Philippine Biodiversity Laws

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7586

  AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND MANAGEMENT OF
NATIONAL INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREAS SYSTEM,
DEFINING ITS SCOPE AND COVERAGE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1.          Title - This Act shall be known and referred to as the "National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992".

SECTION 2.          Declaration of Policy - Cognizant of the profound impact of man's activities on all components of the natural environment particularly the effect of increasing population, resource exploitation and industrial advancement and recognizing the critical importance of protecting and maintaining the natural biological and physical diversities of the environment notably on areas with biologically unique features to sustain human life and development, as well as plant and animal life, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to secure for the Filipino people of present and future generations the perpetual existence of all native plants and animals through the establishment of a comprehensive system of integrated protected areas within the classification of national park as provided for in the Constitution. 

Republic Act No. 8550            

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE DEVELOPMENT, MANAGEMENT AND CONSERVATION OF THE FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES, INTEGRATING ALL LAWS PERTINENT THERETO, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled::

Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998."

The state shall ensure the attainment of the following objectives of the fishery sector:

1. Conservation, protection and sustained management of the country's fishery and aquatic resources;

2. Poverty alleviation and the provision of supplementary livelihood among municipal fisherfolk;

3. Improvement of productivity of aquaculture within ecological limits;

4. Optimal utilization of offshore and deep-sea resources; and

5. Upgrading of post-harvest technology.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9147      

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES AND THEIR HABITATS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

CHAPTER I
GENERAL PROVISIONS

Section 1. Title. ­ This act shall be known as the "Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy. ­ It shall be the policy of the State to conserve the country's wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainability. In the pursuit of this policy, this Act shall have the following objectives:

(a) to conserve and protect wildlife species and their habitats to promote ecological balance and enhance biological diversity;

(b) to regulate the collection and trade of wildlife;

(c) to pursue, with due regard to the national interest, the Philippine commitment to international conventions, protection of wildlife and their habitats; and

(d) to initiate or support scientific studies on the conservation of biological diversity. 

 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8371 - The Indigenous Peoples Rights Act

AN ACT TO RECOGNIZE, PROTECT AND PROMOTE THE RIGHTS OF INDIGENOUS CULTURAL COMMUNITIES/ INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, CREATING A NATIONAL COMMISSION ON INDIGENOUS PEOPLES, ESTABLISHING IMPLEMENTING MECHANISMS, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 90729135       

AN ACT TO MANAGE AND PROTECT CAVES AND CAVE RESOURCES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Title - This Act shall be known as the "National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to conserve, protect and manage caves and cave resources as part of the country's natural wealth. Towards this end, the State shall strengthen cooperation and exchange of information between governmental authorities and people who utilize caves and cave resources for scientific, educational, recreational, tourism and other purposes.

Other Laws

Clean Air Law

It directs oil companies to minimize air pollution by not including toxic elements in their fuels. It specifically tells refiners to lower the benzene content in gasoline to 2% and lower aromatics content from 45% 50 25%.

The law also calls for a decrease in sulfur levels in diesel. Eventually the act will phase out all phase out all leaded gas, and all vehicles using leaded gasoline.  Diesel and gas rates, as well as electricity rates, are expected to rise as a result.

1997 Chemical Control Order for Cyanide and Mercury

This order aims to regulate and limit the use of cyanide and mercury among all industries concerned. The Chemical Control Order has identified specific industries allowed to use cyanide and mercury compounds. As part of the regulatory procedures, all handlers (importers, distributors, transporters, users, and disposers) of the chemicals subject to control are required to register and secure a license to use said chemicals from the DENR. All handlers are also required to submit a quarterly report on the use and disposition of the chemicals for monitoring purposes. All registered importers are required to secure a clearance prior to actual importation.

Forest Protection and Management Act

This act aims to give adequate protection to all natural forests, plantations, national parks, and reservations. These sites are to be protected from illegal loggers, poachers, and the increasing number of people settling in the upland. In 10 to 15 years, all of these activities are expected to be minimal.

