Phiippines Natural Resources
Scarcity is the main economic problem. It is an economic condition in which the resources are not sufficient for the eternal needs of the people. Because of scarcity, each individual is forced to decide which of the goods or services to focus on first to satisfy human needs. Scarcity can exist all over the world whether in poor or rich countries. Shortage is an economic condition in which the product supply is temporarily insufficient to meet human needs. This can be considered a short-term economic problem if it can be easily corrected and addressed. All people experience scarcity in our resources. As a member of society, it is important that we know the signs of scarcity that affect our lifestyle. Resources are made up of natural resources, human resources and capital resources.
Natural resources are divided into four groups that come from nature. These are mineral resources, land resources, water resources, and energy resources. The Philippines is one of the richest countries in Asia with great potential in land resources. It has a size of 300,000 square kilometers made up of mountains, forests, hills, plateaus, and vast oceans and plains. We use them in agriculture where we mostly source coconuts, corn, coffee, bananas, vegetables, hemp, rubber, cotton, sugarcane, and other crops. In the plain there may be standing constructions and projects for the development of the country. Houses, buildings, schools, offices, markets and factories were also built here. The forest, on the other hand, is one of those that provide many resources to the country because minerals and giant trees are found here. Our forest is rich in different types of plants, flowers, and animals. The Philippines is also one of the countries where many unique species or types of animals can be found. However, it is also among the countries with a dangerous situation from the report of the international union for conservation of nature and natural resources due to the dwindling of animals here, as well as the depletion of land resources.
The Philippines is rich in natural waters. With more than 7,100 islands, our country has been called one of the longest coastlines in the world, estimated at 36,289 kilometers according to the World Bank. It has various forms with sources of wealth such as lakes, rivers, creeks, seas, waterfalls, gulfs and swamps. From the BFAR report, our country is known for its rich sources of fish and various resources. Many people take our water resources for granted without our knowledge, not only food is the important benefit we get from water resources., but also its benefits in medicine, equipment and work especially for fishermen who depend on our waters. Water is one of the basic human needs to survive. This is where we get our bath, drinks, goods and any other thing or business that needs water. It is sad to think that many people do not value water. This causes the scarcity of water supply that affects our health and the abundance of our lifestyle.
The country is also rich in mineral resources. This is the most important resource because it comes from our nature that is not man-made. There are two types of minerals that the Philippines has, metallic and non-metallic. Many deposits of metal minerals are found in various places in the Philippines such as Benguet, Paracale and Masbate which are known to be rich in gold. Many iron deposits are found in Zamboanga del Sur, Davao Oriental, Camarines Sur, Surigao, and Misamis Oriental, which is rich in chromium. copper can be obtained in the area of Cebu, Negros Occidental, Marinduque, Bohol, Palawan, Tarlac, Samar, and Agusan del Norte in the manganese deposits. The wealth of zinc is in the area of Samar, Zamboanga del Sur, Benguet, and Camarines Norte. From the data of the Mines Giosciences Bureau, the Philippines is one of the largest sources of gold and copper minerals. Based on the Department's analysis, the most minerals exported by the Philippines are gold and gold. They are mostly exported to countries such as Japan, Australia, Canada and China. Non-metallic minerals such as marble are found in Romblon. gravel and sand are obtained from the seashore. Bohol is also known as a rich source of limestone. This mineral comes from what we call the chocolate hills. Also one of the considered important minerals is coal which reaches three million metric tons per year.
The Philippines also has a mineral source of gas or petroleum that can be found in Palawan. It was known as the Malampaya Oil Project of the Philippine Government. All minerals, whether metallic or non-metallic, are very important to our economy. It would be good if there would be projects for the growth of minerals and their preservation so that there would be income, employment, and the growth of its industry in the Philippines.
Since these minerals are from nature, there will come a time when they can be depleted if they are not taken care of well and if some people abuse them. Laws must be implemented to protect our nature so that future generations can benefit from it.