The Green USM organization strongly condemns the continued use of “buwaya” or crocodile as a derogatory symbol of corruption in politics and society. This harmful association not only maligns one of our country’s most important keystone species but also fuels the ongoing destruction of our natural heritage.
Before the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) or any government flood control project existed, crocodiles were already fulfilling this role in our wetlands. The endemic Crocodylus mindorensis (Philippine crocodile) and the native C. porosus (saltwater crocodile) have long served as natural engineers, regulating waterways in Agusan Marsh, Liguasan Marsh, and other wetlands across the Philippines. Their very presence helps mitigate floods, sustain biodiversity, and maintain balance in fragile ecosystems.
The Philippine crocodile is critically endangered, with possibly only 250 left in the wild. This small and shy species rarely attacks humans unless its habitat is encroached upon. Its larger cousin, the saltwater crocodile, is also declining in numbers. Both species play a vital role in regulating prey populations and shaping their environment. Their burrows, ponds, and canals slow water flow, store rainwater during the dry season, and reduce erosion—providing free and effective ecosystem services for communities.
By demonizing crocodiles as symbols of greed and corruption, we put them at greater risk. This cultural stigma justifies their killing, accelerates extinction, and removes our natural flood defenses. The truth is clear: crocodiles are not corrupt—people are. It is human greed, negligence, and destructive politics that flood our communities, not the instinctual lives of these ancient animals.
As Green USM, we stand to restore, conserve, and protect the Philippines’ flora and fauna, including our native crocodiles. We call on the public to stop using “buwaya” as an insult. Instead, let us reclaim respect for these animals as indigenous, endemic, and vital to our ecological survival. Protecting them means protecting our wetlands, our biodiversity, and our communities.
The real danger is not the crocodile—it is the system that neglects both people and nature. It is time to honor the truth: crocodiles are guardians of balance, not enemies of society.