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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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The United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), also known as the Global Goals, in 2015 as a global call to take action to eradicate poverty, safeguard the environment, and guarantee that by 2030, everyone lives in peace and prosperity.

The 17 SDGs are interrelated; they acknowledge that actions taken in one area have an impact on outcomes in others and that development must strike a balance between social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

Countries have agreed to promote development for those who are the most disadvantaged. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aim to combat poverty, hunger, AIDS, and discrimination against women and girls.

To accomplish the SDGs in any context, all of society's creativity, know-how, technology, and financial resources are needed.

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For more information in regard to SGD 14: Life Below Water

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Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape  overview

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Here is the breath-taking view of the white sandy beaches of Sarangani Bay! Besides that, Sarangani bay is known for it's rich biodiversity and a world-class diving spot. Records from the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape (SBPS) show that the bay hosts a rich biodiversity of fish, sea turtles, corals, seagrasses and mangroves. It is home to threatened species such as dugong, mameng (Napoleon wrasse) and four kinds of marine turtles (hawksbill, olive ridley, loggerhead and green sea turtle). Across the bay are at least 411 reef species. However, the charm and the bounty of the bay may suffer a big blow if waste pollution is not properly addressed.

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Waste pollution is jeopardizing Sarangani Bay, a protected seascape noted for its rich biodiversity: traces of microplastic particles have been found in fish, mollusks, and beach sediments along the 210,887-hectare coast.

Since 2018, kilometer-long swaths of garbage, including single-use plastics, have accumulated in numerous areas of the bay. It is believed that the siltation and garbage polluting Sarangani Bay could be originating from the 10 tributaries draining to the bay. Nearby coastal communities could also be the source of single-use plastics that have settled in deeper sea waters. Low-income households choose single-use plastics because things packed in them, such as toothpaste and coffee in sachets, are inexpensive. Commonly, a packet of shampoo would only cost five pesos at the friendly sari-sari store.

Undoubtedly, the presence of floating plastic garbages poses a threat to the marine life of the Sarangani Bay.

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According to the DENR's environmentalists, irresponsible garbage disposal has remained a major worry for Sarangani Bay, posing a threat to a variety of marine species that thrive there.

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 23 Apr) - Marine resources within the Sarangani Bay remains at risk due to pollution and contamination from wastes disposed by local communities and industries, an environment official said.

Datu Tungko Saikol, assistant regional director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-Region 12, said improper waste disposal has continued to be a major concern for Sarangani Bay, threatening various marine species thriving in the area.

He specifically cited wastes, including some contaminants, from households and establishments that end up in the bay.

Saikol said some households in communities surrounding the bay were monitored to have been directly disposing their wastes in its waters.

"There are communities that don't have enough comfort rooms so some of them just use the sea," he said in an interview over television show Magandang Umaga South Central Mindanao.

He said such practice was the main reason for the presence of fecal coliform in the bay's waters.

Test results were not immediately available but Saikol, who was a former regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB)-Region 12 for 11 years, said fecal coliform was considered as among the top pollutants of Sarangani Bay.

He said the EMB has been conducting regular testing at the bay, especially in the beach areas, for fecal coliform and other contaminants.

Saikol said these include the presence of heavy metals like arsenic and cadmium that could have come from industrial users.

"These (heavy metals) are regularly monitored since it should not exceed the allowable levels. It could be dangerous to our marine resources and residents," he said.

In coordination with local government units and non-government organizations, he said DENR-12 has been educating community residents and other stakeholders about the risks posed by hazardous wastes to the bay.

Saikol said they have also conducted cleanup drives on beaches and immediate waters in partnership with local communities and divers.

On Monday, around 300 volunteers joined the cleanup drive at the Queen Tuna Park here and the neighboring areas in celebration of the Earth Day.

Saikol said they have set a series of activities for Sarangani Bay next month in line with the Ocean Month celebration.

These include a fun run, cleanup drive, mural painting and an environmental camp for youth advocates.

