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Republie of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, 4703

Introduced by: HON, JOSE L. ATIENZA, JR.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Our country has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources, more than enough
to provide for our needs, and even that of the world,

But decades of neglect and abuse from un
these resources, foremost of which are our forests
sustain,

upulous groups -- have depleted most of
which take hundreds of years to grow and

On the frontlines of this fight to protect and preserve our environment and natural
resources are our forest rangers, To date, there are only a few hundred of “them watching and
protecting hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests all around the country, Through the years,
they have endured long hours of work, insufficient pay, and many have even given up their lives
in the performance of their duties.

‘This Magna Carta fe t Rangers seeks to provide our forest rangers with the long-
overdue benefits and protection that they so rightly deserve. These include an entry leyel position
of salary grade 18, security of tenure, hi ce, transportation, longevity, and
subsistence allowance, among others. These are all designed to give due recognftion to and
provide just compensation for their hard work and dedication in safeguarding our forpsts.



Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

mae
REPUBLIC ACT NO, 4°02 _
THE MAGNA CARTA FOR FOREST RANGERS

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 as the "Magna Carta for Forest
Rangers."

Section 2. Declaration of Policy and Objective. ~ Forest Rangers perform a critical
role in the protection and preservation of the country’s remaining forests and the reforestation of
the denuded ones, yet, they lack the necessary employment protection commensurate to their
contribution to the protection and development of this very important natural resource. Thus, this
‘Act aims to (a) to promote and improve the social and economic well-being of forest rangers,
their living and working conditions and terms of employment; (b) to develop their skills and
capabilities; and (c) to recruit and encourage those with proper qualifications to join and remain
in government service;

Section 3. Duties and Responsibilities. ~ The following are the duties and
responsibilities of forest rangers:

1 Monitor and evaluate plant life, animal life, soil erosion, water quality, forest fire
hazards, poaching activities, hunting, lorging and mining activities, as well as conduct other
scientific activities aimed at the protection, preservation country’s forests and wildlif

a Prepare and submit detailed quarterly reports of activities conducted and make
appropriate recommendations under the circumstanc

3. Perform and implement programs and policies geared towards the protection and
preservation of the country’s forests, including the wildlife found therein, implement
reforestation programs and other similar efforts;


4. Coordinate and actively work together with law enforcement agencies, including
the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local government units, other relevant government agencies
and non-governmental organizations for the strict enforcement and implementation of pertinent
environmental laws;

Perform such other relevant scientific acti

ies;

Section 4. Qualifications. - As a minimum qualification, forest rangers must be a
Filipino citizen and a resident of the Philippines, of good moral character and a holder of a four-
year degree in forestry, biology, environmental science, environmental management, coastal
resource management or other similar field of education, provided that they possess appropriate
civil service eligibility, subject to the applicability of Republic Act 1080;

Section. Recruitment. - Upon the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is mandated to immediately develop
and prepare a recruitment policy with regard to the selection and appointment of forest rangers in
accordance with the policies, rules and regulations of the Civil Service Commission and must
complete the same within a period of six (6) months. Pending preparation of such recruitment
policy, the Secretary is hereby authorized to issue temporary appointments to those currently
retained as contractual forest rangers even if they do not meet the educational qualifications
mentioned in the immediately preceding paragraph, provided that such temporary appointment
shall not exceed twelve (12) months.

There shall be created a minimum number of forest ranger positions equivalent to the
ratio of one (1) forest ranger per five hundred (500) hectares of lands classified as forest or
timber;

Section 6. Performance Evaluation and Merit Promotion. The Secretary of the
DENR, upon consultation with the Civil Service Commission, shal! prepare a uniform career and
personnel development plan, which shall include provisions on merit promotion, performance
evaluation, in-service training grants, job rotation, suggestions and incentive award system. The
performance evaluation plan shall consider foremost the improvement of individual employee
efficiency and organizational effectiveness: provided, that each employee shall be informed
regularly by his or her supervisor of his or her performance evaluation. The merit promotion plan
shall be in consonance with the rules of the Civil Serviee Commission;