Management of natural dipterocarp forests, the major source of timber and other forest products, is also included in this act.

Soil Conservation and Watershed Management

A watershed is the total land area that contributes to the flow of a river, creek, or stream and which is bounded by all of the area’s highest points. Over 70% of the country has watershed areas and the DENR is conducting a program to protect these sites.

Strategies Toward Environmental Protection

1. Concept of Environmental Protection

Protecting the environment has two very important considerations:

a. wise use of natural resources, or conservation, and

b. preservation, or enhancement of environmental quality

CONSERVATION may be defined as the utilization of a country's natural resources so as to derive the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people and for the longest period of time.

ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY implies, most of all, freedom from pollution of the air, land, and bodies of water.

Both conservation and preservation or enhancement of environmental quality contribute to ecological balance. Environmental protection, thus entails the use of technologies which help fulfill the following goals:

a. To satisfy the subsistence needs of people and provide them  with a "reasonable income" ; and at the same time,

b. To control pollution, primarily by:
1. reducing the amount of waste materials produced
2. directly reusing of products
3. recycling materials to form a new product.

2. Sustainable Development

When we think of environmental  protection and improving our economy with equal concern, the concept is called SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. This we need to do to strike a balance between socioeconomic development (or human well-being) and environmental quality. To achieve sustainable development, people must make decisions as follows:

A. utilize renewable resources at a rate slower than the rate at which those resources can be renewed. For example, logging must be at the rate such that the number of trees cut down is more or less equal to the number of seedlings planted. This is achieved by:

1. Selective logging = means choosing the trees to cut. They must be mature trees with diameter of 60 cm or more. It requires 60 to 70% of the mature trees (or about 42 trees per hectares) should be left in the forest. This will ensure a constant seeds of forest trees. Loggers are also advised to cut down defective trees in the forest to prevent crowding.

2. Careful logging = the idea is to protect seedlings and young trees from being crushed by falling timber.

3. Reforestation = Loggers are required to a plant tree for every one cut down. This allows the forest to continuous regenerate itself.

B. Use technologies which produce little or no waste and which do not degrade the environment.For example a farm may be managed utilizing sound agricultural processes which conserve soil nutrients and protect the soil from erosion.

C. Use technologies to recover resources. Examples are the manufacture of paper using old newspaper instead of fresh wood pulp and recycling of plastics, glass, or scrap iron.

D. Avoid and control pollution.

Threats to Biodiversity

Problems and Threats

Biodiversity loss in the Philippines stems from causes classified into four broad categories:

1. habitat destruction
2. overexploitation
3. chemical or environmental pollution
4. biological pollution and
5. Weak Institutional and Legal Capacities.

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Habitat Destruction

Habitat destruction and loss can be traced to anthropogenic and nature-wrought causes. Anthropogenic activities include destructive and unsustainable practices such as

1. logging,
2. fires,
3. land conversion,
4. siltation,
5. destructive fishing methods, and
6. encroachment and occupancy in protected areas.

Nature-wrought destructions are due to natural calamities like volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, typhoons, and pests and diseases. The Mt. Pinatubo volcanic eruption has resulted in the loss of undetermine vital components of the tropical forest and marine waters of the Subic-Bataan National Park. It also resulted in the destruction of vast farmlands by its volcanic lava and subsequent lahar flows. Furthermore, agroecosystems that lie along typhoon paths suffer significant destruction annually.

   
Overexploitation
 

Population pressure, poverty and paucity of livelihood opportunities, dearth of values, and the "open access" nature of many bioresources all contribute to the overexploitation and non-sustainable use of our country’s biodiversity.

In forests, commercial timber species (e.g., dipterocaps, kamagong, narra) as well as non-timber species (e.g., orchids, ferns, rattan, insects, birds, mammals) and animal products (e.g. birds’ nests, guano), are overharvested. Mangrove timber are overharvested for fuelwood, animals for trade (waterfowls, reptiles) and fish and shellfish for food. In the marine ecosystem, commercially important species, notably tuna, shellfish and other edible species are overharvested. Agricultural ecosystems are hard pressed to yield greater harvests to feed the teeming population. Protected areas are not spared the onslaught of overexploitation from the greedy hands of man because of economic realities.

