FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

House Bill No. 2944

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Section 4, Article Xl of the Constitution states that the Congress shall,
as soon as possible, determine by law the specific limits of forest lands and
national parks, marking clearly their boundaries on the ground. Thereafter,
such forest lands and national parks shall be consented and may not be
increased nor diminished, except by law. The Congress shall provide, for such
period as it may determine measures to prohibit logging in endangered forests
and watershed areas.

According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
there are 52 provinces where there are efforts to delineate and establish
permanent forestland boundaries, for a total of 54,333 kilometers of forest land
from year 2000 to mid 2007. These provinces include: Benguet, Apayao,
Ifugao, La Union, Ilocos Norte, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Isabela, Cagayan,
Nueva Ecija, Bulacan, Zambales, Bataan, Tarlac, Pampanga, Aurora, Laguna,
Quezon, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon,
Catanduanes, Albay, Camarines Sur, Aklan, Antique, Capiz, lloilo, Guimaras,
Siquijor, Cebu, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Biliran, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Eastern
Samar, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga del Note, Zamboanga Sibugay,
Camiguin, Bukidnon, Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, South Cotabato, Sultan
Kudarat, Cotabato, Sarangani, Surigao del.Norte, Agusan del Sur and Agusan
del Norte. Of these, only 18 provinces have completed relocation survey.

Without the boundaries, our forest lands would be destroyed. Hence,
there is a need to demarcate and properly identify forestlands for their proper
use and preservation.


This bill seeks to declare as permanent forestlands the following: (a) all
lands of the public domain already classified as forestland per existing land
classification maps issued by the DENR, (6) all permanent forest reserves
proclaimed as such by the President or declared by Congress through law, and
(c) such areas within the unclassified lands of the public domain which may
hereafter be classified as forestland by DENR. The permanent forest line shall
be established and clearly marked on the ground by concrete monuments at
certain fixed distances, visible cut lines, signboards, and uniformly-spaced
distinctive trees maintained at all times between the concrete monuments.

In view of the foregoing, early passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

RUFUS B. RODRIGUEZ

Dia

MAXIMO B. RODRIGUEZ, JR


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —)
FIRST REGULAR SESSION )
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Introduced by Representative Rufus B. Rodriguez and
Representative Maximo B. Rodriguez, Jr.

2944

House Bill No.

AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE DELINEATION OF THE SPECIFIC FOREST LIMITS
OF THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the
Philippines in Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known and cited as the
“Final Forest Limits Act of 2010.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to
conserve, protect, and develop the forest resources of the country in order to
attain ecological balance, preserve valuable ecosystems, prevent
environmental degradation, and promote sustainable development for the
present and succeeding generations. To achieve these ends, Section 4, Article
XIl of the 1987 Constitution mandates Congress to determine by law the
specific limits of forestlands and national parks, marking clearly their
boundaries on the ground.

SECTION 3. What Constitutes the Permanent Forestlands.- The
permanent forestlands shall be as follows: (a) all lands of the public domain
already classified as forestland per existing land classification maps issued by
the DENR, (b) all permanent forest reserves proclaimed as such by the
President or declared by Congress through law, and (c) such areas within the
unclassified lands of the public domain which may hereafter be classified as
forestland by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
pursuant to this Act.

SECTION 4, Guidelines for Ground Delineation of the Specific
Forest Limits.- Immediately upon the effectivity of this Act, the DENR shall
undertake the actual ground survey and verification of the specific forest limits
using as basis ail existing Land Classification (LC) maps, the latest forest cover
data of the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA)


from its satellite imagery interpretations, and other available and reliable
sources of information.

SECTION 5. Boundaries to be Clearly Marked.- The permanent forest
line shall be established a d clearly marked on the ground by concrete
monuments at certain fixed distances, visible cut lines, signboards, and
uniformly-spaced distinctive trees maintained at all times between the concrete
monuments.

SECTION 6, Permanency of the Specific Forest Limits.- The
permanent forestlands established pursuant to this Act shall not be diminished
nor reduced except by an Act of Congress. The DENR, in coordination with all
agencies and branches of the government, shall see to it that the forest cover
and vegetation therein shall be protected, preserved, and enhanced.

SECTION 7. Subclassification of the Permanent Forestlands.- The
permanent forestlands shall be further subclassified as follows: (a) protection
forests and (b) production forests. After due consultation with the local
government units (LGUs), concerned communities, and ether stakeholders, the
DENR shall undertake the subclassification of the permanent forestlands.

Protection forests shall be managed in accordance with the provisions of
Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act
of 1992 (NIPAS Act).

Production forests shall be sustainably developed for natural
regeneration, reforestation, productivity, and wealth creation subject to
regulated harvesting.

SECTION 8. Recognition of the Rights of Upland Dwellers.- In the
ground delineation of the permanent forest limits, the occupation by indigenous
cultural communities and other upland dwellers shall be recognized and
respected consistent with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local
Government Code of 1991 and Republic Act No. 8371 or the indigenous
Peoples Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997.

SECTION 9. Accessibility of Record to the Public.- All records and
information pertaining to the specific forest limits delineated pursuant to this Act
shall be made available to all local government units (LGUs), other goverment
agencies, and to the general public.

SECTION 10. Implementing Rules and Regulations. Within three (3)
months from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR Secretary shall issue the
corresponding implementing Rules and Regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SECTION 11. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Reporting System. - To
attain the objectives of this Act, a field monitoring, evaluation, and reporting
system shall be adopted by the DENR Secretary on the extent and state of the
natural forests, furnishing Congress a copy of the report every six (6) months
through the Congressional Oversight committee created in Section 12 hereof.


SECTION 12 . Congressional Oversight Committee on the
Delineation of the Permanent Forest Limits.- There is hereby created a
Congressional Oversight Committee to oversee the implementation of this Act,
composed of seven (7) members from the Senate Committee on Environment
and Natural Resources and seven (7) members from the House of
Representatives Committee on Natural Resources.

The secretariat of the oversight committee shall be drawn from the
existing secretariat personnel of the committees comprising the oversight and
the funding shall be taken from the appropriations of both the House of
Representatives and the Senate.

SECTION 13. Appropriations.- The Secretary of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources shall include in the Department's program
the implementation of this Act, the initial funding of which shall be charged
against the current year's appropriations of the Department and thereafter
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

Funds for the implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be
supplemented also from any available official development assistance (ODA)
and from joint projects between agencies of the Philippines and an assisting
country.

Local government units may also allocate counterpart funds to be taken
from their internal revenue allotment (IRA) and other LGU income for the
delineation of the forest limits within their respective territorial jurisdictions.

SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - if any portion of this Act is
declared unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivity of
the other provisions not affected thereby.

SECTION 15. Repealing Clause.- All laws, decrees, letters of
instruction, executive order, rules and regulations, and other issuance or parts
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 16. Effectivity.- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,