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By Sam Mediavilla, Reporter
PRESIDENT Arroyo on Monday
declared the 172-hectare coastal lagoon of Parañaque and Las Piñas
City as protected area for migratory birds.
Mrs. Arroyo issued the
declaration in her Earth Day message held in Malacañang Monday
morning, where she also identified the four-point Green Philippines
plan that would help preserve the environment.
She added that the proclamation
would also ensure the maintenance of necessary ecological services
from peripheral areas.
The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources identified the Manila Bay as host to more water
birds than any other area in the country and it’s one of the key
biodiversity sites for conservation and sustainable development.
The lagoons of Parañaque and Las
Piñas support combined populations of the globally threatened
Chinese egret and the Philippines duck along with 27 species of
other rate and uncommon species of water birds.
Environment Secretary Angelo
Reyes explained that the proclamation signed by the President aimed
to monitor the migratory birds regularly visiting the Philippines
coming from the north.
He said personnel from the DENR
would monitor the birds.
“The Philippine Reclamation
Authority, guided in the development of the area by the Bay City
[Boulevard 2000] Integrated Framework Plan which aims to develop the
Manila Bay Waterfront to international standards of mixed use, may
utilize existing mangroves and tidal flats already inhabited by wild
birds to comply with the 50-meter green zone and promenade included
in the plan, eliminating the high cost of mimicking and biodiversity
habitat,” the proclamation said.
Meanwhile, the Green Philippines
plan includes the reforestation program, preservation of coral reefs
and water waste, and designation of national parks and wild life
refuges and removal of antipollutants and energy independence.
“We need to build up more urban
parks and recreation areas. We need to purify our water and we need
to clean up industrial sites that are an eyesore and are
unhealthy,” she said.
Also, the President ordered the
Department of Education to include in their curriculum the subject
of global warming and climate change for the children to better
understand the importance to preserve the environment.
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