News

June 27, 2000

Bicol Population Rise Alarms Philippines Authorities

LEGAZPI CITY, Philippines June 27 Asia Pulse - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has alarm about the rapid population growth in Bicol, at 80,000 a year, as one of the major factors which pose a serious threat to the ecological balance in the region.

As a result, Oscar Hamada, DENR regional director, urged the government and the private sector to address the region's growing population which is now estimated at 4.53-million to stave off the situation which he describes as "critical".

"Rapid population growth threatens the success of our ability to address the environment - despite our high priority programmes," said Hamada during a regular Sunday forum at the Jennifers Apartele here.

"It is one of the critical factors which speeds up the environment's deterioration", Hamada said.

Statistics showed that of Bicol's 1.2 million hectares are alienable and disposable with only 500 hectares classified as remaining forest lands.

To sustain the region's ecological balance, Hamada explained, the ideal ratio should be 60 percent for agriculture and 40 percent forest, "but the remaining forest lands in Bicol only accounts between 17 to 18 percent".

Zoilo Ariola, project evaluation officer of the Population Commission (Popcom) said that between 1992 and 1995 the population growth rate in Bicol was about 1.9 percent or an addition of 80,000 people a year.

Bicol has a population of 4,325,307 based on the 1995 census.

"With effective population management programme, the environment will be able to recover within 10 to 20 years," Hamada said.

He added that environment protection and preservation needs strong political will to discourage people from residing in forest lands as well as a hightened awareness to protect the environment and checked illegal cutting of trees.

He said at least 251.04 cubic metres of illegally-cut forest products were seized and 30 illegal cutters caught while 43 cases were filed in court against violators of forestry laws and regulations last year.

"Failure to protect our forest lands will invite environmental problems like flood, landslides, drought and famine," he warned.

With the help of local government units, thousands of families living at the Bicol National Park were relocated to implement an effective reforestration program.

"But if population will continue to increase our natural resources will also continue to dwindle. The previous problems we have addressed now, such as the settlers in the Bicol National Park, will surely recur," he added.

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