2009 state of the environment
TRANSCRIPT
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A report by the
PALAWAN COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT andThe Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS)through its Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation SystemPCSD Building, Sports Complex Road, Sta. Monica,
Puerto Princesa City, Palawan, Philippineswww.pcsd.phTel. No. +63 48 434-4235, Telefax: +63 48 434-4234
EDITORIAL BOARD:
Romeo B. Dorado, Executive DirectorLualhati E. Tabugon, Director II
TECHNICAL EDITORS/CONTRIBUTORS:
Madrono P. Cabrestante, Jr., Apollo V. Regalo, Wilson R. Pambid, Ryan T. Fuentes, MarianneFaith M. Perez, Jesus E. Bream, Perlita I. Quiling, Fernando E. Padilla, Amelyn E. Dramayo
Philippine Copyright @ 2010 by Palawan Council forSustainable Development, Puerto Princesa City, PhilippinesISBN: 978-971-0475-14-8
This report can be reproduced as long as the publisher is properly cited and acknowledged asthe source of information. Reproduction for sale or other commercial purposes is howeverprohibited without the written consent of the publisher.
Suggested Citation:
PCSD (2010): State of the Environment 2009 Updates, Province of Palawan, Philippines.Palawan Council for Sustainable Development, Puerto Princesa City. Pp. 43.
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FOREWORD
Sustainable development is a balancing act. We need all ourcapital - natural, economic, and human capital - to implementthis ideal vision. We need all the information we can get so thatwe can be guided in our daily undertaking of environmentalgovernance. To this end, the second edition of The State of theEnvironment of Palawan is a concrete contribution to ourobjective of pursuing sustainable development.
I commend the PCSD Staff on the publication of a documentthat will serve as a reference for government line agencies,
academic institutions, non-governmental organizations and thegeneral public. As it reflects the current situation of some ofPalawans environmental components - forest, water quality, coralreefs and other coastal resources - we are all privileged to havea set of information that carries with it analyses andrecommendations that will steer us toward a more guided
decision and policy making.
May our ecology continue to prosper side by side with our society and our economy. And may ourpresent and future activities in the province be directed to the enrichment of our natural resource base.
My congratulations to all members of the technical staff of PCSD for continuing to provide us with thiskind of timely information.
Allow me to also greet everyone a Happy 18th SEP Day Anniversary.
Heres to a sustainable lifestyle for the Palaweo!
MARIO JOEL T. REYESChairman, PCSDGovernor, Palawan
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PREFACE
The release of this update on the State of theEnvironment of Palawan is dedicated to allstakeholders concerned with the perpetuation of theintegrity of our life-support systems. Knowledge is abasic need for eco-governance as it assists us inmaking decisions that will affect not only the presentbut also the future people of Palawan.
This report does bring with it some alarming trends in
the state of our forestry and fisheries. It is thus ourcontinuing desire to focus our energy on theenrichment of our ecosystems and the combat ofongoing threats to their stability.
The PCSD Staff is joining every Filipino in thecelebration of the International Year of the Biodiversity, as well as the 18th year of enactment of theSEP Law. Rest assured that we will continue implementing and refining our environmental policies inorder for them to serve the needs of the man-and-environment of the Palawan Biosphere Reserve.
Maraming salamat at mabuhay tayong lahat!
ROMEO B. DORADOOIC - Executive DirectorPCSD Staff
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FOREWORD vPREFACE vi
Tables of Contents viiList of Tables viiiList of Figures ix
List of Maps x
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY xiINTRODUCTION 1
I . LAND COVER AND FOREST RESOURCES 3
Palawan Forest Cover at 46% 3 Forest Cover by Municipality 8 Mangrove Forests and Fishponds 12 Deforestation and Carbon Sequestration 13
II . WATER RESOURCES 14 River System Monitoring 14 Rainfall 23
II I. COASTAL RESOURCES MONITORING 30Municipalities of Agutaya and Magsaysay, 2009 30 Coral Reefs 30 Seagrass Resources 32
Mangrove Resources 34 Reef Fish Communities 36Coastal Resources of Other Municipalities, 2005 and 2008 38
T A B L E O F C O N T E N T S
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L I S T O F TABLES
Table 1 Land Cover, Palawan Province, 1992 and 2005 5
Table 2 Forest Cover, Palawan Province, 1992 and 2005 9Table 3 Water Quality Indicators/Criteria 17Table 3a Water Usage and Classification 18Table 3b General Description of the Calculated Water Quality Rank 18
Table 4 River Water Quality Monitoring/Ranking, Palawan Province,2009
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L I S T O F F I G U R E S
Figure 1 Percentage Land Cover by Category, Palawan 1992-2005 3Figure 2 Phosphate Concentration in Water Samples Taken from
River Monitoring Station, Palawan Province
20
Figure 3 Total Suspended Solids 21Figure 4 pH Values in Water Samples taken from River Monitoring
Stations, Palawan Province22
Figure 5 Total Coliform Concentration in Water Samples Taken
from River Monitoring Stations, Palawan
23
Figure 6 Rainfall Trend in Selected Sites in Palawan Province,1977-2008
26
Figure 7 Rainfall Pattern, Puerto Princesa City, 1949-2008 27
Figure 8 Typical Monthly Rainfall Pattern, Eastern Palawan (Type 3Climate)
28
Figure 9 Typical Monthly Rainfall Pattern, Western Palawan (Type1 Climate)
29