Section 7. Assignment and Transfer, ~ A forest ranger shall be assigned in the
province or city where such forest ranger is a resident and may not be reassigned or transferred
outside of such geographical location, unless the exigencies of service demand his ot her transfer
or that he or she voluntarily requested his or her transfer. However, request for transfer or
reassignment is not obligatory and may be denied on just and valid reasons or causes:

Section 8. Security of Tenure. ~ A Forest ranger shall enjoy security of tenure and
shall not be terminated except for cause or causes provided by law and after due process:
provided, that if a forest ranger is found by the Civil Service Commission to be unjustly

2


dismissed from work, he or she shall be entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights
and to his or her back wages with twelve percent (12%) interest computed from the time his or
her compensation was withheld from hinvher up to the time of reinstatement;

Section 9. Discrimination. - A forest ranger shall not be discriminated against on
account of his or her gender, civil status, sexual orientation or preferences, creed, religious or
political beliefs and ethnic groupings in the exercise of his or her profession. The same rule shall
apply with regard to the selection process leading to the entry into the position of forest ranger.
Any violation by the offending party shall be punished with the administrative penalty of
suspension or dismissal from service as the circumstances may warrant;

Ig

Section 10. Salary Grade ang Additional Compensation. ~ The entry level position of
a forest ranger shall be salary grade 26. Except those deductions allowed and/or required under
existing laws or expressly authorized in writing by the forest ranger concerned, no deductions
shall be made from his or her salary.

Notwithstanding Section 12 of Republic Act No, 6758, forest rangers shall receive the
following allowances: hazard allowance, subsistence allowance, longevity pay, and
‘transportation allowance;

Section 11. Working Hours. - The normal hours of work of a forest ranger shall not
execed eight (8) hours a day or forty (40) hours a week. Hours worked shall include: a) all the
time during which a forest ranger is required to be on active duty or to be at a prescribed
workplace; and b) all the time during which a forest ranger is suffered or permitted to work.
Where the exigencies of the service so require, any forest ranger may be required to render
service beyond the normal eight (8) hours a day. In such a case, the forest ranger shall be paid an
additional compensation in accordance with existing laws and prevailing practices.

Section 12. Work During Rest Day. - Where a forest ranger is made to work on his or
her scheduled rest day, he or she shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with
existing laws. Where a forest ranger is made to work on any special holiday he or she shall be
paid an additional compensation in accordance with existing laws. Where such holiday work
falls on the forest ranger’s scheduled rest day, he or she shall be entitled to an additional
compensation as may be provided by existing laws.

Section 13. Night-Shift Differential. - Every forest ranger shall be paid a night-shift
differential of ten percent (10%) of his or her regular wage for each hour of work performed
from ten (10) o’clock in the evening to six (6) o’clock in the morning, on top of his or her regular
overtime pay:

Section 14, Hazard Allowance. ~ Given the inherent hazards that a forest ranger has to
contend with doing his or her work in the field thereby exposing him or her to physical dangers,
such forest ranger shall, by way of additional compensation, be entitled to and paid hazard
allowance;


Section 15. Subsistence Allowance. ~ Forest rangers shall be entitled to full
subsistence allowance of three (3) meals per day while in the field, travel time being counted as
time in the field;

Section 16, Longevity Pay. - A monthly longevity pay equivalent to five percent (5%)
of the monthly basic pay shall be paid to a forest ranger for every five (5) years of continuous,
efficient and meritorious services rendered as certified by the chief of office concemed,
commencing with the service after the approval of this Act.

Section 17. Transportation Allowance. A forest ranger shall be entitled to
transportation allowance going to and from his place of assignment in furtherance of the
performance of his or her duties and responsibilities;

Section 18. Medical Examination. - Compulsory medical examination shall be
provided free of charge to all forest rangers before entering the service in the Government or its
subdivisions and shall be repeated once a year during their tenure of employment: provided, that
where medical examination shows that medical treatment and/or hospitalization is necessary for
those already in government service, the treatment and/or hospitalization including medicines
shall be provided free either in a government or a private hospital by the DENR: provided,
further, that the cost of such medical examination and treatment shall be included as automatic
appropriation in said entity's annual budget;

Section 19, Compensation for Injuries. ~ Forest rangers shall be protected against the
consequences of employment injuries in accordance with existing laws. Injuries incurred while
doing overtime work shall be presumed work-connected.

