FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
1 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
1 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 JUN 30 7‘1 ’ 
Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
This bill seeks to ensure the sufficient greenery in the urban and countryside by 
making it mandatory to plant trees in urban and countryside parks as well as in school 
grounds, vacant lots and other urbanized sites all over the country. 
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has 293 
nurseries distributed all over the country. Other national and local agencies have 802 
nurseries, which provide seedlings nationwide. Despite the efforts of the various 
government institutions, the number of trees and forest areas in our country is fast 
depleting. 
The Philippines was once known for its vast and lush forests. Over the last 15 
years, the environmental situation of the country has undergone a transformation. In 
1990, forests covered 35.5 percent of the country’s land area. By 2005, the number 
dropped to 24 percent. The Philippines’ rate of deforestation from 2000-2005 is 2.1 
percent, the highest in the Southeast Asian region. 
This bill aims to improve the country’s environmental conditions by, building, 
developing and maintaining forests parks in local areas, educational institutions and 
public roads; promoting environmental consciousness among the Filipinos; and 
protecting the existing trees from further harm. 
This proposed measure will establish a National Greening Committee to be 
headed by the Secretary of the Department of Environment and National Resources. To 
guarantee the proper nationwide implementation of the programs, the respective 
secretaries of the other departments such as the Department of Tourism (DOT), 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Department of Agriculture 
will serve as the committee’s members. Among the dealings the committee has to 
undertake are the strict implementation of the requirements of the tree planting along 
national roads and mandatory planting of trees in urban and countryside parks, public 
vacant lots and other permissible areas. 
Finally, this bill prctects existing trees and plants by prohibiting cutting and 
destroying without the necessary permit. The penalties against violators have been 
included and specified. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
LOREN LEGARDA 
Senator 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
-7 
JlIN 30 p 4 ; 
(> 
First Regular Session 
) 
Introduced by Senator LOREN LEGARDA 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR 
THE URBAN AND COUNTRYSIDE GREENING 
IN THE PHILIPPINES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shall be known 
I and cited as the “Greening 
Act of 2007.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Recognizing the vital role of trees in 
ecological stability, it is hereby declared the national policy to ensure sufficient greenery 
in urban and countryside and to promote the right of the people to enjoy the benefits of 
a balanced and healthy ecology. 
SECTION 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all barangays, municipalities, cities 
and provinces. 
SECTION 4. Objectives. - Pursuant to the policy declared herein; it is the 
objective of this Act: 
(a) to build, develop and maintain forest parks in provincial, city and municipal 
plazas, elementary school grounds and by the planting of trees in national, 
provincial, municipal or barangay roads and other public open spaces where 
appropriate; 
(b) lo require from the national agencies and local government units the planting 
of trees and shrubbery in specified areas; 
(c) to promote environmental consciousness among the community members, 
i.e. students, youth, other civic action groups, by encouraging active 
participation in tree-planting activities; 


(d) to protect trees from various human activities. 
SECTION 5. A National Greening Committee is hereby created with the 
Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) as 
Chairman and the respective secretaries of the Department of Public Works and 
Highways (DPWH), Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Interior and Local 
Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of 
Agriculture (DA) as members. 
The National Committee shall have the power to promulgate the pertinent rules 
and regulations as may be necessary 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. 
It shall have the power to rule on disputes involving the Regional Greening 
Committee and to appoint or form an ad-hoc committee when the Regional Committee 
is unable to perform its duties. 
The National Committee also convenes every quarter to hear the reports or 
performance from the Regional Committee. 
SECTION 6. Regional Committee. A Greening Committee for every region in 
the country, in cooperation with the various local government offices, is hereby created 
to initiate and oversee all the tree-planting activities to be done in barangays, 
municipalities, cities and provinces in the respective regions. 
The Regional Director representing the Secretary of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the lead official of the concerned local 
government unit (LGU) shall both serve as Co-Chairmen of the Committee. Members of 
the Committee, representing the respective secretaries, will be the regional directors of 
the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Interior and Local Government 
(DILG), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) 
and at most three (3) representatives from civic action groups appointed by the 
Chairman. 
The Regional Greening Committee shall coordinate with all the concerned 
government agencies, non-governmental organization (NGOs), pec;ples organizations 
(POs), and other civic action groups for assistance and cooperation in the 
implementation of this Act. 


SECTION 7. Specific Functions of the Executive Departments. Aside from the 
Committee responsibilities, 
(a) The DENR shall determine the suitable species of trees and provide seeds or 
saplings to be planted along or on major thoroughfares, suited to the kind, 
classification, and condition of the area and shall provide technical support 
involving tree-planting activities; 
(b) The LGU shall: 
(1) mobilize all local concerned agencies and communities to ensure 
prompt and effective implementation of this Act in every barangay, 
municipality, city and province; 
(2) provide for effective measures and wavs for the optimum maintenance 
and sustainability of trees an shrubbery; 
(3) effect the apprehension and the prosecution of all persons violating 
Sections 8 and 9 of this Act; 
(c) The D P W  and the DA shall provide the technical support i.e. the necessary 
tools, equipment, and manpower to effect the implementation of this Act; 
(d) The DOT shall assist in the conceptualization and site-evaluation and 
cooperate in the maintenance of parks and specified areas and provide 
additional funding from its resources; 
(e) The DILG shall coordinate the local government units to ensure prompt and 
effective implementation of this Act; and 
(f) The DepEd shall integrate the tree-planting activities into the school 
curriculum to raise awareness and to promote environmental consciousness. 
SECTION 8. Requirements for Tree Planting along National Roads. In the 
consonance with the Department Order No, 15 of the Department of Public Works and 
Highways issued on the 24* of January 2000, all projects concerning to the construction 
and development of national roads shall comply with the following .standard 
requirements: 


