Vital mangrove areas in the Philippines have shrunk to less than 1% of its area in 1920. The loss could be worth as much as $3 billion. The country was among 30 countries with the largest mangrove areas in the world in 1980. At that time, it had 146,000 hectares of mangrove forests. By 1988, however, the area had been drastically cut to 38,000 hectares.

From wetlands to wasteland. (1993, September 12). The Manila Chronicle, p. 16.