"We really need to protect our marine life and one way to do it is by making sure that they will be free of our wastes," he added. (MindaNews)

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Sarangani Bay's marine resources at risk due to pollution

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 23 Apr) - Marine resources within the Sarangani Bay remains at risk due to pollution and contamination from wastes disposed by local communities and industries, an environment official said.

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Marine resources within the Sarangani Bay remains at risk due to pollution and contamination from wastes disposed by local communities and industries.

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Plastic Pollution on Bodies of Water (Infographic)

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Plastic Pollution on Bodies of Water (Infographic)

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Scientific Findings: Microplastics from plastic trash choke Philippines' Sarangani Bay (Mingoc, 2021 )

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Scientific Findings: Microplastics from plastic trash choke Philippines' Sarangani Bay (Mingoc, 2021 )

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Microplastics from plastic waste were discovered in numerous areas of Sarangani Bay. Single-use plastics, fishing lines, and polystyrene goods made up the majority of the trash, which decomposed into microplastic particles.

In a recent study conducted in Sarangani Bay between 2018 and 2019, Mingoc and students from MSU-College GenSan's of Fisheries discovered that microplastic particles have become part of the food chain of marine life in the bay by analyzing the guts of different marine species.

The researchers discovered 9.53 microplastic particles in every 100 grams of wild parrotfish gut, compared to 2.39, 1.98, and 1.05 microplastic particles in 10 grams of yellowfin tuna, skipjack tuna, and spotted rabbit fish guts, respectively.

In addition, at least 1.38 microplastic particles were identified in two out of ten cockle shells (Cerastoderma edule) in Sarangani Bay, whereas the same number of marsh clams (Polymesoda expansa) had at least 1.39 microplastic particles.

All in all, the study concluded that 1,084 microplastic particles can be found in every cubic meter of surface coastal or beach sediments in the bay.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Scientific Findings: Coastal garbage woes poses a harmful effect to Sarangani Bay's marine resources (Salomeri, 2021).

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Scientific Findings: Coastal garbage woes poses a harmful effect to Sarangani Bay's marine resources (Salomeri, 2021).

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The shoreline of Purok 8-A in Barangay Poblacion, a village of about 800 families in Malapatan, Sarangani province, is littered with various forms of garbage, including single-use plastics, cans, and broken branches.

According to the researcher, the garbage pollution in Sarangani bay's coastline has been a long-time recurring problem and even with repeated information campaigns on proper waste disposal, there are still households throwing trash at the shoreline.

It was pointed out that the garbage pollution will pose a great danger to the sea turtles and coral reefs of Sarangani Bay. These endangered sea turtles will be entangled, on the other hand, large pile of garbage will eventually sink killing corals they cover.

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Boats and boating--Equipment and supplies

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Sarangani Bay is known for its rich biodiversity for marine life and its magnificent seascape. It is a rich body of water and home to the tuna industry in the Philippines. However, if the current waste pollution is not addressed, Sarangani Bay's marine resources will be at risk.

The current waste pollution in the Sarangani Bay must be taken immediate action seeing that the kilometer-long plastic wastes will bring harm to the marine life by choking life-forms or by getting tangled in the bay's reef, causing them to break apart. Hence, this will lead to the death of countless Marine species which are detrimental to Sarangani Bay.

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In order to address this problem, there should be a stricter implementation of policies on proper waste segregation and disposal and ongoing education campaigns to address the garbage problem in the shorelines and the waters within Sarangani Bay.

This problem has been everyone's concern and not just of the government or the private sector. The best thing to do would be to urge the public to dispose their trash properly.
Every citizen living near or far away from Sarangani bay should be encouraged to join coastal clean-ups to voluntarily pick up trash littering the shorelines or in the streets, to prevent the garbage from being washed up deeper to the bay.

With the implementation of stricter policies and more campaign drives, citizens will be more disciplined in their proper disposal of garbages. Also, education campaign drives will definitely be effective for children seeing that it is easier to train them in proper segregation compared to adults. Considering that we have a huge responsibility in taking care of our environment, we must instill in our minds that one small trash is enough to destroy our environment. In fact, we are all stewards of Mother Earth. Hence, if we abuse it, it surely will get back to us in one form or another.

