Ecosystems and People The Philippine Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Sub-Global Assessment Ecosystems and People: The Philippine Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Sub-global Assessment Edited by Rodel D. Lasco Ma. Victoria O. Espaldon University of the Philippines Los Baños/ University of the Philippines World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF-Philippines) Diliman Editorial Assistant Maricel A. Tapia A contribution to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment prepared by the Philippine Sub-global Assessment Published by: Environmental Forestry Programme College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños In collaboration with: Department of Environment Laguna Lake and Natural Resources Development Authority Published by the Environmental Forestry Programme College of Forestry and Natural Resources University of the Philippines Los Baños College, Laguna, Philippines 4031 © Copyright 2005 by College of Forestry and Natural Resources, University of the Philippines Los Baños ISBN 971-547-237-0 Layout and cover design: Maricel A. Tapia This report is a contribution to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment prepared by the Philippine Sub-global Assessment Team. The report has been prepared and reviewed through a process approved by the MA Board but the report itself has not been accepted or approved by the Assessment Panel or the MA Board. CONTENTS Foreword vii Acknowledgments ix Summary for Decision Makers 1 Philippine Sub-Global Assessment: Synthesis 9 Introduction 35 Laguna Lake: Conditions and Trends 1. Overview of the Laguna Lake Basin 43 2. Laguna Lake’s Tributary River Watersheds 53 3. Water Resources 63 4. Fish 115 5. Rice 133 6. Biodiversity 151 7. Climate Change 167 8. Institutional Arrangements, Social Conflicts, and Ecosystem Trends 187 9. Conclusions 201 Appendices Appendix A. Additional Data and Information on Laguna Lake Basin 205 Appendix B. Acronyms and Chemical Symbols 221 Appendix C. Units of Measurement 225 Appendix D. The Philippine Sub-Global Assessment Team 227 Appendix E. About the Authors 231 Foreword The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is a timely the sub global assessment, and bring them to the policy response to the need of policymakers and resource managers formulation and decision-making process, and in drawing for scientific information on how human welfare is impacted up necessary legislative agenda, if need be. upon by ecosystems changes, and how ecological systems are affected by human activities. Specifically, and in relation to the recently enacted Clean Water Act (CWA) under the Republic Act 9275, the DENR Significantly, through the Philippine MA Sub-Global should be able to leverage the findings of the sub-global Assessment focusing on the Laguna de Bay Basin, the assessment of the Laguna de Bay Basin to drive the Philippines is certain to have directly contributed to the implementation of the CWA in the lake region as a declared attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals and Water Quality Management Area (WQMA) under section 5 Implementation Plan for the 2002 World Summit on thereof. Sustainable Development. At this juncture, and as we are at the stage of advocating the The fact that the Sub-Global Assessment of the Laguna de sub-global assessment findings and results in this Policy- Bay Basin’s ecosystems and their services made use of the Seminar Workshop. We will keep and open mind and positive global MA framework and eventually contributed to the stand on the need to translate the findings of the sub-global process, as well as published scientific materials and agency assessment into specific policies that could be mainstreamed reports, and that it has involved a panel of respected local in the CWA implementation in the Laguna de Bay Region as scientists and experts, the findings and result should serve a WQMA, among others. as readily available references and inputs to coming up with options for responding to ecosystem changes. Thank you very much for involving the DENR and the LLDA in this process. Indeed, the involvement of our people in this The choice of the Laguna de Bay Basin is significant from endeavor has contributed so much in this institutional the perspective of the DENR and LLDA. As the lake strengthening and capability building of the LLDA. ecosystem is undergoing rapid and significant changes due Designating our key and technical support staff as lead to multitude of factors driven by industrialization and authors, contributing lead authors, and contributors has urbanization in the watershed, as well as due to the political, certainly boosted the drive of the organization towards economic and ecological significance of the lake basin, it is building a pool of scientists and other professionals within important that we take