PLCPD POTICY BR

Po[ulaton, Health and tnuitonmcntSynergies for Sustoinoble Humon DevelopmentI M riom Ame e Azurin-Abojo

T);i*#:] ,;,li-, fli,l,fi,o,. ",. ",I nar.rr- l re,ou..e,:rd rhe p.oducrion oiwaste. Changes in the environmental condrtronsuch as pollution, degradation and extremes ofweathet in turn, have affected human healthand weil-being. At the sarne time, populationsize, growth, distribution, age composition andmobilig' ofpeople also contribute toenvironmental change and aflect human health.Consumption pattems, development choices,wealth and lalrd distribution, trade andinvestment and technology have exacerbared theeffects ofpeoplet actions on the environmentandvice versa.

T he mur uaJly rein tor cing ft cror' of popuJ.rr ion.health and environment on povety anddevelopment have for too long been addressedby the world in a fragmented manner - andoften in the contq.<r ofbringing about positrvemacroeconomic growth and favorable

demographic outcomes. Concerns such a.sindividual weli-being, the status ofwomen, thehealth ofchildren and the state oftheenvironment have been considered secondary

Today, however, the Philippines joins rheinternational community in recognizing thatdevelopment requires more chan just increasingnational incomes and controlling populationgrowth and mobility to reduce pressure on

FROM ECONOMIC WELLNESS TOHUMAN WILLNESS. People are rhe realwealth ofnations. Development is thus aboutexpanding the choices people have to lead livesrhat they value: a human-centered developmentfounded on building human capabilities. Themost basic capabilities for human developmentare to lead long and healthy lives, to beknowledgeable, to have access to the tesourcesneeded for a decent standard ofliving and to be

able to participate in the life of the community.\ifithout these, many choices are simply notrvai l :ble and many opponuniries in l i fe remaininaccessible. This is especially true for womenwho have fewer choices and opportunities thalm€n because ofexisting discriminatory socialand cultura.l practices.

The environment ptovides most oftheresources required to ensure that p€ople efljoy aquality Jife. rW4rile resources can be used ineradicating poverty, people should also bemindftl ofthe risla that inordinate use oftheworld\ natural resources can pose ro rhe se.uriryof future generatiorx. A sustainable human-centered developmeflt (SHD) therefore, seels toexpand choices for all - women and menespecially the poorest of them - withoutsacrificing the rights ofthe future generationsand the natuml systems in which all lifedepend.'

Ahuman-centered sustainable developmentrecognizes that no dght is more important thanother rights (the right to a healthy environmentis as important as the right to access the 6uits ofdwelopment) and that poverty ard genderinequiry are caured by mary Facrors.l hese

principles r€qufue convergent approaches todevelopment.

The convergence ofpopulation, health andenvironment addresses as much the variouscauses of poverq. The series of global meering:convened in rhe Ir)r)Os embodied d1e grow ngrecognition ofdrese linkages in solving theworldt greatest problems.

The 1992IN Conference on Environment andDevelopmenr (UNCED)or rhe fuo Conferencerecognized the great responsibilityof dwelopingcountries in addressing the world'senvironmental degadation. This, in the contertofthe sovereign right of states to exploit theirown resources puJsuant to their ownenvironmenral and developmenral policJes.which mrxt be ftIfilled to equitably meet theneeds ofpresent arrd future generations. It alsorecognized the following: the Ley role ofstaLeholders - especially of indigenous peoples- in the decision-making processes, the need todevelop national legislation regardingcompensation for victims of pollution andother environmental damag€, th€ us€ ofeconomic instruments to take into account thepolluter-pays principle and the imponance ofenvironrnental impact assessment as a tool fotprecautionary decision-maLing.

The 1 994 International Conference onPopulation and Development requiredgovernments to deliver at the soonest possibletime universal access to reproductive healthservices as a cmcisl factor in achievingsu<rainable growr h baed on gender equaliry. lrr lso

"rre"ed rhe inrera.cJons among populacion,

economic growth and sustainable dwelopment.The agreement avoids demographic targets orgoals. It stresses that poverry and genderinequicJes affecr and .ue affer ted by popubriongrowth, age structure and distribution. Furtheqit states that "unsustainable coruumption andproductionpatterns" overuse natuml resources,degrade the environment, and reinforce genderinequality and poverqr

:"

I

Two world conGrences in 1995 funher reinforcedthse linkages. The Fourth World Conference onWomen dealt witl woment panicipation "in allspheres of society," induding environmmtalmanagemmt, as a prer€quisite "for people-crntereddevelopment." Similarlr world leaders agreal inthe Vorld Summit for Social Development to"place people at the centre ofdevelopment anddirect [each ofthe counuies ] economies to meethuman needs more efectil,ely" In 2000, theseagre€ments were rcamrm€d in the MillenniumDeclaration encapsulated in quantifi able targeaand indicators.

