Angel Alcala's prognosis

Dr. Angel Alcala

THE last time I saw him was 16 years ago during an environmental conference we organized in Ormoc after the tragic 1991 flood. Even then he was already sporting white hairs, looked stocky and was deeply tanned. Last week, he did not seem to have changed. Even his manner of speaking remained frozen, as it were, although one could see his range of knowledge about the marine life and the ocean, his specialty, may be called encyclopedic. That was evident when he started to discuss the impact of climate change on marine life.

I have read in several articles previous to the environmental congress in Tacloban about the effects of climate change on sea levels. The melting of ice caps in the northern hemisphere could easily increase the quantity of water in our oceans and inundate our coastal towns. But hearing it from an authority like Alcala was like a confirmation of what is inevitable. This means that 80 percent of our towns, which are lying along the coasts, will be severely affected and will have to seriously think about moving to higher ground. 

I could only think of our own towns and cities in the region: Tacloban, Tanauan, Tolosa, Dulag, the entire Southern and western Leyte coast, including Ormoc, the towns in Maqueda Bay, Samar and those facing the eastern seaboard. We could wake up one day floating on the shores and trying to retrieve our prized possessions and precious mementos in the sea, especially since nobody seems to be thinking seriously about the problem now.

One other imminent disaster that’s waiting to happen is the impact of increased ocean temperature on marine life. Alcala said phytoplanktons, which are food to small fishes, will die when the temperature rises to 35 degrees Celsius. When this disappears in the food chain, other bigger fishes will also disappear or will probably move to other areas where food is still available. 

For us in the region, which prides itself as a rich source of fish, this could easily spell disaster. Our fishermen will have to move to colder regions so that they can continue fishing or find other sources of living. Good heavens, we might have to import of fish from Japan by then. 

Include the stronger super typhoons resulting from higher sea temperatures, and we’ll have hellish disasters coming our way. Fasten your seatbelts, guys, and make the sign of the cross.