MISS Universe 1994 Top 6 Finalist Charlene Gonzales was asked: How many islands are there in the Philippines? Her reply was "high tide or low tide?" After eliciting laughter from the audience, she answered that during high tide there are 7,107 islands and during low tide there are 7,108. Charlene’s now famous response somehow helped in informing many who are not familiar with Philippine geography.
Now it seems we have to update our geography books. According to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), the Philippines actually has 7,500 islands. An official of NAMRIA confirmed that using Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IfSAR), the agency was able to “discover” more than 400 previously “unknown” islands in various parts of the country, mostly in Mindanao. More than 5,000 of these islands are nameless.
To be considered an island, a NAMRIA official said said that the landmass should be above sea level and high tide at any given time, and can support either plant of animal life, or both. I guess that makes Charlene Gonzales’ answer (high tide or low tide) incorrect. If it is submerged during high tide, it is not considered an island.
With rising sea levels caused by climate change, it is possible that the Philippines will lose many of its islands. Coastal communities are also in danger of being wiped out. The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries on the impact of climate change.
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According to the website of the National Solid Waste Commission (NSWMC), the office of the Environmental Ombudsman is set to investigate non-compliant Local Government Units for violations of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 or R.A. 9003.
Close to 600 local government executives in the 13 administrative regions are set to be investigated by the Ombudsman in the 50 complaints filed by Commissioner Romeo Hidalgo, NGO representative to the NSWMC on February 10, 2016 at the Office of the Ombudsman, Quezon City. Commissioner Hidalgo is a member of the Ecowaste Coalition, the NGO that is seriously pushing for the full implementation of RA 9003.
I checked the list of LGUs that will be the subject of the Ombudsman’s investigation. Those in Region 3 are the local officials of Abucay in Bataan, Hagonoy and Paombong in Bulacan, General Tinio, Jaen, Bongabon and San Isidro in Nueva Ecija and the town of San Simon in Pampanga.
I’m wondering why the complaint included the Vice Mayor and the Members of the Sangguniang Bayan. The implementation of the law is the job of the executive, specifically the Mayor. Also, there are no Barangay officials in the list. The law is very specific on the roles each LGU play. The collection of biodegradable and reusable waste is at the Barangay level, while the city or town is tasked with the collection of non-recyclable and special waste.