Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9999
Introduced by Representative PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The National Greening Program or NGP is the country's most ambitious reforestation 
program to date. It was first introduced in 2011 through the issuance of Executive Order No. 26, 
Series of 2011 which main agendum includes the planting of 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million 
hectares of lands of the public domain for a period of six (6) years—from C.Y. 2011 to C.Y. 2016. 
Thereafter, Executive Order No. 193 was issued on November 12, 2015 to implement the 
Expanded NGP that will rehabilitate all the remaining unproductive, denuded and degraded 
forestlands estimated at 7.1 million hectares from C.Y. 2016 to C.Y. 2028. 
In the study conducted by the Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS) 
entitled “Positive impact of greening program on economy and environment”, Senior 
Research Fellow Danilo Israel reiterated that in the end of the first National Greening 
Program in 2016, the program exceeded its target area at one hundred and thirteen percent 
(113%) but fell short in its target seedling planted at ninety percent (90%). Although the said 
figures already equaled or even surpassed what the Philippine government had 
accomplished in reforestation in the past 50 years since 2016, there is still a number of 
effective steps to improve its implementation to ensure its success, most especially during 
the current Expanded National Greening Program implementation and with respect to the 
program’s billions-worth of allocated budget annually. 
The main implementation strategies of the National Greening Program are the 
harmonization of all greening efforts of the government, civil society and the private sector 
and the provision of incentives to people’s organizations, the program’s primary partners 
in the areas of seedling production, site preparation and planting. Hence, there is a need to 
inculcate the Expanded National Greening Program in the very basic unit of the country’s 
society—the barangay. In fact, as early as 2013, the Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources (DENR) and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) have 
already issued a Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2013-03 or the Guidelines in the Establishment 
of the Barangay Forest Program in Support of the National Greening Program.  
February 27, 2024
9:24 am


 
With respect to the success of the first National Greening Program in the country’s 
economy and environment, there is a need to codify into legislation the said Joint 
Memorandum Circular in pursuit of the ongoing Expanded National Greening Program. The 
communities in the barangay, which widely and wholeheartedly know and protect their very 
own natural resources, especially forest lands, would be able to participate and given accord in 
the identification, assessment and implementation of the Expanded National Greening 
Program through the enactment of this proposed measure.  
 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate approval of this Bill is earnestly sought. 
 
 
 
 
HON. PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
2nd Regular Session 
House Bill No. 9999 
Introduced by Representative PAOLO Z. DUTERTE 
 AN ACT 
TO PROMOTE GREENING AND FORESTLAND REHABILITATION AND 
PROTECTION AT THE BARANGAY LEVEL, SPURRING LOCAL CLIMATE 
CHANGE ACTION, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
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 the "Barangay Greening and Forest Land 
Rehabilitation and Protection Act of 2024.” 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. – Recognizing the vulnerability of local 
communities to the impact of climate change and the role of local governments as 
frontline agencies in the formulation and implementation of climate change action, it is 
hereby declared the policy of the State to advance climate change adaptation strategies 
from the national to the barangay level and promote the right of people to enjoy the 
benefits of a balanced and healthy ecology. 
Further recognizing that environmental degradation aggravates the impact of 
climate change, it is the policy of the State to advance greening and rehabilitation and 
protection of forest lands as a priority adaptation strategy. 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act: 
(a) Adaptation refers to the adjustment in natural or human systems in response
to actual or expected climatic stimuli or their effects, which moderates harm or
exploits beneficial opportunities;


(b) Climate Change refers to a change in climate identified by changes in the mean 
and /or variability of its properties that persists for an extended period, typically 
decades or longer, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human 
activity; 
(c) Forest lands include the public forest, the permanent forest or forest reserves, 
and forest reservations;  
(d) Forest land rehabilitation programs shall include the conservation, 
management, and development of forest resources and biodiversity; and  
(e) Forest resources shall refer to any timber stands of half a hectare or more 
regardless of land classification or ownership 
(f) Local greening programs shall aim to build, develop, and maintain forest parks 
in provincial, city, municipal, barangay parks, roads, elementary school grounds, 
and other public open spaces, where appropriate and in private lands where 
permitted or if such are left idle for at least 10 years. 
 
