HAGONOY,
Bulacan – Declining biodiversity in this coastal town has alarmed both
officials and residents alike.
Plant species that used to thrive along rivers
and creeks and along the coast of Manila Bay, and a number of fish species that
fishermen used to catch in rivers and in the open seas have disappeared.
Impact
of such disappearance, they said, are now felt by households that are dependent
on fish catch for livelihood and food.
Governor
Wilhelmino Alvarado recounted that in his younger days, the riverbanks of the
town were filled with different species of plants that were home to insects and
a sanctuary for different fish species.
“Dati
maraming mga kulasi, sasahan, diliwaryo, bakawan at palapat sa baybayin ng ilog
at maging sa dagat,” said Alvarado who served as mayor of this town from 1986
to 1998.
He
lamented that areas where plant species used to grow were replaced by concrete
structures like houses.
Alvarado
added that the quality of the river water has changed in the last 20 years.
This
was affirmed by former Bulacan Board Member Patrocinio Laderas who, like
Alvarado, was involved in fishpond operations before entering politics.
“Not
only plant species are disappearing in a dizzying phase, we are also losing
marine species to water pollution,” Laderas said.
As
a former fishpond operator, he said that seasonal harvest in recent years has
dropped by about 90 percent compared to harvest 20 years ago.
Laderas
warned that unless local government units start to make a move today, there
will be nothing left in the years to come.
This
fear is shared by fishermen like Rodolfo Cabangis who for more than 30 years
has braved the waters of Manila Bay.
Cabangis
said that local fishermen’s earnings from catch today is not even enough to
send their children to school because of the dearth of fish in said bay.
He
said that 30 years ago, they fished only along the coastline of Manila Bay in
Bulacan.
Today, however, fishermen here now face the risks of going near or
beyond Corregidor Island, where once his neighbors drowned when hit by huge
waves.
“Kahit
sa palengke wala ka nang mabibiling alugasin, pati yung mga sapsap, alimasag at
dalagang bukid madalang na,” he said referring to fish caught in the open sea.
Cabangis
also noted that fish sold every day in public markets here are largely sourced
from fishponds, adding that pollution and over fishing has led to the present
decline in fish catch which results to higher price of this food commodity. Dino Balabo