Figure 10 Benthic Coral Cover of Magsaysay Municipality, 2002 and2009
31
Figure 11 Benthic Coral Cover of Agutaya Municipality, 2002 and
2009
31
Figure 12 Seagrass Canopy and Species Abundance in Magsaysay
Municipality, Palawan
33
Figure 13 Seagrass Canopy and Species Abundance in Agutaya
Municipality, Palawan
33
Figure 14 Mangrove Density and Stocking Magsaysay Municipality,
Palawan
35
Figure 15 Fish Density in Agutaya Municipality, Palawan 37
Figure 16 Fish Density in Magsaysay Municipality, Palawan 37Figure 17 Average Density of Target Fish Resources in Selected
Palawan Municipalities
38
Figure 18 Seagrass Canopy Cover in Selecte Palawan Municipalities 39Figure 19 Comparative Live Coral Cover in Selected Palawan
Municipalities
40
Figure 20 Mangrove Density in the Municipalities of Quezon and
Brookes Point, Palawan
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L I S T O F MAPS
Map 1 Land Cover, Southern Palawan, 2005 6Map 2 Land Cover, Northern Palawan, 2005 7
Map 3 Location of River Monitoring Stations, Palawan Province 16
Map 4 Climate Map Based on the Modified Coronas Classification,Philippines
25
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
FOREST LAND COVER
1. The forest cover of Palawan is estimated at 666,338 hectares or about 46% of the land area ofthe province. This is a decrease from previous statistics of 738,886 hectares (52%). The informationcame from interpretation of satellite imageries using remote sensing techniques.
2. More than half of the forest of the province is considered secondary, while only about a quarter(25%) is regarded as primary.
3. In terms of extent, Puerto Princesa City has the largest area at 159,135 hectares, followed by theMunicipality of Rizal at 73,912 hectares of forest area.
4. Relative to its total land area, the Municipality of San Vicente manifested the highest forest coverat 75%, followed by Puerto Princesa City at 72%.
5. Most island municipalities have meager forest cover (less than 100 hectares). These include themunicipalities of Araceli, Magsaysay, Cuyo, Agutaya, and Cagayancillo.
6. Palawans forest cover appears to have decreased by 6% between the periods 1992 and 2005.This translates to around 72,500 hectares of forest loss with an annual deforestation rate of around5,500 hectares.
7. The loss in forest cover can be attributed to a host of factors: the actualloss of forest cover, thevarious methods of satellite image interpretation used in the two data collection periods, thedifference in the resolution of satellite images used, and the different categories of land coverclassification between the two dates.
8. The actual loss can be attributed to the continuing harvest of timber, land use conversion toagriculture, and natural causes such as forest fires.
9. As of 2005, the total mangrove forest of Palawan is around 58,400 hectares, an increase fromprevious record of 50,602 hectares in 1992. This accounts for 4% of provinces land area, androughly 42% of the total remaining mangroves in the Philippines.
10.Some municipalities with substantial increase (greater than 1,000 hectares) of mangrove forestcover include Bataraza, Culion, Roxas, and Taytay. Municipalities which manifested reduction inmangrove forests include Dumaran, Sofronio Espaola, San Vicente, and Rizal.
11. Natural regeneration of certain mangrove forest tracts is believed to compensate for their lossdue to fishpond conversion and to account for the slight expansion of mangrove areas. The majorongoing activities which threaten the mangrove forests of Palawan are forest conversion intofishponds and agricultural areas, harvest of mangrove timber for coal fuel and house construction
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materials, and debarking or tanbarking of mangroves which is historically rampant in southernPalawan.
12.A conservative estimate of the carbon stock sequestered within the forests of Palawan iscalculated at 206 million metric tons of carbon.
WATER RESOURCES
13.A total of twenty six (26) rivers in Palawan were monitored and evaluated quarterly in terms ofriver water quality using the Water Quality Criteria from the DENR DAO 34, s.1990.
14.The average concentration of phosphates monitored in 2009 is higher than the 2004 (baseline)concentration except for Tigaplan River in Brookes Point. The increase in the averageconcentration of phosphates over a period of five years in the river stations can be attributed tointensive agricultural activities upstream of the monitoring stations.
15.The average concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS) recorded for 2009 were all belowthe 2004 concentration except for Tigaplan River in Brookes Point and Iraan River in Magara,Roxas. Labog River in Espaola has almost the same average concentration of TSS with thebaseline data. A decrease in average concentration of TSS with respect to the baseline datawas observed at Magara River. However, its average concentration still exceeded the Class Astandard.
16. Increase on average pH (2009) with respect to the 2004 data was observed. Average pH in allrivers is all within the range (DAO 34) for fresh water except for Inandeng River (San Vicente)
which is slightly acidic. The decrease in pH level in the water could be due to the respiration anddecomposition processes, or the weathering of rocks and soil due to natural and human activities.
17.Sources of nonpoint pollution in the river monitoring stations generally come from the excessagro-chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides; oil and grease; sediment load from improperlymanaged quarry sites, crop/forest lands, and eroding stream banks; and bacteria and nutrientsfrom livestock, pet wastes, urban runoffs and faulty septic system.
