Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Mangroves are salt-tolerant trees or small shrubs that grow in coastal saline or 
brackish waters. This bill, proposed in recognition of the invaluable contribution of 
these ingenious plants to the world’s natural ecology, urges the establishment of 
mangrove reservation areas in all local government units along the coast. 
The importance of mangroves lies in their unique biology. They are tough plants that 
thrive in highly hostile conditions. They are often soaked, and sometimes even 
submerged, in salty waters and stand on muddy soil. Its timber is resistant to rotting 
and insects, making it a valuable construction material. The roots are highly dense 
and gather sediments which prevent coastal erosion by stabilizing the ground, barring 
strong waves, winds and even floods. The plants also provide shelter to a wide variety 
of fish, crab, shrimp, and mollusk species, including threatened and endangered ones. 
According to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), there are as many as 25 times more fish 
of some species on reefs close to mangrove areas than in areas where mangroves 
have been cut down. The contribution of mangroves, both in goods and services, is 
conservatively estimated to be worth US$ 186 every year1. 
The Philippines is fortunate to have the 10th widest cover of mangrove forests in the 
world. This Representation is proud to share that the Province of Camarines Sur 
contributed to this when it planted more than one million mangrove propagules through 
the hard work of volunteers from the El Verde Movement in 2012. This placed the 
province in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most number of mangroves 
planted in one hour. This is a testament to the commitment of this Representation to 
protect and preserve these plants that our country have been blessed with.  
By establishing protected mangrove zones and imposing strict penalties on those that 
bastardize these areas by cutting, uprooting, destroying or gathering any mangrove 
tree or its products, dumping of wastes or fishing illegally therein, among other 
1 http://wwf.panda.org/our_work/oceans/coasts/mangroves/mangrove_importance/ 
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destructive and disruptive practices – the country is posed to enjoy the benefits of a 
healthy and thriving mangrove forest cover. Additionally, it provides us with 
opportunities to study these plants and discover more ways to utilize the same. 
In light of the foregoing premises, the swift passage of this bill is humbly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
 MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE 
TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. HORIBATA 
NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR.,  
HON. MIGUEL LUIS R. VILLAFUERTE, HON. TSUYOSHI ANTHONY G. 
HORIBATA AND HON. NICOLAS ENCISO VIII 
AN ACT 
ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR THE PRESERVATION OF 
MANGROVE FORESTS 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
CHAPTER I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
SECTION 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as “The Mangrove Forest 
Protection and Preservation Act.” 
SECTION. 2. Declaration of Policy. – 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. Towards this end, the State shall establish measures that 
safeguard the country’s mangrove resources from destruction, exploitation, and 
unregulated removal and bring an end to activities which cause the destruction of 
these resources. Further, in recognition of the important ecological role of our 
mangrove resources as habitat for various marine and estuarine animals, for water 
quality maintenance and as food-web support, the State shall hereby endeavor to 
maintain the natural diversity of animals and plants found in mangrove areas. Thus, 
the State hereby undertakes to ensure the preservation, reforestation and sustainable 
development of the mangrove resources through the establishment of reservation 
areas exclusively for mangrove forests. 
 
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SECTION. 3. Definition of Terms. 
1) Coastal areas – refer to the band of dry land and adjacent ocean space 
in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic processes 
and uses, and vice versa, its geographical extent may include areas 
within a landmark limit of one kilometer from the shoreline and high tide 
to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, 
estuarine rives, sandy beaches, and other areas within a seaward limit 
of two hundred (200) meters isobath to include coral reeds, algal flats, 
seagrass beds, and other soft-bottom areas; 
2) Mangrove forest – a type of forest occurring on a tidal flat along the sea 
coast, extending alone streams where the water is brackish; 
3) Reservation areas – portions of coastal areas which have been set aside 
exclusively for reforestation, conservation, and preservation purposes; 
and 
4) Reforestation – the planting of mangrove trees along the denuded 
coastal areas. 
 
SECTION. 4. Establishment of Mangrove Reservation Areas. – There shall be 
established and set aside in all local government units with coastal areas within the 
Philippines portions of land solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation, and 
sustainable management of mangrove forests to be known as Mangrove Reservation 
areas. All existing mangrove forest reserves declared as such under Presidential 
Proclamation 2152 and all other areas that may hereinafter be declared as such 
pursuant to a law or executive order shall automatically form part of said reservation 
areas. 
 
SECTION. 5. Establishment and Composition of the National Council for the 
Preservation of Mangrove Forests. – There is hereby established a National Council 
for the Preservation of Mangrove Forests, hereinafter referred to as the National 
Council, which shall be attached agency of the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources (DENR).  
The National Council shall be composed of ten (10) members consisting of: 
1) 
the Secretary of the DENR who shall act as Chairman; 


2) 
the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall act as vice-
chairman; 
3) 
the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); 
4) 
the Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); 
5) 
the Director of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the DENR; 
6) 
the Director of the Ecosystem and Research Development Bureau (ERDB); 
7) 
the Administrator of the National Mapping and Resources Information 
Authority (NAMRIA); 
8) 
a representative from the academe to be appointed by the President; 
9) 
a representative from the research institutions conducting researches  on 
sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by the 
President; and, 
10)  a representative from a non-government organization (NGO) conducting 
programs on sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by 
the President. 
 
