DENR warns collecting endangered plants ‘illegal’ to plant enthusiasts

Photo credit: news.abs-cbn.com

On Friday, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) warned plant and gardening enthusiasts to avoid collecting plants that are considered "critically endangered" as getting these from the wild is considered illegal.

Dapat aware din po tayo na mayroon tayong Wildlife Act,

DENR-Biodiversity Management Bureau Director Ricardo Calderon said during a Senate budget hearing.

[We have to be aware of the Wildlife Act.]

Covered noon ang flora and fauna kaya ine-eemphasize natin sa ating publiko na hindi basta nagga-gather ng halaman sa mga kagubatan kasi meron silang mga permiso [na kailangan] bago makapag-gather nito,

he said.

[It covers both flora and the fauna that's why we are emphasizing to the public that they should not just gather plants from forests because some of these need to have permits.]

Under the said law, "no person or entity shall be allowed possession of wildlife unless such person or entity can prove financial and technical capability and facility to maintain said wildlife."

"Threatened wildlife possessed without certificate of registration shall be confiscated in favor of the government, subject to the penalties," the law read.

Breaking Wildlife Act law could result in up to 12 years in prison or a fine as much as P12 million.

During the Senate’s hearing into the DENR’s proposed P25.5-billion budget for 2021, Senator Nancy Binay urged DENR to strengthen its information campaign to let plant enthusiasts know about the penalties of collecting and selling plants that are rare plant species.

I think it’s best to look into the agency’s information campaign because we have so many plant enthusiasts right now (and) they may unknowingly be buying plants that are already in the list of endangered species,

Binay said.

DENR Assistance Secretary Ricardo Calderon assured that the agency is doing its part informing the public to be aware of the country’s wildlife conservation law through various social media platforms.

However, the DENR has yet to provide the Senate specific details about its information campaign on plant collection.