot of walls toppled over onto cars,” Derik du Plessis, 44, a South African resident of Hualien, said shortly after the earthquake. He described people rushing around the city to check on their houses and pick up their children. One of his friends lost her house, he said.

One of the damaged buildings in Hualien, a 10-story structure called the Uranus Building that housed a mix of homes and shops, was tilted over and appeared to be on the verge of collapse. Many of its residents managed to flee, but some were missing, said Sunny Wang, a journalist based in the city. Rescuers were trying to reach the basement, concerned that people might be trapped there.

Photographs of the initial damage in Hualien showed another building, a five-story structure, leaning to one side, with crushed motorcycles visible at the ground-floor level. Bricks had fallen off another high-rise, leaving cracks and holes in the walls.

The quake also set off at least nine landslides on Suhua Highway in Hualien, according to Taiwan’s Central News Agency, which said part of the road had collapsed.

Taiwan’s fire department said four people had been killed in the earthquake.

Across Taiwan, 40 flights have been canceled or delayed because of the earthquake, according to Taiwan’s Central Emergency Operation Center.

President Tsai Ing-wen visited Taiwan’s national emergency response center this morning, where she was briefed about the response efforts underway by members of the ministries of defense, transportation, economic affairs and agriculture, as well as the fire department.

A look at Taiwan’s strongest earthquakes.

The magnitude 7.4 earthquake that hit Taiwan on Wednesday morning was the strongest in 25 years, the island’s Central Weather Administration said.

At least four people died after the quake struck off Taiwan’s east coast, officials said.

Here’s a look back at some of the major earthquakes in modern Taiwanese history:

Taichung, 1935

Taiwan’s deadliest quake registered a magnitude of 7.1 and struck near the island’s west coast in April 1935, killing more than 3,200 people, according to the Central Weather Administration. More than 12,000 others were injured and more than 50,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.

Tainan, 1941

A magnitude 7.3 earthquake in December 1941, which struck southwestern Taiwan, caused several hundred deaths, the United States Geological Survey said.

Chi-Chi, 1999

A 7.6 magnitude earthquake in central Taiwan killed nearly 2,500 people in September 1999. The quake, which struck about 90 miles south-southwest of Taipei, was the second-deadliest in the island’s history, according to the U.S.G.S. and the Central Weather Administration. More than 10,000 people were injured and more than 100,000 homes were destroyed or damaged.

Yujing, 2016

A 6.4 magnitude earthquake in February 2016 caused a 17-story apartment complex in southwestern Taiwan to collapse, killing at least 114 people . The U.S.G.S. later said that 90 earthquakes of that scale or greater had occurred within 250 kilometers, or 155 miles, of that quake’s location over the previous 100 years.

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A Small State Heavyweight? How Singapore Handles U.S.-China Rivalry

Singapore’s form of governance arguably gives the city-state more latitude in addressing U.S.-China competition than other Southeast Asian nations.

Wednesday, April 10, 2024 / By: Terence Lee, Ph.D.

Publication Type: Analysis

Editor’s Note: The following article is part of a new USIP essay series, “ Southeast Asia in a World of Strategic Competition .” The opinions expressed in these essays are solely those of the authors and do not represent USIP, or any organization or government.

Alice Ba pertinently observes in her introductory essay to this series that Southeast Asia has become a key arena in the ongoing U.S.-China rivalry; regional countries are under growing pressure to choose between the two powers. For Singapore, this competition has provoked a debate on the extent of agency in the conduct of the city-state’s foreign policy. Two perspectives have emerged in this regard.

The first contends that Singapore has little autonomy, reflecting the structural reality of small states portrayed in the ancient Greek Melian Dialogue : “… as the world goes … while the strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must.” This view, which was best captured by former diplomat Kishore Mahbubani , suggests that because Singapore is small, it must behave like small states and “exercise discretion” and “be very restrained in commenting on matters involving great powers.” Mahbubani wrote these in 2017 in response to other Gulf states’ breaking off diplomatic relations with Qatar.

