DENR welcomes two Senate bills that seek to strengthen wildlife conservation
ENVIRONMENT Secretary Roy A. Cimatu has welcomed two Senate bills that aim to strengthen existing laws against illegal wildlife trade in the country. “We give our full support to the initiatives of the legislators who are seeking to reinforce and recalibrate the existing Wildlife Act, particularly against wildlife traffickers who wreak havoc to our biodiversity that causes the imbalance in our ecosystems, impacting not only our livelihood but our economy in general,” Mr. Cimatu was quoted in a press release issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on Saturday. The two bills are No. 2078 or the The Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2021, and No. 2079 or the Revised Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2021, filed by Senators Cynthia A. Villar and Juan Miguel F. Zubiri, respectively. Copies of the proposed measures were released during the annual World Wildlife Day on Mar. 3. Bill 2078 proposes that a provision on regulating the collection, possession, use and trade of wildlife, and its by-products and derivatives be included in the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act of 2001. The bill also calls for the amended act to cover all wildlife species across the country. Ms. Villar’s bill also seeks to recognize the authority of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) government over wildlife species in its territory. Bill 2079 also proposes that the DENR and the Department of Agriculture have legal oversight over terrestrial plant and animal species, and critical aquatic habitats. “Both bills hope to “establish a more stringent legal framework, improve enforcement mechanisms, and strengthen inter-agency cooperation against illegal wildlife trade, among others,” the DENR said. Earlier this month, DENR Undersecretary Jim O. Sampulna said the pandemic has made efforts to monitor and curb the lucrative illegal wildlife trade in the country more challenging as fewer manpower could be deployed. —