 
 
SEC. 4. Barangay Greening and Forest Land Rehabilitation and Protection - 
Pursuant to the pertinent provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local Government 
Code, local government units (LGUs) shall share the responsibility in sustainable 
management and utilization of forest resources within their territorial jurisdiction, 
including those assigned by law to other government agencies. The Barangay 
Environment Committee in the Barangay Council shall inventory forest resources in 
public and private lands for the City or Municipality to consolidate in their databases for 
planning purposes. These inventories should specify, as far as possible, the dominant 
species in the timber stands. Subject to vested rights, the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR) and LGUs in the provincial, city, municipal, and barangay 
level, in consultation with other government agencies, local communities, non-
government organizations, academic and research institutions, and other sectors, shall 
jointly undertake the planning, formulation and implementation of local greening and 
forest land rehabilitation and protection programs.  
 
 
 
SEC. 5. Institutional Arrangements. - Each province, city, and municipality shall 
integrate the objectives of this Act in its policies, plans, and programs. Each city and 
municipality shall mobilize all concerned local agencies and communities to ensure 
prompt and effective implementation of this Act in every barangay. The LGUs shall 
conduct information and advocacy drives to promote local greening and forest land 
rehabilitation and protection programs, prioritizing native trees and if possible, species 
of endangered trees. The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall 
coordinate with the LGUs to ensure prompt and effective implementation of this Act. The 
Climate Change Commission (CCC), as the sole government agency tasked to coordinate, 


monitor, and evaluate government programs and actions plans relating to climate 
change, shall coordinate and synchronize programs on forest land rehabilitation to 
ensure harmonization with national plans and programs and to facilitate the provision of 
resources. The DENR shall provide assistance to LGUs in the identification, selection, and 
allocation of sites for rehabilitation and local greening and in enhancing LGU capability 
for the planting of the right species, especially in critical watersheds, natural forests, and 
mangrove areas, the use of efficient reforestation technologies, and the necessary steps to 
protect the remaining natural forests and national parks. The DENR shall likewise assist 
in the planning and permitting to cull invasive tree species and/ or species that may 
impact vulnerable food chain elements such as but not limited to African Tulips. All 
concerned agencies shall undertake information and advocacy drives. 
 
 
 
SEC. 6. Coordination with Forestry, Natural Resources, Agricultural, and 
Fisheries Schools. - Subject to the rules and regulations, DENR, in consultation with the 
Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), 
may promulgate forestry, natural resources, agricultural and fisheries schools, both 
public and private, shall participate in the national and local implementation and 
monitoring of this Act. The concerned national agencies shall facilitate government or 
other financial assistance for such participation. The DENR shall provide technical 
assistance for capacity building of participating educational institutions, not only to 
ensure adequate, quality supply of planting materials, but also to transfer and propagate 
appropriate technologies for local greening and forest land rehabilitation and protection. 
The DENR shall likewise mobilize civil society to assist in these tasks and help DENR 
with localized plans and inventories. Fiscal and non-fiscal incentives shall be granted to 
participating institutions. 
 
 
 
SEC. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The DENR shall, in consultation 
with CC and DILG, promulgate the pertinent rules and regulations to fully implement 
the objectives and purposes of this Act within a period not later than ninety (90) days 
after the approval of this Act. 
 
 
SEC. 8. Appropriations. - The amount necessary to initially implement the 
provision of this Act shall be taken out of any funds in the National Treasury not 
otherwise appropriated: Provided, That subsequent annual funding for the 
implementation of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act: 
Provided, further, that there shall be an equitable and proportionate annual 
appropriation of funds, and access thereto, for this purpose for all barangays. 
 


 
SEC. 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional or invalid by a court of competent jurisdiction, the remaining 
provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
 
SEC. 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree, issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule, or regulation contrary to or 
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended 
accordingly. 
 
 
SEC. 11. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication 
in the Official Gazette or in any two (2) newspapers of general circulation in the 
Philippines. 
 
 
Approved,