Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN 
Lone District, Basilan  
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This measure aims to protect, preserve and conserve the environment, and possibly save our 
natural ecosystems and contribute to worldwide efforts to counter the ill effects of climate 
change by safeguarding and securing our wetlands. 
 Wetlands refer to bodies of water other than the seas and oceans, and includes peatlands, 
swamps, marshes, rivers, lakes, estuaries, ponds, rice paddies and many more. They provide a 
wide range of ecosystem services vital for human survival, like critical food supply, fresh 
water, fiber and fuel. 
They also serve as the habitat of many threatened species of the Philippine flora and fauna and 
promotes biodiversity that is vital in sustaining life and promoting human well-being and 
sustainable development. These benefits and many more are what make our wetlands vital not 
only to our environment but to the global community as well. 
While wetland conservation and wise use is already promoted, directly and indirectly, under 
existing laws on many subjects, there is no single piece of Philippine legislation that deals 
specifically with wetlands. A policy review found that not all wetlands are equally protected 
and that the degree of protection depends on the classification or kind of wetland. 
To add with, most of the wetlands have limited legal protection from uses incompatible with 
the maintenance of its ecological character. Given that the legal bases for wetland conservation 
and wise use are dispersed in various laws, there is still a need for a concise policy statement 
on wetlands to be adopted at the national level. 
October 10, 2022
11:21 am
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This bill seeks to guide all concerned national government agencies and local government units 
in adjusting their sectoral or local policies, plans and programs to be consistent with wetland 
conservation and wise use. This will also greatly enhance current efforts to raise awareness on 
the importance of wetlands as the “cradle of biodiversity.” 
This representation and the then Anak Mindanao Rep. Amihilda Sangcopan filed the same 
measure during the 18th Congress – House Bill No. 3460 – adopted from the legislative 
proposals of DENR, but it failed to get past the House Committee on Natural Resources. 
And we are now re-filing this measure because of its extreme importance to our planet’s fight 
for survival in the face of the worsening effects of climate change, for the present and future 
generations. 
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this measure is earnestly sought. 
HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN 
Representative 
Lone District, Basilan  


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
Nineteenth Congress 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ___ 
Introduced by HON. MUJIV S. HATAMAN 
Lone District, Basilan  
AN ACT ESTABLISHING A NATIONAL WETLAND POLICY, 
PROVIDING MECHANISMS FOR ITS INSTITUTIONALIZATION, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDSTHEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “ Wetlands 
Conservation Act ”.  
SECTION 2.  Declaration of Policy. – In accordance with law, it is the 
policy of the State to conserve and wisely use wetlands and wetland resources 
consistent with the principles of sustainable development, inclusive growth, 
poverty reduction, food security, biodiversity conservation, climate change 
adaptation and mitigation, and disaster risk reduction and management, while 
advancing the right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accordance with the 
harmony and rhythm of nature. 
SECTION 3.  Guiding Principles. - The following principles shall 
guide the implementation of the National Wetland Policy:  
a.
Promotion of human health and well-being and the right to a balanced and
healthful ecology;
b. Prevention of further loss of ecosystem services due to wetland conversion or
degradation;
c.
Adoption of the ecosystem approach;
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d. Maximization of the contribution of wetlands to disaster risk reduction, climate 
change mitigation and adaptation and biodiversity conservation; 
e. Use of appropriate technology for necessary development activities in or around 
wetlands; 
f. Rehabilitation and restoration of water bodies; and 
g. Raising awareness on the importance of wetlands, wetland threats and issues 
 
 
SECTION 4.  Coverage. - This Order shall apply to all wetlands in the 
Philippines, including human-made wetlands that have importance as wildlife 
habitat. 
 
