THE 21ST City Council passed an ordinance on Friday, Dec. 5, promoting and regulating honeybee production.
Proponent Councilor Ralph Abella said the passage will provide an avenue to recognize the role of beekeepers in the industry and enhance honeybee productivity.
“The measure seeks to enhance honeybee productivity by strengthening colony health, expanding suitable habitats, and promoting sustainable beekeeping practices,” Abella said.
Abella recognized the importance of honey bees in collecting nectar and pollen from flowers, facilitating pollination, which is an essential ecological function.
“It supports the city’s food security initiative, likewise for production and agricultural biodiversity,” he said.
The ordinance seeks to provide income-generating opportunities for rural communities, especially the indigenous farmers and small-scale enterprises.
Apart from protecting habitat and keeping a friendly environment for honeybees, the measure also seeks to preserve flowering plants and forage areas such as major nectar-bearing plants.
Abella said the ordinance also seeks to provide incentives to beekeepers to sustain the production not only of honey, but of beeswax, propolls, and other hive-derived by-products.
