Environmental Protection and Management, Environmental Principles
and Fundamental Environmental Laws
by UNEP with correlation to the existing Philippine Environmental Laws
Environmental Protection and Management
An Introduction
Man’s environment consists of natural resources like air, land, water, plants, and animals. With
the progress of industrialization and civilization, man has interacted with his surroundings and
disturbed the nature. It leads to environmental pollution, which cannot be eradicated by nature’s
self-acting process, i.e., various biogeochemical cycles.
Environmental problems stem from two main categories of human activities:
(a) resources utilization at unsustainable levels and contamination of the environment
through pollution and
(b) discharge of wastes at levels beyond the earth’s and environment’s capacity to absorb
them or render them harmless which results in ecological damage and degradation of the
environment.
Environmental damage around includes pollution of water and air and consequent health
problems, biodiversity loss, deterioration of buildings and monuments, soil fertility loss,
desertification, ozone depletion, and many more.
Environmental protection and management have become one of the foremost concerns of the
world community. International concern for environmental protection and management has
gained momentum with Stockholm Declaration in 1972. It is considered as Magna Carta of
environmental protection and sustainable development. Then a series of global efforts have been
undertaken internationally for protection of the environment. Hence, environmental protection
has become not only local, regional, or national importance but also a global concern. Over the
past several decades, growing public awareness regarding threats to the environment, informed
by warnings from scientists, has led to demands that there must be laws which protects the
natural surroundings on which human well-being depends. Under growing pressure from
national and international public opinion, governments began to demonstrate concern over the
general state of the environment introduced legislation to combat pollution of inland waters,
ocean, and air.
CURRENT EVENTS: STOCKHOLM, April 25, 2018 – Close to 30 countries have jointly pledged
US$4.1 billion to the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to better protect the future of the planet
and human well-being. With the health of the global environment worsening, the GEF has
received strong support for its new four-year investment cycle, (known as GEF-7), to help
safeguard the world’s forests, land, water, climate, and oceans, build green cities, protect
threatened wildlife, and tackle new environmental threats like marine plastic pollution.
What is this GEF?
The Global Environment Facility is the world’s largest funder of biodiversity protection, nature
restoration, pollution reduction, and climate change response in developing countries. It finances
international environmental conventions and country-driven initiatives that generate global
benefits. The GEF partnership connects 184 member governments with civil society, Indigenous
Peoples, and the private sector, and works closely with other environmental financiers for
efficiency and impact. Over the past three decades, the GEF has provided more than $22 billion
in grants and blended finance and mobilized another $120 billion in co-financing for more than
5,000 national and regional projects, plus 27,000 community-led initiatives through its Small
Grants Programme. Philippines entered membership with GEF on June 16, 1994.
The Republic of the Philippines, on the premise of Environmental Protection and Management,
passed Laws in 1977 onwards and these are: Presidential Decree (PD) 1151 or the “Philippine
Environmental Policy” and the Presidential Decree (PD) 1152 or the “Philippine Environment
Code” all by President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr. These became the mother of all other
Environmental Laws present in the Philippines.
As a DOMINO EFFECT, Private Corporations and Companies or even GOCCs or Government
Owned and Controlled Corporations are mandated to reflect these Laws in their internal policies
and operations.
TRIVIA: Do you know that Central Philippine University as a Private, Non-Stock, Non- Profit
Corporation has an existing Policy on Environmental Sustainability? That is Resolution No. 24
CPUBT 12/6/14, a Policy of the University which states “The University commits to provide
opportunities for the development of the person as a responsible steward of the environment
by espousing environment protection, preservation, conservation and restoration, widespread
use of clean and renewable energy and efficient use of resources in its operation, instruction
and community engagement in the local, national and global arena.”
This Policy led to the creation of the Environmental Sustainability Program of the University
spearheaded by the Sustainable Campus Committee or jokingly called as the “Green-minded
Committee” currently coordinated by yours truly. The program seeks to:
 Promote the use of appropriate technology and the restoration of renewable energy;
 Apply the 5Rs “REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, REPROCESS, RETHINK” by exerting efforts to:
 REDUCE the University’s Carbon Footprint
 REUSE, RECYCLE, REPROCESS Materials
 RETHINK university’s practices
 Practice whole person education by integrating environmental sustainability in the
curriculum;
 Strengthen its expertise in environmental program management and research;
 Engage the community on forums, discussions, projects and programs on environmental
sustainability;
 Integrate environmental stewardship in all its policies, programs and projects;
 Review and update THIS policy on an annual basis
The Seven Environmental Principles
These environmental principles were adopted internationally if not globally, because there are
other countries of which their government doesn’t support such endeavor or has not entered
membership with the United Nations of which UNEP or the United Nations Environment
Programme is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental
agenda.