 Chemical (Environmental) Pollution

Pollutants overwhelm our ecosystems and overtax the dispersal and self-cleansing capacity of our atmosphere, water bodies and land.

Forest ecosystems, in general, are less subjected to chemical pollution compared to other ecosystems with the exception of chemical defoliants usage. It is the wetland ecosystems that take much toll from chemical wastes from mine tailings, hazardous wastes from industrial plants, factory discharges, agricultural fertilizer and pesticide run-offs, and even household wastes. Marine ecosystems are subject to the same chemical pollutants as wetlands but they are less vulnerable because of their greater expanse. Oil slicks, however, inflict serious harm to marine habitats and their biota. Agricultural ecosystems are poisoned by intensive fertilizer and pesticide applications. Even useful non-pests and humans, as well , are threatened by this inappropriate farming method. 

Biological Pollution (Species Level)

By and large, the successful introduction of exotic species occurred in wetland ecosystems, particularly in lakes and rivers, and has been at the expense of the endemic and indigenous species either directly through predation, competition, and hybridization or indirectly through parasites and habitat alteration. For instance, the original fish population of Caliraya Lake has disappeared with the introduction of the black bass, Microterus salmoides.

Weak Institutional and Legal Capacities  

Major drawbacks in biodiversity conservation and sustainable use include:

1. inappropriate, overlapping, conflicting and obsolete policies and institutions,
2. shortage of technical expertise, (iii) shortage of funds,
3. weak information, education, and communication capacities,
4. inadequate policy mechanisms, and (vi) poor integration of research and development activities.

WELL-KNOWN SPECIES OF ANIMALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

WELL-KNOWN SPECIES OF ANIMALS IN THE PHILIPPINES

Common Name	Illustration	Scientific Name	Description
Monkey-eating eagle/ Philippine eagle (haribon)		Pithecophaga jefferyi	-One of the rarest, strongest, and most powerful species of bird in the world. -National bird of the Philippines. -has a nape adorned by brown feathers that resemble like a lion -has strong claws for catching prey -can be found in Sierra Madre and some forests in Mindanao
Philippine tarsier		Tarsius syrichta	-one of the smallest primates in the world with distinct large eyes -native in Bohol -measures about only 85-160mm in height -nocturnal(active at night)
Sea cow (dugong)		Dugong dugon	-a large marine mammal -feed directly on plants -native in Philippine seas particularly in Palawan and Mindanao
Mindoro dwarf buffalo (tamaraw)		Bubalus mindorensis	-a small hoofed mammal (almost looks like a carabao) -endemic in the island of mindoro
Philippine mouse deer (pilandok)		Tragalus nigricans	-A small nocturnal ruminant (feeds on plants) -has black and brown coat -has slender legs -native in the island of Balabac, Palawan
Philippine Crocodile		Crocodylus mindorensis	-a freshwater crocodile native in Mindoro island -critically endangered due to unsustainable fishing methods -grows up to 3 meters in length Has relatively broad snout
Whale shark (butanding)		Rhincodon typus	-largest fish in the world -filter feeder -slow-moving -native in Donsol, Sorsogon
Dwarf goby		Pandaca Pygmea	-world’s smallest freshwater fish -measures abour half an inch -can be found in Malabon river
Sinarapan		Mistichthys luzonensis	-world’s smallest commercial fish -grows to an average length of 1.25 cm -can be found in lake bato and lake Buhi, Camarines Sur
Monitor lizard (bayawak)		Varranus salvator	-carnivorous lizard -can move fast on groud -has forked tongue -largest species of lizard that can be found in the country
Sea turtle (pawikan)		Chelonia mydas	-a large turtle found in Philippine seas -grows up to 1.5 m. long and weighs 185 kg. -cannot retract its head compared to land turtles -color ranges from green, brown, and black -highly hunted because of its bizarre shell.