The Philippines is a signatory to tieseintemational agreements. In addition, it is also aparty to 69 Multilateral EnvironmentalAgreements (MEAs) and a signatory to 21others to date.'? MEAs are intemationally-agreedenvironmental treaties covering a range ofissuesinduding trade in endangered species, cleanerproduction, toxic wastes, sea boundaies andlimi* on the use ofozone-depleting substances,among othe$.

Principles ofSHD are also strongly upheld rnthe 1987 Pbilippine Constitution. Artide II,Sec. 9 declares "the State shall promote a just

and dynamic social order that will ensure theprosperity and independence ofthe nation andfree the people from poveny through policresthat provide adequate social services, promotefirll employment, a rising standard ofliving andal improved qualig of [ife for all. ln addirion.Sec. I 5 enunciates, "i:he state shall protect andadvance the right of the people to a balancedand healtbful ecology in accord with the rhlthmand hatmony of nature. Further, Sec. 1 1pronounces, "the State values the dignity ofevery human person and guamntees full respectfor human rights." In line with this, swerat tawshave been passed, yet poveny, ill-hea.lth andenvironmental degradation remain to bepersistent problems in the country.

THE LINKAGES DEFINED. The body ofinternational agreements sbifted attention fiom

che rradicionaJ'people-versus-environmentpoint ofview to drat of intenelatedness.Peoplet actions can positively or negativ€ly alt€rtheir environment. Reciprocally, changes in theenvironment cen either damage or nourishpeoplet well-being. Built upon the spirit oftheinternarionaJ agreemenrs in rhe par de.ade.dwelopment workers and managers are realizingsome achievements in their practice ofintegrated approaches to population, health andenvironment,

At the initial stage, however, animosiry mayoccur among specialists and s€rvice-providers rnthese different fields due to feelings of'turfing"or differences in conceptual understanding. Ademographer, for instance, may view populationdifferendy from a womeni righr. advocare.Donor-agencies rnay also contribute tofragmented approaches because they have adiferent concern when they give out funds.Thus, finding a shared understanding is the firststep to achieve common objectives.'

Population in this sense means three things:population dynamics, reproductive health and

peopie as development actors. Fertiliq/,morreliry and migration determinedemographic outcomes, which influence thedemand for goods and services. Populationdistribution also determines access to, as well as'he al lo.arion :nd u.€ofre'our.e\. lopuLriondynamics bear weight on how resources will beconsumed, produced and allocated and thesedirectly affect the environment quantitatrvelyarrd qualitativelya Mearwhile, withoutdistributional equity of resources, poverry arrdgender inequities can occur.

PopuJar:orr a. an i*ue a1"o inrolve" reproducLirehealth and lamily planning. A womant abiliryto control her fenility gives her more time toparticipate in managing the communitytresources. ProPer child-sPacing also makeswomen healthier arrd incteases the possibility ofbearing healr \ ier, hi ldren d,re ro de.rea.ed r;mespent lorhousehold chores inciuding findingwood for fuel and fi:tching water.

The term population also caJries with it peopletparticipadon in resource management. If peoPle

are able to participate, positive results arerealized since thev are able to determine theirown needs wirhin the productive limits oftherown envifonmenr.j

Environment encomp3ises the natural assetsrha-n carr be used for economic production(narural resources), the interdependence of livingand nonJiving components in an €nvimnmentrecol .rem ' arld .he exrenL of \urr.tr l a' r i ' iq onthe original smte ofan ecosystem (human-

altered ecology).

The term health is Lrnderstood to be thegeneral health ofthe communiry and how toimprove it (public health) and the potentialhazardous factors ofche environment and theeffect ofthe latter on humat health andqualiry oflife (environment3l health).6 TheUN has given health a much broader sensedefining it as "a state ofcomplece physical,menral and social well-being and not merelythe absence ofdisease and infirmiry" Ensuringthe absence ofdisease is a matter that can belooLed into by medical specialists but otherthan this, it requires a confluence ofotherinterventions.

