What is Happening to Our Beautiful Land?
by the
Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP)
INTRODUCTION
The Philippines is now at a critical point in its
history. For the past number of years we have experienced political
instability, economic decline and growth in armed conflict. Almost
every day the media highlight one or other of these problems. The
banner headlines absorb our attention so much so that we tend to
overlook a more deep-seated crisis which, we believe, lies at the root
of many of our economic and political problems. To put it simply; our
country is in peril. All the living systems on land and in the seas
around us are being ruthlessly exploited. The damage to date is
extensive and, sad to say, it is often irreversible.
One does not need to be an expert to see what is
happening and to be profoundly troubled by it. Within a few short years,
brown eroded hills have replaced luxuriant forests in many parts of the
country. We see dried up riverbeds where, not so long ago, streams flowed
throughout the year. Farmers tell us that, because of erosion and
chemical poisoning, the yield from the croplands has fallen substantially.
Fishermen and experts on marine life have a similar message. Their fish
catches are shrinking in the wake of the extensive destruction of coral
reefs and mangrove forests. The picture which is emerging in every
province of the country is clear and bleak. The attack on the natural
world which benefits very few Filipinos is rapidly whittling away at the
very base of our living world and endangering its fruitfulness for
future generations.
As we reflect on what is happening in the light of
the Gospel we are convinced that this assault on creation is sinful and
contrary to the teachings of our faith. The Bible tells us that God
created this world, (Gen 1:1); that he loves His world and is pleased
with it (Gen 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, 25 and 31); and that He created man
and woman in His image and charged them to be stewards of His creation
(Gen 1:27-28). God, who created our world, loves life and wishes to share
this life with every creature. St. John tells us that Jesus saw His
mission in this light: "I have come that they may have life and have it to
the full" (Jn 10:10).
We are not alone in our concern. Tribal people all
over the Philippines, who have seen the destruction of their world at
close range, have cried out in anguish. Also men and women who attempt
to live harmoniously with nature and those who study ecology have tried
to alert people to the magnitude of the destruction taking place in our
time. The latter are in a good position to tell us what is happening
since they study the web of dynamic relationships which support and
sustains all life within the earthly household. This includes human
life.
A CALL TO RESPECT AND DEFEND LIFE
At this point in the history of our country it is
crucial that people motivated by religious faith develop a deep
appreciation for the fragility of our islands’ life-systems and take steps
to defend the Earth. It is a matter of life and death. We are aware of
this threat to life when it comes to nuclear weapons. We know that a
nuclear war would turn the whole earth into a fireball and render the
planet inhospitable to life. We tend to forget that the constant,
cumulative destruction of life-forms and different habitats will, in the
long term, have the same effect. Faced with these challenges, where the
future of life is at stake, Christian men and women are called to take a
stand on the side of life.
We, the Catholic Bishops of the Philippines, ask
Christians and all people of goodwill in the country to reflect with us
on the beauty of the Philippines land and seas which nourish and sustain
our lives. As we thank God for the many ways He has gifted our land we
must also resolve to cherish and protect what remains of this bounty for
this and future generations of Filipinos. We are well aware that, for the
vast majority of Filipinos, the scars on nature, which increasingly we see
all around us, mean less nutritious food, poorer health and an uncertain
future. This will inevitably lead to an increase in political and
social unrest.
WE SEE THE BEAUTY AND THE PAIN OF THE EARTH
As you read this letter or listen to sections of it
being read, scenes from your barrio may come to mind. In your mind’s eye
you may see well laid out rice paddies flanked by coconuts with their
fronds swaying in the breeze. Or you may hear the rustle of the
cogon grass on the hills behind your barrio. These scenes mean so
much to us and are beautiful. Yet they do not represent the original
vegetation with which God has blessed our land. They show the heavy hand
of human labor, planning and sometimes short-sightedness.
For generations the hunting and food gathering
techniques of our tribal forefathers showed a sensitivity and respect for
the rhythms of nature. But all of this has changed in recent years.
