September 5, 2016
Environment Secretary
Regina Paz L. Lopez on Monday dissuaded lawmakers from passing a law that will
divide the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) into two
agencies, stressing that a single body would better ensure that exploitation of
mineral resources will not compromise the community’s welfare and other
economic activities in a particular area.
“If you divide
it—mining and the use of natural resources—you don’t allow those choices to be
made. Once you choose mining, you don’t allow the possibility of agriculture
and ecotourism to happen,” Lopez said at the House hearing on the DENR’s
P28.67-billion budget for 2017.
Lopez made the
statement after Party-list Rep. Harry Roque of Kabayan sought her position on
the proposal splitting the DENR into two—Department of Environment and
Department of Natural Resources—since there is a conflict between protecting
the environment and promoting the use of natural resources.
Roque said splitting
the DENR into two agencies will help the Department of Environment to guard
“those granted [mining] franchises by the government.” Speaker Pantaleon D.
Alvarez earlier said he would file a measure mandating mining companies to
secure a legislative franchise before they are allowed to operate.
But
Lopez disagreed. “I believe that resources of the Philippines should be
utilized and enjoyed by the people of the Philippines. It’s all about choices.
I don’t support this stand because it does not allow these choices to be made.”
“In each area, there
are choices. And, the reality is God has blessed us with a lot of minerals, but
He has also blessed us with rich agricultural lands and He has also blessed us
with beauty,” Lopez added.
Rep. Rodel M. Batocabe
of Ako Bicol Party-list proposed the reorganization of the DENR into two
separate departments to cope with the demands of time and prevailing
environment conditions.
He said the
reorganization is appropriate and necessary given the broad mandate, scope and
responsibility that the DENR has to comply with.
Batocabe said the
natural resources aspect of the DENR refers to its management of sustainable
development, protection of vulnerable areas, conservation of natural heritage
and mitigation of natural disasters.
“This mandate includes
water-resources management, soil conservation, promotion and development of
small and medium industries, direction and control of energy resources
development, and forest products research,” Batocabe said.
He said the DENR is
also responsible for ensuring a healthier environment for the people through
air- and water-pollution abatement, monitoring and control, and effective waste
management anchored on the effective implementation of programs, projects and
activities that protect life support systems to nurture the well-being of
society and sustain the productive capacity of the environment.
Executive Order 192
issued by then-President Corazon C. Aquino on June 10, 1987, reorganized the
Department of Environment, Energy and Natural Resources and created what is now
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Legislative priorities
Meanwhile, Lopez asked
lawmakers to prioritize the passage of several measures strengthening
environment and natural resources-related law.
These priority measures
include proposed amendments to the Philippine Mining Act, Sustainable Forest
Management Act, expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System bill,
National Land Use bill, proposed Land Administration Reform Act, Integrated
Coastal Management Act, proposed Forest Boundary Limit Act, amendments to the
Water Code of the Philippines and Indigenous Communities Conserved Areas Act.
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