In the 1990s, the Batrie Seattle ResearchCenter created a model ofthe relationship ofpopulation and environment and its impact onhuman health. The linkages are demonstratedin Figure l. The lirst part depicts how peoplebecome drivers ofenvironmental change ltneiower arrorv) and the second part focuses onhow people are affected by or becomereceptors ofenvironmental change (the upp.'arrow).r

ENSURING DEVELOPMENT FORPtOIrl E. NOT FOR EARNTNCS. De'pircthe existence of international humanitarian lawsand human rights agreements, governmentsoften addre* po'erq b1 in.rersinge.oroni.production in the beiiefthat its bene{its willtricLle down to the poor In developingcountri€slvhere heary industries have no! been

c

Figure 1. The Population, Health andEnvironment Cycle

ReceptorLink

Environmentalconditions Humans

Driver Link

Source: Population Reference Bureau adaptedlrom C.E. Orians a.nd M. Skumanich.

fully developed, economic production requrresextractive and int€nsive use ofnatural resourccs- ohen,rnregulared. u l ' i , h di 'rurb" Ll 'e qcleofpopulation, hea.lth and environment andaggravates eisting inequities.

A ' u . ra in :b le hu rnan cen re red de \e lopmenr i 'the uldmate objective of growth. However,governmenls are also committed togiobalization chrough agreernents made in the-Vorld Tiade Orgarization andwithinternational financial insticutions that requirea governance system that aims to increaseinvestments for unregulated production andlesser support for social services. The 1996Human Development Report aptly points outthat economic growth does not necessarily leadto human developrnent. In the Philippines,economic growth from 2000 ro 2003 has notbeen pro-poor, according to AsialDevelopment Bank (ADB). Though there wasgrowth in gross domestic product (GDP) from2000 to 2003, preliminary results of the 2003Family Income and Expenditure Surveyindicare a 10-percent drop in real averagefamily incomes.

\X4rile globalization lengthens life-spans throughmedical technologies, increases incomeopporturities and facilitates better-yieldingproduction, it also contributes to *redeterioration ofpeoplet well-being and thedeLeriorarion oir-hc t nr ir"runen, b) Jrering f ieparterns of consumption ald production,especiallyin technologically resource-poordeveloping countries like the Philippines.Further, MEAc :-re rendered furile by developedcountries due to conflic$ resulting from tradeagreements.

l he Ph i l i pp ine . Med ium Term P l ' i l i pp 'ncDevelopment Plar (MTPDP) has always been ashowcase of conllicting paradigms. Vhilecommitting to sustainable human developmentgoals, it also actively promotes extractiveindustries such x mining, intensive agriculturethrough promotion of high-value crops,

aquacl ture and toruism rvhich because ofinsuficient regulation endanger the ecosystems,human life and livelihoods.

\flhile targeting a lower population growth rateas well as rvomen- and community-empowerment, the MTPDP makes nocommitment to the provision ofreproductrvehe;lh ,en i.e' ;nd ro appropriare increa5e' irgovernment expenditure for social seryices.Investments in human development are pursuedwith the uitimate objective ofindeasingmacroeconomic peformance in the context ofan open and liberal economy.

PO\,'ERTY, ILL,HEALIH CHAMCTERIZERESOURCE RICH PHILIPPINES. ThePhilippines is one among the countries in theworld where mega-diversity is greatest. There areabout 13,500 plart species (representing about5 percent ofthe world's llora) and 177,000animal species in irs forest areas. The fewremaining primary loresrs are home ro 44percent of endemic flowering plants ald I 2million indigenous peoples. The country's coralreef area, rhe second largest in Southeast Asra,holds 9 1 5 reef fish species and more than 400

Success Siory #IBAGGAO is rhe th;rd mosr populous munic;polit in Cogoyanwilh o ropid populoton grovrah roie in the uplond borongoys.Its problems include insufficienl occess lo heolih services oad lowoworeness of reproducl ive heolth. There is generol ly poorunderstondins of sustoinoble formins proctices ondconservolion oworeness. A boseline survey reveoledthot mostformers were using.pesticides ond were heovily-dependent onfuelwood. A hish-incidence of infont mortoliiyond poorreproductive heslth services were olso mon:fusi.

To solvethe problems, ihe municipol government lo!nched oproiect with th ree components: reproductive heolth ond fomilyplonning sewices, in{ormolion ond educofion compoign ondnoturol resource monogemeni.