Principle No. 1
1. Nature Knows Best
This principle can be understood best as, “Nature will make Humans Learn”. Only nature can
teach humans because humans are only part of NATURE.
One natural process that needs serious attention is NUTRIENT CYCLING.
Nutrient is a substance that provides nourishment essential for growth and the maintenance of
life. In nature, nutrients pass from the environment to the organisms and back to the
environment. Any disruption in the CYCLE can bring about imbalance. Our nature knows
everything. It knows what is best for us. If a body has nutrient imbalance, that is what you call
“Malnourishment”.
That is also the same with our natural environment or ecosystem. Every ecosystem requires
proper nutrient cycle. Any disruption in the cycle of Nutrients can bring about imbalance and at
times irreversible damage to the ecosystem. One best example is the well-known Dubai’s Palm
Jumeirah. Palm Jumeirah is only one of the Multi-Billion Dollars developmental project of Dubai.
The problem was its outer barrier design that affected the “natural tidal movement” which in
turn caused tidal stagnation or sea water stagnation. This stagnation caused oxygenation of
water to decrease and nutrients imbalanced. According to a study published in the journal Water
in 2022, the construction of this island has had an effect on increasing water-soluble materials,
changing the spectral profile of water and also increasing the temperature of the water surface
around the island.
Here, in the Philippines. Some conservative environmental groups question the improvement
done at the Manila Bay, the Manila Baywalk Dolomite Beach. Opposing Environmental Groups
claim that the development using dolomite sand and pebbles will adversely affect the ecosystem
in Manila Bay but other Environmental experts would say otherwise. Regular people monitoring
the coastlines are sighting abundance of small fish and fry and other sea creatures thriving along
the coastline. Humans squabble in terms of their knowledge about nature but at the end of it all
“Nature Knows Best”.
Principle No. 2
2. All forms of life are important
Each organism plays a fundamental role in nature. Since such occupational or functional position,
otherwise known as niche, cannot be simultaneously occupied by more than one specie, it is
apparent that all living things must be considered as invaluable in the maintenance of
homeostasis in the ecosystem. Let us define Homeostasis. Homeostasis is defined as any selfregulating process by which biological systems tend to maintain stability while adjusting to
conditions that are optimal for survival.
Humans' internal body temperature is a great example of homeostasis. When someone is
healthy, their body maintains a temperature close to 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit (37 degrees
Celsius). Being warm-blooded creatures, humans can increase or decrease temperature
internally to keep it at a desirable level. Human body is composed of multicellular organisms
invisible to the naked eye, thus, human body is a perfect form of an ECOSYSTEM. Any imbalance
within the human body will cause adverse effects or even death.
Now, how can this be related to our environment?
Human beings are integral part of an Ecosystem. Together with other living creatures or
representative species in their natural conditions surrounding us, human beings is there to
manage the ecosystem and themselves in order to maintain survivability. Human actions impact
its own Ecosystem. Humans must ensure that there should always be a balance in its natural
surroundings. Removing or eliminating one specie or form of life naturally thriving will disturb
homeostasis in the surroundings. One of the many examples is “LAND-USE”.
Habitat loss occurs through land-use changes, such as the clearing of a forest to plant crops, and
through activities, such as mining, that directly destroy natural landscapes. How habitat is
destroyed in Land Use?
The overexploitation of natural resources directly correlates with the need to provide food and
housing to an ever-growing human population. Overfishing, for example, removes fish from the
oceans faster than they can be replaced through reproduction, stressing the balance of the
ecosystem. Burning fossil fuels and cutting old-growth forests are other examples of
overexploitation, as these resources can’t be replaced once they are gone.
Introduction of Invasive Species are species that have become established in a new
environment, typically as a result of human travel or trade. These non-native species can prey on
native species, or outcompete native species for resources. Invasive species often lack natural
predators in their new environment, so their populations tend to grow quite large, disrupting the
balance of the existing ecosystem.
