TIMELINE

Question 1

• The arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century upset and redefined this natural order of interdependence between the locals and nature with various governmental policies:
  ▪ the reduccion (or ‘resettlement’)
  ▪ the encomienda system
  ▪ the galleon trade
  ▪ the real hacienda
  ▪ the tobacco monopoly
  ▪ and the planting of cash crops.

Answer 1

Colonial Times

Question 2

Jose Raon, a Spanish governor-general, issued a number of ordinances aiming to keep the environment at least on a sustainable level.

Answer 2

1768

Question 3

The Spanish government established the Inspeccion General de Montes [IGM], the agency tasked to oversee the upkeep of the country’s forests

Answer 3

1863

Question 4

A Royal Decree forbade the practice of slash-and-burn cultivation.

Answer 4

June 8, 1874

Question 5

A Superior Decree directly ordered the establishment of forest zones.

Answer 5

• February 6, 1896

Question 6

The first Philippine Republic prohibited the killing of carabaos.

Answer 6

November 26, 1898-

Question 7

Division of Forest and Division of Mines were created

Answer 7

1899

Question 8

Aguinaldo adopted the Spanish Forestry Laws

Answer 8

1899

Question 9

Bureau of Forests, Bureau of Mines etc. was institutionalized and made permanent in government bureaucracy.

Answer 9

1900

Question 10

Forest manual was drafted

Answer 10

1904

Question 11

Forestry School was established in UP Los Banos.

Answer 11

1910

Question 12

William Cameron Forbes provided a system for appropriating public waters; the creation and use of waterpower; and the construction, maintenance, and operation of irrigation systems by the government of the Philippine Islands.

Answer 12

1912

Question 13

Francis Burton Harrison amended this Act with his own Irrigation Act (Act No. 2652)

Answer 13

1916

Question 14

Leonard Wood further amended this in by prescribing the
conditions under which a loan may be obtained from the government

Answer 14

1924

Question 15

The National Parks Act of —- created national parks and declared them game refuges and sanctuaries. Also created were the Wildlife Office (later Commission of Parks and Wildlife) and several protected reserves around the sources of water for cities – watersheds – Novaliches, Ipo Dam, Montalban and so on.

Answer 15

1932

Question 16

Act No. 4062 permanently preserved to the Philippine Legislature the disposition of the water, if public domain, for the utilization and development of hydraulic power

Answer 16

1933

Question 17

By the time the 1935 Constitution was drafted, Article XII entitled, “Conservation and Utilization of Natural Resources” already discussed the basics of resource conservation, use and management

Answer 17

1935

Question 18

Commonwealth Act No. 141 deals with the land use management. Pastureland Act was also introduced

Answer 18

1936

Question 19

The Philippine National Assembly passed Act 383, which prohibited the dumping into rivers of garbage

Answer 19

1938

Question 20

disrupted regular life for most parts of the Asian region, especially in Southeast Asia

Answer 20

The Pacific War of 1941

Question 21

• World War II brought untold destruction to the Philippines, and the environmental damage wrought by combat has not yet fully been assessed.
• Towards the end of the war in 1944, Osmeña headed the Philippine government amidst a landscape of ruins..

Answer 21

1940s- Warr of the Worlds

Question 22

• What seemed to be a bright future for the environment at the eve of the Third Philippine Republic was promising but short-lived.
• The first post-war Philippine president was facing the reality of an economy in ruins and had to come up with suitable programs to rebuild the country.

Answer 22

Post War Administration

Question 23

• Emerging from war in 1946, the Philippines was virtually starting from scratch as the society, economy, and the environment was at its lowest state.

Answer 23

Roxas Administration (1946-1948)

Question 24

Statement of Roxas

Answer 24

“These resources are given to us by Almighty God not for future generations alone, but for our generations as well. And don’t deceive yourselves…. future generations will condemn us for not developing these resources….” – Roxas

Question 25

• A closer look at laws passed during his term, however, do not say much about his concern for the environment, except for appropriating public funds for infrastructure and irrigation; and issuing guidelines for using lands for residential purposes.

Answer 25

Quirino Administration (1948-1953)

Question 26

Statement of Quirino

Answer 26

“Very few countries have done what we did in 1946 when we amended the Constitution…. We did that because of our faith and loyalty and of the assurance from the United States that the country would be helpful to us as we rise from our prostration. We did it because America was then the sovereign power, although she did not impose it, and she made us understand that if given the opportunity to help develop our natural resources and public utilities, she would greatly help in stabilizing our economy.” – Quirino

Question 27

• The administration has little to show with regards to policies toward the environment.
• Water became a central focus of his policies, but this was largely in terms of infrastructure and power generation.
• He supported irrigation of agricultural lands but at the same time encouraged the setting up of industrial centers.

Answer 27

Magsaysay Administration (1953-1957)

Question 28

Works of Magsaysay

Answer 28

• NARRA (National Resettlement and Rehabilitation Administration).
• Agricultural Tenancy Act
• Forestry Bureau
• National Parks and Wildlife Commission
• National Waterworks and Sewerage Authority
• Tagaytay Development Commission
• A Five-Year Development Program of Livestock Farming was prepared by the Bureau of Animal Industry, but policies are geared basically for increasing the animals’ “meat, milk and eggs” production.
• Industrialization programs pushed by Roxas, Quirino and Magsaysay did not give much thought to impact on the environment – priority was on economic development, providing jobs and building up the Philippine economy.

Question 29

known for his “Filipino First” policy. He encouraged his countrymen to choose and use Philippine-made products over US-made items which had flooded the Philippine markets.

Answer 29

• Carlos P. Garcia

Question 30

there was increasing interest and concern regarding pollution in the world, notably air and water pollution, and these became a common topic in conferences, books, articles.

Answer 30

1960

Question 31

Statement of Macapagal

Answer 31

“We must insure the conservation and wise use of our rich natural resources so that the future generation may also benefit from them. Forests, mines, soil, and fishery resources are our valuable assets which must be protected from wanton destruction…. “- Macapagal

Question 32

a comprehensive government policy for the environment was finally clearly spelled out and implemented.

Answer 32

Marcos Administration (1965-1986)

Question 33

included the issue of environmentalism in his campaign platform in 1992.
* The policy of the state was to ensure that “optimum economic development shall be achieved without delay and shall be pursued consistent with the principles of sustainable development.”

Answer 33

Ramos Administration (1992-1998)

Question 34

created the Office of the Environmental Ombudsman to address the complaints against public officials who fail to enforce the country’s environmental laws.

Answer 34

Arroyo Administration (2001-2010)