[PHOTO] Recto (Reed) Bank has metamorphosed from an 'ordinary maritime accident' into a concrete example of greed and unsustainable development in the West Philippine Sea
Last week, Deo Florence Onca, an expert at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, calculated the damaged reef ecosystem at Scarborough Shoal and other areas in the Spratlys to be worth P33.1 billion a year. Chinese fishermen were recentlyMaritime experts said China's massive reclamation to create 7 artificial islands in the South China Sea caused the most damage to the ecosystem.
Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio also pointed out last week how unequal the reported verbal deal between President Duterte and Chinese President Xi Jinping was of allowing Filipino fishermen access to Scarborough Shoal in exchange for allowing fishermen to exploit resources in the Philippines' EEZ, including in Reed Bank.
Carpio said the size of Reed Bank is 8,660 square kilometers while Scarborough Shoal is only 150 square kilometers. He agreed that China, with its much larger fishing boats compared to what Filipino fishermen use, could quickly deplete the marine resources in Reed Bank The UP Marine Science Institute has urged all parties to stop the unsustainable use of resources in the South China Sea, and to. It also pushed for scientific cooperation on joint studies and expeditions in the South China Sea.
Filipinos must continue to pursue this advocacy for food security, while those engaged in unsustainable development must moderate or control their greed.
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