18.The rainfall pattern in Palawan, particularly in the eastern side, shows an increase in rainfallintensity. This may be attributed to the changing climate, studies of which disclose that there isnow increased rainfall intensity during wet seasons and more intense drought periods during
dry seasons.
19.The rainfall pattern for Puerto Princesa City is typical of Palawans rainfall condition under TypeIII Climate. Data obtained from the records of DOST-PAGASA shows that rainfall pattern ofPuerto Princesa City exhibits a recurring high-low rainfall trend in the half century of documentation.A 30-year cycle of highs exhibited in 2004-2008 was earlier observed in 1974-78, and may
have earlier occurred in 1940s.
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28.The current condition of corals in the three municipalities can be described to be in goodcondition with an average of 53% coral cover. However, there was an average decrease of13% of live coral cover from the monitoring survey in all of the municipalities. The most probablecause of the degradation of the coral reefs is the increased fishing pressure on commercialfish species which promoted the proliferation of the use of dynamite and cyanide in fishing.
29.The current condition of the mangroves in Quezon and Brookes Point can be described asadequate highly dense. This can be concluded from the increase of 24.6% of mangrovetrees per hectare in these areas. This can be the result of proper management of the municipalityover its mangrove areas and the strict enforcement of the environmental laws.
30. The current condition of the coastal resources in the Municipality of Cagayancillo is in the categorygood condition based on the 2007 baseline assessment. Still, proper management should
be put in place to maintain and even improve the conditions of these resources which are highlyvulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
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INTRODUCTION
The policy of protecting the environment and enhancing the economy of Palawan is unequivocallyembodied in the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan Act (SEP Law). The law specifically statesour obligation to the future generations in maintaining our life-support systems through thecomplementation of development and environmental protection activities. The food and water supplysystems are to be secured, and to this end, the zoning of the Environmentally Critical Areas Network(ECAN) is completed in the entire province.
The business of sustainable development is the business of everyone because the concept is designedto achieve one of the ardent goals of humanity, which is the guarantee of our human welfare. Thenatural goods and services that accrue from our wise use of natural capital will ensure the continuousflow of investment to our economic capital.
The economic sectors from which our provincial and national economies depend on such as tourism,agriculture, forestry, fisheries, and mineral and offshore energy development are in part dependenton the quality of our ecology. The maximization of our income from these economic activities, coupledwith the mitigation and prevention of harmful environmental impacts, is the ideal way that the businessof sustainable development operates. Our beneficiaries are none other than the people of Palawanand the Philippines; they are the stakeholders andstockholders of these capital investments.
In this context, the present update on The State of the Environment of Palawan (2009) is expected toadd to our understanding of the dynamic changes happening in the province. These changes are broughtin part by the increasing pressures to our natural ecosystems, driven by the need to extract resources
and buffer our economy.
The State of the Environment is a set deliverable of the ECAN Environmental Monitoring and EvaluationDivision of the PCSD Staff. It is part of the agencys Environmental Monitoring and Evaluation System(EMES), one of the support mechanisms of SEP as provided for in the law. Under Section 13 of theSEP Law, the EMES is established to monitor the achievement of the SEP goals. The immediateconcern of the EMES is in the measurement of project success by measurement of environmentalparameters (e.g., water quality). Monitoring deals with providing information at regular intervals whileevaluation is the interpretation and application of data gathered from monitoring.
The specific objectives of the EMES are periodic quantification of key environmental parameters, early
identification of adverse environmental trends and major crisis areas and situations, and recommendationof solutions to counter these trends and crises. We hope that the present document partially fulfillsthese objectives by painting the current picture of the provinces environment and identifying the trendsin the state of our ecosystems. Comparisons can be made with the results and findings of the first Stateof the Environment Report published in 2004.
Timely and scientific environmental information has been instrumental in supporting the governance ofthe Palawan Biosphere Reserve. This has been shown, for example, by the declaration of the latest
protected area in the mainland, the Mount Mantalingahan Protected Landscape, through Proclamation 1815
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signed by the President on June 2009. Prior to this declaration, the previous baseline scientific studies
on the mountain range have confirmed its high conservation and economic values.Despite our previous milestones in environmental management, the challenges to the sustainabledevelopment of Palawan are manifold. There remains the need to provide for green livelihoods tomarginalized people, livelihoods that do not sacrifice the integrity of the environment. Another challengeis the infusion of investments on sectors that do not rely too much on environmental extraction, such asnature tourism. Finally, the incorporation of environmental ethics in the political system and localgovernance brings with it a more holistic perspective to sustainability, equity, and intergenerationalresponsibility.
This report strives to arrive at an integrated approach to the Palawan environment. This partly meansthat we always consider that whatever happens in the uplands can impact the downstream and lowlandecosystems. Such perspective is the only valid response to dealing with our challenges. Because thespine of our economy is no less than our ecology itself, careful developmental planning based on theupdated scientific information is not an option but a must. Environmental planning for the quality of life
demands that we rely on quality information.
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Palawans Forest Cover at 46%
Recent data derived from 2005 satellite images indicates that Palawan forest accounts for 666,338hectares or about forty-six percent (46%) of the terrestrial area of the province. The latest terrestrialforest cover of Palawan has decreased from previous record. The graph below as well as the table inthe following page show the breakdown of land cover (including the forest) for the Province of Palawan.The land cover resource inventories compared are the 1992 by JAFTA (Japan Forest TechnicalAssociation) and the 2005 by PCSDS with assistance from its Sustainable Environmental ManagementProject in Northern Palawan (SEMP-NP).