Afler o series of integroted opproaches, the municipolgovernmenl success{ully ochieved ils developmenl obiectives.reolizing the volue of brood-bosed pod;cipotion, hormonizolionofgools ond strong pol i t ;colwi l l .

Sourcei A Cose of Popu,oito n ond Envnanmenr Proiect Jmplementoton

scleractinian coral species, 12 ofwhich areendemic. The country is also abundant widrland-based resources such as timber, petroleum,nicLel, cobalt, silver, gold, salt, copper,geothermal energz and fertile tracts oflandsuitable to agriculture.

Despite these natural endowments, 30 percentof rhe population .-ouJd nor meet dreir ba(icdaily needs to survive while 13.8 percent couldnor meet Lheir daily nuuidonal requirements in

2003.3 Health challenges in the Philippinesinclude high maternal mortaliq/ tates, a veryhigh incidence oftuberculosis (ranked eighth inthe world by the Wodd Health Organizadon) -

ard poor quality and inaccessibility ofpublicheafth care services. The pooresr Families are in a

dire situation - 65 percent are without accessLo safe warer "upply

aid 70 percenc have nsanitary toilets.e In rural areas, access to land isone of the main determinants ofwelfare. Therural poor that constitute the bulk of the pootcannot rise 6om poverty due to inequitabledistribution of resources.'0 Almost half of poorfamilies (43 percent) have no decent dwelling.Even before the governmentt strategies can evettake effect, 2.3 percent ofthe presentpopulation would have been added annually to

the population.

PHILIPPINE RURAI AREAS. Three-fourthsofthe poor comprising more tharr 20 millionpeople maLe a living out ofagriculture andfisheries activities. However, only 7 out oftenfarmers own the land they till. Without asecure tenure, the poor are not encouraged tou-se sustaiflabl€ patterns ofproduction and areeasily displaced from their land. Lach of accessto natural resources amofig the poor isexacerbated by decreased per capita availabilityofnatural resources due to high fertilityrace.-which is ar 4.J chi l&en per vroman inthe rulal areas.

Rural povetty is addressed throughagricultural development policies that favorintensive production and land use conversronro generare cash for rhe country. Ult imaLely,these policies do not directly address the rootcauses of unsustainable patterns ofproduction.

Agriculoral development policies impact onhuman, land and eco-system health.Gor,ernmenti agricultural policy is 'lanredtowards the production ofhigh-value crops(FWC) and high-yielding vaieties (HYVJ ashigh demand abroad rakes in needed revenuesfor the country Thus, many farmlands devoted

ro planting staple crops like rice and corn have

shifted to cultivalting HVCs and H\ /s. Aside

from &e huge demand for water, cash crops are

heavily dependent on chemical pesticides rharhas been proven by the \fHO ro be detrimental

co humans-

The Kamukhaan case, a farmingvillage in

D'go.. Davao del su. i l lu'ra.e' rhi".rdre'.eimpact of pesticide-use. After prolongedappl 'ca. ion oi pe'rrcide.. ia-men in rhe I i l lage

suffered from neurological impairment, gotter,cancet vomiting, asthma, anemia and birth

defects ranging from deft lip palate to severe

skin diseases. A considerable number ofchildrenalso showed developmental delays includingstunring, wasring, delays in the developmenr of

secondary sexual chancteristics and mentaldeficiencies." {7omen's biological make-upmakes them more prone to the toxic effects of

chemicals arld pesticides, since they have morefatty tissues. Toxins stored in a mothert body

will not only damage her liver, kidney and

spleer. lt could eventually be passed on to her

unborn child.

The health impact ofpesticide-use does not end

with the user: it stays in the crops, goes to the

market and ends at the dining table lesticide

residues when washed off from croplands godown to water bodies and poison marine and

human life.

Modern pesticide use also poses ill_effects to the

ecology by disruptingits balance. Pesticidesindiscriminately kill beneficial and harmful

pests. Harmful pesa can recover faster and can

develop resistance while beneficial pests cannot

Thus, harmful pests will grow unchecked romvage more crcPs later on. Some birds that feed

on pests are also threatened and may developand suffer from certain reProductive disorders

and stunting. Other effects move up the food

cham.

Logging, farming induce stress to fofests.

