As provided for under Section 4 of E.O. 192, the DENR is mandated to be the primary government agency responsible for the conservation, management, development and proper use of the country's environment and natural resources, including those in reservations, watershed areas and lands of the public domain, as well as the licensing and regulation of all natural resources utilization as may be provided by law in order to ensure equitable sharing of the benefits derived therefrom for the welfare of the present and future generations of Filipinos.