Pollution occurs when harmful substances enter the environment. When there is human activity,
there is pollution. Example of pollutants: include disruptive light or noise from human activities
such as construction of infrastructures and transportations, or harmful chemical wastes in
Agriculture. For example, the nitrogen in fertilizer runoff can induce the rapid overgrowth of
algae in oceans. These algal blooms choke the surrounding waters of available oxygen, resulting
in dead zones, or nutrient-depleted regions that can't support plant or animal life.
Principle No. 3
3. Everything is connected to everything else
We have just discussed in principle 2 about Ecosystem and the Homeostasis in an Ecosystem. This
principle is best exemplified by the concept of the ecosystem. In an ecosystem, all biotic and
amniotic components interact with each other to ensure that the system is perpetuated. Let us
always remember this. “A specie survivability is connected to all other species and any outside
interference may result in an imbalance and the deterioration of the system.”
Principle No. 4
4. Everything changes
It is said that the only permanent thing is change. our world is constantly changing and nothing
is permanent anymore. Even each day humans try to change their living to fit in to the world.
Therefore, we have to accept that “CHANGE IS PERMANENT”. Drastic Change, Gradual Change,
are all “CHANGE”. Human beings lead these CHANGES.
Principle No. 5
5. Everything must go somewhere
When a piece of paper is thrown away, it disappears from sight but it does not cease to exist. It
ends up elsewhere. Everything goes somewhere and nothing goes nothing it has its own way
to go.
Another case is Plastics. Have you known that there is such thing as another island somewhere
in the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific Ocean and it is man-made? It is known as the North Atlantic
Garbage Patch and the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Those are accumulated marine garbage and
are mostly composed of microplastics from rivers travelling towards the ocean. It was found and
documented in 1972 and it measures to around a hundred kilometers across and the density of
which is around 200,000 pieces of debris per square kilometer. And amazingly, you can stand on
it without the danger of drowning in the ocean. It is near the size of Panay Island which measures
160 kilometers across.
Principle No. 6
6. Ours is a finite earth
Just how long would the earth be able to sustain demands on its resources? This is a question
that needs serious reflection. Unless the factors of population growth, lifestyles, and polluting
technologies are checked, the collapse of the earth might be inevitable. We have a resilient earth
up to this time and we are so thankful that God made it that way. Maybe God knows that
someday ‘til this time, humans will live and as humans live, they will continually consume and
extinguish earth’s resources and threaten its resilience. Until when earth is resilient? I hope it will
not be tomorrow or next week.
Principle No. 7 This is the last Principle of Environment and it states;
7. Nature is beautiful and we are stewards of God’s creation
Among all creatures, humans are the only ones made in God’s image and have been given the
right to have dominion over all His creations. Being the most intelligent and gifted with reason,
humans are capable of manipulating creation to their own advantage. We are made not to rule
the world but to help the world. Humans are God’s creation and we need to take care of
everything. Having dominion over God’s creation doesn’t mean that we will abuse it until it is
gone. Having “Dominion” means, CONTROL. And as we know, we control the resources of the
earth for our own survival and we also know that if these resources are gone, we will as well be
GONE. And here it is comes the phrase.. “GOOD STEWARDSHIP”.
“And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion
over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth,
and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Genesis 1:26
Laws of Environment
The broad category of “environmental law” may be broken down into a number of more specific
regulatory subjects. While there is no single agreed-upon taxonomy, the core environmental law
regimes address environmental pollution. A related but distinct set of regulatory regimes, now
strongly influenced by environmental legal principles, focus on the management of specific
natural resources, such as forests, minerals, or fisheries. Other areas, such as environmental
impact assessment, may not fit neatly into either category, but are nonetheless important
components of environmental law.
May I remind you that these fundamental laws are Internationally Observed. As we have
discussed earlier about UNEP or the United Nation Environmental Programme of the United
Nations, is the primary lead of the implementations of these Laws and the member countries
adopt these and make their own local laws. Therefore, as we go over these Laws, we will correlate
this to our Philippine Environmental Laws. For your knowledge, we have around 65
Environmental Laws including Resolutions and Executive Orders.
