CEBU CITY, Cebu, Philippines – The Confederation of Philippine Exporters Foundation Inc. in Cebu (Philexport-Cebu) is expressing deep concern over the livelihood of thousands of employees working for exporters of shell-craft and products containing shells who will most likely lose their jobs if and when the total ban is imposed.

“At the end of the day, it’s not only the exporters of shell corals and shell products who will lose revenues but more importantly thousands of workers who will be misplaced,” Philexport-Cebu Executive Director Fred Escalona told Manila Bulletin. “With what will they feed their families?”

Philexport-Cebu last week released a position paper appealing for government to reconsider the implementation of a total ban in the export of shells, corals and shell products, as this could adversely affect the business of legitimate exporters.

“Not all shells, corals and other marine life are endangered and prohibited from exploitation including shells that are in the food chain such as clams, mussels, scallops, abalones, whelks, sea slugs, oysters, etc. Some of these are cultured for sustainability,” Philexport-Cebu stressed.

The organization maintained that a total ban on the exploitation, harvesting and exportation of sea shells and corals runs contrary to the global direction of “going green” in trade between countries.

In its appeal, organization members asked that shell and shellcraft exporters be involved in replenishment and sustainability programs for varieties customarily used for their finished products, that awareness on the importance of the country’s biodiversity be raised among stakeholders, and for government and local government units (LGUs) to beef up their ranks so as to broaden and strengthen their oversight role.

They also asked that government agencies, LGUs, private sector representatives and sectoral support organizations with jurisdiction over coastal concerns be empowered to implement existing laws and “be forceful in the execution of their duties and responsibilities to stop the exportation of endangered marine life harmful to the ecosystem as well as our very own survival.”

Philexport-Cebu also stressed that exporters should live and operate within a written code of conduct, putting themselves under the oversight scope of their support organizations to avoid discrimination even as operations of unscrupulous individuals in the market just to make a “quick buck” or “killing” for personal gain and do not “give a heck” about the environment and ecosystem be stopped.