With the unity and cooperation of the citizens, this issue will definitely be resolved in no time.

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Technological Highlight: Seaweeds as alternative biodegradable packaging for consumer products (Augustin, 2021)

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Technological Highlight: Seaweeds as alternative biodegradable packaging for consumer products (Augustin, 2021)

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Seaweeds can be used as an alternative for single-use plastic as it is 100% biodegradable. Moreover, it can be used as biodegradable packaging for consumer products. Surely, waste pollution in Sarangani Bay will be addressed if seaweed bioplastic will be utilized and replace nonbiodegradable plastic.

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Evoware - Replacing plastic with seaweed

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Technological Highlight: Establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities in every village or cluster of village ( Sebastian, 2021)

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Technological Highlight: Establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities in every village or cluster of village ( Sebastian, 2021)

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With the establishment of Materials Recovery Facilities in every village or cluster of villages, biodegradable waste will be converted into fertilizer alongside with the collection of recyclable material which will be recycled or sold to junk shops. Besides that, residual wastes will also be collected which will be transported to sanitary landfills.

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Materials Recovery Facility in General Santos City

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Materials Recovery Facility in General Santos City

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General Santos City Sanitary Landfill and Central Materials Recovery Facilities

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For more information in regard to SGD 15: Life on Land

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Here is a scenic view of the untapped green forests of Mt. Busa! This mountain range is considered as a Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) and a high priority site for conservation in the Philippines. It is home to Pulchrana guttmani, an endemic frog in the mountain lost to science for 27 years. The species is only known from one preserved specimen collected in 1993. More field efforts are needed to rediscover this species and provide information regarding its biology and ecology. The P. guttmani is a rare case of syntopic distribution of frogs in the Pulchrana signata complex. Last year, a juvenile Philippine eagle was also found in Mt. Busa, hinting the possibility of having a breeding pair of the critically endangered eagle in the mountain range. Unfortunately, the lack of protection makes it vulnerable to habitat modifications and fragmentation. Without data from scientifically sound assessments, further protection for this mountain range remains a challenge.

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The mountain, located in the town of Kiamba, some 1,700 kilometers (nearly 1,100 miles) southeast of the capital Manila, was designated a key biodiversity area (KBA) and bird conservation area in 2001, and is considered a high-priority site for conservation in the Philippines.

However, the designation still falls short of stopping the growing pressure the mountain faces from mining, logging, hunting and poaching.

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Mining and logging threaten a wildlife wonderland on a Philippine mountain

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MINDANAO, Philippines - Rising 2,064 meters, or nearly 6,800 feet, above sea level, Mount Busa is the tallest peak in the Philippines' Sarangani province and home to one of the last verdant primary forests on the southern island of Mindanao. Busa is known as Bulul Tembob to the T'boli tribe, who consider it hallowed ground, [...]

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Threatened wildlife species of conservation concern that have been found in the area include the Philippine eagle, Mindanao flying lizard, Taylor’s dwarf reed snake, rufous hornbill (Philippine hornbill or kalaw), tarsier and frog and orchid species.

The mountain range is also vital to the economy as it balances the area’s ecosystem, especially the Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape, one of Mindanao’s richest fishing grounds.

Undoubtedly, the ongoing illegal deforestation and mining in the range will definitely impose a detrimental effect.

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Protecting Mount Busa's rich biodiversity | Jonathan L. Mayuga

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Officials of Sarangani province have joined hands with conservation advocates to protect and conserve Mount Busa-the vast mountain range and watershed area straddling several towns in Sarangani and South Cotabato in Mindanao. Home to the region's verdant primary forests, Mount Busa may soon be declared a protected area under the Expanded...

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Two wildlife biologists found a Pahiopedilum haynaldianum, also known as lady’s slipper orchid, in a “local garden in the village adjacent to the forest somewhere in the Mount Busa Key Biodiversity Area.