A second view expresses maximalist agency in Singapore’s foreign policy. Propounded by Bilahari Kausikan and other retired Singaporean diplomats, they insist Singapore has not been “cowed or limited by size or geography” or browbeaten and “meekly compliant to the major powers.”  Singapore has instead stood up for “its ideals and principles.”

These contrasting viewpoints raises a critical question: How much autonomy does Singapore wield in its foreign policy in this evolving great power competition?

Singapore’s Governance and U.S.-China Competition

If we view agency as the ability of a state to attain its preferred political and foreign policy preferences, and to respond independently to the actions or constraints imposed by others, Singapore has probably greater latitude than most other Southeast Asian states. Governance in Singapore has been dominated by the ruling People’s Action Party (PAP) since 1959. The PAP has more than two-thirds presence in parliament and exercises extensive control over the country’s political, economic, social and cultural activities, including its electoral structures and processes. The PAP has avoided overt factionalism through a set of incentives and constraints institutionalized within the party and nationally. Decision-making, including foreign policy, is dominated by technocrats and the political elite , and insulated from public pressure.

The PAP’s political ascendancy allows Singapore to pursue foreign policies unencumbered.

First, to preserve the city-state’s security and sovereignty, Singapore has significantly increased its security cooperation with the United States. Singapore views the United States as indispensable to security and stability in the Indo-Pacific and backed the Obama administration’s rebalance to Asia policy. Since the end of U.S. bases in the Philippines, Singapore has been the anchor for forward U.S. presence in the region, which has been successively augmented over the years. The two countries signed the enhanced bilateral Defense Cooperation Agreement in 2015 , and developed a United States-Singapore Strategic Partnership Dialogue “to strengthen cooperation on the range of bilateral, regional and global challenges under the U.S.-Singapore Strategic Partnership.”

Singapore relies on the United States for its advanced military hardware and training . The United States sells sophisticated weaponry through foreign military sales and direct commercial sales programs. Singaporean military personnel participate in training, exercises and professional military exchanges in places like Luke AFB, and Mountain Home AFB Idaho, where Singaporean F-16, AH-64D, and F-15SG pilots train alongside their U.S. counterparts. Pentagon research agencies, including the Defense Threat Reduction Agency, the Office of Naval Research Global, the Navy Medical Research Center-Asia and the Army International Technology Center-Pacific have offices in the republic and work with Singaporean counterparts on issues of shared military relevance.

Second, the PAP has enacted policies to boost Singapore’s status as a global trading and financial hub. Through low corporate tax rates and other pro-business incentives , Singapore has attracted significant inflows of foreign capital. The republic receives more than $244 billion direct U.S. investment, by far the largest single country investor , accounting for more than 20% of all foreign direct investment (FDI) in Singapore. In the manufacturing sector, U.S. FDI in Singapore is almost 50% more than all Asian investment in that industry. In financial and insurance services, U.S. investment is 60% larger than that of the European Union, which is the second largest investor in that sector. China is Singapore’s largest trading partner, and the city-state is its largest foreign investor. Singapore has seen an influx of affluent mainlanders moving their assets and setting up family offices in Singapore, believing the republic to be a safe haven .

Third, Singapore has cultivated closer ties with middle powers (Australia, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea) and supported open multilateralism to enhance its prosperity and collective security. The republic has been prolific in concluding free trade agreements , several with middle powers and a key proponent of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity. 

Fourth, Singapore supports “ASEAN centrality” as a “life raft” amid troubled global times. At the May 2023 ASEAN Summit in Indonesia, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called for greater economic integration and for ASEAN to be unified, to be cohesive, to be effective and to be central .

Significantly, these security, economic and multilateral arrangements have strengthened the PAP’s “ domestic sovereignty ” and increased its performance legitimacy. The ruling party’s legitimacy is premised on “ instrumental acquiescence ,” in which support for the government is premised on its ability to deliver security, political stability and acceptable material standards of living in exchange for the curtailment of certain civil liberties.

