Fishing communities across the Philippines’ western seaboard—from the far north in Cagayan to the Ilocos provinces to Zambales and the Mindoro provinces—have been protesting the dredging of their rivers and coastlines. An inquiry by the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) found that in all these provinces, sand mining operations by Chinese firms have given...
Category: Environment
Post
A new story takes root in old logging area
ITOGON, Benguet—For generations, the town of Itogon has been defined by mining. Gold, gravel, and the scars of mineral extraction have shaped both its landscape and its economy. But in a 10-hectare patch of forest that was once a logging concession, a different story is beginning to unfold. Opened in February 2025, Mt. Camisong Forest...
Post
Fukushima presents lessons for the whole world
FUKUSHIMA, Japan—Here, in the course of three weeks at the height of winter, I visited the area where the earthquake struck, the coast where the tsunami hit, the nuclear plant where the “accident” occurred, all in a prefecture that still grapples with the memory of a disaster that happened 15 years ago. For those of...
Post
Indigenous folk say no to gold mining firm’s expansion in Benguet town
ITOGON, Benguet—Indigenous residents are resisting plans by Itogon-Suyoc Resources Inc. (ISRI), a big gold mining company, to expand its operations to more than six times its concession area in their town, warning of possible harmful effects on the environment. On Tuesday, Jan. 27, more than a hundred protesters and their supporters gathered outside the Itogon...
Post
Under Naga’s ‘Carless Sunday’ program, Magsaysay Avenue becomes a playground
NAGA CITY— Magsaysay Avenue, normally a four-lane artery buzzing with traffic, transforms into a playground on Sunday nights. Under this city’s “Magsaysay Carless Sundays” program, the avenue is filled, not with motor vehicles, but with strolling families, children busy drawing on the street, cruising skaters, and fitness buffs moving to the beat of Zumba music....
Post
As ‘Tino’ and ‘Uwan’ leave their mark, Haribon marks 53 years of protecting nature’s first line of defense
The devastation wrought by Typhoons “Tino” and “Uwan” made more Filipinos aware of how forests provide protection during storms. This is the continuing advocacy of the Haribon Foundation throughout five decades of science-based, community-centered conservation work. With only 24% forest cover remaining, the Philippines is losing its most critical natural defense against climate disasters. Healthy...
Post
‘Alon’ is a call for public awareness of plastic pollution and marine protection
The Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF), in partnership with the De La Salle College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), has brought the acclaimed exhibit titled “Alon” to the Ramon Magsaysay Center in Malate, Manila. Focused on the issue of plastic waste in the oceans, and with surfers as a central theme, “Alon” is the RMAF’s first...
Post
The tycoons behind the Philippines’ dirty energy
From brewing beer to burning coal, the food and beer giant, San Miguel Corp. of tycoon Ramon Ang, is now one of the Philippines’ largest power producers. Its energy arm, San Miguel Global Power, is a younger player in the industry. But, flush with cash, it aggressively built, acquired, and expanded power plants over the...
Post
In one small town, a coal plant may hold the key to Philippines’ dirty energy exit
Bulk carrier ships dot the coast of Villanueva, an industrial town in Misamis Oriental in the southern Philippines. Flying different flags, they deliver raw materials and industrial inputs—coal from Indonesia among them—to power plants and factories. They are constantly arriving, departing, or docking at jetties that jut from small piers. “The ships arrive regularly. The...
Post
The employment impact of a national ban on single-use plastic will be manageable
Negotiations for an international plastics treaty ended in failure last month, setting the stage for a new round of talks. Nevertheless, local environmental groups argue that no deal is better than a bad one or a watered-down treaty. An agreement could have nudged the Philippine government to finally enact a national ban on single-use plastic...