First Law,
Environmental Impact Assessment
Environmental Impact Assessment (EA) is the term used for the assessment of the environmental
consequences “positive and negative” of a plan, policy, program, or project prior to the decision
to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the term “Environmental Impact
Assessment” (EIA) is usually used when applied to concrete projects and the term “strategic
environmental assessment” applies to policies, plans and programs. Environmental assessments
may be governed by rules of administrative procedure regarding public participation and
documentation of decision making, and may be subject to judicial review.
Here in the Philippines, we have Presidential Decree 1586 or known as “Environmental Impact
Statement System” or EIS System and another one is Proclamation No. 2146 or the EIS System –
Areas and Types of Projects which are Critical to the Environment. These are laws passed by then
President Ferdinand E. Marcos, Sr.
How can we best describe this, Law. The law mandates that if an entity, may it be a person or a
company, if you are planning to put up a project (i.e. Building and Structural Construction, Power
Plant, Motor Pool, Dam, etc.) and if that project has a potential threat or critical to the
surrounding environment, the law mandates that the project proponent must apply an
Environmental Compliance Certificate or (ECC) by employing P.D. 1586. In that EIS System, the
proponent must establish that whatever potential threats there would be to the environment
(i.e. Water Pollution, Air Pollution, Ground Pollution, Noise Pollution, etc.) the proponent shall
establish control measures, engineering designs, filtrations and the like so that there will be no
Pollution or there will be Pollution Control when the project operation starts.
Second Law
Air Quality
Air quality laws govern the emission of air pollutants into the atmosphere. A specialized subset of
air Quality laws regulate the quality of air inside buildings. Air quality laws are often designed
specifically to protect human health by limiting or eliminating airborne pollutant concentrations.
Other initiatives are designed to address broader ecological problems, such as limitations on
chemicals that affect the ozone layer, and emissions trading programs to address acid rain or
climate change. Regulatory efforts include identifying and categorizing air pollutants, setting
limits on acceptable emissions levels, and dictating necessary or appropriate mitigation
technologies.
Here in the Philippines, there are two separate Laws regulating such. Air Quality Monitoring or
Ambient Air Quality Monitoring focused on Pollutant Emissions into the Atmosphere is governed
by Republic Act (RA) 8749 or the Clean Air Act of 1999 and is implemented by the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau or the DENR-EMB.
On the other area, Air Quality Regulation and Monitoring inside buildings, or commonly known
as Ambient Air Quality Measurement is primarily governed by Republic Act 11058 or known as
the Occupational Safety and Health Law, and is implemented by the Occupational Safety and
Health Center under the Department of Labor and Employment or DOLE
So, Air Quality Management. It is the monitoring and management of air pollutants that can and
are released in the atmosphere such as Carbon Monoxide, Nitrogen Dioxide, Sulfur Dioxide,
Particulate Matter, Lead, and (Ground Level) Ozone or SMOG.
Third Law
Water Quality
Water quality laws govern the release of pollutants into water resources, including surface
water, groundwater, and stored drinking water. Some water quality laws, such as drinking water
regulations, may be designed solely with reference to human health. Many others, including
restrictions on the alteration of the chemical, physical, radiological, and biological characteristics
of water resources may also reflect efforts to protect aquatic ecosystems more broadly.
Regulatory efforts may include identifying and categorizing water pollutants, dictating acceptable
pollutant concentrations in water resources, and limiting pollutant discharges from effluent
sources. Regulatory areas include sewage treatment and disposal, industrial and
agricultural wastewater management, and control of surface run-off from construction sites and
urban environment.
In the Philippines, Water Quality is governed by many Laws but the main Law is the Republic Act
(RA) 9275 or the “Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004” and is as well implemented by the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau or the
DENR-EMB.
On Water Quality Monitoring, water pollutants from industries including localized housing
projects are being monitored by DENR-EMB in partnership with government and private
stakeholders which composes the Multi-Sectoral Group or MSG. The water quality is being
monitored for its health condition like Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Dissolved Oxygen
Content (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Temperature, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) and
presence of Phosphates and other harmful metals deterrent to the survival of living organisms
such as fish and other water creatures and natural living organisms. This is for Ambient Water
Quality Monitoring.
There are different laws governing water quality and supply preservation used and processed for
drinking water and other domestic and agricultural use. Here are some significant Laws.
