The scientific community is pushing for localizing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and proposing that State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) to assist cities and municipalities in crafting their development plans, ensuring that these have well researched scientific contents aimed at addressing food security and climate change.
Academician Alfredo Mahar Lagmay echoed this call during his presentation recently, as part of the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) innovation series, highlighting innovations in the life and physical sciences to address food security and climate change. NAST is the highest recognition and scientific advisory body of the Philippines under the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).
“(SDGs) should be embedded in the national development planning and from the national plan, execute it locally in LGUs,” he said.
Lagmay explained that the University of the Philippines (UP) has been assisting 30 to 40 LGUs in the country, and other SUCs can also do the same in the LGUs in their respective location. He said that local plans should be put across all sectors including agriculture, coastal, water, health, biodiversity, environment, energy, education, tourism, infrastructure, and settlement.
“SUCs also have experts in most in all of these sectors to assist and train LGU staff in crafting their development plans. This is in order to provide well-researched scientific content into the development plan.The knowledge need to be local, that is our experience. We have pool of experts to train LGUs who are hungry of knowledge,” he said.
“Let the LGUs benefit from the research,” Lagmay emphasized.
In his presentation on how to cascade information and co-create knowledge, he presented that the 120 SUCs, each of them assisting of up to 15 LGUs can assist all 1,634 LGUs, highlighting the SUCs role in doing research needed in their local areas.
He further said that each SUC should be equipped with mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction knowledge and tools.
Helping local government units (LGUs) has been considered as major driver to socioeconomic development, promote open innovation, a concept that encourages de-siloing and active collaboration.
National Scientist Emil Javier said that “sharing innovation to LGUs, policy makers, general public promotes cross sectoral and interdisciplinary discussions and partnerships.”
Not all government plans are supported by science, as some local projects has caused flooding, erosion and sedimentation.
Mangrove scientist Dr. Jurgenne Primavera said that in the 6,739-hectare Maasin Iloilo Watershed, some 3,400 hectares or more than 60 percent was reforested with Mahogany, an exotic species. Primavera, who holds BS and MA degrees in zoology and a PhD in marine science, is a widely cited Filipina marine scientist.
She also said that 80 percent of the 392 million trees of the National Greening Program (NGP) are exotic mostly Mahogany.
“To DENR, stop planting Mahogany and Gmelina,” Primavera said.
She also pointed out the lack of planning and mapping in NGP, “so non-plantable areas were identified.”
She proposes native and beach forest trees instead such as Calophyllum inophyllum (Bitaog), Buchanania arborescens (Balinghasai), Millettia pinnata (Bani) among others , which she said are adaptive and resilient to climate change.
In Puerto Princesa City, upon recommendation of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (City ENRO) headed by Atty. Carlo Gomez, the city council crafted an ordinance prohibiting the planting of exotic and invasive species.
African tulip, Big Leaved Mahogany, Gmelina, Ipil-ipil, Acacia Mangium, Paper Mulberry, Alibangbang, and Rubber Tree were identified as invasive trees, thus prohibited under the proposed ordinance.
Exotic and invasive trees pose a threat to the ecosystem and biodiversity that could inflict the environment or cause harm to human health.
Senior Environmental Management Specialist and Forester Zorina Arellano of the City Environment and Natural Resources Office of Puerto Princesa warned that introducing exotic and invasive trees might limit the biodiversity since it will prevent other tree species to thrive, and a clear threat to native trees, which are the natural habitat of wildlife.
Arellano, who also head the City ENRO’s forest management division said that native trees are linked to the well-being of the insects, birds and wildlife species that naturally occur in an area, thus it is important to consider the selection of native trees that supports wildlife and biodiversity like mammals, avian species, bees and others that form part of the biodiversity. Native trees should be planted and not introduced species.
“Yung native trees sa area yun na tirahan ng ating wildlife. Other plant and wildlife species are dependent to them. Kasi pag invasive or introduced species ang itatanim, ma-dominate nila yung area at mawawala yung ibang trees. Ma-limit yung biodiversity (The native trees present in the area have thrived there for a long time already and other plants and wildlife are dependent on them. If invasive or introduced (tree) species are planted, it will dominate the area while other trees may vanish. It will limit the biodiversity),” she explained.
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