Figure 1. Percentage Land Cover by Category, Palawan, 1992-2005
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I. LAND COVER AND FOREST RESOURCES
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Land cover usually reflects the outward appearance of the environment. It could provide initial data in
assessing the state of the environment of a particular area. In this context, the PCSDS monitors thechanges in land cover of Palawan as part of its mandate to implement an Environmental Monitoringand Evaluation System (EMES) pursuant to Republic Act 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan(SEP) for Palawan Act. Changes in the Provinces land cover have been documented in the past andwere embodied in the State of the Environment Report published in 2004.
PCSDS uses remotely sensed information (i.e. satellite images) in generating land cover/land usedata for Palawan. The latest imageries that PCSDS acquired are the SPOT 5 satellite images with aresolution of 5 meters, taken from 2002 to 2006. The land cover datasets derived were designated asthe resource base for the year 2005. The SPOT 5 images were interpreted using remote sensingsoftware. The interpretation used the supervised classification algorithm and was supplemented byground truth data. Image interpretation by municipality was performed using various categories. Thetable in the next page as well as the succeeding maps are the major results of such image interpre-tation.
Forest cover is measured by accounting for the forested area relative to the total terrestrial area. Onthe basis of SPOT imageries (c. 2005) covering the whole of Palawan, a considerable percentage ofthe provinces land area was described as forest of various types to include primary forests, secondaryor residual forests, karst or forests over limestone, mossy forests, marginal forests, and forests overultramafic soil. The differences in the provincial total land area for each year can be explained by thevarying boundaries among the satellite image datasets.
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Table 1. Land Cover, Palawan Province, 1992 and 2005
5
LAND COVER 1992 (JAFTA) 2005 (PCSDS) CHANGE
CATEGO RY Hectares % Hectares % %
Forest 738,886 51.8 666,338 46.0 (5.8)
Primary / Old growth forest 333,380 23.5 189,772 13.1
Secondary/ Residual forest 335,893 23.7 373,278 25.8
Mossy forest 40,864 2.9 21,601 1.5
Marginal forest 27,651 2.0 41,935 2.9
Ultramafic forest 0 - 26,993 1.9
Karst / Limestone forest 1,098 0.1 12,759 0.9
Mangrove forest 50,602 3.5 58,400 4.0 0.5
Open Mangrove 0 - 2,807 0.2 0.2
Brushland 245,585 17.2 444,123 30.7 13.5
Grassland 252,025 17.7 55,727 3.9 (13.9)
Agricultural areas 91,053 6.4 194,066 13.4 7.0
Paddy field 42,893 3.0 64,003 4.4
Coconut plantation 26,397 1.9 56,031 3.9
Other plantation 7,942 0.6 35,917 2.3
Cropland 13,821 0.9 22,459 1.6
Orchard 0 - 14,164 1.0
Kaingin/Barren 0 - 1,644 0.1
Built-up areas 1,083 0.1 10,080 0.7 0.6
Roads 0 - 6,166 0.4 0.4
Fishpond / Saltpond 170 0.0 2,279 0.2 0.2
Bare/ Rocky area 9,607 0.7 1,945 0.1 (0.6)
Mining area 1,468 0.1 737 0.1 (0.1)
River 0 - 4,208 0.3 0.3
Wetlands/ Water Body /Lake 1,179 0.1 1,801 0.1 0.0
Clouds/Shadow 35,138 2.5 (2.5)
Total 1,426,796 100.0 1,448,676 100.0
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Map 1. Land Cover, Southern Palawan, 2005
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Map 2. Land Cover, Northern Palawan, 2005
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Forest Cover by Municipality, Palawan Province, 1992 and 2005
The breakdown of forest cover for each city/municipality of Palawan, excluding Kalayaan, is summarizedin Table 2. The percentage (%) refers to the proportion of forest with respect to the LGUs total landarea.
Among the municipalities of Palawan, San Vicente manifested the highest forest cover at 75.2%, fol-lowed by Puerto Princesa City at 72.1% (Table 1). In terms of extent, however, Puerto Princesa City hasthe largest area at 159,135 hectares, followed by the Municipality of Rizal with 73,912 hectares offorest area. More than half of the forest of the province is considered secondary, while only about aquarter (25%) is regarded as primary.
Aside from Puerto Princesa City, only three (3) municipalities exhibited forest cover greater than thecurrent Provincial forest cover of 46%. These are San Vicente, Rizal and Aborlan. Eighteen (18) or75% of the municipalities of the province have forest cover below 46%. On the other hand, five (5)municipalities indicated meager forest cover (less than 100 hectares). These are mainly comprised ofthe island municipalities of Araceli, Magsaysay, Cuyo, Agutaya, and Cagayancillo. The municipality ofKalayaan, having no forest cover, was not included in the analysis.
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Table 2. Forest Cover, Palawan Province, 1992 and 2005
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Another important factor that may have led to the significant change is the classification and definition
of forest. Previous years data has classified large tracts of vegetation as forest which upon validationin 2005 were found out to be of a different land cover. Overestimation of the previous forest covermaybe attributed to misinterpretation of the images in favor of forest vegetation. Evidence would provethat there were instances when certain areas vegetated with coconuts were misinterpreted as oldgrowth forest.