Huge plantations and mono-crop agriculture have pitted humans against
nature. There are short-term profits for the few and ever substantial
harvests, but the fertility of the land has suffered and the diversity
of the natural world has been depleted. So our meditation must begin by
reflecting on the original beauty of our land, rivers and seas. This
wonderful community of the living existed for millions of years before
human beings came to these shores.
THE FORESTS
When our early ancestors arrived here they found
a country covered by a blanket of trees. These abounded with over 7,500
species of flowering plants, not to mention animals, birds and insects.
These were watered by the tropical rains which swept in from the seas and
gradually seeped down through the vegetation and soil to from clear
flowing rivers and sparkling lakes which abounded in fish and aquatic life
before completing the cycle and returning to the sea. An incredible
variety of insects lived in the forest and were busy with all kinds of
tasks from recycling dead wood to pollinating flowering plants. The
community of the living was not confined to creatures who walked on the
Earth. Birds flew through the air, their bright plumes and varying calls
adding color and song to the green of the forests. Birds are also the
great sowers. They contributed greatly to the variety of plant life
which is spread throughout the forest. Finally, small and large animals
lived in the forest and feasted on its largesse. Our land born out of
volcanic violence and earthquake brought forth a bounty of riches. We
stand in awe at the wisdom of our Creator who has fashioned this world of
life, color, mutual support and fruitfulness in our land.
OUR SEAS
The beauty did not end at the shoreline. Our
islands were surrounded by blue seas, fertile mangroves and enchanting
coral reefs. The coral reefs were a world of color and beauty with fish
of every shape and hue darting in and out around the delicate coral reefs.
Perlas ng Silangan (Pearls of the Orient) was an appropriate name
for this chain of wooded islands, surrounded by clear seas and studded with
coral reefs.
CREATION IS A LONG PROCESS
You might ask: Why is it important to remember the
original state of our land? First of all, it reminds us of how God, in
His wisdom and goodness, shaped this land in this part of the world. It
did not happen overnight. It took millions of years of care and love to
mold and reshape this land with all its beauty, richness and splendor,
where intricate pathways bind all the creatures together in a mutually
supportive community. Human beings are not alien to this community.
God intended this land for us, his special creatures, but not so that we
might destroy it and turn it into a wasteland. Rather, He charged us
to be stewards of his creation, to care for it, to protect its
fruitfulness and not to allow it to be devastated (Gen 1:28). By
protecting what is left of the rainforest we insure that the farmers
have rain and plants for the food that sustains us.
OUR FORESTS LAID WASTE
How much of this richness and beauty is left a few
thousand years after human beings arrived at these shores? Look around
and see where our forests have gone. Out of the original 30 million
hectares there is now only 1 million hectares of primary forest left.
Where are some of the most beautiful creatures who used to dwell in our
forests? These are God’s masterpieces, through which he displays his
power, ingenuity and love for his creation. Humans have forgotten to
live peacefully with other creatures. They have destroyed their habitat
and hunted them relentlessly. Even now many species are already extinct
and destruction of species is expected to increase dramatically during the
next decade as the few remaining strands of forest are wiped out by
loggers and kaingineros (slash and burn farmers). What about the
birds? They used to greet us each morning and lift our spirits beyond the
horizons of this world. Now they are silenced. In many places all we hear
now are cocks crowing. Where is the soaring eagle circling above the land
or the colorful kalaw (hornbill)?
THE HEMORRHAGE OF OUR LIFE BLOOD
After a single night’s rain, look at the chocolate
brown rivers in your locality and remember that they are carrying the life
blood of the land into the sea. The soil, instead of being the seed bed of
life, becomes a cloak of death, smothering, retarding and killing coral
polyps. Soil specialists tell us that we lose the equivalent of 100,000
hectares of soil one meter thick each year. We are hardly aware of this
enormous loss which is progressively eroding away our most fertile soil
and thus our ability to produce food for an expanding population. Any
comprehensive land reform must address this most serious threat to our
food supply.
