Last week, President Marcos articulated the seriousness of the environmental crisis we are currently facing. However, the crucial question remains: will his words translate into meaningful actions? According to Mr. Marcos, our country is losing a staggering “457 million tons of soil annually” from its agricultural lands. This alarming revelation was made during his speech at the First National Soil Health Summit organized by the Department of Science and Technology.
Studies conducted by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have shown that a whopping 75 percent of our country’s croplands are experiencing erosion. The President cited various factors contributing to the loss of our fertile soil, including improper use of fertilizers and pesticides, deforestation, and land conversion for settlements. While he acknowledged the role of pesticides in this crisis, he failed to address a key agricultural practice responsible for the significant loss of our life-sustaining soil: genetically modified organism (GMO) yellow corn farming.
GMO yellow corn farming heavily relies on herbicides to achieve optimal yield. Herbicides are chemicals used to eliminate unwanted weeds and plants on farms. The exponential growth of GMO yellow corn farming has led to a proportional increase in herbicide usage. A large portion of our agricultural farms growing GMO yellow corn is situated in hills and mountains. Unfortunately, many of these areas are being cleared of natural vegetation and forests to make way for yellow corn farming. Consequently, the soil in these hills and mountains is left unprotected and vulnerable.
During a hiking trip in the hilly town of Alcala, Cagayan, I witnessed the devastating impact of heavy rainfall on a farm planted with GMO yellow corn. The rainwater carried significant amounts of eroded soil down the slopes. This single incident, coupled with the frequent occurrences of soil erosion during the rainy season, paints a grim picture of the future. If the uncontrolled use of herbicides persists, our hills and mountains may become barren rocks sooner than we think. Furthermore, the unfettered use of herbicides not only destroys the diverse flora and fauna, but also entire ecosystems and undiscovered microorganisms.
It is dismaying to realize that our government is well aware of these dire consequences, yet the sale and use of herbicides remain unregulated. Anyone can purchase herbicides without restrictions. While the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority has regulations concerning their health impact, there is no specific regulation that addresses their role in the significant loss of soil. This environmental catastrophe not only impacts our health but also poses a threat to the survival of all living beings, including humanity.
If President Marcos truly intends to show sincerity in his words, he must initiate and enforce regulations that strictly prohibit the use of herbicides in our hills and mountains. Chainsaws, though capable of devastating forests, are heavily regulated with severe consequences for unlicensed possession. So why does our government turn a blind eye to the even more catastrophic consequences of unregulated herbicide usage, which affects the very foundation of life on earth?
It is imperative for our government to implement an extensive program that supports farmers in the hills and mountains to transition to planting crops such as peanuts, cassava, ube, black pepper, coffee, cacao, and others that do not strip the soil of natural vegetation. This program should also ensure a reliable market for their harvest. Our seas are polluted, our air is contaminated, our atmosphere is heating up, and now our lands are being stripped bare. Is humanity planning to abandon life on Earth and migrate entirely to virtual reality? It is time for us to take concrete action and save our planet before it’s too late.
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