Proclamation No. 178, s. 2011

-:-= MALACANAN PALACE MANILA BY THe PRESIDENT oF THE PHILIPPINES PROCLAMATION No. 17 B DECLARING THE YEARS 2011 TO 2O2O AS THE NATIONAL DECADE ONBIODIVERSITY IN THE PHILIPPINES WHEREAS, biological diversity, also referred to as biodiversity, provides avariety of goods and ecosystem seryices essential to sustain all life bn earlh andis the foundation of a healthy environment that is necessary for human well-beinqand sustainable development; wHEREAS, the Philippines, as one of the world's seventeen (17), mega-diverse countries with immensely rich biodiversities, is also one of thebiodiversity hotspots that continue to face constant threats of degradation; WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the United Nations (UN), concerned with the continuous loss of biodiversity throughout the world,'rnd'the social,economic, environmental and cultural implications of such loss, acknowledges the need for concerted efforts by the international community in reducing the rateof damage in biodiversity and the need for effective public education to raiseawareness on biodiversity; WHEREAS, the Philippines, as a founding Member State of the UN and aParty to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), recognizes the UNDecade on Biodiversity as an excellent opportunity to increase awareness of theimportance of biodiversity and promote actions at the national, provincial, andlocal levels to conserye and sustainably manage the nation's rich naturalheritage; and WHEREAS, the Philippines, as a party to the cBD, is committed to theattainment of the new global biodiversity goals set out during the 1gth Meeting ofthe Conference of the Parties held in Nagoya, Japan in 2010. Now, THEREFORE, l, BENIGNO s. AeulNo ilr, president of thePhilippines, by virtue of the power$ vesteci in me by laut, do hereby declai-e theyears 2011 to 2020 as the National Decade on Biadirrersity in thb philippines (Biod iversity Decade). All branches and agencies of the Government. including, but not limited to,commissions, national government agencies, local government units, stateuniversities and colleges, government-owned and-controlled corporations, incooperation with the private sectors of society, commLtnity organizations, andnon-government organizations, a.re hereby enjoined to initiate activities topromote the Biodiversity Decade. , ,,@ft r ot g, $rrs.,lauiiEffifirypines I illillll lllll lllilltlllllll|{[urutilililIiliiiitilt The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is herebymandated to coordinate the Biodiversity Decade's activities, inciuding th;establishment of a National Task Force that will plan and implement activitiesand submit annual reporls to the Office of the President and a final report three(3) months after the culmination of the Decade. lN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused theseal of the Republic of the philippines to be affixed. DONE, in the City of Manila, this zsrrr day of Mayyear of our Lord, Two Thousand and Eleven. , in the FAOUITO_D|aOCHOA, JR. **ffi[filflr ilrfrffllr rf rfilililxtjl/l/lqilil/lfll/l/lllll/ By the President: lvtAHli$iiit t$ ljl