DESERTS IN THE SEA
How an fish swim in running sewers like the Pasig
and so many more rivers which we have polluted? Who has turned the
wonderworld of the seas into underwater cemeteries bereft of color and
life? Imagine, only 5% of our corals are in their pristine state! The
blast of dynamite can still be heard on our coastal waters. We still
allow muro-ami fishing methods which take a terrible toll both on the
young swimmers and the corals. Mine tailings are dumped into fertile
seas like Calancan Bay in Santa Cruz, Marinduque where they destroy
forever the habitat of the fish. Chemicals are poisoning our lands and
rivers. They kill vital organisms and in time they will poison us.
The ghost of the dreaded Minamata disease hangs over towns in the Agusan
River basin and the Davao Gulf.
RECENT DESTRUCTION CARRIED OUT IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS
Most of this destruction has taken place since the
beginning of this century, a mere wink of an eye in the long history of our
country. Yet in that same time we have laid waste to complex living
systems that have taken millions of years to reach their present state
of development.
We often use the world progress to describe what has
taken place over the past few decades. There is no denying in some areas
our roads have improved and that electricity is more readily available.
But can we say that there is real progress? Who has benefited most and
who has borne the real costs? The poor are as disadvantaged as ever and
the natural world has been grievously wounded. We have stripped it bare,
silenced its sounds and banished other creatures, from the community of
the living. Through our thoughtlessness and greed we have sinned
against God and His Creation.
One thing is certain: we cannot continue to ignore
and disregard the Earth. Already we are experiencing the consequence of
our shortsightedness and folly. Even though we squeeze our lands and try
to extract more from them, they produce less food. The air in our cities
is heavy with noxious fumes. Instead of bringing energy and life it
causes bronchial illness. Our forests are almost gone, our rivers are
almost empty, our springs and wells no longer sparkle with the living
water. During the monsoon rain, flash-floods sweep through our towns
and cities and destroy everything in their path. Our lakes and
estuaries are silting up. An out-of-sight out-of-mind mentality allows
us to flush toxic waste and mine tailings into our rivers and seas in
the mistaken belief that they can no longer harm us. Because the living
world is interconnected, the poison is absorbed by marine organisms. We
in turn are gradually being poisoned when we eat seafood.
WE CAN AND MUST DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT
It is already late in the day and so much damage
has been done. No one can pinpoint the precise moment when the damage
has become so irreversible that our living world will collapse. But we
are rapidly heading in that direction. Even now there are signs of
stress in every corner of our land. As we look at what is happening
before our eyes, and think of the horrendous consequences for the land
and the people, we would do well to remember that God, who created this
beautiful land, will hold us responsible for plundering it and leaving
it desolate. So will future generations of Filipinos. Instead of
gifting them with a fruitful land, all we will leave behind is a barren
desert. We, the Bishops, call on all Filipinos to recognize the urgency
of this task and to respond to it now.
As Filipinos we can and must act now. Nobody else
will do it for us. This is our home: we must care for it, watch over it,
protect it and love it. We must be particularly careful to protect what
remains of our forests, rivers, and corals and to heal, wherever we can,
the damage which has already been done.
The task of preserving and healing is a daunting one
given human greed and the relentless drive of our plunder economy. But we
must not lose hope. God has gifted us with creativity and ingenuity. He
has planted it in our songs and poetry. We can harness our creativity in
the service of life and shun anything that leads to death.
SIGNS OF HOPE
Despite the pain and despoliation which we now have
mentioned, there are signs of hope. Our forefathers and tribal brothers
and sisters today still attempt to live in harmony with nature. They see
the Divine Spirit in the living world and show their respect through
prayers and offerings. Tribal Filipinos remind us that the exploitative
approach to the natural world is foreign to our Filipino culture.
