Article 20p. 20

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS STATUTES and IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS

Section 9. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason or

reasons, any part or parts of this Act shall be declared

unconstitutional or invalid by any competent court,

other parts of this Act shall be thereby shall continue to

be in full force and effect.

Section 10. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect

fifteen days (15) after its publication in two (2) national

newspapers of general education.

PD No 705 | Revised Forestry Code of the

Philippines

May 19, 1975

REVISING PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 389, OTHERWISE

KNOWN AS THE FORESTRY REFORM CODE OF THE

PHILIPPINES

WHEREAS,

proper

classification,

management

and

utilization of the lands of the public domain to maximize

their productivity to meet the demands of our increasing

population is urgently needed;

WHEREAS, to achieve the above purpose, it is necessary

to

reassess

the

multiple

uses

of

forest

lands

and

resources

before

allowing

any utilization thereof to

optimize the benefits that can be derived therefrom;

WHEREAS, it is also imperative to place emphasis not

only on the utilization thereof but more so on the

protection,

rehabilitation and development of forest

lands,

in

order

to

ensure

the

continuity

of

their

productive condition;

WHEREAS, the present laws and regulations governing

forest

lands

are not responsive enough to support

re-oriented government programs, projects and efforts

on the proper classification and delimitation of the lands

of the public domain, and the management, utilization,

protection, rehabilitation, and development of forest

lands;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President

of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers in me vested

by the Constitution, do hereby revise Presidential Decree

No. 389 to read as follows:

Section 1. Title of this Code. This decree shall be known as

the "Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines."

Section 2. Policies. The State hereby adopts the following

policies:

(a) The multiple uses of forest lands shall be oriented to

the development and progress requirements of the

country, the advancement of science and technology,

and the public welfare;

(b) Land classification and survey shall be systematized

and hastened;

(c) The establishment of wood-processing plants shall be

encouraged and rationalized; and

(d) The protection, development and rehabilitation of

forest lands shall be emphasized so as to ensure their

continuity in productive condition.

Section 3. Definitions.

a) Public forest is the mass of lands of the public domain

which has not been subject to the present system of

classification for the determination of which lands are

needed for forest purposes and which are not.

b) Permanent forest or forest reserves refers to those

lands of the public domain which have been the subject

of the present system of classification and declared as

not needed for forest purposes.

c) Alienable or disposable lands refer to those lands of

the public domain which have been the subject of the

present system of classification and declared as not

needed for forest purposes.

d) Forest lands includes the public forest, the permanent

forest or forest reserves, and forest reservations.

e) Grazing land refers to that portion of the public

domain

which

has

been set aside, in view of the

suitability of its topography and vegetation, for the

raising of livestock.

f) Mineral lands refer to those lands of the public domain

which have been classified as such by the Secretary of

Natural Resources in accordance with prescribed and

approved criteria, guidelines and procedure.

g) Forest reservations refer to forest lands which have

been reserved by the President of the Philippines for any

specific purpose or purposes.

h) National park refers to a forest land reservation

essentially of primitive or wilderness character which has

been withdrawn from settlement or occupancy and set

aside as such exclusively to preserve the scenery, the

natural and historic objects and the wild animals or

plants

therein,

and

to

provide enjoyment of these

features in such a manner as will leave them unimpaired

for future generations.

i) Game refuge or bird sanctuary refers to a forest land

designated for the protection of game animals, birds and

fish and closed to hunting and fishing in order that the

excess population may flow and restock surrounding

areas.

j) Marine park refers to any public offshore are delimited

as habitat of rare and unique species of marine flora and

fauna.

k)

Seashore

park

refers

to

any

public

shore

area

delimited for outdoor recreation, sports fishing, water

skiing and related healthful activities.

l) Watershed reservation is a forest land reservation

established to protect or improve the conditions of the

water yield thereof or reduce sedimentation.

m) Watershed is a land area drained by a stream or fixed

body of water and its tributaries having a common

outlet for surface run-off.

n) Critical watershed is a drainage area of a river system

supporting existing and proposed hydro-electric power,

irrigation works or domestic water facilities needing

immediate protection or rehabilitation.

o) Mangrove is a term implied to the type of forest

occurring on tidal flat along the sea coast, extending

along stream where the water is brackish.

p) Kaingin refers to a portion of the forest land which is

subjected to shifting and/or permanent slash-and-burn

cultivation.

q) Forest product means timber, pulpwood, firewood,

bark, tree top, resin, gum, wood, oil, honey, beeswax,

nipa, rattan, or other forest growth such as grass, shrub,

and flowering plant, the associated water, fish, game,

scenic, historical, recreational and geologic resources in

forest lands.

© 2018 Compiled by RGL

20 of 244