Some Inaccuracies and Misinterpretations of JAFTA
Cases of misinterpretations were documented for JAFTA maps, which was the basis for Palawans1992 land cover. For one, vast cashew plantations were interpreted as brushlands. In other provincessuch as in the Cordilleras, vegetable gardens & rice fields were interpreted as grasslands, while only
one type of forest was interpreted in Misamis Occidental even though local people are able to identifyfive (5) types thereof. This situation could also have been the case in JAFTA interpretation of Palawansland cover.< http://www.iapad.org/publications/ppgis/v4n1_the_fourth_dimension_of_participation.pdf>
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Mangrove Forests and Fishponds
Palawans Mangrove: 42% of the Philippine Total
Latest data indicate that mangrove forest accounts for 4% of Palawans total land area, covering around58,400 hectares. This accounts for roughly 42% of the total remaining mangroves in the country.Municipalities which manifested remarkable increase (greater than 1,000 hectares) in mangrove forestssince 1998 are: Bataraza, Culion, Roxas, and Taytay. While overall mangrove forests of Palawan haveexpanded, there are municipalities which manifested reduction in mangrove forests, such as Dumaran,Sofronio Espaola, Quezon, San Vicente, and Jose Rizal.
While conversion of mangrove areas into fishponds or salt ponds still persists in some parts of theprovince, this did not affect the overall mangrove stand of Palawan. Natural regeneration of certainmangrove forests is believed to compensate for the loss due to fishpond conversion and to account forthe slight expansion of mangrove areas.
Threats to Mangrove Ecosystem
The major activities which threaten the mangrove forests of Palawan include:
conversion into fishponds and
agricultural areas harvest of mangrove timber for coal fuel debarking or tanbarking of mangroves
which is stil happening in southern Palawan
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Deforestation and Carbon Sequestration
A conservative estimate of the carbon stock sequestered within the forests of Palawan ( based on the2005 forest cover) is calculated to be about 206 million metric tons (MT) of Carbon. This figure issignificantly high for a single province considering that it represents half the annual carbon dioxideemissions of large countries such as France, South Africa, and Australia.
Based on the current carbon trading at the European Climate Exchange, the amount of carbonsequestered by Palawans forest is valued at Euro 3.1 billion (US $3.7 billion). Taking the current cost
of chemical capture of CO2(at $150/ton), Palawans forest has therefore captured a CO
2equivalent
valued at US $ 30 Billion.
13
QUICK FACTS:Thelossofforestcoveraroundthe
worldcontributestoabout20%of
annualglobalgreenhousegas
emissions.Thishappenswhenthe
carbonsequesteredinthetreesare
releasedintheatmospherethrough
deforestation.
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River monitoring stations are located at the midstream of the river system, along or near the bridge.
Several human activities upstream of the monitoring stations have considerable impact on the riverquality which are captured in the monitoring stations.
The average concentration of the parameters such as phosphates, pH, total coliform and TSS obtainedfrom 2009 were compared with the baseline data (2004) gathered by PCSDS on thirteen (13) rivermonitoring stations. River water quality data from the other 13 stations without data on baselineconcentration are also shown in the figures.
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QUICKFACTS:
Dissolved oxygen refers to the amount of oxygenpresent in the water available for the livingorganisms. For aquatic species, adequate
dissolved oxygen is of prime importance to their
continued survival. Since dissolved oxygen levels
are directly related to good water quality, the two
are highly interdependent. Warmer water usuallyhas low oxygen saturation value. As dissolved
oxygen levels in water drop below 5.0 mg/l, aquaticlife is put under stress. The lower the
concentration, the greater the stress. Generally,
4.0 mg/ of dissolved oxygen is required for fish tosurvive. Oxygen levels that remain below 1-2 mg/l
for a few hours can result in large fish kills.
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Map 3. Location of River Monitoring Stations, Palawan Province
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To provide information on water quality and water use, a Water Quality Index (WQI) was used to
assess Palawans surface waters. It incorporates information on water usage and classification offresh surface water bodies based on DENR Administrative Order No. 34, Series of 1990.
The calculation of WQI incorporates three (3) different and independent measurements to determinethe index/rank of specific water bodies. These measurements are scope, frequencyand amplitude.In measuring the scope, the number of contaminants that exceeded water quality standards areconsidered, such that it answers the question how many. For frequency, the proportion of samplesfor each contaminant that exceeded water quality standard are addressed, such that it answersthe question of how often. Amplitudeconsiders the amount at which the samples exceededwater quality standards, as such, it responds to the the question how much.
Table 3. WATER QUALITY INDICATORS / CRITERIA
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Table 4. River Water Quality Monitoring/Ranking, Palawan Province, 2009
The above ranking does not necessarily apply for the entire river system, as characterization of thewater body can only be made within the vicinity of the sampling point/station and downstrem.
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The concentration of phosphates monitored in 2009 is higher than the baseline (2004) concentration
except for Tigaplan River. Increase in the average concentration of phosphates over a period of five (5)years in the river staions could be attributed to the intensive agricultural activities upstream of themonitoring station.