The vitality of our Filipino family is also a sign
of hope. Parents share their life with their children. They protect them
and care for them and are particularly solicitous when any member of the
family is sick. This is especially true of mothers; they are the
heartbeat of the family, working quietly in the home to create an
atmosphere where everyone is accepted and loved. No sacrifice is too
demanding when it comes to caring for a sick member of the family. The
values we see in our families of patient toil, concern for all and a
willingness to sacrifice for the good of others are the very values
which we must now transfer to the wider sphere in our efforts to
conserve heal and love our land. It is not a mere coincidence that
women have been at the forefront of the ecological movement in many
countries. The tree planting program of the Chipko in India, popularly
known as the "hug a tree" movement and the Greenbelt movement in Kenya
spring to mind.
We call to mind that, despite the devastation which
has taken place in our forests and seas, we Filipinos are sensitive to
beauty. Even in the poorest home, parents and children care for flowers.
We are also encouraged by the growth in environmental awareness among many
Filipinos. Small efforts in tree farming and planting can blossom into
a major movement of genuine care for the Earth. We are happy that there
have been some successes. Both the Chico dam project and the Bataan
nuclear plant were suspended after massive local resistance. This year,
the people of San Fernando, Bukidnon and Madsalip, Zamboanga del Sur
defended what remains of their forest with their own bodies. At the
Santa Cruz Mission in South Cotabato, serious efforts are underway to
reforest bald hills and develop ecologically sound ways of farming. The
diocese of Pagadian has chosen the Eucharist and ecology as its
pastoral focus for this year. These are all signs for us that the
Spirit of God, who breathed over the waters, and originally brought life
out of chaos is now prompting men and women both inside and outside the
church to dedicate their lives to enhancing and protecting the integrity
of Creation. In order that these drops and rivulets will join together
and form a mighty stream in the defense of life, we need a sustaining
vision to guide us.
OUR VISION
We will not be successful in our efforts to develop
a new attitude towards the natural world unless we are sustained and
nourished by a new vision. This vision must blossom forth from our
understanding of the world as God intends it to be. We can know the shape
of this world by looking at how God originally fashioned our world and
laid it out before us.
This vision is also grounded in our Faith. The Bible
tells us that God created this beautiful and fruitful world for all His
creatures to live in (Gen 1:1-2:4) and that He has given us the task of
being stewards of HIS CREATION (Gen 2:19-20).
The relationship which links God, human beings and
all the community of the living together is emphasized in the covenant
which God made with Noah after the flood. The rainbow which we still see
in the sky is a constant reminder of this bond and challenge (Gen 9:19).
This covenant recognizes the very close bonds which bind living forms
together in what are called ecosystems. The implications of this
covenant for us today are clear. As people of the covenant, we are
called to protect endangered ecosystems, like our forests, mangroves and
coral reefs and to establish just human communities in our land. More
and more we must recognize that the commitment to work for justice and
to preserve the integrity of creation are two inseparable dimensions of
our Christian vocation to work for the coming of the kingdom of God in
our times.
CHRIST OUR LIFE (Col 3;4)
As Christians, we also draw our vision from Christ.
We have much to learn from the attitude of respect which Jesus displayed
towards the natural world. He was very much aware that all the creatures
in God’s creation are related. Jesus lived lightly on the earth and
warned his disciples against hoarding material possessions and allowing
their hearts to be enticed by the lure of wealth and power (Matt 6:19-21;
Lk 9:1-6). But our meditation on Jesus goes beyond this. Our faith tells
us that Christ is the centerpoint of human history and creation. All
the rich unfolding of the universe and emergences and flowering of life
on Earth are centered on Him (Eph 1:9-10; Col 1:16-17). The
destruction of any part of creation, especially, the extinction of
species defaces the image of Christ which is etched in creation.
MARY, MOTHER OF LIFE
We Filipino have a deep devotion to Mary. We turn
to her for help and protection in time of need. We know that she is on
the side of the poor and those who are rejected (Lk 1:52). Our new
sensitivity to what is happening to our land also tells us that she is
on the side of life. As a mother she is pained and saddened when she
sees people destroy the integrity of creation through soil erosion,
blast-fishing or poisoning land. Many know what the consequences of
this destruction are. Therefore, as Mother of Life, she challenges us
to abandon the pathway of death and return to the way of life.