Presidential Decree (PD) 1067 or “The Water Code of the Philippines”, Republic Act (RA) 3931 or
“An Act Creating the National Water and Air Pollution Control Commission”, Republic Act (RA)
8041 or the “Water Crisis Act” and many more resolutions and orders to address Water
Resources, Preservation, Distribution and Use.
Fourth Law.
Waste Management
Waste management laws govern the transport, treatment, storage, and disposal of all manner of
waste, including municipal solid waste, hazardous waste, and nuclear waste, among many other
types. Waste laws are generally designed to minimize or eliminate the uncontrolled dispersal
of waste materials into the environment in a manner that may cause ecological or
biological harm, and include laws designed to reduce the generation of waste and promote
or mandate waste recycling. Regulatory efforts include identifying and categorizing waste types
and mandating transport, treatment, storage, and disposal practices.
Here in the Philippines, we have several Laws governing waste disposals. We have Republic Act
(RA) 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000” which addresses the Solid
Wastes classified as Municipal Wastes. This Law does not cover the Hazardous Wastes that are
also reflected in the classification of Municipal Wastes. Hazardous Wastes including chemicals
and other harmful substances are governed by Republic Act (RA) 6969, my favorite law, RA 6969,
so easy to remember the numbers 6969. And this is known as “Toxic Substances & Hazardous &
Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990.” What you use in the laboratories when you study or do
Experiment or Lab Works in your subjects in Life Sciences, Chemistry, Medical Labs including
Pharmacology Labs, this is the Law that governs it. RA 6969.
Fifth Law.
Contaminant Cleanup
Environmental cleanup laws govern the removal of pollution or contaminants from
environmental media such as soil, sediment, surface water, or ground water. Unlike pollution
control laws, cleanup laws are designed to respond after-the-fact to environmental
contamination, and consequently must often define not only the necessary response actions, but
also the parties who may be responsible for undertaking “or paying for” such actions. Regulatory
requirements may include rules for emergency response, liability allocation, site assessment,
remedial investigation, feasibility studies, remedial action, post-remedial monitoring, and site
reuse.
TRIVIA: In the Philippines, it is a CRIME NOT TO PRESERVE CLEANLINESS in your immediate
surroundings. That is reflected on Presidential Decree (PD) 825 or the “Providing Penalty for
Improper Disposal of Garbage and other Forms of Uncleanliness and for other purposes”. This
was promulgated by then President Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr. in the year 1975.
There is as well Presidential Decree (PD) 856 or the “Sanitation Code of the Philippines” which
places the responsibility in the Local Government Units for the Solid Waste Management in his
area of production.
Another Law is Presidential Decree (PD) 979 or the “Marine Pollution Decree of 1976”. This is
primarily enforced by DENR-EMB together with the Philippine Coast Guard under the Law,
Presidential Decree (PD) 601 or the “Revised Coast Guard Law” specifically Section 2 (f) which
states “f) To enforce laws, promulgate and administer regulations for marine environmental
protection of the territorial waters of the Philippines.”
There are more Laws and Regulations pertaining to Contaminant Clean-up but I will not discuss
this with you for I fear that you will end-up sitting in the toilet due to Indigestion.
Sixth Law.
Chemical Safety
Chemical safety laws govern the use of chemicals in human activities, particularly man-made
chemicals in modern industrial applications. As contrasted with media-oriented environmental
laws (e.g., air or water quality laws), chemical control laws seek to manage the “potential”
pollutants themselves. Regulatory efforts include banning specific chemical constituents in
consumer products (e.g. Bisphenol A in plastic bottles), and regulating pesticides.
We have discussed this earlier under my favorite Law RA 6969 but in addition to that discussion,
in RA 6969 there is a regulation on use of hazardous chemicals for commercial and agricultural
use and this is the Chemical Control Order. You can’t purchase certain amount of chemical under
the list of provided for under CCO if you don’t get a permit from DENR-EMB, PDEA and DILG.
Regarding the use of Pesticides, it is no longer under the domain of the Department of
Environment but already under the Department of Agriculture particularly under the Fertilizer
and Pesticides Authority or the FPA.
Seventh Law
Water resources
Water resources laws govern the ownership and use of water resources, including surface
water and ground water. Regulatory areas may include water conservation, use restrictions, and
ownership regimes
We have already discussed this under Water Quality. So we don’t need to further elaborate on
this topic.
