Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3583

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES
THEREBY CREATING A NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS PROGRAM,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill aims to recognize, protect and promote the Philippine’s most
outstanding roads which possess one of six core intrinsic qualities — scenic,
historic, cultural, natural, recreational, and archaeological — features which
contribute to the character of the roadway and its communities. The National
Scenic Byways designation aims to award routes that show the regional
characteristics of the nation’s culture, history and landscape.

National Scenic Byways represent the best of all scenic byways and
provide visitors with a unique travel experience since they are considered tourist
attractions in their own right Under this measure, if a route is designated as such,
it does not only gain an expected boost in tourism, but also become eligible for
appropriations for improvements such as interpretive centers, view deck, and rest
area. Moreover, local residents will be encouraged to work closely with the
Government and civic organizations to preserve and promote the unique local
beauty and distinctive character of their own community.

Recognition of scenic byways focuses not only on the promotion of roads,
but also helps balance economic development and resource conservation in the
localities. In the United States of America, a strong scenic byways program
produced strong community support and even encouraged the citizens to
develop a corridor management plan that describes in detail the preservation,
marketing, and improvement strategies for the byway.

In view of the importance of this proposed measure, its expeditious

approval is earnestly urged. WY

GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO
2™ District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

3583

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representative GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
RECOGNIZING NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS IN THE PHILIPPINES
THEREBY CREATING A NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAYS PROGRAMS,
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 "National Scenic
Byways Program Act of 2013.”

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms, — For purposes of this Act, the following
words and phrases shall be construed to mean as follows:

(a) Grants - a non-tepayable, non-bearing assistance or aid, given either
through money or in kind, to encourage development or growth in an
area.

(b) Byway ~ a minor or secondary road; a road other than the main road

(c) National Scenic Byway - a road that is recognized for its
archaeological, cultural, historic, natural, recreational, and/or scenic
qualities.

SECTION 3. Designation of Roads. —

(1) In general. - The Secretary of Department of Tourism (DOT) shall
carry out a national scenic byways program that recognizes roads having
outstanding scenic, historic, cultural, natural, recreational qualities by designating
the roads as “National Scenic Byways”

(2) Criteria. - The DOT Secretary shall designate roads to be
recognized under the national scenic byways program in accordance with
criteria developed by the department.


(3) Nomination. - To be considered for a designation, a road must be
nominated by a national government agency, local government unit (LGU), or a
civic organization situated in the locality of the road to be nominated

(4) Reciprocal notification. — National Government Agencies, LGUs,
and civic organizations shall notify each other regarding nominations made
under this subsection for a roads that;

(a) Are within the jurisdictional boundary of the National Government
agencies, LGUs, and civic organizations is responsible.

(b) Plan, design, and develop a National Government agency, LGU or
civic organization scenic byway program.

SECTION 4. Grants and Technical Assistance. —

(1) Ingeneral, - The DOT Secretary shall make grants and provide
technical assistance to National government agencies, LGUs, civic organizations
to

(a) Implement projects on highways designated as National Scenic
Byways

(b) Plan, design, and develop a National Government agency, LGU or
civic organization scenic byway program.

(2) Priorities, — In making grants, the DOT Secretary shall give priority
to:

(a) Each eligible project that is associated with a highway that has
been designated as a National Scenic Byway and that is consistent
with the corridor management plan for the byway;

(b) each eligible project along a National Government agency, LGU or
civic organization scenic byway that is consistent with the corridor
management plan for the byway, or is intended to foster the
development of such a plan, and is carried out to make the byway
eligible for designation as a National Scenic Byway; and

(0) each eligible project that is associated with the development of a
National Government agency, LGU or civic organization scenic
byway program

SECTION 5. Establishment of Philippine's Byways Resource Center. —

(1) In general. - The DOT Secretary shall allocate funds made
available to carry out the establishment of the Philippine's Byways Resource
Center (PBRC). The DOT shall oversea and manage the resources of the center.

(2) Technical Support and Education. —

(a) Use of Funds. - The Center shall use funds allocated to the Center
under this section to continue to provide technical support and
conduct educational activities for the national scenic byways
program.


(b) Eligible Activities. - Technical support and educational activities
carried out under this sub-section shall provide local officials and
‘organizations associated with National scenic Byways, with
proactive, technical, and on-site customized assistance, including
training, communication (including a public awareness series),
publications, conferences, on-site meetings, and other assistance
considered appropriate to develop and sustain such byways and
roads.

SECTION 6. Eligible Projects. — The following are projects that are eligible
for Government assistance under this section:

(a) An activity related to the planning, design, or development of a
National Government agency, LGU or civic organization scenic

byway program.

(b) Development and implementation of a corridor management plan
to maintain the scenic, historical, recreational, cultural, natural, and
archaeological characteristics of a byway corridor while providing
for accommodation of increased tourism and development of
related amenities

(©) Safety improvements to a National Government scenic byway.
LGU scenic byway or National Scenic Byway, to the extent that the
improvements are necessary to accommodate increased traffic and
designation as a Government scenic byway, civic, organization
scenic byway or National Scenic Byway.

(d) Construction along a scenic byway of a facility for pedestrians and
bicyclists, rest area, turnout, highway shoulder improvement,
overlook, or interpretive facility.

(e) An improvement to a scenic byway that will enhance access to an
area for the purpose of recreation, including water-related
recreation

(f) Protection of scenic, historical, recreational, cultural, natural, and
archaeological resources in an area adjacent to a scenic byway.

(g) Development and provision of tourist information to the public,
including interpretive information about a scenic byway, and

(h) Development and implementation of a scenic byway marketing
program,

SECTION 7. Limitation of General. - The DOT Secretary shall not make a
grant under this section for any project that would not protect the scenic,
historical, recreational, cultural, natural, and archaeological integrity of a highway
and adjacent areas.

SECTION 8. Savings Clause. - The DOT Secretary shall not withhold any
grant or impose any requirement on a national Government, LGU or civic
organization as a condition of providing a grant technical assistance for any
scenic byway unless the requirement is consistent with the authority provided in
this Act.


SECTION 9. Regulation.- The DOT Secretary, in consultation with all
concerned stakeholders shalll issue the necessary rules and regulations of this
Act within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act

SECTION 10. Appropriation. - The amount necessary to carry out the
provisions of this Act shall be provided out the savings from the appropriations of
the DOT for the current year. Thereafter, the sum necessary for the
implementation of this Act shall be. Appropriated in the annual appropriations of
the DOT.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, orders, rules and
regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or
amended accordingly.

SECTION 12. Effectively Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days upon its publication in at two (2) general news papers or general circulation.

Approved,