The genus Paphiopedilum or known as lady’s-slipper orchids (named so because of their unique floral pouch) are a semi-terrestrial group of orchids with elaborate flowers, thus it is a favorite for enthusiasts. It comprises about 16 species occurring all over the Philippines, most of which are classified as Critically Endangered in the Philippine Red List (DENR DAO 2017-11)

The orchid was salvaged after the forest within the Mt. Busa range was illegally degraded by private companies. Fortunately, a T'boli native was able to safekeep the critically endangered plant.

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Two wildlife biologists found a Pahiopedilum haynaldianum, also known as lady's slipper orchid, in a "local garden in the village adjacent to the forest somewhere in the Mount Busa Key Biodiversity Area."

Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, resident wildlife biologist of the Protected Area Management Office of the Allah Valley Watershed Forest Reserve (DENR-PENRO South Cotabato) and his teammate Aljohn Jay Saavedra, resident botanist and Forest Extension Officer of the Protected Area Superintendent office of the Allah Valley Protected Landscape (PASu AVPL), are two scientists whose work include cataloguing plant and animal species in and around Mt. Busa, which straddles the provinces of South Cotabato and Sarangani in southern Mindanao.

"When we are conducting biodiversity assessment, we also look for salvaged plants in local gardens, hoping to find a species that we have not yet recorded in the wild," Pitogo says. "And that's what happened with the Pahiopedilum haynaldianum."

A P. haynaldianum salvaged from a cut tree was found in a garden near Mt. Busa in southern Mindanao. (Aljohn Jay L. Saavedra)

Critically endangered orchid
Pitogo explains a bit about the found specimen. "The genus Paphiopedilum or known as lady's-slipper orchids (named so because of their unique floral pouch) are a semi-terrestrial group of orchids with elaborate flowers, thus it is a favorite for enthusiasts. It comprises about 16 species occurring all over the Philippines, most of which are classified as Critically Endangered in the Philippine Red List (DENR DAO 2017-11)," he says, adding that, "P. haynaldianum is also classified as CR. It is endemic to the Philippines and occurs in several localities, mostly in Luzon, with some records in Negros and Mindanao. Its occurrence in Mount Busa KBA is probably the southernmost distribution of this species."

According to the local who showed them the specimen, the orchid was salvaged from a fallen tree in the forest. "The orchid was not flowering at the time, so they did not know what the flower would look like until it bloomed," Pitogo says.

The find came as a surprise to the scientists because they hadn't encountered this specific species in the wild. "It is a first for us and for Mt. Busa KBA," Pitogo says.
Widespread, but not a guaranteed find
According to Pitogo, " P. haynaldianum is widespread in the Philippines but has a localized distribution. It grows naturally on rocks and tree trunks from 0 to 1,500m in altitude."

Despite this, finding out that a specimen started its growth in the forests of Mt. Busa was surprising because of many factors, the two biggest of which are the fast receding natural forest cover due to human activity and because of poaching, which has been reported to have scaled up considerably during the pandemic.

A P. haynaldianum salvaged from a cut tree was found in a garden near Mt. Busa in southern Mindanao. (Aljohn Jay L. Saavedra)

The need to conserve wild spaces
What makes this find important? Not only is the whole mountain range home to rare plants and animals, many found only in that specific area, Scientists believe that the range still contains many species of both flora and fauna that haven't been discovered yet.

" P. haynaldianum adds to the growing list of species of conservation interest in the Mt. Busa KBA, such as the Philippine eagle ( Pithecophaga jefferyi), Tboli pitcher plant ( Nepenthes tboli), and the recently rediscovered and extremely rare Guttman's stream frog ( Pulchrana guttmani)," Pitogo says.
READ: Mt Busa: An area that needs to be protected A growing list of orchids
The P. haynaldianum is but one of Mt. Busa's many orchids that Pitogo and Saavedra have been cataloguing with the hope that it would encourage future monitoring and conservation programs within the KBA. "There are ongoing efforts to declare this KBA a protected area under the Philippine National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS), thus any information that could support this effort is valuable," Pitogo adds.