stock of the findings and results of authority. Message delivered during the Philippine Millennium Ecosystem Assessment Policy Seminar-Work, held on 20 May 2005, at the Traders Hotel, Pasay City, Philippines by: Dolora N. Nepomuceno Assistant General Manager Laguna Lake Development Authority on behalf of: Hon. Edgardo C. Manda Hon. Michael T. Defensor General Manager Secretary Laguna Lake Development Authority Department of Environment and Natural Resources Acknowledgments This publication is the product of the outstanding and untiring Department of Agriculture, University of the Philippines efforts of numerous individuals and organizations involved in Los Baños and Diliman, and the Ecosystems Research in the Philippine Sub-global Assessment over the past three and Development Bureau of the DENR; years. We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to • To Dr. Paul Zafaralla, for the assistance in editing and the following for nurturing the pilot Philippine MA Sub- proofreading some chapters in the report; and global Assessment through to a successful completion: • To Marcus Lee, for the tremendous support and the technical and administrative guidance that he provided • The members of the Technical Support Unit: Richievel V. from the conception towards the completion of this project. Arche, Enrico S. Laluan, and Maricel A. Tapia, for ensuring the smooth implementation of the project; • To Johnson L. Yu (LLDA), Irish I. Hormachuelos (LLDA), Financial support for the MA and the MA Sub-global and the staff of ENFOR, namely, Mary Anne G. Abadillos, Assessments was provided by the Global Environmental Kristine B. Garcia, Michael Joseph S. Pillas, and Dixon Facility (GEF), the United Nations Foundation, the David T. Gevaña, for the technical and administrative assistance and Lucile Packard Foundation, the World Bank, the United that they voluntarily provided in the preparation of this Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the Government report; of Norway, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Swedish • The Department of Environment and Natural Resources International Biodiversity Programme, the Rockefeller (DENR) through the Foreign Assisted and Special Projects Foundation, the United States National Aeronautic and Space Office, for providing financial assistance for the printing Administration (NASA), the International Council for of this book; Science (ICSU), the Asia Pacific Network for Global Change • To all the institutions/agencies that shared their data: Research, the Christensen Fund, the United Kingdom Laguna Lake Development Authority, Philippine Council Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, (DEFRA), the Consultative Group for International Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the Agricultural Research (CGIAR), and the Ford Foundation. Summary for Decision-Makers A Report of the Philippine Sub-global Assessment Team CONTENTS 1. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 3 2. The Philippine Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 3 3. Ecosystem Services 3 3.1 Water Resources 3 3.2 Fish 5 3.3 Rice 5 3.4 Biodiversity 6 3.5 Climate Change 7 4. Laguna Lake Basin: Conditions and Trends 7 5. A Summary of the Responses to Various Issues or Problems on the Use 8 of Laguna Lake Basin Resources Summary for Decision-Makers 3 1. The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment are regularly monitored for water quality, namely, Pagsanjan- Lumban, San Cristobal, San Juan, San Pedro, Sta Cruz, Bay, The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) is a four-year and Tunasan Rivers. Rivers in the western side of the lake international work program designed to meet the needs of are heavily polluted with industrial effluents and other wastes. decision-makers for scientific information on the links Based on DO and BOD levels, most of these rivers are between ecosystem change and human well-being. It was virtually dead such as San Pedro, Tunasan, San Cristobal, launched by United Nations (UN) Secretary General Kofi and San Juan rivers with DO and BOD levels below Class C Annan in June 2001. It is primarily supportive of the needs standards. Tanay River is deteriorating as indicated by of the parties to the Convention of Biological Diversity, increasing turbidity, BOD, COD, conductivity, chloride, total Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, and the Convention to phosphorous, and ammonia-nitrogen loads. The problem Combat Desertification. Ultimately, it hopes to be able to concerning BOD is most pronounced in rivers. contribute to the attainment of the UN Millennium Development Goals and the Plan of Implementation of the Finding No. 2: Major sources of pollution of the river systems 2002 World Summit on Sustainable Development. are domestic wastes both solid and liquid effluents, food processing plant wastes,