Population in the Philippines

The Philippines is home to more than 90 million people as of 2013. Overpopulation and industrialization could perhaps be the major contributors to environmental problems being experienced in the country. With overpopulation and industrialization, our natural resources have a higher demand than supply. Our country is rich in natural resources. We have abundant gold, copper, sulphur, and nickel reserves. We are also surrounded by waters due to our archipelagic state which makes us one of the top fish producing countries in the world. Our vast forests also house a lot of plants and trees which help prevent or decrease the amount of flood in our lands. However, in just a short amount of time, our country’s natural resources are quickly diminishing due to environmental problems experienced in the Philippines. Here are some of the major environmental problems in our country today.
Deforestation
Towards the end of the 20th century, the country’s forest cover dropped from 70% down to just 20%. From 1934 – 1988, almost 9.8 million hectares of our forest were destroyed. At 2000, we had 600,000 hectares of old growth forest left. With massive deforestation, lots of species are also endangered. More than 400 plants and animals are currently threatened with extinction including the dugong, tamaraw, and the Philippine eagle. Deforestation also contributes to soil erosion, disruption of the water cycle, and massive flood and drought. Another major cause of deforestation is the practice of kaingin by most Filipino farmers. The Kaingin System is the slashing and burning of forest trees and vegetation in order to convert them to agricultural lands or pasture for livestock. Seeds left over at the area are burned so there is no more chance for these seeds to grow into trees. In 2010, farmers from Isabela who practice kaingin have destroyed 20 hectares of forest which would then be planted with coconut seedlings.This type of practice contributes to soil erosion and the ultimate