BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental, Philippines—After a long wait, a bill that sought a total log ban in the third district of Negros Occidental has finally become a law.

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed into law, on Tuesday, Republic Act 9741, which has strictly imposed a logging ban in the cities of Silay, Talisay and Victories and the towns of EB Magalona and Murcia, Representative Jose Carlos Lacson (Negros Occidental, 3rd District) said Wednesday.

Lacson, who authored the law, said the President normally let local bills lapse into the law but she chose to sign RA 9741 to stress its importance.

"The President is very sensitive to the matter of climate change and she wanted to deliver the message on the importance of preserving the environment," he added.

Lacson said he advocated a total log ban nationwide in 1987 when he first started as a congressman but it encountered a strong opposition lobby.

"The measure could not get through and since I could not enter the front door, I decided to enter through the back door by limiting it to my congressional district," he said.

Lacson said he could not push for a Negros-wide log ban since he could not speak for the other districts.

It took him three Congresses to get his bill passed, he added.

Lacson said that as far as he knew, RA 9741, "An Act Imposing A Logging Ban In The Third District of the Province of Negros Occidental," was the first law to be passed in the country declaring a total log ban in a district.

The law defines logging as the "process, work or business of cutting down trees for commercial purposes."

"The harvesting of planted species within tree plantations and the tree-cutting activities for projects approved by the government and only for basic services such as, but not limited to public works, energy development or water utilities, are exempted from the act," the law stated.

With the President's signing of RA 9741, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would be tasked to formulate the implementing rules and regulations, Lacson said.

He thanked the House committee on natural resources chairman, Representative Ignacio Arroyo Jr. (Negros Occidental, 5th District), and the Senate committee on environment and natural resources headed by Senator Ma. Ana Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal, Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile and House Speaker Prospero Nograles for their help.

Lacson expressed hope that with the new anti-logging law, other districts would also take steps to protect the environment through logging bans.