Eighth Law
Mineral Resources
Mineral resource laws cover several basic topics, including the ownership of the mineral resource
and who can work them. Mining is also affected by various regulations regarding the health and
safety of miners, as well as the environmental impact of mining.
Well, this is a topic that is very popular and controversial currently in terms of Environmental
Talks. During the administration of then President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, environmental
endeavors were tremendous. A lot of environmental rehabilitations were done nationwide like,
Boracay Island Rehabilitation, Palawan Rehabilitation, Pasig River to Manila Bay Rehabilitation to
name a few, and there were a lot of Mining Industries that were closed down because of
environmental concerns.
The environmental problems started to pile up during the previous administrations after
President Ferdinand E. Marcos, because environmental endeavors were not prioritized until
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte’s Administration.
For the Philippine Laws regarding Mineral Resources:
Executive Order (E.O.) 79 (2012) Institutionalizing and implementing reforms in the Philippine
mining sector providing policies and guidelines to ensure environmental protection and
responsible mining in the utilization of mineral resources;
Republic Act (RA) 7942"Philippine Mining Act of 1995."
Republic Act (RA) 7586 "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992.", this Law was
promulgated to identify National Protected Areas in the country and these areas shall not be
used for any other purposes but only for the preservation of Flora and Fauna in the said protected
areas.
Republic Act (RA) 7076 "People's Small-scale Mining Act of 1991."
Presidential Decree 1899 or the “Small-Scale Mining Law” in the year 1984. – I think you have
noted the progression of the Laws, in 1984 there is this small-scale mining law, then in 1991,
People’s Small-Scale Mining Act, then the Philippine Mining Act in 1995.
nineth Law
Forest Resources
Forestry laws govern activities in designated forest lands, most commonly with respect to forest
management and timber harvesting. Ancillary laws may regulate forest land acquisition and
prescribed burn practices. Forest management laws generally adopt management policies,
such as multiple use and sustained yield, by which public forest resources are to be managed.
Governmental agencies are generally responsible for planning and implementing forestry laws
on public forest lands, and may be involved in forest inventory, planning, and conservation, and
oversight of timber sales. Broader initiatives may seek to slow or reverse deforestation.
In the Philippines, there are a lot of Laws pertaining to Forestry. Some of which are specific and
particular to preservation of a tree species. Tree species in the Philippines are near extinction
because of Illegal Logging, Mining and some are due to Burning for Agricultural and Domestic
purposes like “KAINGIN”. Let us try to see some of these Laws in order from the oldest to the
most current. WARNING! Don’t get INDIGESTED.
Proclamation No. 2 (Gov. Gen. Cameron Forbes – 1913) Identifying the Quezon National Park
Act 3572 or the “Prohibition Against Cutting of Tindalo, Akli and Molave Trees”
Proclamation No. 740 (Gov. Gen. Frank Murphy – 1934) Naming the Quezon National Park
Proclamation No. 594 (Pres. Manuel L. Quezon - 1940) Preservation of the Quezon National Park
Presidential Decree (PD) 705 or the “Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines”
Presidential Decree (PD) 1775 or the “Amendments to the Revised Forestry Code”
Batas Pambansa (BP) 701 or “An Act Amending section 36 of PD 705”
Republic Act (RA) 3571 or the “Prohibition of Cutting of Trees in Public Roads, Plazas, etc.”
Republic Act (RA) 4190 or the “Lanao Del Sur National Park”
Republic Act (RA) 7161 or the “Tax Laws Incorporated in the Revised Forestry Code”
Republic Act (RA) 7586 or the “National Integrated Protected Areas System Act”
Republic Act (RA) 9154 or the “Mt. Kanla-on Natural Park Act of 2001”
Republic Act (RA) 9175 or the “Chainsaw Act of 2002”
Forest preservation and conservation is obviously one of the main efforts of the Government,
considering the number of Laws and Regulations. Since your elementary days, you are taught in
school that trees and vegetation are the ones in-charge of holding water in the ground and
preventing soil erosion and eventually landslides. Because of too much logging activities in the
highlands, flash floods and landslides are becoming more evident. One devastating flashflood
that happened in Panay Island was in 2008 during the Typhoon Frank. Death Toll at 229, PhP500
Million worth of crops and 1.7 billion in Property and Infrastructure in Iloilo alone.
