San Policarpo is a 5th class town in East Samar, Philippines  (12°11′N 125°30′E) whose basic livelihood is farming and fishing. Its ancient name is "Higaron", because its coastland ("higad") dotted before with mangroves and reefs are natural indigenous fishing grounds. The basic food and nutrient intake of its poor people mainly comes from this place.

Because of abuses recently by people in local government, disguised as economic growth; because likewise due to lack of basic livelihood, its residents did the unthinkable: cut the mangrove cover to a thin margin, laying waste to the otherwise healthy fishing ground.

The wide reef which serves as natural abode to a myriad of fishes and other sea creatures was dug, mined and hauled as a raw material for road widening - backed by its lawmakers, absent of DENR permit, with no transparent people consultation, and with total violation of all mining and environmental laws of the Philippines. This was done because the local government spearheaded this move, aided by private contractors. DENR did not do any significant move except re-plant mangroves and left the seedlings be washed to the sea. BFAR, for whatever that office is, "did its best" unsatisfactorily.

The DENR is left powerless to the local government leaders. They have turned lazy, useless in their office. They have abandoned their public duty. Had they not so, much of Nature would be preserved. But DENR and BFAR officials are beholden to local politicians. They would inspect the place, but actually, they would just lunch at the house of local politicians, then sign certificates of appearance. They would replant mangroves, yet they would leave them washed to the sea.

For whatever aid from the European Union and with other bilateral and trilateral negotiations entered into by the Philippines - they are simply wasted, since the same DENR, BFAR, DILG officials have chosen to be "cozy" with errant government leaders. Otherwise, this  "rapes of Mother Nature" should have stopped long ago.

The local population is suffering from the worsening environment condition yet such "rapes of Mother Nature" still continues. What was for centuries a pristine fishing ground is now a pockmarked, balded, hauled coastline.

Worse, protests such as these, are reduced to an issue of politicking, and not as wise exchange of ideas how to protect nature as a sacred trust. 

Within 2-year span, super Typhoons Ruby and Yolanda hit the area; we are not learning.

We need to change.

We need to petition the local government to stop digging the fishing ground of San Policarpo; we petition the government officials of the LGU, BFAR, DENR and DILG to be able to face the courts to explain why during their watch this thing happened and continues to happen until now.

Let this petition for change increase. Let your voice be heard: make change come.  

The wide reef which serves as natural abode to a myriad of fishes and other sea creatures was dug, mined and hauled as a raw material for road widening - absent of DENR permit, with no transparent people consultation, and with total violation of all mining and environmental laws. This was done because the local government spearheaded this move, aided by private contractors. DENR did not do significant move except re-plant mangroves and left the seedlings be washed to the sea. BFAR, for whatever that office "did its best" unsatisfactorily.

The local population is increasing, environment condition is becoming, yet such "rapes of Mother Nature" still continues.

Worse, protests such as these, are reduced to an issue of politicking, and not as wise exchange of ideas how to protect nature as a sacred trust. 

The DENR is left powerless to the local government leaders. They are beholden to them, and to the people. BFAR is the same. Otherwise, this  "rapes of Mother Nature" should have stopped long ago.  

Within 2 years span, super Typhoons Ruby and Yolanda hit the area, we are not learning. We need to change.

We need to petition the local government to stop digging the fishing ground of San Policarpo; we petition the government officials to be able to face the courts to explain why during their watch this thing continued to happen until now.

Let this petition for change increase. Let your voice be heard: make change come.