The upland population ofthe Philippines

already exceeds 25 million people, 6.3 millionofthem belonging to indigenous peoplesMany among tbem have knowledge of.us ra in . rL r l e f u r m ing . Th< Un . r en i r l u i . hePhilippines ?opularion Institute estimated anamrual upland popularion growth rate of2.8percent. Upland poPuladons are primarily the

poorest ofrhe poor the least educated, least

paid, least healthy and least hopeflrl - withinsecure land telute that impedcs sustainablefarming pracrices. They are mistakenly vieweda ' l o re . r pe rpe r ra ro r ' r r I he r lhJn r ' " ' i . r im \ 'even when the largest and most direct causes oldeforestation in the Philippines are iarge-scalecorporate logging (ESSC, 1999), rnining anrl

conflicting land conversions (Mallari andTabaranza 2001). ' ' /

Upiand migration has increased as a result ofdeclining arable arrd productive lard due toind i . c r im ina re hnd . on r e r . i on a rd pop r ' b r i onpre*ure'. a $ell a5 decrea' ing opporrunir ie' in

the lowlands. Settlers falm on iands with about

18 degrees siope that occupy about 9 4 million

hectares or one-third of the country's total landarea of30 million hectares. The slopingtopography and the high rainfall subject thecultivation of sloping iands to vaious degrees of

erosion and other forms ofland degradation

oge

\Tithout secure land tenure, upland famersresort to erosive farming methods ald pesticide-use, causing ioss oftopsoil and soil acidiry.

I-ogging, both in its commercial and illegalforms are liable for the decline of forest covcrfrom an estimated 21 million hectares or 70perceflt ofthe country's total land area in 1900,to only 7. 1 68 million hectares or 24 percent ofror: l la;rd area in 2002. 'Commercial loggingper se is allowed in the Philippines since thereare supposed to be laws that provide themechanisms to avoid potential denudation.Howeve! certain factors can conffavene suchmeasures. D€spite the logging ban in some areasand stricter processes in the issuance ofTimberLicense Agreements, it is not uncommon toread reports ofillegal logs being confiscated.Former Senator Orly Mercado oncecommented, in light of the Aurora flashfloods,that "the only difference... is that the legalloggers have polidcal dout and that's the reasonrhey carr get the timber license agreement."'o

Now that government has cancelledcommunity-based forest mafiagemenr projectsand moved to open up forests for corporatelogging ostensibly to generate jobs afid rcvenues,the toll on lives ald the environment wouldlikely continue. Iurther, without livelihood inthe lowlands, people will be attracted to goupland where opportunities are open inindustrial logging projects.

Increasing humar capabJlities in uplandcommunities is crucial to ensure a safe arrdhealthy environment. B€cause of theirgeographic location, government services forprimary health, family plalrning services andeducation have not adequately reached thesepeople, thereby increasing their dependence onresource-based livelihood. A study made by theConservation lnternational-Ph ilippines revealsthat higher educational a(arnment in rural areasbrings population away ftom dependence onnatlrel rcsources and this has positive impact onconseffation. Increaiing access to high school

edu.arion is also associared v i th louer ferr iJityrate, lower child-to-woman ratio and smallerhousehold size that ca-n open new doors, otherthan child-bearing arrd houseLeeping, to gainfulemployment or furcher study for rural

Miningt hannfrrl impact on resources andhealth. Large-scale mining is legal in thePhilippines despite documented evidences ofhazardous transgenerationalimpact to ecosystemand humar health. In 2004, 19 large andmedium-scale mining comparies were granredmining rights on Philippine soil. Governmentoften perceives the mining industry as a sourceof revenue and job-generation but not as aculprit in the deterioration ofits overall capitalstock and in preventing long-term sustainability.

Becausemineralprocessingrequires substantialenergy ard water, mining may come intoconflict with local populations ifwater resourcesare already sc-arce. About one-seventh of miningard erplorarion .on.essions in the f hi l ippinescan be found in areas ofhigh watershed stress,where demand for water exceeds the availablesupply by at least 35 percent. Certainly, mitungcompetes with other users for sc:Ilce waterresources,

Each phase of mining --fiom exploration toextractionr processing and closure --incurs costs,Mining in the lhi l ippines. however. i , ,e.erel)un.usrainable and poser irreprable demage.More than half (56 percent) ofall mining leasesand exploration sites in the country are home toendemic species ofplants ald animals and areancestral domains ofindigenous peoples whoselalrd rights are not often formally recognized.About 60,000 hectares ofintact forest aresubject to activ€ miniflg and explorationactivities. These mining activities caus€environmental damage such as deforestation,soil erosion, and sedimentation ofwater bodies.

