Current Environmental Laws In The Philippines

Our environmental laws are very important to us. It is very important beacause we all know that some are still depending to our natural environment for a living like those who are belong to a community located to mountaneous areas and also for us living in a rural areas or urban areas. By the implementation of these environmental laws, we are all gaining informations and knowledges about the proper protection of our environment. For me, the summarization of all the current environmental laws and policies are mainly composed of the proper ulitization and management of all the aspects of our natural environment. Below are some of the most important environmental laws of our country.

The Philippine Environmental Policy

Governs the general policies on the pursuits of a better quality of life for the present and future generations and mandates undertaking the environmental impact assessments for all projects, which may significantly affect the environment. (P.D 1151)

Defines the objectives and the strategies for the various aspects of environmental management, such as air and water quality management, natural source development, land management, and waste management. It launches a comprehensive national program of environmental protection and management, with reference to policies and standards of noise, air quality, classification of water and waste management. (P.D 1152)

The Philippine environmental policy is really very important because it promotes the protection of our natural resources and our natural environments. We all know that our country is very famous around the world by having the most wonderful and aesthetic natural resources that’s why we really need to preserve this resources in order to sustain that title and also for us to be still benifited with these natural and environmental resources.

The Forestry Reform Code P. D. 389 (P.D. 705)

Codifies, updates and raises forestry laws in the country. It emphasizes the sustainable utilization of forest resources.

The law which concerns about our forest are very important to sustain our flora and fauna which are living in our forest and also to help sustain those endangered species. The banning of illegal cutting of trees is very important because when trees are all gone, it can cause soil erosion and can harm us by causing great flood just like what happened this past few years. Illegal logging can also contributes in the loss of our ecosystem which can cause distress not only for those flora and fauna but also to us.It also governs the preseravation and otimimum productivity of fishery resources through conservation and protection.

Water Code of the Philippines (P.D. 1067)

Adopts adequate measures to conserve and regulate the use of water in commercial, industrial and residentail areas. It also provides other policy guidelines in water quality and management of water resources.

This protects our water system especially for those who depends their business in the water. They imposed this law to govern those who are being unaware to the posibilities of damaging our water resources through improper disposal of garbages and ineffecient use of waters.

Other laws under the environmental laws are Pollution Control Law, Sanitation Code, Control of Pesticides, Local Government Code of 1991, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act, The Fisheries Code of the Philippines and The Solid Waste Management Act of 2001.

These environmental laws are really needed in order for us to protect our natural environment through good management of these resources and these laws is a eye opener for us to see the posible effects of the improper usage of our natural resources. Through good governance, we will be able to help each others to protect and sustain our natural environment for the next generation to come. We need to comply to these laws in order for us to have the limits in which we can use these resources and be able to preserve and protect such very imporatnat element of our life, the natural resources and our natural environment.

Source of the three environmental laws that I discussed: http://bio427.blogspot.com/2010/10/environmental-laws-of-philippines.html

How Hospitality and Tourism Management is affected by the current environmental laws?

The Hospitality and Tourism Management is affected by the current environmental laws in a very positive ways. It is very beneficial for them because they will be able to know the guidelines in protecting our environment which this Hospitality and Tourism Management is very dependent. We all know that under Hospitality and Tourism Management is the tourism industry which really relying on our environment with their businesses. For they are the most dependent to our natural environment, they must be the one who needs to protect it and also to sustain it. Another positive effect of these environmental laws to Hospitality and Tourism Management is that tourism industry will be boost knowing that they have the ability to protect, sustain and improve our natural environment which can help to promote our country. The tourism industry is really obliged to protect our environment to sustain the tourists that they have and they will have. When the tourist see that they are helping our government in managing our environment, they will be glad to still go back to our country not only for a good service nor good employees but merely by the fact that our environment is still in good conditions and still improving which this guests and tourists are visiting for and which they can also enjoy.

