DENR seeks clarity on charcoal rules

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has reaffirmed its position that charcoal has historically been treated as a forest product and remains subject to forestry regulations following the agency’s recent motion for reconsideration filing in the case of People of the Philippines v. Rudy Villagen y Suelos.

Under G.R. E-02082, filed on 11 June 2026, the petition argued that wood charcoal has long been regulated within the country’s forestry framework and should continue to be considered within the broader context of forest resource management.

The DENR said its position is anchored on more than a century of forestry regulation, dating back to the Revised Administrative Code of 1917, which expressly included charcoal among forest products subject to government oversight.

“Our position is not directed against legitimate livelihood activities,” DENR Secretary for Legal and Enforcement and Field Operations-Luzon Norlito Eneran said.

“Rather, we seek clarity and consistency in the interpretation and implementation of forestry laws so that environmental protection and community welfare can be advanced together,” he added.

Eneran stressed that the classification issue carries implications for the traceability of forest-derived products, sustainable sourcing practices and the effective management of forest resources.

The DENR reiterated that wood charcoal remains a wood-based product derived from forest resources and that its long-standing treatment in forestry regulations merits careful consideration.

“While the DENR has respectfully sought reconsideration of the decision and has presented its legal and policy arguments before the Court, we recognize that, for the meantime, the Supreme Court ruling remains unless modified or reversed by the Court,” Eneran said.