Republic of the Philippines HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Quezon City FIFTEENTH CONGRESS Second Regular Session HOUSE RESOLUTION No.

1698 ___________________________________________________________________________ Introduced by Rep. TEDDY A. CASIO ___________________________________________________________________________ RESOLUTION COMMENDING THE PRIVATE SECTOR INITIATIVES AND CALLING FOR INCREASED STATE INVOLVEMENT TO CONSERVE THE CRITICALLYENDANGERED PHILIPPINE CROCODILE WHEREAS, the Philippine crocodile (Crocodylus mindorensis), has been classified as criticallyendangered by the World Conservation Union, saying it will be extinct in 10 years if no conservation measures are immediately undertaken; WHEREAS, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has placed the said crocodile endemic to the Philippines in its Red List of Threatened Species. The Philippine crocodile that thrives in freshwater and are non-threatening to humans unless provoked, has been nearly wiped out, with no more than 100 non-hatchlings in the wild as of 1995, estimates the Florida Museum of Natural History; WHEREAS, the Mabuwaya Foundation Inc. (MFI), an organization engaged in protecting the species, said only 100 mature Philippine crocodiles are left in the wilds of Isabela province in Northern Luzon and the Liguasan Marsh in Maguindanao, Southwest Mindanao; WHEREAS, there are currently two laws that help protect the Philippine crocodile: An Act Providing for the Conservation and Protection of Wildlife Resources and Their Habitats (Republic Act 9147) enacted on July 30, 2001, and the Animal Welfare Act (Republic Act 8485) enacted on February 11, 1998. But despite these and other existing laws and the steep penalties for killing the Philippine crocodile, indiscriminate hunting and destruction of its habitat due to mining and logging continue to deplete the crocodile population; WHEREAS, the state particularly the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has perfunctory participation in the conservation efforts of the Philippine crocodile that are predominantly done by local and international non-government organizations (NGOs) such as MFI, the international conservationist group Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund; WHEREAS, it is also pleasantly surprising that Lacoste, the world-famous French sportswear brand with its reptilian emblem, has made good its vow to save the species to which it owes its

global renown by supporting the MFI to save the Philippine crocodile from extinction. Lacoste has brought its Cash for Communities Conserving Crocodiles (4Cs) to the Philippines this year to help in conservation efforts for our endangered crocodile species by giving incentives to local communities with reported increases in an endangered species population; WHEREAS, while it is laudable that NGOs have ramped up their efforts to innovatively help increase the population of wild Philippine crocodiles in the wetlands of San Mariano, Isabela where more than 60 young crocodiles have so far been released, the State has to help stop the conversion of their natural habitat including lakes, creeks, ponds, and marshes into logging concessions, mining enclaves, and residential or commercial spaces; NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the House of Representatives commend the private sector initiatives and call for increased State involvement to conserve the criticallyendangered Philippine Crocodile. Adopted,

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