Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.   ________ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 
AN ACT 
DECLARING THE PANTARON MOUNTAIN RANGE AS A 
PROTECTED AREA CATEGORIZED AS A NATIONAL PARK AND 
WATERSHED, AND PROVIDING FOR ITS MANAGEMENT AND 
ADMINISTRATION 
EXPLANATORY NOTE: 
The Pantaron Mountain Range is home to one of the few remaining 
“old growth” primary forest areas not only in Mindanao but in the entire 
country. Major rivers and primary water sources in Mindanao have their 
headwaters in the mountain range, contributing to the consistent stream 
of fresh water in the Mindanao region 
Further, it serves as habitat to a vast range of flora and fauna 
including some rare and endemic species such as the critically 
endangered Philippine Eagle, the Philippine Brown Deer, the Philippine 
Flying Lemur, and the Mindanao-endemic Gymnure.  
The rich biodiversity and abundant water supply of the Pantaron 
Mountain Range gives us compelling reasons to ensure its protection and 
preservation as a National Park and Watershed Reservation. No less than 
the Philippine Constitution mandates the protection of nature and 
ecology through Article II, Section 16 expressly stating that: The State shall 
protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in 
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. 
Through this measure, the entire area encompassing Pantaron 
Mountain Range will be protected from threats of abuse and destruction 
August 18, 2022
2:05 pm
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and at the same time provide for sustainable development in the area for 
generations to come. 
 
 
Hence, approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 


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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.   ________ 
Introduced by  
REPRESENTATIVE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ 
AN ACT 
DECLARING THE PANTARON MOUNTAIN RANGE AS A 
PROTECTED AREA CATEGORIZED AS A NATIONAL PARK AND 
WATERSHED, AND PROVIDING FOR ITS MANAGEMENT AND 
ADMINISTRATION 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. – This Act shall be known as and cited as “Pantaron 
Mountain Range National Park Act” 
SEC. 2. Land Categorization Under the 1987 Constitution. – All lands 
comprising the Pantaron Mountain Range shall fall under the category of 
National Park and Watershed Reservation under Article 12 Section 4 of 
the 1987 Constitution, to be known as the Pantaron Range National Park 
and Watershed. 
SEC. 3.  Land Categorization Under Republic Act No. 11038 otherwise known 
as the “Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018”. – 
All lands comprising the Pantaron Mountain Range shall fall under the 
category of Natural Park and Protected Area under Section 3 of RA 11038. 
SEC. 4. Scope and Coverage. – The entire Pantaron Mountain Range is 
hereby declared as National Park and Watershed Reservation. 
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The technical boundaries and area description of the Pantaron 
Mountain Range shall be subjected to actual ground survey and 
verification to be conducted by the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR) within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of 
this Act. Any modification of the coverage of this Act due to such factors 
as changing ecological situations, new scientific or archaeological 
findings, or discovery of traditional boundaries not previously taken into 
account shall be made through an act of Congress, after consultation with 
the affected public and concerned government agencies. 
 
SEC. 5. Management of National Park and Watershed Reservations. – The 
Pantaron Range National Park and Watershed shall be under the joint 
administrative jurisdiction, supervision, and control of the DENR and the 
provincial government of all covered areas and shall be managed in 
accordance with the 1987 Constitution and RA 11038. 
 
SEC. 6. Ancestral Lands and Domain. – The rights of indigenous cultural 
communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) to their ancestral domains 
shall be fully recognized subject to Section 56 of the Republic Act No. 
8371, otherwise known as the “Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997 
(IPRA)”. Traditional property regimes exercised by indigenous cultural 
communities in accordance with their customary laws shall govern the 
relationships of all individuals within their communities with respect to 
all lands and resources found within ancestral lands. 
 
SEC. 7. Appropriations. – The Secretary of the DENR shall immediately 
include in the Department’s program the implementation of this Act and 
funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations 
Act. 
 
SEC. 8. Separability Clause. – If any of the sections or provision of this Act 
is held unconstitutional, all other provision not affected thereby shall 
remain valid. 
 
SEC. 9. Repealing Clause. – All laws, decrees, orders, resolutions, 
instructions, and rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are 
inconsistent with this Act, are hereby deemed repealed or modified 
accordingly. 
 
 


 
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SEC. 10. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general 
circulation. 
 
  
Approved.