While they haven't come across it in the wild yet, he says that it's highly possible that they might do so in the future, especially if the area remains protected.

"Mt. Busa KBA is 114,882 hectares and we have only been to a few sites. We expect that more orchid species could still be recorded if we can penetrate the deep forested portions of this KBA, one of which is P. haynaldianum. Although we already included it in our orchid checklist, a wild plant is still something we want to see and photographed," he says.
READ: 108 orchid species found on Mt. Busa, southern Mindanao Why conserving Mt. Busa is important
Everyone knows conserving natural spaces is important, but not everyone can articulate why.

Pitogo explains: "Humans largely depend on the natural environment, so it is imperative that we conserve wildlife and their habitats, which provide important services for our survival. Nature and biodiversity protect us from the effects of climate change and, more importantly, prevent a looming pandemic from happening-again."

It is important to conserve areas like Mt. Busa in particular because the range remains relatively untouched by human activity compared to other areas in the country. Aside from housing rare and endemic plants and animals, it also brings a lot of benefits to mankind.

"In the case of Mt. Busa KBA, it is a major watershed that hosts one of the largest primary forest blocks in southern Mindanao, which provides water, food, and clean air to the people of Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat Provinces. It also helped shape the unique cultural heritage of the indigenous ethnolinguistic groups in southern Mindanao, particularly the T'boli," Pitogo says.

"Protecting and conserving Mt. Busa KBA not only ensures that its more than 700 wildlife species thrive for the next generations to witness but also preserves the rich and complex interactions of the cultural and natural landscapes in the region."
Photos by Aljohn Jay L. Saavedra of PAMO-AVWFR Read more about farming and gardening at agriculture.com.ph

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Critically endangered orchid found in a backyard in South Cotabato

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Two wildlife biologists found a Pahiopedilum haynaldianum, also known as lady's slipper orchid, in a "local garden in the village adjacent to the forest somewhere in the Mount Busa Key Biodiversity Area." Kier Mitchel E. Pitogo, resident wildlife biologist of the Protected Area Management Office

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Scientific Findings: Orchid recorded on Busa might become extinct if not guarded against poachers and people who visit the mountain range for trekking (Pitogo, 2021)

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Scientific Findings: Orchid recorded on Busa might become extinct if not guarded against poachers and people who visit the mountain range for trekking (Pitogo, 2021)

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When the COVID-19 pandemic broke out early last year, interest in plants surged across the Philippines, giving rise to so-called plantitas and plantitos, often middle-aged women and men who became instant plant lovers. The craze, which extended through Mindanao, prompted the DENR to issue a warning against poachers.

Compounding the threat to the orchids thriving in Busa is the lack of knowledge among the law enforcers at the various highway checkpoints ostensibly set up to check that wild plants and animals aren’t being smuggled out.

Of the more than 100 orchid species that have been recorded on Busa, only four are included among the reference photographs used by officials at these checkpoints.

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Scientific Finding: Illegal deforestation and small-scale gold mining threatens Mt. Busa (Saavedra, 2021)

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Scientific Finding: Illegal deforestation and small-scale gold mining threatens Mt. Busa (Saavedra, 2021)

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Deforestation arrived much later to this area than in the rest of the Philippines, in part due to armed conflicts that served to keep both poachers and business interests at bay. In the early 1990s, authorities handed out logging concessions for the mountain’s lower slopes, which paved the way for slash-and-burn farming, or kaingin to locals, illegal logging activity, mining, and wildlife hunting.

Among these, small-scale gold mining, mostly illegal, has beckoned outsiders. Records from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau showed there have been applications for copper, gold and iron ventures in the area.

In 2010, Sarangani province had 154,000 hectares (380,500 acres) of natural forests, covering 64% of its total land area. But over the next 10 years, it lost 437 hectares (1,080 acres), according to Global Forest Watch.