In Fbbruary, fish kills in Luba, Abra weretraced co ryanide tailings from the Lepanto

Lr

Consolidated Mining Corporation (Lepanto)op r ra t i ng j n ups r ream Benguer . 'T l r i . e i nOctober 2005, mine tailing spiliagecontaining cyanide from LaFayette MiningInc. caused fish Lills in Rapu-Rapu lsland,Nbay. Dugong, which is classified as avulnerable specie by the Union for theConservation ofNature (IUCN) andprotected by the Convention onIn re r na r i ona lT rade i n Fndangered Spe . i e .fCITES) were among che 'pecies Foundlifeless in the area.'7 Mining pollutants causediseases and disability but the most lethaland irreversible for ecology and hurnanhealth is mercury contamination, such as theone caused by the 1996 Marcopper accidentin Marinduque.

Damage to forest, marine alrd fieshwaterresources due to mrning activities also injure dreliveJihood of populations that depend onresources such as fuelwood, herbs, timber, shell,fish, mollusls and weeds. 'Vith thegovernmentt shift iom prudence to activepromotion of the mining industry theseharmful effects will be felt more severely in thecoming yeers. As an offshoot ofthe 2004Supreme Coun decision on theconstitutionality of foreign ownership ofmining corporations, 24 mining projectsclassified as 'priority projects" by thegovefnment are expected to come this year 't

Competing uses for resoutces destroyscoastal rcsources. The Philippines is the 11'r'fish producer in the worid and has a richbounty ofecological systems underneath rtscoastal waters. Around 40-60 percent ofthetotal fish catch comes ftom coastal fishing.reThe coastal zones carl be found in 60 percentofthe country's 73 provinces andmunicipalities.to Like forest communities,coastal communities are under-served in theprovision ofenvironmental services and bearthe highest income losses due to sickness andmedical exp€nses related to water-relateddiseases.

Competition among resource-users is asignificant issue in the coastal zone. Industrialand real estate development projecs, whichrequire broad expanse ofland in the mostscenic or productive areas ofthe coascal zonecompete with other uses for agriculture andconservation. Tourism and r€crcation alsocompete with sewices and amenities,including roads and water supply that shouldhave been meant for communities.Approximately 60 million people live within100 hm ofthe Philippine coastline andwithout adequate government support forfamily planning services, unabated populationgrowth will intensify competition for

The use oflethal and destructive fshingtechniques by small fisherfolks is already amanifestation of this competition. Pollutionand overfishing by commercial boa6 havecau'ed decline in fish srock and rhe.e he\.pushed farmers to resort to dangerous fishingmethods tiat only mire them deeper in povertydue to potential disabiliry and smaller {ish catchfrom lost reefsystems that serve as habitat forwar€r animals. At present, only 0.27 percent ofPhilippine reeG are known to be in qrcellent

condition.

Industrial and tourist establishments andadjacent communities pollute coastal watersthereby posing a threat to public health, theecology and by extension, the econorny. Asample study ofBataan beaches revealed thatall ofits four beaches have failed theminimum coliform prevalence criteria whileone did not pass the criteria for fecalcoliform. Thirry-one percent of illnessesbetween 1994 and 2000 were traced to warer-related diseases. Known diseases caused bypolluted warer include gastro-enteritis,diarrhea, qphoid, cholera, dysentery, andhepatitis. According to the Department ofHealth, more than 500,000 morbidity- and4,200 mortality-cases were attribured towater-related disease in 2000.'z?

Since women are actively involved in fishprocessing, maJketing, fish culture and infishing operations, they are the ones hardest hitduring low fish catch. Improving theirreproducrive health is hugely important tothem. Women's access to reproductive healthservices helps them to space their children,eng:ge in education and learn orher.[ i l ] . foralternative sources of income. Reproductivehealth thus leads to their improved starus andincreased participation in decision making andmanagement at th€ village and localadministrarion level.

Succese Stoq/ #3

CONCEPCION is s 4th closs coostol municipoli ly inlloilo with 25 borongoys, whose people depend onfishing ond forming os meons of l ivelihood lbgeogrophicol locolion ond vulnerobilily to noturoldisosters is mognified by o high populoiion growthroie ond high populotion density in o fost-deteriorotingenvironment.

