PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENT LAWS - REPUBLIC ACT NO.

7942 - AN ACT INSTITUTING A NEW SYSTEM OF

MINERAL RESOURCES EXPLORATION, DEVELOPMENT,
UTILIZATION, AND CONSERVATION
This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Mining Act of 1995."
Section 2
Declaration of Policy
All mineral resources in public and private lands within the territory
and exclusive economic zone of the Republic of the Philippines are
owned by the State. It shall be the responsibility of the State to
promote their rational exploration, development, utilization and
conservation through the combined efforts of government and the
private sector in order to enhance national growth in a way that
effectively safeguards the environment and protect the rights of
affected
communities.
Section 3
Definition of Terms
As used in and for purposes of this Act, the following terms, whether
in singular or plural, shall mean:
a. Ancestral lands refers to all lands exclusively and actually
possessed, occupied, or utilized by indigenous cultural communities
by themselves or through their ancestors in accordance with their
customs and traditions since time immemorial, and as may be
defined
and
delineated
by
law.
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b. Block or meridional block means an area bounded by one-half

(1/2) minute of latitude and one-half (1/2) minute of longitude,
containing
approximately
eighty-one
hectares
(81
has.).
c. Bureau means the Mines and Geosciences Bureau under the
Department
of
Environment
and
Natural
Resources.
d. Carrying capacity refers to the capacity of natural and human
environments to accommodate and absorb change without
experiencing conditions of instability and attendant degradation.
e. Contiguous zone refers to water, sea bottom and substratum
measured twenty-four nautical miles (24 n.m.) seaward from the

base

line

of

the

Philippine

archipelago.

f. Contract area means land or body of water delineated for

purposes of exploration, development, or utilization of the minerals
found
therein.
g. Contractor means a qualified person acting alone or in
consortium who is a party to a mineral agreement or to a financial or
technical
assistance
agreement.
h. Co-production agreement (CA) means an agreement entered into
between the Government and one or more contractors in accordance
with
Section
26(b)
hereof.
i. Department means the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9175
November 7, 2002
AN ACT REGULATING THE OWNERSHIP, POSSESSION, SALE, IMPORTATION AND USE OF
CHAIN SAWS, PENALIZING VIOLATIONS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress
assembled:
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Chain Saw Act of 2002".

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Sec. 2. Declaration Policy. It is the policy of the State consistent with the Constitution, to conserve,
develop and protect the forest resources under sustainable management. Toward this end, the State
shall pursue an aggressive forest protection program geared towards eliminating illegal logging and
other forms of forest destruction which are being facilitated with the use of chain saws. The State shall
therefore regulate the ownership, possession, sale, transfer, importation and/or use of chain saws to
prevent them from being used in illegal logging or unauthorized clearing of forests.
c

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9168

June 7, 2002

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AN ACT TO PROVIDE PROTECTION TO NEW PLANT VARIETIES, ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL

PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION BOARD AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section 1. Short Title.This Act shall be known and cited as the "Philippine Plant Variety Protection
Act of 2002"
Sec. 2. Statement of Policies.
a) The State recognizes that an effective intellectual property system in general and the development
of new plant variety in particular is vital in attaining food security for the country. To this end, it shall
protect and secure the exclusive rights of breeders with respect to their new plant variety particularly
when beneficial to the people for such periods as provided for in this Act.

REPUBLIC
July 30, 2001

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

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(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.

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REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9072

(National Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act)

AN ACT TO MANAGE AND PROTECT CAVES AND CAVE

RESOURCES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National

Caves and Cave Resources Management and Protection Act."
Sec. 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.
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9003
(ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000)

AN ACT PROVIDING FOR AN ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE

MANAGEMENT PROGRAM, CREATING THE NECESSARY
INSTITUTIONAL MECHANISMS AND INCENTIVES, DECLARING
CERTAIN ACTS PROHIBITED AND PROVIDING PENALTIES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES.

CHAPTER I
BASIC POLICIES

Article 1
General Provisions
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as
the"Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000."
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policies. - It is hereby declared the policy
of the State to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and ecological
solid waste management program which shall:
(a) Ensure the protection of the public health and environment;

(b) Utilize environmentally-sound methods that maximize

the utilization of valuable resources and encourage resource
conservation and recovery;
(c) Set guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and
volume reduction through source reduction and waste
minimization measures, including composting, recycling, reuse, recovery, green charcoal process, and others, before
collection, treatment and disposal in appropriate and
environmentally sound solid waste management facilities in
accordance with ecologically sustainable development
principles;
(d) Ensure the proper segregation, collection, transport,
storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste through the
formulation and adoption of the best environmental practice
in ecological waste management excluding incineration;
(e) Promote national research and development programs
for improved solid waste management and resource
conservation
techniques,
more
effective
institutional
arrangement and indigenous and improved methods of waste
reduction, collection, separation and recovery;
(f) Encourage greater private sector participation in solid
waste management;
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8749

PHILIPPINE CLEAN AIR ACT OF 1999

Chapter 1
General Provisions
Article One
Basic Air Quality Policies
SECTION
1. Short
Title. This
Act
shall
be
known
as
the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999.
SEC. 2. Declaration of Principles. - The State shall protect and
advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful
ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
The State shall promote and protect the global environment to
attain sustainable development while recognizing the primary
responsibility
of
local
government
units
to
deal
with
environmental problems.
The State recognizes that the responsibility of cleaning the
habitat and environment is primarily area-based.

The State also recognizes the principle that polluters must

pay.
Finally, the State recognizes that a clean and healthy
environment is for the good of all and should, therefore, be the
concern of all.

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.
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Philippine

Fisheries Code of 1998"

CHAPTER I
DECLARATION OF POLICY AND DEFINITIONS
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - it is hereby declared the policy of
the State:
a. to achieve food security as the overriding consideration in the
utilization, management, development conservation and protection
of fishery resources in order to provide the food needs of the
population. A flexible policy towards the attainment of food security
shall be adopted in response to changes in demographic trends for
fish, emerging trends in the trade of fish and other aquatic products
in domestic and international markets, and the law of supply and
demand;
b. to limit access to the fishery and aquatic resources of the
Philippines for the exclusive use and enjoyment of Filipino citizens;