 
SECTION 5.  Definition of Terms.- 
 
a) Biodiversity - the variability among all living organism from all sources 
including, inter alia, terrestrial, marine and other aquatic ecosystems and the 
ecological complexes or which they are part: this includes diversity within 
species, among species and of ecosystems. 
 
b) Categories of wetlands – for purposes of description only and to provide better 
understating of the different wetland types, wetlands may be classified under 
three (3) broad categories: 
 
1. Inland wetlands, which includes springs, creeks, rivers, streams, waterfalls, 
freshwater swamps, freshwater marshes, peatlands, natural ponds or pools, wet 
caves and lakes;  
2.  Coastal wetlands, which includes bays, straits, seagrass beds, coral reefs, sand 
bars, inter-tidal mud, sand or salt flats, mangrove swamps, saltmarshes, 
estuaries, marine shores and saline lagoons; and  
3.  Human-made wetlands, which include fish and shrimp ponds, farm ponds, 
mining ponds, salt pans, dams, small water impounding areas, reservoirs, 
irrigated agricultural lands and canals. 
 
c) Ecological character - the combination of the ecosystem components, processes 
and benefits/services that characterize the wetland at a given point in time. 
 
d) Ecosystem approach or ecosystem-based approach - is a strategy for the 
integrated management of land, water and living resources that promotes 
conservation and sustainable use in an equitable way. 
 
e) Ecosystem Services or Ecological Services - the benefits people obtain from 
ecosystems. These include provisioning services such as food and water; 
regulating services such as flood and disease control; cultural services such as 
spiritual, recreational, and cultural benefits; and supporting services, such as 
nutrient cycling, that maintain the conditions for life on Earth. 
 
f) Sustainable development - development that meets the needs of the present 
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 
 


g) Wetlands -refer to a wide variety of inland habitats such as natural pools/ponds, 
springs, freshwater swamps/marshes, peatlands, floodplains, rivers and lakes, 
and coastal areas such as estuaries, saltmarshes, mangroves, lagoons, intertidal 
flats and seagrass beds, and also coral reefs and other marine areas no deeper 
than six meters at low tide, as well as human-made wetlands such as dams, 
reservoirs, rice paddies, fish ponds, saltpans, and wastewater treatment ponds. 
 
h) Wise use of wetlands - the maintenance of their ecological character, achieved 
through the implementation of ecosystem approaches, within the context of 
sustainable development; 
 
SECTION 6. Integration and Mainstreaming of Wetland 
Conservation and Wise Use. - All government agencies and offices and local 
government units shall integrate and mainstream the wetland conservation and 
wise use into their policies, rules and regulations, programs, projects and 
development planning process. They shall also directly consult with the DENR 
and affected LGUs in the development and implementation of their plans, 
programs and projects within or having an impact on wetlands. 
 
SECTION 7. Conservation of wetlands. - Wetlands of the public 
domain shall no longer be classified and released as agricultural land. Where 
appropriate, wetlands of the public domain shall be prioritized for protection 
under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, the 
Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act, or the Revised Fisheries 
Code, as amended.  
 
SECTION 8. Wetland drainage and reclamation. - In accordance 
with law, no further drainage, reclamation or conversion of wetlands shall be 
permitted, except when necessary for national interest and security. In such 
exceptions, all legal requirements shall be strictly complied with including, but 
not limited to, applicable rules and regulations on environmental impact 
statements and National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) approval 
for reclamation projects. 
 
Wetland conversion that causes adverse effects to the environment shall be 
prosecuted as a form aquatic pollution. 
 
SECTION 9. Enforcement of easement zones, danger zones and 
other land use setbacks. - All concerned government agencies and LGUs shall 
strictly implement land use setback provisions imposed by law, such as, but not 
limited to: 
a. Prohibition of the building of any structure along the easement zones of banks 
or rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes. This easement zone 
has a width of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural 
areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas. 
b. Eviction and resettlement of occupants of danger zones such as riverbanks 
and shorelines, including lakeshores and seashores  


c. Construction of houses and other residential structures and buildings at a safe 
distance from streams or bodies of water. 
While primarily intended for human welfare and safety, these land use setback 
provisions also benefit wetlands by limiting development at certain distances 
from wetlands. These measures address both disaster risk reduction and wetland 
conservation concerns. 
 
 
SECTION 10.  Role of Local Government Agencies. – The municipal, 
city, or provincial Local Government having territorial jurisdiction over the 
wetlands shall integrate with their Urban development plan, conservation 
measures being implemented in this Act.  In this regard, it shall be categorized 
as a criminal act, to issue permits, documents, and effects in violation of this 
Act. 
 