SECTION. 6. Powers and Functions of the National Council. – The National 
Council shall have the following powers and functions: 
1) 
Review existing, relevant policies and conduct studies on mangrove forest 
and its preservation; 
2) 
Prepare a comprehensive program for the preservation, reforestation, and 
sustainable development of mangrove forests; 
3) 
Establish the guidelines in identifying the coastal areas which shall form 
part of the mangrove reservation areas; 
4) 
Identify and delineate the boundaries of the coastal which shall form part of 
the mangrove reservation areas; 
5) 
Exercise control and supervision over all the local councils; and 
6) 
Promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions 
of this Act. 
 
SECTION. 7. The Local Councils for the Preservation of Mangrove Forests. – A 
local council for the preservation of mangrove forests, hereinafter referred to as the 
Local Council, shall be established in each of the local government units where a 
mangrove reservation area has been identified. Each Local Council shall be chaired 


by the Regional Executive Director of the DENR whose jurisdiction the reservation 
area is located, with the following members:  
1) 
A member of the municipal council of the municipality concerned; 
2) 
A member of the barangay council from each barangay under whose 
territory the reservation area is located; and 
3) 
A representative from an accredited non-governmental organization (NGO) 
involved in environmental advocacy. 
 
SECTION. 8. Powers and Functions of the Local Council. – The local council shall 
exercise the following powers and functions: 
1) 
Implement and enforce all the programs and policies laid down by the 
National Council; 
2) 
Carry out the general administration and day-to-day planning of the 
program; 
3) 
Secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive activities 
which would endanger the successful implementation and viability of the 
program; 
4) 
Engage the services of forest guards who shall be tasked to guard and 
police the areas and arrest those caught in violation of the provisions of this 
Act; 
5) 
Provide the forest guards the necessary skills, knowledge training, and 
support; 
6) 
Conduct periodic consultations with the appropriate local government unit, 
non-governmental and people’s organizations and other concerned sectors 
of the community on issues, concerns, and projects affecting the mangrove 
reserves in the locality; and 
7) 
Such other powers and functions as may be designated by the National 
Council 
 
SECTION. 9. Mandatory Prior Consultation. – No project or program that may cause 
pollution, deduction or loss of mangrove forests or extinction of marine and estuarine 
plant and animal species shall be implemented by the National or Local Council 
without prior consultations with the local government unit concerned, non-
governmental or people’s organizations, and other sectors concerned to explain the 


objectives of the project or program, its impact on the people and the community in 
terms of ecological balance, and the measures that will be undertaken to prevent the 
adverse effects thereof, provided, that the prior approval of the Sanggunian concerned 
shall be obtained in accordance with the provisions of Republic Act 7610. 
 
SECTION. 10. Prohibited Acts. – The following acts are hereby prohibited within the 
mangrove reservation areas: 
1) 
Cutting, uprooting, destroying or gathering any mangrove tree or any 
mangrove forest products; 
2) 
Dumping of waste; 
3) 
Construction or reclamation activity without the necessary license, permit, 
or authority; 
4) 
Illegal fishing activities that will result in the damage and destruction of the 
mangrove forest; 
5) 
Conversion of mangrove reservation areas into fishponds or any other 
purpose; and 
6) 
Other acts or activities that will result in the damage and/or destruction of 
the mangrove forest, as determined by the Local Council concerned. 
 
SECTION. 11. Penalties. – Any person, natural or juridical, found guilty of violating 
any of the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations issued by the National 
Council, shall, after due notice and public hearing by the regular courts of competent 
jurisdiction, be fined in the amount of not less than One Hundred Thousand Pesos 
(Php 100,000.00) but not more than One Million Pesos (Php 1,000,000.00)  or 
imprisonment of not less than one (1) years but not more than six (6) years, or both, 
at the discretion of the Court, the offender shall also be required to restore or 
compensate for the restoration of the damage. If the offender is an association or 
corporation, the President or Manager and the officer who has direct knowledge over 
the offense shall be held liable under this Act. 
 
SECTION. 12. Appropriations. – The amount needed for the initial implementation 
of this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources. Thereafter, such amount necessary for the 


continued and effective implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be included 
in the General Appropriations Act the year following its enactment. 
 
SECTION. 13. Separability Clause. – If, for any reason, any section or provision of 
this Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other section or provision not 
otherwise affected shall remain in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION. 14. Repealing Clause. – All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this 
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION. 15. Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from 
its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation. 
 
Approved,