TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol (PIA) — The Sangguninag Panlalawigan (SP) here is set to preserve century-old and heritage trees in Bohol.
Although still on its first reading, the proposed ordinance intends to keep Bohol’s environment and enhance its ecological balance and natural ecosystem by imposing penalties for acts that endanger the environment and other activities that are harmful to the environment.
Asserting Section 468 of Republic Act No. 7160, or the Local Government Code of 1991, the SP can approve ordinances and pass resolutions that protect the environment and impose appropriate penalties for acts which endanger the environment, especially from activities that result in pollution or ecological imbalance.
The same law also empowers the local legislators to adopt measures and safeguards against pollution and for the preservation of the natural ecosystem in the province.
However, without a clear law that defines the way century-old trees or heritage trees can be preserved especially when these are in private lots, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) have their hands tied, especially when the owners themselves decide what to do with these environmental shields.
Century trees and heritage trees are considered ecologically, historically, and culturally valuable to the province, according to the draft ordinance.
These values help the community understand the importance of conservation and environmental protection, since such trees are viewed as symbols of resilience and strength, that further protection and preservation is needed to protect the remaining trees.
For the proposed ordinance, the Office of the Governor would be creating and establishing a Century and Heritage Tree Committee composed of representatives from the Bohol Provincial Environment Management Office (BPEMO), the Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) – Bohol, the Community Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) – Tagbilaran and CENRO – Talibon, a representative of the National Museum, a representative from the academe, accredited non-government organization for environmental causes, and Federated President of Philippine League of Local Environment and Natural Resources Officers, Inc. (PLLENRO, Inc.).
BPEMO will take the lead in the identification and declaration of century and heritage trees.
They are also tasked to maintain a regularly updated Database of Century and Heritage Trees based on physical inspection of trees that are alive and dead around the province.
The proposed ordinance also includes a tree celebration activity aside from the annual province-wide tree planting activity every Arbor Day. (RAHC/PIA Bohol)