SECTION 11. Penal Provision .- Violation under this Act or any rules 
or regulation pursuant to this Act, shall upon conviction, be punished with a fine 
of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000) or imprisonment of 
not less than six (6) months or both, shall be imposed at the discretion of the 
court.   
 
SECTION 12. Lead Agencies for Compliance and Monitoring. - The 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the 
Biodiversity Management Bureau, shall be the lead agency in monitoring 
overall compliance with this Order, particularly by all national government 
agencies.  
 
The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall monitor 
compliance by local government units and shall formulate and implement 
incentive schemes to promote local government wetland conservation and wise 
use practices. 
 
 
SECTION 13. Creation of the National Wetlands Conservation 
Committee. - There is hereby created a National Wetlands Conservation 
Committee (NWCC) tasked to perform oversight functions on the integration of 
the National Wetland Policy into national, sectoral and local plans, programs 
and projects. 
 
SECTION 14. Composition of the NWCC. - The DENR Secretary and 
the Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority 
(NEDA) shall be the Co-chairpersons of the NWCC. The NWCC shall be 
composed of the following members:  
 
The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture 
The Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform 
The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government 
The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways 
The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology 


The Secretary of the Department of Tourism 
The Secretary of the Department of Transportation  
The Chief Executive Officer of the Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board 
The Executive Director of the Climate Change Commission 
The Executive Director of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and 
Management Council 
 
SECTION 15.  Inter-agency representatives. -  The foregoing 
members of the NWCC shall designate alternate representatives, holding a 
position not lower than a Director level, to ensure their respective agency’s 
presence and support to the responsibilities of the Committee.   
 
The NWCC shall also have representatives from the relevant civil society 
organizations, peoples’ organizations, academe, and the business sector.  
 
The NWCC may call on or invite other entities or individuals, both public and 
private, to render support and assistance to the Committee for the effective 
implementation of the NWAP. 
 
SECTION 16. Functions of the NWCC. - The NWCC shall have the 
following responsibilities: 
 
a) Recommend policies for the management and conservation of wetlands; 
 
b) Coordinate all efforts in the conservation and wise use of the country’s wetlands 
and wetland resources; 
 
c) Formulate and oversee the implementation of a national wetland conservation program;  
 
d) Establish and implement a monitoring scheme on the implementation of the 
NWAP; 
 
e) Review and provide inputs on policies and management initiatives related to 
wetlands; 
 
f) Recommend wetland areas to be nominated for inclusion to the Ramsar List of 
Wetlands of International Importance (or as Ramsar Site);  
 
g) Establish linkages and networking with concerned national and international 
and organizations, as well as relevant local government units, to promote 
information exchange and synergies on wetland conservation; 
 
h) Hold quarterly meetings, or as often as may be deemed necessary by the Co-
chairpersons; 
 
i) Submit an annual report on the status of the Philippine wetlands and the progress 
of implementation of the NWAP no later than June of every year; and 
 
j) Perform such other functions as may be necessary, consistent with the foregoing 
functions of the NWCC. 


 
SECTION 17. NWCC Secretariat. - The Biodiversity Management 
Bureau (BMB) of the DENR is hereby designated as the NWCC Secretariat. It 
shall provide technical and administrative support to the NWCC. The 
Secretariat shall be headed by the Director of BMB. 
 
SECTION 18. Appropriations. – The amounts necessary to implement 
this Act during the first year of implementation shall be sourced from the 
DENR.   Thereafter, such amounts necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the General Appropriations Act. 
 
SECTION 19. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within six (6) 
months from the date of this Order, the NWCC through the interagency member 
representatives shall issue the guidelines for the proper observance and 
implementation of laws relating to wetlands and wetland resources.  
 
SECTION 20.  Separability Clause.-If any provision of this Act is 
declared unconstitutional or invalid, the provisions not affected thereby shall 
continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 21.  Repealing Clause.-All laws, decrees, orders, rules and 
regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or 
modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 22. Effectivity.-This act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved.