Question & AnswerQ&A (Republic Act No. 9486)
The official title of the law is the "Central Cebu Protected Landscape (CCPL) Act of 2007" as stated in Section 1.
The policy includes protecting, conserving, maintaining, and rehabilitating the natural physical attributes and biological diversities of the watershed, recognizing its role for water generation and supply, and ensuring sustainable development harmonious with nature, as declared in Section 2.
All lands of the public domain comprising the CCPL are classified as national park pursuant to Section 3 and the 1987 Philippine Constitution.
The CCPL consolidates the Buhisan Watershed Forest Reserve, Mananga Watershed Forest Reserve, Sudlon National Park, Central Cebu National Park, and Kotkot-Lusaran Watershed Forest Reserve located within several cities and municipalities in the Province of Cebu, as stated in Section 4.
The CCPL-PAMB has sole jurisdiction and authority over all matters affecting biodiversity conservation, watershed protection, and sustainable development within the CCPL. Its duties include issuing rules and regulations, approving management plans, raising funds, and recommending policy changes, as provided in Section 6.
The CCPL-PAMB is composed of representatives including the DENR Regional Executive Director (chairman), provincial officers, city/municipal mayors or representatives, barangay representatives, local people’s organizations, NGOs, and government agencies involved in CCPL management, as explained in Section 7.
The ExeCom, as created under Section 8 and 9, handles day-to-day affairs, approves policies and guidelines, acts on proposals, handles research requests, and recommends issuance of permits related to the CCPL, operating under delegated powers from the CCPL-PAMB.
The PASu is the chief operating DENR officer of the CCPL. Duties include preparing management plans, enforcing laws, monitoring activities, providing secretariat functions for the PAMB, and deputizing local community leaders, as detailed in Section 10.
Tenured migrants may become stewards of allowable zones, and their tenure instruments and land claims will be verified and reviewed to align with management plans. Migrants in non-permissible zones must be resettled outside the PA humanely. The PAMB oversees these processes, as outlined in Section 11.
Exploitation of nonrenewable resources is prohibited inside the CCPL. Renewable energy projects are allowed only under specific conditions such as DENR approval, outside strict protection zones, and after undergoing Environmental Impact Assessment, as specified in Section 12.
Prohibited acts include unauthorized taking or destruction of wildlife or flora, mineral extraction, quarrying, hunting of animals, introduction of exotic species, illegal occupation, use of mechanized equipment without permits, and vandalism, among others. Penalties range from fines of P5,000 to P500,000 and/or imprisonment for one to six years. Additional penalties and confiscation of implements apply, as described in Section 14.
The CCPL Fund is a trust fund used to finance CCPL projects. It receives 75% of income generated from CCPL operations such as fees, royalties, donations, and proceeds from permits, while 25% goes to the Integrated Protected Areas Fund (IPAF). The fund is used solely for protection, maintenance, and management, and cannot cover personal services, as set in Section 16.
Major existing facilities must submit project descriptions to the CCPL-PAMB. The Board, with DENR assistance, will assess their impact and may impose conditions or fine owners for violations. Facilities with accumulating fines of P500,000 may be ordered demolished, as provided in Section 13.
The Secretary of the DENR appoints CCPL-PAMB members for terms of five years, except for government officials whose term is tied to their office. Initial members are nominated from interim PAMBs and must have at least 50% women representation, per Section 7.
Any modification due to ecological changes or new findings requires an act of Congress after consultation with the affected public and concerned government agencies, as detailed in Section 4.
The Department of Justice appoints a special prosecutor to handle cases of violations within the CCPL, coordinating with the CCPL-PAMB and PASu, and assisting in training wardens and arrest procedures, as provided in Section 15.
Kaingin or slash-and-burn is prohibited within the CCPL as a destructive illegal act, included under prohibited acts in Section 14.
Strict protection zones are areas of high biodiversity value closed to all human activity except scientific studies and ceremonial use by indigenous communities; they may include habitats of threatened species or areas designated for restoration, per Section 5(bb).
Conviction under this Act for public officers carries the accessory penalty of perpetual disqualification from public office, as stated in Section 14.