Declaring Year 2010 as the "National Year of Biodiversity"

February 19, 2010

PROCLAMATION NO. 2003

DECLARING YEAR 2010 AS THE "NATIONAL YEAR OF BIODIVERSITY"

WHEREAS, biological diversity, also referred to as biodiversity, provides a large number of goods and services essential to sustain all life and is a foundation of a sound environment that is necessary for human well-being and sustainable development; TEAcCD

WHEREAS, the Philippines, as one of the eighteen (18) megadiverse countries with immensely rich biodiversity is also one of the biodiversity hotspots and continues to face constant threats of degradation;

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of the United Nations, concerned by the continuous loss of biodiversity throughout the world and by the social, economic, environmental and cultural implications of this loss, conscious of the need for effective education to raise public awareness on biodiversity, and acknowledging the need for concerted efforts to significantly reduce the rate of loss of biodiversity, declared the year 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (IYB);

WHEREAS, the Philippines, as one of the member states of the United Nations and a Party to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), is encouraged to take advantage of the International Year of Biodiversity to increase awareness of the importance of biodiversity by promoting actions at the national, regional, and local levels;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines, by virtue of the powers vested in me by the constitution and by law, do hereby declare the year 2010 as the National Year of Biodiversity (NYB) in support of the 2010 IYB celebration. TIaEDC

All agencies of the executive branch including but not limited to commissions, national government agencies, local government units, state universities and colleges, government-owned and controlled corporations, in cooperation with other private sectors of society, i.e., church, industry, civil society and other non-government organizations are hereby enjoined to initiate activities to promote the NYB.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall coordinate the NYB activities and submit a report to the Office of the President two (2) months after the culmination of the NYB.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Republic of the Philippines to be affixed.

DONE in the City of Manila, this 19th day of February, in the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Ten.