I remembered during my youth in the 80s, we are required to plant number of trees before we
can have our graduation clearance.
Currently, we have a piece of area in the highlands of San Enrique owned by DENR and we are
there as stewards of the area. The area is full of fruit bearing, and timber trees. Every time we
cut trees for our domestic use, we see to it to plant 3 seedlings as replacement for the cutting of
1 tree. This is sanctioned by DENR Forest Preservation and Conservation Program under the
stewardship grant. Every time you use a paper or waste and throw papers, think about the trees
that were cut down just to produce those papers. Youth of today must be conscious about the
resilience status of the earth because it will be your tomorrow that will be greatly benefit or
greatly affected negatively.
tenth law
Wildlife and Plants
Wildlife laws govern the potential impact of human activity on wild animals, whether directly on
individuals or populations, or indirectly via habitat degradation. Similar laws may operate to
protect plant species. Such laws may be enacted entirely to protect biodiversity, or as a means for
protecting species deemed important for other reasons. Regulatory efforts may include the
creation of special conservation statuses, prohibitions on killing, harming, or disturbing protected
species, efforts to induce and support species recovery, establishment of wildlife refuges to
support conservation, and prohibitions on trafficking in species or animal parts to combat
poaching.
This again is one area of environment that a lot of emphasis of conservation and preservation
here in the Philippines. Let us look on these Laws again in chronological order from earliest to
the most current.
Act 3983 – (1932) “An Act to Protect Wildflowers and Plants in the Philippine Islands and to
Prescribe Conditions under which they may be Collected, Kept, Sold, Exported and for Other
Purposes”
Republic Act (RA) 8485 – “Animal Welfare Act of 1998”
Republic Act (RA) 9072 – “National Cave and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act”
Republic Act (RA) 9147 – “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001”
Republic Act (RA) 9168 – “Philippine Plant Variety Protection Act of 2002”
It is pretty obvious that the conservation and preservation endeavor of the Government in terms
of the Flora and Fauna started way early during the American Occupation of the Philippines in
the 1930s.
Eleventh Law
Fish and Game
Fish and game laws regulate the right to pursue and take or kill certain kinds of fish and wild
animal “game”. Such laws may restrict the days to harvest fish or game, the number of animals
caught per person, the species harvested, or the weapons or fishing gear used. Such laws
may seek to balance dueling needs for preservation and harvest and to manage both
environment and populations of fish and game. Game laws can provide a legal-structure to
collect license fees and other money which is used to fund conservation efforts as well as to obtain
harvest information used in wildlife management practice.
In the Philippines, we don’t have Fishing Games like in other western countries. Ours is more
likely about fishing for commercial and domestic use. But we have regulatory laws governing
Fishing and Harvesting Other Aquatic Resources and Preservation, Conservation of Endangered
Species.
Act 4003 – (1932) The Fisheries Act
Presidential Decree (PD) 704 – “Philippine Fisheries Act of 1975”
Bureau of Forest Development Circular No. 8 – Disseminating the Ministry of Natural Resources
Order No. 12 Series of 1979 or the Regulations for the Conservation of Marine Turtles in the
Philippines
Presidential Decree (PD) 1219 – “The Coral Resources Development and Conservation Decree”
Batas Pambansa (BP) 58 – “An Act Amending RA 5474, as amended by RA 6145 “Prohibiting the
Catching, Selling, Offering Sell, Purchasing any of the fish species called Gobiidae or Ipon”
Republic Act (RA) 8435 – “Agriculture and Fisheries Modernization Act of 1997”
Republic Act (RA) 8550 – “Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998”
I hope you appreciated how Environmental Laws were placed since the earlier Governments up
to this current time. It simply connotes that Environmental Preservation, Conservation and
Protection was already at the hearts and minds of the Government.
I believe that the only problem regarding these Laws is the swift enforcement of the Law, the
compliance of the Citizens of the Republic and the heart for the next younger generations.
In closing, the question on “What is the Role of the Youth in Environment Preservation and
Conservation?”
The simplest answer to that question is, The Youth must think and work on their future not
disregarding the effect of their actions towards the environment, because their future lies on the
existence of an environmentally-rich tomorrow.
THINK AND RETHINK YOUR ACTIONS.
Thank you for staying with me in this Lecture, and I hope we will still see each other in the future
with a rich nature STILL to enjoy and cherish.