WHEREAS, MANGROVE FOREST as a resource provides environmental benefits such as: habitat, feeding, breeding area for aquatic resources and-sanctuary of wildlife species; stabilizers of the coastlines and coastal communities; and promotes soil built-up and water clarity;

WHEREAS, MANGROVE FOREST likewise provides economic benefits such as: source of timber and non-timber products;

WHEREAS, the major cause of mangrove deforestation is fishpondification or the conversion of mangrove forest into fishpond or prawn farms;

WHEREAS, the continued conversion of mangrove forest into fishpond will lead to total loss of the remaining mangrove resources.

NOW THEREFORE, in view of the foregoing premises, FURTHER ZONIFICATION of mangrove forests for fishpond development and/or the release of already zonified mangrove forests for the said purpose, shall henceforth be banned. in consonance thereto, the following implementing guidelines and instructions a hereby issued:

1. The ban shall cover the further release of zonified mangrove forest for fishpond development.
   
   
2. No further zonification activities shall be allowed in all mangrove areas.
   
   
3. Conduct inventory of mangrove areas zonified for fishpond purposes to determine, among others, the status of fishpond development therein. Areas not yet developed or no longer used for fishponds shall be reverted back to forest land for rehabilitation.
   
   
4. Likewise, determine the extent and status of the mangrove forests that are not subjected to zonification for fishpond purposes.
   
   
5. All DENR Regional Executive Directors shall submit within thirty (30) days from the effectivity date of this Order, the report pertaining hereto to include maps at scale 1:50,000 indicating the mangrove forests and development made thereon.

This Order shall take effect immediately.

Adopted: 03 Nov. 1998

(SGD.) ANTONIO H. CERILLES
Secretary

Recommended by:

(SGD.) JOSE D. MALVAS, JR.
Director