When we look to the other side which this tourism industry is not complying and not implementing these environmental laws, it will greatly contributes in damaging our environment and might causes negative impacts not only to our natural environment but also to the species of animals, plants, fishes and also to us humans. All other industry must be in accordance to our environmental laws because they are interrelated to each other. For example, a mining industry which disposes their toxic wastes directy to the sea or ocean can affect the businesses which are relying on the sea or located beside the shoreline because this toxic wastes can cause deseases and can cause damages on the corals, fishes and other living organism in the sea. They are co-related to each other that’s why they need to act as one for them to show also that they respect each others.

The Hospitality and Tourism Management which is the mother of all indutries specifically the tourism industry must know the proper usage of our environment and the proper management of our natural resources because we all know that this industry is the most income generating to our country and it produces works for our local employees and we all know that a lot of employees are all depending to this industry. If we will not be able to protect and sustain this natural environment, a lot also of negetaive effects will come out and one of the most dangerous effect is that when our environment is greatly damaged, a lot of workers will be dismiss to their work and what will now happen to them? Unemployment rate level will increase and a lot of local people will experienced poverty. As a tourism student, we are very much thankful because we are able to know the positive and negative impacts of the misgovernance of our environment. We are also able to know the environmental laws which our government has imposed and it is very important for us because at young age, we are in the capacity of opening our minds in protecting and in helping in sustaining our environment which in the near future, we will be also be dependent on it. We should act as one and we need to focus in protecting the natural environments that we have.

3.) How Hospitality and Tourism Management (HTM) businesses can help improve the current environmental laws?

Hospitalty and Tourism Management businesses can really help to improve and sustain the current environmental laws of our country by basically complying to these laws. By showing that they are implementing and they are abiding to these environmental laws, they are greatly contributing in promoting the need to act in the way that is legally pursuits. These businesses are the ones who much need to follow these laws because they are more benefited. We all know that the tourism industry is depending to our natural environment. And if we are not able to protect our environment, the tourism industry will really fluctuate. And as you can see, some who’s under the tourism industry are not complying to our environmental laws and greatly causing damages to our environment. For example, some resort owners are not following the rules and regulations of our environmental laws just like the proper measurement of the establishment, the proper disposal of their garbages and many more. These careless actions are greatly causing damages, and if these actions are continuosly happening, for sure our environment will be highly damage. Our environmental laws are really important for us to help preserve the natural resources and the natural environment that we have. As you can obeserved, laws makes us more be practically be knowldegeable about the do’s and don’ts regarding to the implementation and usage of our natural environment. The businesses which are under the tourism industy must know the proper environmental management, waste management, land management, and natural source development in order for them to help in improving our environmental laws as well as our natural environments. They are really can promote in preserving and sustaining our environment which is the environmental laws is protecting. Another example of improving the environmental laws by the hostipitality and tourism manangement businesses is that if a specific establishment which are under this industry are very competitive to others, they are much more well appreciated and much more advantageous knowing that they have all the necessary papers like permits and other legal documents that they need to accomplish which our goverment are imposing and their guests will be more knowledgeable about helping in protecting our environment by simply knowing the proper disposal of their own garbages.

Environmental laws are providing the necessary information that a single business must know and the ordinances that they need to comply with. Basically, if all the businesses are do have a great information and they are all aware to these environmental laws, we are greatly a means of instrument in helping in preserving our natural environments. As we all know, the tourism industry which is under the Hostpitality and Tourism Management is the fastest income generating out of all the industries that we have and our tourism industry are really helping in uplifting our economy. These tourism businesses are also generating jobs and employment to a lot of workers. By means of protecting our environment, they are also helping in sustaining these businesses which is really important to our country. The proper utilization of these natural environment and natural resources,will not only benefits ourselvelves but also we are also ganing respects from others.

As a tourism student and in the near future my future work will be also depending on the natural environment that we have, I need also to contributes my effort in helping to promote the good usage of our environment by merely knowing the implemented laws regarding in protecting our natural resources and our environments just like the very simple way, throwing my garbages on proper and also by merely helping and joining to tree planting activities of our school, our barangay and also of our municipality. At young age, we need to be knowledgeable to what we need to do and what we need to act in order for us to know the implications of being aware to the current situation of our environment.