Bohol government set to review environment law

TAGBILARAN CITY — Governor Edgar Chatto has directed the immediate review and possible amendments to the Bohol Environment Code of 1998–the first of its kind in the country–considering the vulnerability of the province to climate change.

Chatto had earlier created different technical working groups to draft proposed changes in the BED, with the inclusion of more sectors, specifically on climate change.

The technical groups had recently started their job and aimed to beat the deadline set on the first quarter of this year before the output is submitted to the Provincial Board for approval.

The overhaul of the BEC may include strategies formulated during the Climate Change Summit held last year, said the Bohol Environment Management Office (BEMO).

According to the Philippine Strategy on Climate Change Adaptation, Bohol was ranked 7th of 15 provinces that were found "highly vulnerable" to climate change.

Other Visayan provinces in the list are Leyte at 5th, Negros Occidental at 9th, and Biliran at 13th.

Reducing climate change risks and vulnerability of human and natural ecosystems through ecosystem-based management approaches an appropriate technologies have been seriously considered in reviewing the BEC. — (FREEMAN)