Figure 2. Phosphate Concentration in Water Samples Taken from River MonitoringStations, Palawan Province
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The average concentration of total suspended solids (TSS) recorded for 2009 were all below the baseline
concentration except for Tigaplan Rriver and Iraan River. Labog River has almost same average con-centration of TSS with the baseline data. A decrease in average concentration of TSS with respect tothe baseline data was observed at Magara River. However, its average concentration still exceededthe Class A criteria as shown in the figure below.
Figure 3. Total Suspended Solids
21
QUICKFACTS:
Erosionorthewearingawayoftopsoil,increasesthetotal
suspendedsolidsinwater.Soilandsiltwashedfromlogged
hillsides,plowedfields,orconstructionsites,canclogwaterwaysandkillaquaticvegetation.Evensmallamountsof
siltcaneliminatedesirablefishspecies.Whenlogging
removestheprotectiveplantcoverfromhillsides,rainmay
washsoilandsiltintostreams,coveringthegravelbedthatis
usedforspawning.Itcanalsoharmfishdirectlybyclogging
gills,reducinggrowthrates,andloweringresistanceto
disease.
QUICKFACTS:
Erosionorthewearingawayoftopsoil,increasesthetotal
suspendedsolidsinwater.Soilandsiltwashedfromlogged
hillsides,plowedfields,orconstructionsites,canclogwaterwaysandkillaquaticvegetation.Evensmallamountsof
siltcaneliminatedesirablefishspecies.Whenlogging
removestheprotectiveplantcoverfromhillsides,rainmay
washsoilandsiltintostreams,coveringthegravelbedthatis
usedforspawning.Itcanalsoharmfishdirectlybyclogging
gills,reducinggrowthrates,andloweringresistanceto
disease.
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Variations on pH of river stations from the baseline (2004) and gathered values in 2009 are
shown in Figure 4. Natural variations on pH are affected by photosynthesis, respiration anddecomposition processes in the body of water. Photosynthesis increases the pH while respiration
and decomposition of organic matter lower the pH. Generally, the pH of the rivers ranges from
neutral to slightly basic (alkaline) except for Inandeng River which was always slightly acidic.
The decrease in pH level in the water as in the case of Inandeng River, could be due to the
respiration and decomposition processes, or the weathering of rocks and soil due to natural or
anthropogenic activities.
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Figure 4. pH Values in Water Samples Taken from River Monitoring Stations,
Palawan Province
QUICKFACTS:
ThesynergisticeffectsofpHcanultimatelyaltertheriverwaterecosystem.Ithappenswhenacid
waterscomeintocontactwithcertainchemicals
andmetalspresentinthesoil,itoftenmakesthe
watermorepoisonousthannormal.ThealteredpH
candestroyaquaticmacroinvertebrates,fisheggs
andfry.Heavymetalscanalsoaccumulateonthe
gillsoffishorcausedeformitiesinyoungfish,
reducingtheirchanceofsurvival.
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The concentrations of total coliform from river monitoring stations are shown in the figure below. The
increased concentration can be contributed by the bacteria and nutrient from livestock, pet wastes,
urban runoff and faulty septic system discharged into the river bodies.
The water pollution in the monitored river systems is attributed to nonpoint or diffuse sources. Sourcesof nonpoint pollution in the river monitoring stations generally come from the excess agri-chemicalssuch as fertilizer and pesticides causing high concentration of phosphates and nitrates; oil and greasecoming from washing of vehicles along the rivers; sediment load from improperly managed quarry andgold mining/panning sites, crop/forest lands, and eroding stream banks resulting in increased totalsuspended solids (TSS); bacteria and nutrient from livestock, pet wastes, urban runoff and faulty septicsystem contributing to the increased concentration of total coliform.
Figure 5. Total Coliform Concentration in Water Samples Taken from River
Monitoring Stations, Palawan Province
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To properly address the emerging river water quality problems, the implementation of riverbank
stabilization program particularly along Labog river is recommended. Farming practices such as no-
till minimize soil erosion and help protect water quality. For quarry and gold panning sites, controls
such as silt fences and sedimentation basins should be designed to prevent eroding soils from reaching
surface waters. The local communities through the LGUs should initiate regular river system/riverbank
clean-up, particularly in Iraan (Aborlan) and Pulot (Espanola) Rivers. The headwaters of Calategas
dam site should also be protected as this is the existing source of domestic water supply of the
community downstream.
The community based approach in water resource management should be encouraged throughinformation and education campaign.
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Rainfall / Precipitation, Palawan Province
Map 4. Climate Map Based on the Modified Coronas Classification, Philippines
QUICK FACTS: CLIMATE TYPES IN PALAWANType I WestPalawan,includingnorthmainland,CalamianandCuyo Islandgroup;hastwopronouncedseasons:dryfrom
NovembertoAprilandwetthroughouttherestoftheyear,
becauseareasareshieldedbymountainrangesbutareopento
rainsbroughtinbyHabagat andtropicalcyclones.
Type III EastPalawan;seasonsarenotverypronouncedbutarerelativelydryfromNovembertoAprilandwetduringtherest
oftheyear.Theseareasarepartlyshelteredfromtradewinds.
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QUICKFACTS:
Rainfallisgenerallyaresultofthemovementandinteractionof
coldandwarmairmassesinaparticularperiod.
TheSouthwestMonsoonorlocallyknownasHabagat affects
thecountryfromMaytoSeptemberandoccurswhenwarm
moistairflowsoverthecountryfromthesouthwestdirection.
