Senatorial candidate Legarda bats to double protected areas
City of San Fernando— Senatorial candidate Loren Legarda had promised to increase the number of protected areas in the country if she is given a chance to return to the Senate.
In an interview with Sun.Star Pampanga on Monday night’s rally in Mexico town, Legarda said that she will double not just the number of protected areas but also of the protection accorded to such areas.
“God willing when we return to the Senate, we will double (the protected areas) and more protection. There are a lot of important places we need to protect. Its not just protection for protection’s sake. We derive our food and resources from many of these places,” Legarda sai d.
Legarda, a former three-term senator, has authored ten environment laws, including the most important Ecological Solid Waste Management Law, Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, Renewable Energy Law and the Climate Change Act.
The lady lawmaker is also the principal author and co-sponsor of the ENIPAS Law. Since the passage of Republic Act No. 7586, or the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act of 1992, and its amendments under Republic Act No. 11038, or the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (ENIPAS) Act of 2018, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) successfully set aside 244 protected areas, including the 107 legislated and 13 proclaimed protected areas, all over the country primarily to sustain ecosystem services, among other non-extractive economic activities such as eco-tourism.
Legarda, who also supports micro and small enterprises, was in Pampanga for a local rally arranged for members of the UniTeam Slate of presidential aspirant Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr. and Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio.
at sa tulong din ng ibang kaibigan at supporters,” Guintu said. In her second term, Guintu disclosed her plans to institutionalize the said programs through legislation to ensure their continuous implementation and to further urge local folks to follow the lead.
“Maliban sa suporta sa magagandang magiging programa ng mayor, gagawa rin tayo ng sariling programa na magiging kapaki-pakibabang sa bayan at sa tao,” she said.