FROM my temporary vantage point outside of the Manila bubble — more on that in a bit — it is both interesting and alarming, in my opinion, that the growing public conflagration in China has so far received very little coverage in this country. I spent an hour or two of “me time” in a beachside bar last night (Sunday) doomscrolling through news reports from all the major outlets about the surprisingly large protests that are rapidly spreading in Chinese cities; Monday morning’s news from the Philippine papers, however, barely acknowledged the unrest.

For those who haven’t heard about it, public demonstrations have broken out all across China in the wake of a deadly apartment building fire in the western city of Urumqi last week. It is presumed that harsh lockdown restrictions under China’s strict “zero Covid” policy prevented those who died in the fire from escaping or being rescued. Whether or not that is true, that is what the Chinese public believes, having lost all patience with their government’s draconian anti-Covid measures — the only such measures still being employed anywhere in the world — that result in entire cities being shut down every week.

It would be one thing if the measures were working, but they are not; on Saturday, China reportedly recorded its highest number of daily Covid-19 cases since the pandemic began, about 35,000. The Chinese people — or at least enough of them to create some serious disruptions — are tired of it all, so much so that the protests have gone beyond demanding an end to the Covid restrictions to openly calling for the ouster of President Xi Jinping and the Communist Party.

Where this all goes from here is unknowable, but we ought to pay attention. When China sneezes, the Philippines usually gets wet.

I am currently on vacation on Mactan Island, and while I would like “vacation” to mean “doing absolutely nothing,” what it usually means is just working a bit slower in a much nicer than normal atmosphere for a few days. That is not a bad thing; it is instructive to be reminded occasionally that Manila’s impression of itself as the center of the Philippine universe is mostly a pretense.

The big news here in the Cebu area to start the week is an effort led by former Environment secretary Roy Cimatu on behalf of the Cebu City government to enforce the required 3-meter easement between structures and the city’s waterways. According to a report in The Freeman, more than 50 structures have been cited by Cimatu’s Task Force Gubat sa Baha, including a number of substantial commercial establishments — at least three malls, two hotels and several restaurants. The businesses are being given 10 days to remove their own structures from the off-limits 3-meter zone, otherwise the city will do it for them; the implication is that the latter option will not be too gentle, and will result in a very large bill for the offending businesses.

In addition, according to Monday’s report, the city has also taken steps to halt sand and stone quarrying operations in Cebu’s upland areas. These are blamed for a number of destructive landslides in heavy rainstorms over the past few months. Part of the effort also involves trying to find and shut down so-called backyard quarries, small unlicensed operations that take little care to avoid fouling streams or creating landslide hazards.

The enforcement of building codes is an impressive initiative, and all credit to the City of Cebu and ex-secretary Cimatu — one whom I have regarded with a great deal of skepticism in the past — for pursuing it. Congested Metro Manila, where the idea of an “easement” is a completely alien concept, could learn a thing or two from this.

On Sunday, I observed some environmental management of a different sort during an outing to nearby Olango Island, which is the site of a major bird sanctuary. The wide expanses of tidal flats and mangrove forest serves as a sort of rest area along major migratory bird paths stretching from northeast Asia to Australia, and depending on the time of the year — now seems to be a good time — several dozen species of threatened and critically endangered bird species can be spotted there.

In a country where far too much of the population, government and commercial sector takes an altogether callous attitude toward environmental preservation, sites like Olango Island are real gems. This is particularly true when they are staffed, as is the case here, by obviously knowledgeable personnel who demonstrate clear

enthusiasm for educating the public. It is unfortunate, however, that there are not more of them, and that they are clearly waging a constant struggle to make the most of insufficient resources, both to provide adequate facilities for visitors, and for their own work. This is something the current Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) leadership should perhaps apply more focus on, rather than quibbling with groups trying to protect the Philippines’ forests, seas and wildlife.