Thisbringsinrainstothewesternportionofthecountry.
TheNortheastMonsoonorAmihan,meanwhile,affectsthe
easternportionsofthecountryfromOctobertolateMarch.
ColdanddryairmassfromSiberiagathersmoistureasit
travelsoverthePacificandbringswidespreadcloudinesswith
rainsandshowersuponreachingtheeasternpartsofthe
Philippines
As the Earth heats up, there will be global climatic effects and warming impacts. A warmer earth surface may result in
stronger forcing of atmospheric circulation and a faster water cycle. More and heavier rainfall events are also anticipated.More intense large scale weather patterns are projected resulting in more pronounced periods of heavy precipitation anddrought as well as more intense storms. There is also an expected decrease in snowfall and more precipitation falling as
rain. There will be fewer run-offs in late summer and fall.
- In the Eye of the Perfect Storm: What the Philippines Should Do About Climate Change. 2008
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Figure 6. Rainfall Trend in Selected Sites in Palawan Province, 1977 - 2008
26
The rainfall pattern in Palawan, particularly in the eastern side as shown in the figure above, indicates
an increasing rainfall intensity. This may be attributed to the changing climate, studies of which disclosethat there is now an increased rainfall intensity during rainy season as well as intensified droughtperiods in dry season.
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Figure 7. Rainfall Pattern, Puerto Princesa City, 1949-2008
The rainfall pattern for Puerto Princesa City, obtained from the records of DOST-PAGASA, is typical ofPalawans rainfall condition under Climate Type III. The figure above presents the rainfall pattern ofPuerto Princesa City covering around half a century of documentation, showing a recurring high-lowrainfall trend. A 30-year cycle of highs exhibited in 2004-2008 was earlier observed in 1974-78, andmay have earlier occurred in 1940s.
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Sources of Data:
State of Environment Report, Palawan (2004)
Integrated Environmental Program (IEP) Final Report, Vol.1: The Environment Plan (1983)
Certified records from DOST-PAGASA (1949-2008), and RTNMC (2007)
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The graph of the average monthly rainfall for Puerto Princesa City, Aborlan and Bataraza, shows atypical pattern for eastern Palawan under Type-3 of the modified Coronas Climate Classification. Therainfall pattern in the mid-80s up to the current year showed a slight increase from the average monthlyrainfall in the previous decades.
Significantly, one to two wet months (those exceeding 250 millimeters of rainfall in a month) have beenrecorded since 1984 up to 2008, in contrast to practically no recorded wet months during the PIADP-IEPperiod or during those years prior to 1983. Generally, though, eastern Palawan receives less rainfall thanin the western side. Its recorded highest rainfall in a particular month still did not exceed 300 millimeters,while in the western side of Palawan, the highest rainfall was recorded at around 500 millimeters.
Average Monthly Rainfall of Palawan Province
Figure 8. Typical Monthly Rainfall Pattern, Eastern Palawan (Type 3 Climate)
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The western Palawan, under Type-1 of the modified Coronas Climate Classification, is supposed tohave two pronounced seasons: dry from November to April and wet throughout the rest of the year.The graph however shows that the months of November and December now fall under the intermediateseason, with only the months of January to April as the distinct dry months. Likewise, the State of theEnvironment Report in 2004 indicates a slight increase in the rainfall intensity during the months ofAugust to October (typical typhoon season) than in the previous decade.
Figure 9. Typical Monthly Rainfall Pattern, Western Palawan (Type 1 Climate)
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III. COASTAL RESOURCES MONITORING
Municipalities of Agutaya and Magsaysay, 2009
Coastal resources monitoring were undertaken in 2009 in the Municipalities of Agutaya and Magsaysay.The baseline information in these areas were obtained during the coastal resources assessment in in2002
Corals Reefs
The monitoring survey revealed a decrease of benthic coral cover in the year 2009 compared to
baseline year 2002 in the municipalities of Agutaya and Magsaysay. The Figures 10 and 11 showa comparison of the changes in the hard and soft coral composition of these municipalities in thesurvey periods. The decrease in the coral cover can be attributed to illegal fishing methods such ascyanide and dynamite fishing among others.
There is an immediate need for management measures to protect the coral reefs in order toprevent further degradation. Protecting this vital resource will provide local fishermen a continuoussource of food and income.
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Figure 11. Benthic Coral Cover of Agutaya Municipality, 2002 and 2009
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Figure 10. Benthic Coral Cover of Magsaysay Municipality, 2002 and 2009
Total%c
over
Total%c
over
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Seagrass Resources
The density and abundance of seagrass in Agutaya and Magsaysay have decreased rapidly in 2009compared to the year 2002. This may be attributed to the changing climate and to human activitieslike additional boats anchoring near shore where seagrass beds are located.
Immediate protection should be implemented in order to prevent further degradation of seagrassbeds in the area.
QUICK FACTS:Seagrass bed is one of the mostproductive components of the marineecosystem, the same rank with corals andmangroves in serving as nursery, feedingand breeding grounds to varieties ofmarine organisms. It filters nutrients andcontaminants from water and helpsstabilize sed iment formation to lessen thedegree of soil particles reaching coralreefs.