China’s Challenges to Singapore’s Sovereignty

However, because of its unique status as the only ethnic Chinese-majority state in Southeast Asia, Singapore faces distinctive challenges to its sovereignty. China, despite Singapore’s consistent denials, insists on referring to it as a “ Chinese country ” and regularly seeks to influence Singapore’s policy choices, using coercion and pressure .

In response to Singapore’s support for the 2016 South China Sea arbitration ruling which favored the Philippines, and its alleged attempt to include the ruling in the final document of the Non-Aligned Movement summit in Venezuela in September 2016, General Jin Yinan , a senior People's Liberation Army advisor, said Singapore is “meddling in things that did not concern it,” and had to “pay the price for seriously damaging China’s interests.” As such it was “inevitable for China to strike back at Singapore, and not just on the public opinion front.” And because “Singapore has gone thus far, we have got to do something, be it retaliation or sanction. We must express our discontent.”

To this end, China exerted pressure on Singapore by detaining its armed forces’ armored Terrex vehicles in Hong Kong in November 2016 and uninviting Singapore’s prime minister to Chinese President Xi Jinping's inaugural Belt and Road summit in 2017.

Beijing has also sought to pressure Singapore’s ethnic Chinese population more directly. It does so through the Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce and the Singapore Business Federation, by making it harder for businesses to get contracts, licenses and permits, especially in the real estate sector, where Singaporeans hold significant investments in China.

An important constituency China has focused on is ethnic-Chinese seniors, who tend to have a stronger affinity for the mainland. China’s appeals are directed toward supporting ethnic pride and Chinese nationalism, through clan and grassroots organizations, based on locality or kinship (surname). Of note is the China Cultural Center (Zhongguo Wenhua Zhongxin, 中国文化中心), or CCC, which was established in Singapore in 2012. The Singapore CCC promotes cultural activities and exchanges, teaching and training to create a common identity between Chinese China and Chinese Singapore.

Other vectors of influence include direct broadcasts from China Central Television (CCTV) and China Global Television Network (CGTN), both are widely available on Singapore cable TV and carry pro-Beijing and anti-U.S. narratives, and disinformation on social media .

More directly, China has employed espionage. Academic Huang Jing , then director of the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy’s (LKYSPP) Center on Asia and Globalization, was deported after he was accused by the Ministry of Home Affairs of being “an agent of influence of a foreign country.” Ph.D. student Dickson Yeo , also from the LKYSPP, was jailed in the United States and subsequently issued a detention order under Singapore’s Internal Security Act, for acting as an illegal agent of China.

Singapore has attempted to mitigate China’s interference by passing the Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Bill .

Key political office holders also assert the republic’s independence and emphasize the importance of upholding sovereignty. At the 2022 National Day Rally , Singapore’s equivalent of the State of the Union, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong warned Singaporeans to be vigilant about messages that are shared on social media and actively guard against hostile foreign influence.

“We need to ask ourselves: where do these messages come from, and what are their intentions? And are we sure we should share such messages with our friends? So please check the facts and do not accept all the information as truths [sic]. We must actively guard against hostile foreign influence operations, regardless of where they originate. Only then, can we safeguard the sovereignty and independence of our nation …”

Although the city-state is clear-eyed about its ability to alter the behavior of the two powers, it has tried to be an “ honest broker ” and conveyed its concerns about the rising tensions between Beijing and Washington.

Overall, as the United States and China contest for ascendancy in the region, Singapore has had the space to pursue its political and foreign policy preferences. Observers have termed this hedging — a strategy of not choosing between Washington and Beijing while maximizing gains from cooperating with both powers and avoiding confrontation.

Terence Lee, Ph.D. is a visiting associate professor at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Nanyang Technological University and an associate professor in the Department of Political Science at the National University of Singapore.

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