Taken together, the various strands of our Christian
vision envisages a profound renewal which must effect our people, our
culture and our land. It challenges us to live once again in harmony
with God’s creation. This vision of caring for the Earth and living in
harmony with it can guide us as, together, we use our ingenuity and many
gifts to heal our wounded country.
THIS IS WHAT WE SUGGEST
In the light of this vision we recommend action in
the following areas:
1. What each individual can do
Be aware of what is happening in your area. Do not
remain silent when you see your environment being destroyed. Use your
influence within your family and community to develop this awareness.
Avoid a fatalistic attitude. We are people of hope who believe that
together we can change the course of events. Organize people around local
ecological issues. Become involved in some concrete action. There is
much that can be done by individuals to reforest bald hills and prevent
soil erosion.
2. What the Churches can do
Like every other group, the Church as a community is
called to conversion around this, the ultimate pro-life issue. Until very
recently many religions, including the Catholic Church, have been slow
to respond to the ecological crisis. We, the bishops, would like to
redress this neglect. There is a great need for a Filipino theology of
creation which will be sensitive to our unique living world, our diverse
culture and our religious heritage. The fruits of this reflection must
be made widely available through our preaching and catechetical
programs. Our different liturgies must deliberate the beauty and pain
of our world, our connectedness to the natural world and the on-going
struggle for social justice. We would like to encourage the
administrators of our catholic schools to give special importance to the
theme of peace, justice and the integrity of creation in their schools.
Since programs, however laudable, will not implement
themselves, we suggest the setting up a Care of the Earth ministry at every
level of Church organization, from the basic Christian communities, through
the parish structure and diocesan offices right up to the national level.
This ministry could help our new and wider vision. The idea is not so
much to add another activity to our personal ministry, but rather that
this concern should underpin everything we do.
3. What the Government can do
We ask the government not to pursue short-term
economic gains at the expense of long-term ecological damage. We suggest
that the government groups together into an independent Department all the
agencies which deal at present with ecological issues. This Department
should promote an awareness of the fragility and limited carrying
capacity of our islands’ ecosystems and advocate measures designed to
support ecologically sustainable development. Obviously the Department
should have an important contribution to make to related Departments
like, Education (DECS), Health, Natural Resources (DENR) and
Agriculture. There is also a need to encourage research into the
ecosystems of our land and the problems they face in the future. The
Department should publish a state of the environment report for each
region and for the country as a whole each year. Above all, the
Department needs legislative teeth to insure that its policies and
programs are implemented.
4. Non-governmental organizations have a very
important role to play in developing a widespread ecological awareness
among people. They can also act as a watch-dog to ensure that the
government and those in public offices do not renege on their commitment
to place this concern at the top of their list.
CONCLUSION
This brief statement about our living world and the
deterioration we see all around us attempts to reflect the cry of our
people and the cry of our land. At the root of the problem we see an
exploitative mentality, which is at variance with the Gospel of Jesus.
This expresses itself in acts of violence against fellow Filipinos. But
it is not confined to the human sphere. It also infects and poisons our
relationship with our land and seas.
We reap what we sow; the results of our attitude
and activities are predictable and deadly. Our small farmers tells us
that their fields are less productive and are becoming sterile. Our
fishermen are finding it increasingly difficult to catch fish. Our lands,
forests and rivers cry out that they are being eroded, denuded and
polluted. As bishops, we have tried to listen and respond to their cry.
There is an urgency about this issue which calls for widespread education
and immediate action. We are convinced that the challenge which we have
tried to highlight here is similar to the one which Moses put before the
people of Israel before they entered their promised land:
"Today I offer you a choice of life or death, blessing or curse.
Choose life and then you and your descendants will live." (Dt
30:19-20)
Approved at Tagaytay, January 29, 1988
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