Signi{iconl ochievemenls were mode when the LGUodopted the PHE opprooch: lhe community enioyedimproved occess lo quolity reproductive heollhservices, enhonced knowledge ond skills of heolthservice providers in fomily plonning counseling,orgonized Youlh Peer Fociliiolors, increosed FPocceplors ond esloblished heolth focilities.

ln lhe environmenl,lhe opprooch led tolheemoowermed o{ lhe Fisheries ond Aquotic ResourceMonogemenl Council (FARMC), increosed morinereserve orcos, subslontiolly reduced illegol fishing,increosed {ish cqtch ond moinstreomed sustoinoble lqndmonogemenl ond mongrove re{oreslofion.

PHILIPPINE URBAN AREAS. Urbanizatronis often associated with developed industrres,aftluence and planned cities. But in thePhil ippine'. l ike in m:n1 deueloping counrrie".urbanization has come to m€an slumdwellings, pollution, crime, illiteracy, crowdedhouseholds arrd poor sanitation. Extreme ruralpoverty, triggered by the governmelltteconomic strategy towards building zones ofproduction in cities, has spurred rural-to-urbanmigration to the promised land of"opportunities." However, industries in thecities do not have the capacity to absorbenough labor force and most localgovernments do not have enough resources torespond ro rhe increased demand [or basicgoods and services liLe health, education,roads, housing, transportation, wastemanagement an(t sewerage, among ooers

Be$een 1980 and 1990, internal migrationgrew by 5 percent arnually and wenruallyIeveled offat 3 percent. Ifthe rrend continues,experts believe that 65 percent ofthe totalpopulation will be living in urban centers by2020. In addidon to the high lwels ofinflux,women in urban areas bear one child more thanuhar rheyde'ire. { fasr grouing populacion in

a f i .c.rJ l1 . ch rJle nged gorernmenL i ' .r . ignif icanr

impediment confionting environmentalists,healrh worken and deuelopmenL pl.urner. inachieving a good qualiry life.

!!'aste disposal needs to keep up with a

growing urban population. Ar averageFilipino household in tlre urban area generates0.5 klograms (kg) of garbage daily. In Metro

Manila alone, around 6,700 MT ofwaste aregenerated daily arrd the mrmber is expected to

increase by 40 percent in 2010. Food andkitchen waste (45%), plasric (15%), glass andwood (9%), paper (1690) ard other wastes(157o) constitute household wastes in MetroManila.

Industries also contribute heaviiy to wastegeneration. Many ofthese industries Senerate

:\ i

hazardous waste that contibutes to air, soil andwater pollution. Approximately 2.3 millionMT ofhazardous waste are generated byindustries every year Oil, immobilized waste,containers, and plating waste make up morethan half of recorded hazardous wastenationwide. Hospituls generare an additional6,750 tons ofinfectious waite annually.

The pile ofgarbage disposed daily presents ahuge problem ofwaste disposal in urbancenters. Some dumpsites have already beenclosed due to €nvimnmental hazards. Yet, arADB 'rudy revealed rhar ruo dump'ires inMetro Marila contained substantial amount oflead and arsenic. Cenain amounts oflead andmercury were also found in Manila Bay.

tarly.ymprom' of lerd poi,oning mimi.general malaise or common illnesses, thus it isnot uiually diagnosed correctly. Ifleft untreated,lead poisoning can cause irritability, poor musclecoordination, nerve damage, higher bloodpressure end problems ofhearing and seeing for

" aduits. Reproductive difficulties (low spermcounts) and disturbed pregnancies may alsodevelop. In children, iead poisoning can causebrain damage and retardation, anemia, liver andkidney damage, hearing ioss, hyperactivity andeven death. \trorkers ifl makeshift batteryrecycling and repair facilities show increased leadlevels in their blood, significartly higher rhanthe rVHOt permissible exposure levels. Batteryrc.ond ir ionen and sme'rer. in rhe Phil ippinesare located in populated areas. The health ofthepublic and the environment suffers fiomsulfuric acid dumped in streams, into the sewersystem, or onto the soil.zr

PROPOSED STRAIEGIES FOR AHUMAN-CENTERED PHE APPROACH.Strategies that do not address equity can onlyaccomplish so linle. Integrated approaches onpopulation, health and environment that:dd-e* equiry .erve ro achiere hurnaniry\ vi. ionfbr a sustainable andjust development.