QUICK FACTS:Seagrass bed is one of the mostproductive components of the marineecosystem, the same rank with corals andmangroves in serving as nursery, feedingand breeding grounds to varieties ofmarine organisms. It filters nutrients andcontaminants from water and helpsstabilize sed iment formation to lessen thedegree of soil particles reaching coralreefs.
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Figure 12. Seagrass Canopy and Species Abundance in Magsaysay Municipality,
Palawan
Figure 13. Seagrass Canopy and Species Abundance in Agutaya Municipality,Palawan
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Total%c
over
T
otal%c
over
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Mangrove Resources
Based on the data collected in 2002 and 2009 (Figure 14), the density of mangroves in the Municipalityof Magsaysay, Palawan has increased. This can be attributed to proper management of the municipalityin taking care of the mangrove resource. No mangrove cutting was observed in the area during thesurvey period.
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QUICKFACTS:
Mangroveforestarepartofthemajor
life-supportsystemsofthecoastalzone.Mangroveshelpmaintainthe
coastalwaterquality,reducethe
severityofcoastalstormsandwaves.
Theyalsoserveasnurseryareasof
artisinalfishes,habitatandfeeding
groundofdifferentmarineand/or
terrestrialorganismsandimportant
abundantsourceofforest&fishery
products.
QUICKFACTS:
Mangroveforestarepartofthemajor
life-supportsystemsofthecoastalzone.Mangroveshelpmaintainthe
coastalwaterquality,reducethe
severityofcoastalstormsandwaves.
Theyalsoserveasnurseryareasof
artisinalfishes,habitatandfeeding
groundofdifferentmarineand/or
terrestrialorganismsandimportant
abundantsourceofforest&fishery
products.
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Figure 14. Mangrove Density and Stocking in Magsaysay Municipality,
Palawan
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No.oftrees
perhectare
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Reef Fish Communities
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Fish communities are major resources playing an important role in coral reef ecosystems. Theyserve as grazers to control growth of algae on coral habitat. The commercial importance of reef fishcommunities for local fisheries and tourism is immeasurable. Therefore, the health and productivityof reef fisheries are critical from both the ecological and economic perspectives.
During the 2009 monitoring survey, slight increase in reef fish density was seen in the target species
and a much higher increase in reef fish density in the indicator species in Agutaya and Magsaysay
municipalities as compared to the 2002 baseline survey. The increase in densities indicates a slight
recovery of the fishery populations in the area. However, fish densities in both municipalities are still in
poor condition, possibly due to high fishing pressure which is causing the target species to be lessabundant than the indicator species.
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Figure 15. Fish Density in Agutaya Municipality, Palawan
Figure 16. Fish Density in Magsaysay Municipality, Palawan
Fish density is expressed in individuals per hectare.
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The current condition of seagrass communities in the municipalities of Araceli, Brookes Point andQuezon, as shown in the graph is described to be in fair condition with 37.9% average canopy cover.However, a decrease of 3.3% of average canopy cover of seagrass of all the municipalities com-bined can be attributed to several factors along the coast. Trawling and boating are human activitiesthat can be factors in the reduction of seagrass cover. Sediments coming from riverine inputs andcoastal communities have also been known to reduce the survival of seagrass species.
Figure 18. Seagrass Canopy Cover in Three Palawan Municipalities
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The current condition of corals in the 3 municipalities monitored from 2005 to 2008 can be describedto be in good condition with an average of 52.9% coral cover. However, there was an average decrease
of 13% of live coral cover from the monitoring survey in all of the municipalities. This can be attributedto the illegal ways of fishing such as the use of dynamite and cyanide which can quickly destroy largeareas of coral reefs. Moreover, increased fishing pressure on commercial fish species is the mostprobable cause of the degradation of the coral reefs. Decrease in fishes would mean less fish toconsume algae growing on the reefs that could out-compete the corals in the area.
Figure 19. Comparative Live Coral Cover in Three Palawan Municipalities
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The current condition of the mangroves in Quezon and Brookes Point municipalities monitored thisreport period, is described to be adequate highly dense. This was demonstrated by an increase of24.6% of mangrove trees per hectare based on the results of monitoring surveys for the 2 municipalitieswhich this can be attributed to the proper management by the municipalities of their mangrove areas.Strict environmental law enforcement has also prevented further destruction and has promoted growth ofmangroves in the area.
Figure 20. Mangrove Density in the Municipalities of Quezon and Brookes Point,
Palawan
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In 2007, baseline assessment of the coastal resources was conducted in the Municipality ofCagayancillo. Essentially, the current condition of the coastal resources therein is all categorized to bein good condition. Proper management should be put in place in order to maintain or improve theconditions of these resources. This baseline information should be followed up with a monitoring-evaluation in order to detect changes in any of these resources. Increased impacts of climate changebeing more apparent, it is therefore a must to maintain and improve the conditions of all our naturalresources as they serve as protection and buffer from extreme climate changes.
Table 5. Coastal Resource Assessment in the Municipality of Cagayancillo, 2007
CONDITIONRESOURCE
920 individuals per 500 square meter (m2)Reef Fish
53.6% average seagrass canopy coverSeagrass
Density at 72 trees per hectareMangroves
54.8% average live coral coverCorals
CONDITIONRESOURCE
920 individuals per 500 square meter (m2)Reef Fish
53.6% average seagrass canopy coverSeagrass
Density at 72 trees per hectareMangroves
54.8% average live coral coverCorals