Introduction:

Cogon Eco-Tourism Park is a first-rate tourist attraction that is very famous for featuring
different kinds as well as diverse species of trees. Within the parks vast expanse also lies a 40hectare natural forest that is home to at least ten documented rare fauna species such as
Philippine Monkey, the Pigeon Dove, the Philippine Turtle Dove,the Monitor Lizard, and fruit
bats, among others.

It is located at Barangay Cogon in the City of Dipolog, it was founded since 1958, which is
basically a reforestation project covering 344 hectares of land. The environmental rest are park
and forest preserve stretches into the neighboring Municipality of Polanco.

The Park also features the Subanen Village, where some of the native people continuously reside
up to this very moment, Subanen tribesmen serve as living examples of the rich history, culture,
and tradition of the place.

I.

List of Environmental Laws implemented in the Park.

A. Presidential Decree No. 705

Revising Presidential Decree No.389.
Otherwise known as Revised Forestry Code of the Philippines
Issued on May 19, 1975
B. Executive Order No. 26
Declaring an Interdepartmental Convergence Initiative for a National Greening Program
Issued on February 24, 2011
C. Executive Order No. 23
Declaring a Moratorium on the Cutting and Harvesting of Timber in the Natural and
Residual
Forests and Creating the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force
Issued on February 1, 2011
D. Republic Act 9147
Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act: Ensuring Ecological Sustainability
Issued on July 30, 2001
E. City Ordinance 123
Otherwise known as Sanitation Ordinance of Dipolog City
F. City Ordinance 196
Otherwise known as Anti-Smoking Ordinance

II.

Personal assessment on whether or not environmental laws are implemented

effectively.

If so, what have you observed to make you conclude such.

If not, cite the obstacles as observed.

No. Not all the environmental laws are implemented well, such as City Ordinance 123,
Otherwise known as Sanitation Ordinance of Dipolog Cityand City Ordinance 196 ,otherwise
known as Anti-Smoking Ordinance

In accordance to Ordinance 123, where and when to throw garbage: Each homeowner,
tenant, manager, or person-in-charge of establishment / buildings shall provide an adequate
covered trash receptacles where garbage, trash, rubbish or waste materials shall be thrown.

The Park, has no adequate covered trash receptacles for garbage especially in the
trekking and hall areas except restroom or toilet facility, as we observed.

On the other hand, Ordinance 196 (Anti-Smoking Ordinance) was not implemented
effectively because there was no signage in designated areas for No Smoking Zone, as we
observed, guests or netizens they can smoke anywhere and anytime without observing the exact
area or zone where smoking can be allowed.

Hence, non-observance of the laws implemented though few but the impact on it, shall
make the environment and natural resources into destruction.

III.

List down all your impressions on the natural resources seen on your way to the
park, on the park itself, and its sorroundings.

The Cogon Eco-Tourism Park was 20-minute ride from the heart of the city. By going there was
easy as one, less energy of consumption needed, no entrance fee, hassle-free indeed.

The park sorrounded with big healthy trees, there were different varieties of flora, encountered
some endangered bird species, birds tweeted wonderfully, plants were well-cultivated, fresh air
and the breeze was cooled by the forest. Peaceful ambiance that the place provided, perfect for
outdoor activities such as camping, trekking, as well as reaching the tree house by using stairs
slowly swaying.

The hanging bridge was created outrageously, spacious parking lot, and well-preserved tradition,
and culture of the Subanen Tribe. Free to take pictures as much as you can and you could able to
witness the Subanen Dance.

The alluring atmosphere of a place mirrored the nurturing and welcoming attitude of the people
around. The experience was the best and priceless. Whatever it took us afterwards of the tour, the
knowledge, lesson and adventure we went through would remain forever.

We achieved the comfort of true nature, applying the environmental laws and other ordinances
promulgated by the Local Government Unit. It shows that helping hand on hand together as one,
it creates more effective than implementing those laws concerned about environment. It starts
from within, appreciating the creatures provided by our Great Creator.

IV.
From your exposure in the field trip, what do you think you can do to help protect
and preserve our environment?

a. Through legal means

b. Through personal involvement

From our experience in the field trip, we realized that it is not yet too late to do something in
order to protect and preserve our environment. In helping to protect and preserve our
environment, it must through legal means and personal involvement.

When we say through legal means, it pertains to the application of all existing and applicable
Environmental and Natural Resources laws. The following are examples of laws that could be
applied.

Helping to preserve and protect our environment could be done also through personal
involvement; say for instance, the involvement on the National Greening Program initiated by
the DENR as its lead agency involving primarily on Tree Planting activities as well as its long
term objectives on maintaining the development of the trees planted.

In order also to achieve the goals on each program, educational training as well as information
dissemination must be properly done. Aside from the programs that are mainly for replacement
or having a curative effect to our environment, it is also important to be involved actively in the
implementation of the programs that have a preventive or preserving effect. An example of
which is the law on the proper waste disposal as well as the law prohibiting the cutting down of
trees and the other laws that are very effective and applicable to the present condition in our
society.

However, the involvement of the above stated laws provided by the state cannot be realized when
the proper information with regards to the effects of the destructive human acts to our
environment will not be first implanted in our minds. Hence, in order for us to be effective we
must first manage our own waste and be well informed and to the cause and effect of our acts to
our environment. Then, if we could be effective in the latter, we can now educate our neighbors
in two ways, namely: 1. By our own acts 2. By the information that we could give to them.