Dwelop strategies, action plaas, monitoringand evaluation arrd accountabilitymechanisms in response to internationalhumar rights obligations and the MultilatenlEnvironment Agreements. Internationalagreements set a uniform acceptable standard ofdevelopment arrd mechanisms foraccountabilig/.

Ensure equitable access to resou:ces. \fell-defined propeny rights and increased access ofthe poor to land and other resources encourag€resourc€-use$ to apply sustainable pattems ofproduction and consumpdon. Access toresources also expands opportunities for rhepoor to achieve improved quality oflife.

Engage communities and women inmanaging resources. Men ald women'sparticipation in matters concerning resourcemanagement acknowledges that saving theenvironmenr also involves improring women\circumstances in lifb.

Provide reprodtct .e helth services arget€dtowards the poor. Acress by the poor toreproductive healti services generates multiplegains at tie household, cmmunity and nationallevels, hence the need to arget certaiflnterventions.

Institute convergence arnong sectos, fields ofspecialization, gor€rnment and donor-agencies in developrnent planning. Apopulation, health, and envimnment approachfor human developmelt requires multisectoralparticipation, interdisciplinary analysis andsttategies and the collaboration ofdifferentstaheholders, especiallyamong governmentbodies at verious levels. Donor-agencies alsoneed to reptogram their support towardsintegrated approaches.

Promote co4rorate social responsibility.Partnership wich industrjes and businesses irimportant in the conduct ofsustainable andclean production.

Stimulate revenues and incentives forconserv'etion progrrms. Incre:ring domesticwastewater fees and industrial pollution charges,x weJl a. Ge pror i ' ion of in.enrive' ro rheprivare secror inJl uence behar ioral change inresource production arrd consumption,

kgislation on reproductive health, land use,and forest and coastal man€ement should beexpedited arrd oversight to existing laws onenvironment and health needs to be done.Fast population growth without adequatefumily planning rewices intensif ie' compeddonamongresource-users thatfurthernarginaliz€sthe poor Thus, sustainable managementcoupled with reproductive health services toempo\{er women is required. At the:ame t ime,past achievements in legislation should also bemonitored and evaluated.

Endnoies

r Integroting humon rightswith sustoinoble humondevelopment. A UNDP policy docume.t. UnitedNotions Developmenl Prosromme. Jonoory 1998

'? Kri9otur 8erse. Does Multilorerolism Reolly Work?.World Student Communily for SueoinqbleDevelopment. 13 Morch 2004.

3 RoserMcrk De Souzo, An Asendo for Populotion,Hedhh ond Environmenl: The Nen $eps IorEnvironmenr, Populotion, ond Security.

I Roger-Mork De Souzo, iohn. S. Wllioms, ondFrederick A:8. Moye.son- Criricol Links: Populoiion,Heolrh ond the Environme.t. Populdtion Sullenn.Populotion Reference Bureou. S€plember 2003. Vol.58, No.3

s De Souzo, Willioms ond Meyerson. 20036 De Souzo, Willioms ond Meyercon. 2003' De Souzo, Willioms ond Meyerson. 20036 Nolionol Slotisiicdl Coordinoting Body 2000 ond

2003 Regionol Poverry Estimoies.' Annuol Povedy IndicoioE SurveyI0 Asion Developmeni Bonk. Absoluie number oI poor

hds inc.eosed. Philipp'ne Doily lnquirer Mor 20,2005Pesticide Action Neiwork - Asio Pocific. Foctsheei:Pesticide poisonins in Komukhdon.

L The world's moe ropid ond mossive deforeslolion.Horibon Foundotion. Mdrch 4, 2005.

13 World Bonk Philipp;ne Enfironme.t Repo'l2004.'i Losgins suspended in Phil;ppines. September 4,

2004. ht rp: / / "ews.obc.(o. r l / | / l / *o- ld / os id -pscific/4068477.s1n.

15 Biodiversiiy 10 Humon welfore in the Phiiippines.Powerpoint presentotion

Rore Morine Mommol Dies in WoteB Contominqtedby Mine Toilings. www.buloltot.com. Gerry CorpuzBusinesvor ld. Feb. 14,2006. $374 mi l l ionexpected this yeor from 24 pr;ority minins proiecls.BFARDENRDENRworld Bork ?004.The Bosel Bon And Bditeries. Steve Voynick,freelonce writer, Leodville, Colorodo.