As the world celebrated the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDBD) recently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) renewed its call for unified efforts of every Filipino toward biodiversity protection and conservation despite the pandemic.
With the global slogan, “We’re part of the solution”, the DENR underscores both individual and community actions, regardless of roles in society, as key to saving the Philippines’ threatened biodiversity.
“For many years, our country has been recognized as one of the mega biodiverse countries in the world,” DENR Secretary Roy Cimatu said.
“The Philippines is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots.”
“Our location in the Coral Triangle makes us a part of the global center of marine biodiversity. But the Philippines is also one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots with our vast resources and endemic species threatened by human activity and habitat loss,” Cimatu added.
The environment chief pointed out the critical need to protect biodiversity citing its countless functions that include air purification, food and water security, source of livelihood, nature recreation, and reducing the risk of emerging infectious diseases.
“Biodiversity will be the foundation on which we can build back better once this pandemic is over,” the environment head stressed.
To drum up the days leading to IDBD, the DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) launched an online information campaign on key solutions to pressing environmental issues which the public can engage with and support.
“I urge everyone to live with less plastic to save our oceans.”
“I urge everyone to live with less plastic to save our oceans from plastic pollution. Educate yourselves on wildlife laws and support the government’s campaign against illegal wildlife collection and trade,” said Undersecretary for Special Concerns and DENR-BMB OIC Edilberto Leonardo.
Leonardo also called on the public to help stop the illegal wildlife trade by reporting illegal pet keepers and traders to the DENR.
Just recently, an illegal online wildlife trader of umbrella cockatoos and palm cockatoo was caught and charged for violation of Republic Act 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act.
Cimatu has been warning the public that online illegal wildlife trade is being monitored vigilantly by the DENR.
The IDBD is a global celebration espoused by the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity to promote the conservation of biological diversity, which is considered the world’s life-support system.