WHEREAS, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) proclaimed the year 2008 as the International Year of Planet Earth (IYPE) on December 22, 2005 and has provided the ultimate goal to demonstrate the great potential of the Earth Sciences in building a safer, healthier, and wealthier society by promoting the sustainable development of earth materials;

WHEREAS, the UNGA further encouraged all member nations to prepare activities to increase awareness on the importance of Earth Sciences for the promotion and protection of the welfare of society and the entire humanity;

WHEREAS, the IYPE Project was jointly initiated by the International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO);

WHEREAS, Section II, Article 16 of the 1987 Philippine Constitution provides that "the State shall protect and advance the right of the Filipino people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature";

WHEREAS, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is mandated to conserve, manage, protect and develop the country's environment and natural resources within the context of sustainable development;

WHEREAS, The Philippines supports global consensus on the need to protect and save our planet from environmental degradation and ensure a sustainable future for all people;

WHEREAS, the wide-ranging societal importance of the geosciences for life and prosperity within the educational system and on the part of policy decision makers is recognized, specifically on the application of the potential of earth sciences in reducing the risks caused by natural and human-induced hazards, the sustainable use of groundwater and newly-discovered natural resources, on building structures for safer megacities, on determining the non-human factor in climatic change and the understanding of the evolution of life and origin of diversity;

WHEREAS, the Philippines acknowledges the essential need for the promotion of greater public awareness and understanding of the critical importance of what earth sciences could offer towards achieving a better quality of life;

WHEREAS, in recognition of the multi-sectoral and multi-faceted importance of the geosciences to the welfare and benefit of the Filipino people, a national policy is hereby adopted to give a premium on the role of the earth sciences in terms of the economic, social, political and environmental planning and action of both public and private agencies.

NOW, THEREFORE, I GLORIA MACAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Republic of the Philippines by the powers vested in me by law, do hereby declare the year 2008 as "Year of Planet Earth" and the month of April of every year thereafter as the "Month of Planet Earth";

The DENR, in partnership with other concerned agencies, the private sector, local government units, (LGUs), non-government organizations (NGOs), civic and religious organizations concerned, shall spearhead the observance of the "International Year of Planet Earth" in 2008 and the month of April of each year thereafter as the "Month of Planet Earth", through the conduct of support activities that would highlight the promotion of earth sciences towards a better society;

There is hereby created a National Committee to be composed of DENR, Member Agencies of the National Committee on Geological Sciences, the Department of Education, the Commission on Higher Education, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-National Commission, the Geological Society of the Philippines and concerned government and non-government agencies and organizations including the academe and civil societies to orchestrate program activities in support thereof and likewise ensure maximum participation of all concerned multi-sectoral groups for the observance of the month of April of each year thereafter as the "Month of Planet Earth".

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 10th day of April, the year of Our Lord, Two Thousand and Eight.


By the President:

(Sgd.) IGNACIO R. BUNYE
Acting Executive Secretary