The Environment Report

Bacolod City, Negros Occidental - After a long wait, a bill that sought a total log ban in the third district of Negros Occidental has finally become a law.

President Macapagal-Arroyo on Tuesday, signed into law Republic Act 9741 ban logging in the cities of Silay, Talisay and Victories and the towns of EB Magalona and Murcia.
Rep. Jose Carlos Lacson (Neg.Occ., 3rd District) said Arroyo normally let local bills lapse into the law but she chose to sign RA 9741 to stress its importance.

“The President is very sensitive to the matter of climate change and she wanted to deliver the message on the importance of preserving the environment,” said Lacson, who authored the law.

Lacson said he advocated a total log ban nationwide in 1987 when he first started as congressman. But encountered a strong opposition.

“The measure could not get through and since I could not enter the front door, I decided to enter through the back door by limiting it to my congressional district,” he said.

Lacson said he could not push for a Negros-wide log ban since he could not speak for the other districts.

It took him three Congresses to get his bill passed, he added.

Lacson said RA 9741, “An Act Imposing A Logging Ban In The Third District of the Province of Negros Occidental,” was the first law to be passed in the country declaring a total log ban in a district.

The law defines logging as the “process, work or business of cutting down trees for commercial purposes.”

“The harvesting of planted species within tree plantations and the tree-cutting activities for projects approved by the government and only for basic services such as, but not limited to public works, energy development or water utilities, are exempted from the act,” the law stated.

With the President's signing of RA 9741, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would be tasked to formulate the implementing rules and regulations, Lacson said. /Inquirer