EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 837 - VESTING THE JURISDICTION, CONTROL AND REGULATION OVER THE WATERSHED AREAS OF THE MANITO, ALBAY AND BACON, SORSOGON GEOTHERMAL RESERVATION ESTABLISHED UNDER PROCLAMATION NO. 2036-A WITH THE MINISTRY OF ENERGY, PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION OF PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1515, AS AMENDED BY PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1749

WHEREAS, under Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1719, the jurisdiction, control and regulation over watershed areas and reservations supporting water based power projects vested in the Ministry of Energy;

WHEREAS, under Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended, the jurisdiction, control and regulation over the watershed areas at the Tiwi Geothermal Reservation, Tongonan Geothermal Area and Palimpinon Geothermal Areas are vested in the Ministry of Energy;  

WHEREAS, under Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended, when public interest so requires, jurisdiction over other watershed areas and reservation which support water based energy projects shall be transferred by the President of the Philippines to the appropriate government agency;

WHEREAS, under Proclamation 2036-A, the President of the Philippines established and reserved a parcel of land situated in Manito, Albay and Bacon, Sorsogon for the use of the Philippine National Oil Company-Energy Development Corporation (PNOC-EDC) for geothermal exploitation, exploration and development and was placed under the administration of the PNOC-EDC;

WHEREAS, under Proclamation No. 2036-A, all logging activities within the reservation are prohibited and all permits and licenses for logging operations in the area previously issued are revoked to conserve the forest covers as well as the geothermal resources in the area;  

WHEREAS, consistent with the government’s policy that the Ministry of Energy shall formulate and implement policies and plans and programs on the development of indigenous energy resources and shall contribute to the desired protection, development, management and rehabilitation of watershed and forest reservation/areas, the geothermal area covered by Proclamation No. 2036-A should be included within the coverage of Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1749.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, FERDINAND E. MARCOS, President of the Philippines, by virtue of powers vested in me by the Constitution and pursuant to Section 1 of Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended by Presidential Decree No. 1749, do hereby order the following:  

Section 1. The jurisdiction, control and regulation over the watershed areas of the Manito, Albay and Bacon, Sorsogon Geothermal Reservation established and described under Proclamation No. 2036-A shall be vested with the Ministry of Energy.

Sec. 2. The Ministry of Energy, through the National Power Corporation, shall be responsible for the management, protection, development and rehabilitation of the aforementioned watershed areas in accordance with Sec. 2 of Presidential Decree No. 1515, as amended.

Sec. 3. This Order shall take effect immediately.

Done in the City of Manila, this 14th day of October, in the year of Our Lord, nineteen hundred and eighty-two.
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