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Humans largely depend on the natural environment, so it is imperative that we conserve wildlife and their habitats, which provide important services for our survival. Nature and biodiversity protect us from the effects of climate change and, more importantly, prevent a looming pandemic from happening again.

It is  important to conserve areas like Mt. Busa in particular because the range remains relatively untouched by human activity compared to other areas in the country. Aside from housing rare and endemic plants and animals, it also brings a lot of benefits to mankind.

In the case of Mt. Busa KBA, it is a major watershed that hosts one of the largest primary forest blocks in southern Mindanao, which provides water, food, and clean air to the people of Sarangani, South Cotabato, and Sultan Kudarat Provinces. It also helped shape the unique cultural heritage of the indigenous ethnolinguistic groups in southern Mindanao, particularly the T’boli

Protecting and conserving Mt. Busa KBA not only ensures that its more than 700 wildlife species thrive for the next generations to witness but also preserves the rich and complex interactions of the cultural and natural landscapes in the region.

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This mighty mountain range that is surrounded by forests was declared a key biodiversity area and an important bird area in 2001.

The current protection and conservation measures being implemented for Mount Busa need a boost as it continues to be under siege. With the implementation of stricter measures, destructive human activities, such as poaching, hunting, collection of wildlife or byproducts, mining, land conversion, slash-and-burn farming and unauthorized cutting or removal of timber will definitely be eradicated.

In addition, the ammendation of laws such as the Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (Nipas) Act of 1992 will further strengthen and promote the management of protected areas specifically Mount Busa. Hence, the rich biodiversity of the mountain range will be protected against various threats.

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Technological Highlight: Field samplings with the use of advanced technological devices resulted in the identification of 63 species of amphibians and reptiles 

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Technological Highlight: Field samplings with the use of advanced technological devices resulted in the identification of 63 species of amphibians and reptiles 

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With the aid of advanced technological devices such as LIDAR, soil sensors and drones, the team was able to gather important data for habitat variables for accurate and precise results. Hence, there were 63 newly identified species of amphibians and reptiles with the aid of technology.

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Fieldwork in Mt. Busa, Southern Mindanao, Philippines

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Contreras, H. (2020, March 25). In race for a sustainable alternative to plastic, Indonesia bets on seaweed. Mongabay Environmental News. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://news.mongabay.com/2020/03/in-race-for-a-sustainable-alternative-to-plastic-indonesia-bets-on-seaweed/

Mayuga, J. L. (2021b, July 30). Protecting Mount Busa’s rich biodiversity | Jonathan L. Mayuga. BusinessMirror. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/08/01/protecting-mount-busas-rich-biodiversity/

Mayuga, J. L. (2021, February 26). Sarangani Bay Protected Seascape teeming with coastal, marine life | Jonathan L. Mayuga. BusinessMirror. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://businessmirror.com.ph/2021/02/28/sarangani-bay-protected-seascape-teeming-with-coastal-marine-life/

Philippines Cities. (2017, July 27). Region 12 (SOCCSKSARGEN). Retrieved November 16, 2021, from https://philippinescities.com/region-12-soccsksargen/

Pitogo, M. (2021, August 9). Critically endangered orchid found in a backyard in South Cotabato. Manila Bulletin. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://mb.com.ph/2021/08/10/critically-endangered-orchid-found-in-a-backyard-in-south-cotabato/

Environmental News. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://news.mongabay.com/2021/04/mining-and-logging-threaten-a-wildlife-wonderland-on-a-philippine-mountain/

Saavedra, N. (2021, April 27). Mining and logging threaten a wildlife wonderland on a Philippine mountain. Mongabay Environmental News. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://news.mongabay.com/2021/04/mining-and-logging-threaten-a-wildlife-wonderland-on-a-philippine-mountain/

Zonio, A. Z. (2011, May 23). Illegal logging threatens Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. INQUIRER.Net. Retrieved November 17, 2021, from https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/8117/illegal-logging-threatens-lake-sebu-in-south-cotabato