Executive Order No. 224, s. 1987

Signed on July 16, 1987

MALACAÑANG
MANILA

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES

EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 224

VESTING ON THE NATIONAL POWER CORPORATION THE COMPLETE JURISDICTION, CONTROL AND REGULATION OVER WATERSHED AREAS AND RESERVATIONS SURROUNDING ITS POWER GENERATING PLANTS AND PROPERTIES OF SAID CORPORATION.

WHEREAS, Watershed areas are critical and essential to the life span of water-based projects including flood control and other environmental programs;

WHEREAS, the sustained operational capability of hydro and geothermal plants depend on the productive conditions of the watersheds;

WHEREAS, due to its importance to the over-all economic undertaking, it has become imperative that its inalienable and non-disposable character be assured, and therefore, more stringent measures be adopted for its protection, development, management and rehabilitation;

WHEREAS, the National Power Corporation pursuant to its mandated responsibility for developing and generating cheap, reliable electricity for national development has developed and administered watersheds in its geothermal and hydro-electric power plants;

WHEREAS, with its mandated functions, the National Power Corporation is in a better position and has the manpower and resources to exercise the desired protection, development, management and rehabilitation of watershed, development, operational water-based power plants;

WHEREAS, the National Power Corporation is vested by law with the power to exercise complete jurisdiction and control over watersheds surrounding the reservoir of plants and/or projects constructed or proposed to be constructed pursuant to the provisions of Section 3, paragraph (N), R.A. 6395;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, CORAZON C. AQUINO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the Constitution, do hereby order the following:

Section 1. The National Power Corporation shall have complete jurisdiction, control and rehabilitation over the following watershed areas and reservations.

1. Upper Agno Watershed Reservation as covered by Proclamation No. 548;

2. Angat Watershed Reservation as covered by Proclamation Nos. 505 and 599;

3. Caliraya-Lumot Watershed Reservation as covered by Proclamation No. 573;

4. Makiling-Banahaw Geothermal Reservations as covered by Proclamation No. 1111;

5. Buhi-Barit Watershed as covered by Proclamation No. 573;

6. Tiwi Geothermal Reservation as covered by Presidential Proclamation No. 739.

Section 2. The National Power Corporation shall be responsible for the management, protection, development, and rehabilitation of the aforementioned watershed areas, including but not limited to the following:

1. Enforcement of forestry laws, rules and regulations governing the Integrated Management of Watershed Reservation under Ministry Order No. 83-01-13, Series of 1982;

2. Identification of areas which requires immediate rehabilitation and development;

3. Preparation of plans and programs using the integrated multiple use concept of Watershed Management for the maximum utilization of Watershed resources;

4. Formulation and/or implementation of measures to prevent denudation of the forest cover and siltation of existing reservoirs;

5. Public education and information drive to create awareness among the populace of the importance of forest resources and watershed areas;

6. Promotion of the development and conservation of existing vegetative cover;

7. Formulation of plans and development programs for resettlement and relocation;

8. Coordination with other government agencies/instrumentalities, religious and civil groups in undertaking forest conservation measures in watershed areas;

9. Afforestation, reforestation and physical rehabilitation measures in critically denuded watershed areas;

10. Development, maintenance and management of free farms within adequately vegetative watershed for the production of transmission line poles.

Section 4. The provisions of existing laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations as are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

Section 5. This Executive Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 16th day of July in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-seven.

(Sgd.) CORAZON C. AQUINO
President of the Philippines

By the President:

(Sgd.) JOKER P. ARROYO
Executive Secretary

Source: Presidential Management Staff

Office of the President of the Philippines. (1987). [Executive Order Nos. : 171-390]. Manila : Presidential Management Staff.