MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan, Philippines — Governor Wilhelmino M. Sy Alvarado signed Thursday the Environmental Code of Bulacan before the start of the 3rd Regional Development Council meeting at the Hiyas Pavilion, here.

Governors and mayors from different provinces in Central Luzon who witnessed the signing said the protection of the environment and natural resources in this province has gained fresh momentum by having its own environmental code.

Alvarado said the measure — also known as the “2011 Revised Environmental Code of the Province of Bulacan — will further boost and strengthen local governance in the protection and preservation of environment and natural resources.

He said the Sanguniang Panglalawigan (Provincial Council) has passed Resolution No. 186-S 11 approving the provincial ordinance enacting the Environmental Code of Bulacan.

“The Provincial Government of Bulacan is mandated to provide leadership and direction for environmental protection and sustainable development of the province to best protect its people from the menace of natural and man-made environmental degradation and to address the effects of climate change,” Alvarado said.

“Bulacan is blessed not only with the richness of nature but also with the wealth of history and culture that is incomparable to other provinces in the country, aside from being the haven of various flora and fauna, abundant minerals and natural resources, our province is also the site of the three republics, the Biak na Bato Republic, Kakarong Republic and the Barasoain Republic, all of these need to be protected, conserved and promoted,” Alvarado said.

Lawyer Rustico “Teddy” de Belen, chief of the Bulacan Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO), said that the Environmental Code of Bulacan will cater to the salient concerns and system of governance in the protection of the province’s environment and natural resources.

De Belen said that under this code, the forestry and coastal management offices will be merged into a division of the BENRO. He said this will boost the environmental protection programs initiated and being implemented by Gov. Alvarado especially to the environmental concerns of the six coastal municipalities of Bulacan.

De Belen said that the ordinance shall cover all persons, entities, projects and business establishments within the territorial jurisdiction of the province of Bulacan and will also apply to all the devolved functions and community-based forestry projects, communal forest and including the powers, functions and areas of concern which may be subject to further devolution to the local government units.

He added that the new environmental code has put more teeth in the protection of environment and preservation of natural resources in Bulacan.