Section 20. Leave Benefits, ~ Forest rangers are entitled to such vacation and sick
leaves as provided by existing laws and prevailing practices: provided, that women forest rangers
are entitled to such maternity leaves provided by existing laws and prevailing practices:
provided, further, that upon separation of forest rangers from service, they shall be entitled to all
accumulated leave credits with pay.

Section 21. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement. - ‘Three (3) months prior to his
compulsory retirement, the forest ranger shall automatically be granted one (1) salary range or
grade higher than his or her basic salary and his or her retirement benefit thereafter computed on
the basis of his or her highest salary: provided, that he or she has reached the age and fulfilled
service requirements under existing laws

Section 22. Kight to Self-Organization. ~ Forest rangers shall have the right to freely
form, join or assist organizations or unions for purposes not contrary to law in order to defend
and protect their mutual interests and to obtain redress of their grievances through peaceful
concerted activities. Any interference to or violation of this right shall be dealt with
administratively and the offending party punished with cither suspension or dismissal from
service as the circumstances of the case may warrant:


Section 23. Prohibited Acts. — Forest rangers shall have the right to enter, monitor,
inspect, examine and evaluate all lands classified as forest or timber even if those lands are
covered by valid and existing agrcements with private individuals or corporations such as Forest
Land Grazing Management Agreement, Special Land Use Agreement and similar other
contracts. Towards this end, it shall be unlawful for any person or entity to prevent, interfere,
obstruct, hinder, or delay without just, valid and legal cause the performance by the forest ranger
of his or her official functions, including refusal to give him or her entry into the forest land
subject of the monitoring, inspection, examination or evaluation, Any violation hereof shall
cause the violator to be meted with the penalty of imprisonment ranging from ten (10) to fifteen
(15) years and a fine not exceeding Five Hundred Thousand Pesos (2500,000.00);

Section 24, Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the DENR shall formulate and
prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act, Rules and
regulations issued pursuant to this Section shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in a
newspaper of general circulation;

Section 25. Prohibition Against Double Recovery of Benefits. - Whenever other laws
provide for the same benefits covered by this Act, the forest ranger shall have the option to
choose which benefits will be paid to him or her, However, in the event that the benefits chosen
are less than that provided under this Act, the forest ranger shall be paid only the difference.

Section 26. Transitory Provision. — Individuals currently retained by the government
as forest rangers but do not meet the educational qualifications mentioned in Section 4 above
shall be provided by the government through the DENR with free educational training in State
Universities and Colleges (SUC) for them to be able to acquire the necessary educational
qualification provided under this Act. Towards this end, these individuals shall be allowed
educational leave for the duration of the term of their schoolings, provided that during semestral
breaks, they should report back to work. For the duration of their educational leave, they shall be
entitled to receive the regular salaries and emoluments that they are receiving. They shall also be
entitled to reasonable allowances to defray their expenses while in school such as board and
lodging, food and transportation expenses.

‘This provision shall be valid only for ten (10) years from the effectivity of this Act and
shall automatically expire after such period.

Section 27. Appropriation. - The Secretary of the DENR shall, in the first opportunity
following the effectivity of this Act, as well as in the subsequent years, include in the DENR’s
yearly budget submission to congress the necessary budget estimates to fund in full the intents
‘and purposes of this Act. Failure of the S°cretary to do so shall be a cause for him to be punished
criminally and administratively under pe tinent laws:

Section 28. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid, the
remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby shall remain in force and et



Section 29, Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders and
their implementing rules, inconsistent vith the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed,
amended or modified accordingly.

ection 30. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifieen (15) days after its
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.