DENR to review Estrada orders

Acting Environment Secretary Joemari Gerochi ordered yesterday the immediate review of all orders signed by former President Joseph Estrada pertaining to environment and natural resources to weed out questionable or anomalous transactions. "The review is also intended to rationalize, strengthen, streamline or rescind otherwise redundant or inutile issuances," Gerochi said.

Gerochi said that some of the presidential issuances concerning mining which will be reviewed include Executive Order 153 issued in 1999 by Estrada "which authorizes the utilization of offshore areas not covered by approved mining permits and EO 2000 issued in year 2000 which authorizes the issuance of offshore special mineral extraction permits."

Other presidential issuances to be reviewed were EO 16 which created the Presidential Air Quality Commission; EO 69 which declared and plated portions of the waters in Manila Bay and its foreshore areas as a special tourist zone; EO 76 which created the Tanon Strait Commission; EO 111 issued in 1990 which established guidelines for ecotourism development in the Philippines.

EO 30 issued in 1999 which created an inter-agency coordinating committee to prepare and implement a land administration and management program; EO 204 issued in year 2000 which created an inter-agency steering committee to assist local government units in the preparation and completion of their comprehensive land use plans.

EO 20 issued in year 2000 creating the Philippine Task Force on Hazardous Waste in the former US military bases; and EO 231 (2000) which established the coordinative mechanism of the implementation of the economic recovery through agri-forest productivity in Caraga region.