(Salutations)
GOOD MORNING AND HAPPY WORLD WETLANDS DAY!

TODAY WE JOIN 172 OTHER COUNTRIES IN CELEBRATING WORLD WETLANDS DAY.

THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE BIODIVERSITY MANAGEMENT BUREAU  TAKE PRIDE IN BEING AT THE HELM OF ITS PHILIPPINE CELEBRATION.

THIS YEAR,  FOR THE FIRST TIME, WORLD WETLANDS DAY IS BEING CELEBRATED AS A UNITED NATIONS INTERNATIONAL DAY.  THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON AUGUST 30, 2021,  RESOLVED TO ESTABLISH FEBRUARY 2 AS WORLD WETLANDS DAY.

WETLANDS ARE CRITICALLY VITAL ECOSYSTEMS.  THEY PROVIDE FOOD AND FRESH WATER  AND ACT AS A NATURAL DEFENSE AGAINST FLOODING.  AS “KIDNEYS OF THE EARTH,”  THEY FILTER WATER THROUGH THEIR VEGETATION AND SUBSTRATES.

THEY HELP MITIGATE CLIMATE CHANGE  AND PROVIDE HEALING THROUGH THEIR RECREATIONAL USES.  WETLANDS ARE CERTAINLY NOT WASTELANDS.

THIS YEAR’S WORLD WETLANDS DAY THEME —  “WETLANDS ACTION FOR PEOPLE AND NATURE” —  HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANCE OF CONCERTED ACTIONS FOR THE CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABLE USE OF WETLANDS FOR THE BENEFIT OF HUMANITY,  THE ENVIRONMENT, AND BIODIVERSITY.

OUR VENUE FOR THIS YEAR’S CELEBRATION,  THE WETLANDS OF BORACAY,  IS VERY ATTUNED TO THIS THEME.

IN 2018, WE LAUNCHED THE ADOPT-A-WETLAND PROGRAM FOR BORACAY ISLAND,  PARTNERING WITH THE BUSINESS SECTOR  TO AUGMENT THE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS IN REHABILITATING THE ISLAND.

THE WETLANDS OF BORACAY ARE NOW UNDER DIFFERENT PHASES OF REHABILITATION,  THANKS TO OUR WETLAND ADOPTERS –  THE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION,  ABOITIZ EQUITY VENTURES INCORPORATED AND ABOITIZ FOUNDATION,  BORACAY TUBI SYSTEM INCORPORATED,  J.G. SUMMIT OLEFINS CORPORATION, AND SAN MIGUEL CORPORATION.

TODAY,  WE WILL WITNESS THE TURNOVER OF A COMPLETED WETLAND PROJECT  FROM ITS ADOPTER TO THE DENR.  AFTER 3 AND A HALF YEARS OF REHABILITATION,  THE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS TURNING OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF BORACAY WETLAND NO. 2,

NOW KNOWN AS THE BORACAY WETLAND CONSERVATION PARK.

THIS WETLAND PARK ILLUSTRATES THE VALUE OF MULTI-SECTORAL CONVERGENCE IN CONSERVATION WORK.  INDEED,  WE CAN ACCOMPLISH MORE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT BY WORKING TOGETHER.

I PERSONALLY WITNESSED THE TRANSFORMATION OF THIS PLACE  FROM A DEGRADED WETLAND  TO WHAT IT IS NOW:  AN ARBORETUM OF NATIVE TREES, AN ECOTOURISM SITE,  AND AN EDUCATIONAL CENTER FOR CONSERVATION.

WE COMMEND THE ENERGY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION  FOR BEING AMONG THE FIRST TO RESPOND TO THE DENR’S ADOPT-A-WETLAND PROGRAM.  THANK YOU FOR YOUR SINCERE COMMITMENT AND EFFORTS  TO RESTORE THE GLORY OF ONE OF BORACAY’S WETLANDS.  A WIN FOR WETLANDS IS A WIN FOR US ALL.

MAY THIS INSPIRE US TO INVEST FINANCIAL, HUMAN,  AND POLITICAL CAPITAL  TO SAVE OUR WETLANDS FROM DISAPPEARING  AND TO RESTORE THOSE THAT WERE DEGRADED.

MARAMING SALAMAT PO,  AT MABUHAY!