(a) The Trees that will be planted along the national roads shall be of the 
varieties of the root systems which grow downward rather than sideward to 
avoid road and sidewalk slabs destruction; 
(b) Trees shall be planted in a neat row, within the road right-sf-way (ROW) and 
as close as possible to the ROW limit, with sufficient allowance so that fully 
grown trees will not encroach on the adjoining property or touch electric and 
other overhead utility lines; 
(c) The center-to-center spacing between trees shall be 10-20 meters (m). For road 
sections with a generally north-south alignment, the trees on one side of the 
road shall be planted alternately with the trees on the other side, thus 
ensuring adequate sunlight needed for drying the road; 
(d)For roads without curbs, the trees shall be planted with minimum clear 
distance of 0.60 meters beyond the edge of the shoulder, but in no case less 
than 0.30 meters from the edge of the pavement; 
(e) For roads with curbs, particularly in urban areas, the trees shall be planted 
with a minimum setback of 1.00 meters beyond the face of the curb; 
(f) Where there are longitudinal drainage canals, the trees shall be planted on the 
outer side of such canals; 
(g) On roadway curves and intersections, the pertinent design standards on sight 
distance shall be concerned; 
(h) Non-traversable hazards (ravine, waiting shed, and the like) along the line of 
trees shall be provided with appropriate clearly marked barriers so that these 
do not pose hazards to motorists; 
(i) The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) shall, within ninety 
(90) days after the approval of the Act and every one hundred eighty (180) 
days thereafter, submit periodic reports to the National Greening Committee. 


SECTION 9. Tree Planting in Urban and Countryside Parks, Public Vacant 
Lots, and Other Permissible Areas. Planting of trees shall be mandatory in urban and 
countryside parks as well as in school grounds, vacant lots, and other unutilized sites 
identified with the quality of soil where different or certain species of trees can thrive. 
This shall apply to all publicly-owned lands, without exempting the properties of 
interested private individuals or institutions. 
(a) Scope. The areas covered by this provision shall include: 
(1) All Public parks in urban and rural are,is; 
(2) A11 public school grounds in the city and in the provinces; 
(3) All idle public lands in urban and rural areas, unless otherwise 
identified to soon be used for other purposes such as agriculture, 
infrastructure-building, and others; 
(4) Parks, schools and other pieces of land owned by private individuals, 
organizaticns, or institutions whose proprietor/s voluntarily and 
willingly subject their properties in this Act. 
(b) Genevul Guidelines. Tree Planting in the duty qualified areas shall comply with 
the following general guidelines: 
(1) Considering the classification and condition of the soil and the total 
land area of the site, suited species of forest trees or fast-growing trees 
shall be planted in the identified areas; 
(2) In cases wherein multiple trees can be planted, the trees should be 
planted in clusters wherein one is not more than four (4) meters apart 
from one dinother; 
(3) The Regional Greening Committee shall facilitate and supervise all the 
tree-planting activities in its jurisdiction. The government agencies 
concerned shall perform their duties and responsibiIities as indicated 
in Section 7, Spec$c Functions of the Executive Department, of this Act; 
(4) The regional Greening Committee shall, within ninety (90) days after 
the approval of the Act and every one hundred eighty (T80) days, 
thereafter submit periodic reports to the National Greening 
Committee. 


SECTION 10. Issuing of Permits. The Issuance of Permit allowing a person or 
company to cut, uproot and in any way disturb the planted trees given by the DENR 
should also be approved and co-signed by the Regional Committee following public 
consultations done by and the consensus of the Regional Committee. 
SECTION 11. Prohibited Acts. No cutting and destroying of trees and plants 
shall he permitted, except when the cutting and destroying of the same is necessary for 
public safety, and subject to the issuance of permits. 
SECTION 12. Persons Liable and Penalties Therefore. 
Any person who 
violates sections 9 and 10 shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) 
months to not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than three thousand pesos to 
not more than ten thousand pesos, or with both imprisonment and fine, at the 
discretion of the court. 
SECTION 13. Submission of Reports. The National Committee shall within 
ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act and every one hundred eighty (180) days 
thereafter submit periodic reports to both houses of Congress of the Philippines for 
evalaation and consideration. 
SECTION 14. Funding. The fund needed for the implementation of this Act shall 
be taken from any available appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 
the year of its implementation; Provided, that funds for this purpose shall also be 
included in every annual GAA; Provided finally, that there shall be equitable and 
proportionate appropriations of funds annually for this purpose for all barangays, 
municipalities, cities and provinces. In addition, adequate portion of financial grants 
and concessional loans extended to Philippines by foreign governments and 
multilateral agencies every year, the amount to be determined by the President, shall be 
allocated to augment the annual appropriations until this Act is fully implemented. 
SECTION 15. Separability Clause. All laws, decrees, rules and regulations, or 
parts thereof, inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect upon its publication 
in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,