For students of De La Salle
University, Anilao Batangas is continuously a choice for research and field of
study for Environmental Science students in particular to Biodiversity,
Ecosystem and dynamics, and scuba diving. It’s no wonder for Anilao has one of
the highest concentrations of marine biodiversity in the planet and is
designated as the “nudibranch capital of the world” by folks at Underwater
Photography Guide – with corals extremely healthy that was preserved through
the efforts of the earlier divers; sharks and bigger pelagic are often spotted;
and periodic sightings of pelagic drifters in one of the dive sites, whale
shark, mantras, and most recently a mola-mola (sunfish)!.
During my
Philippine Environmental Laws on Water report, I had shared about an editorial
from Philippine Star entitled “Custodian of the Planet” dated July 3, 2011. It
was an editorial about a 42-day expedition conducted by scientist and
environmental advocates and results were presented at the California Academy of
Sciences, where they discovered about 300 new species in Luzon alone: An
inflatable shark, a wood-eating sea star, a red sea urchin to name a few.
The
discoveries validate the fact that biodiversity in this country is unusually
high. Aquatic experts have classified the Verde Island Passage between Batangas
and Oriental Mindoro as “the center of the center” of marine biodiversity in
the world. It is a precious treasure not just of the country but of the planet,
and the Philippines is its custodian. With such a gift, Anilao had marked as
one tourist destination for the province of Batangas. However, in most cases,
this haven when opened to public gradually deteriorates and loose its natural
picturesque as resources abruptly abused – soild waste as major contributor.
The editorial
caught my attention as it challenges the country if we’re up to the job as
custodian of biodiversity in Batangas – Mindoro. As environmental science
student, I take the challenge to be front liner in accepting the job. Together
with my brethrens, we conducted assessment on solid waste management at Anilao,
Batangas with Planet Dive – a popular diving site, as our field experiment.
Assessment was
conducted the following morning, using calibrated steel tape, we measured 5
meters x 100 meters marked for identification on shore as subject area for collecting
solid waste; personnel assigned, thoroughly gathered waste within area of
responsibility excluding agricultural and domestic waste; collected wastes were
then weighed and sorted accordingly; and identified waste was the turned over
to resort for proper disposal and findings were reported to resort owners for
awareness and corrective action.
Non-biodegradable
Solid Waste collected: 2% bottles (drinking and cosmetic bottles); 1% metal
(tin cans and battery); 30% plastics (food snack wrappers); 50% rubber
(sandals); 1% glass (bottle); 5% Styrofoam; 1% cloth (from umbrella); and 10% nylon (fishing gear and ropes).
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| 5% collected Styrofoam |
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| 50% rubber sandals |
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| 30% Plastic Wrappers |
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| 10% Nylons |
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| 30% Plastics |
High percentage of solid waste collected was rubber slippers
at 50% followed by plastic wrappers. Based on interview conducted with Bantay Dagat
representative, local residences are the major source of solid waste, since it
was reported that garbage trucks seldom do rounds to collect garbage in
community that surrounds Planet dive. Thus, locals’ primary options were either
to burn their garbage or bury in soil. Despite physical evidence of solid waste
on shores on Planet Dive, I had noticed that no personnel from resort to do
coastal clean-up and/or cleaning maintenance for the whole duration of our
stay; waste water effluents from resort was observed to go directly to the sea;
there was no adequate trash bins within facilities of Planet Dive; and worst
during high tide, water reaches dikes that washes out burned garbage by resort
to the sea.
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| Resort's Waste Water Effluents |
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| Burning of solid waste as alternative means |
Planet Dive is a private property and
given present condition, a serious solid waste management problem can be
concluded not only of the resort but of the community of Sittio Teodoro that is
detrimental in preservation of unique biodiversity of Anilao, Batangas. The
authorities and bantay dagat are focused on protecting the biodiversity with
ordinances such as “No Take Zone”; “No Killing of Marine Organism”; ‘No
Dropping of Anchors”; and “No Check out Diving and 20 Divers Maximum Policy”.
Yet, they missed out to address concerns on waste disposal in preserving
Anilao’s water resources.
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| Spotted lifeless on shore of Planet Dive |
