Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

*. House Bili No. 7430

Introduced by HON, RUDY S. CAOAGDAN, DPA

AN ACT
STRENTHENING RA 9237 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MT. APO NATURAL
PARK (MANP) BY ESTABLISHING THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND
RESCUE CENTER INSIDE THE MANP TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE
DWINDLING POPULATION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES, PROVIDING FUNDS
THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill was filed to strengthen RA 9237 or the Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) due to
the various challenges that have emerged in the area since the law was passed in
2003 due to rapid encroachment and conversion in the area from being a protected
landscape to an agriculture settlement.

It proposes the establishment of the Mt. Apo Natural Park Wildlife Conservation and
Rescue Center that aims to bolster current conservation efforts on threatened local
species found only in the MANP protected landscape.

According to the UNESCO (2009), Mt. Apo is touted as one of the richest botanical
mountains in Asia and the Pacific region as it hosts hundreds of rare, endemic and
threatened species of fora. It has been also considered as the Center for Biodiversity
and Endemism of rare species in Mindanao, sheltering one of the highest land-based
biological diversity in terms of flora and fauna per unit area.

However, with the continued unregulated anthropogenic human aztivities such as
illegal logging, hunting/poaching, and conversion of forest land for agriculture and
settlement, and drastic result of climate change made the wildlife fauna in the area
faces grave threat of extinction, intense pressure and decline.


In order to prevent from extinction and vulnerability, a call to establish the wildlife
conservation and rescue center is sought inside the Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP).
This is also in support to RA 9147 or the Wildlife Resource Conservation and
Protection Act which was passed in 2001.

In view of the foregoing, | earnestly seek the approval of this measure.

HON. RUDY S. CAOAGDAN, DPA
Representative
26 Distrigt, North Cotabato


Republic of the Philippines

House of Representatives
Queson City, Metro Manila

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

*. “Hotise Bill No. 7430

Introduced by HON. RUDY S. CAOAGDAN, DPA

AN ACT
STRENTHENING RA 9237 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE MT. APO NATURAL PARK BY
ESTABLISHING THE WILDLIFE CONSERVATION AND RESCUE CENTER INSIDE THE
MANP TO PRESERVE AND PROTECT THE DWINDLING POPULATION OF WILDLIFE
RESOURCES, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREOF AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Republic of the
Philippines in Congress assembled.

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This act shall be known as the “Mt. Apo Natural Park
(MANP) Wildlife Conservation and Rescue Center Act.

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It shall be the policy of the State to conserve and
protect the country’s wildlife resources and their habitants for sustainability and promote
ecological balance, enhance biological diversity, and ensure the provision of ecosystem
services of the wildlife population and preserve the existing for the future generations of the
country,

SEC. 3. Objectives. — This Act is to conserve rarely sighted local species such as the
‘Sus Philippinensis or the Philippine Warty Pig and the Rusa Marianna or the Philippine Brown
Deer, located in the Mt. Apo Natural Park that faces grave threat of extinction, intense pressure
and decline due to continued unregulated anthropogenic human activities such as illegal
logging, hunting/poaching, and conversion of forest land for agriculture and settlement, that
makes their population vulnerable to extinction. The objectives in the establishment of the
MANP Wildlife Conservation and Rescue Center are as follows:

a) To provide temporary and appropriate shelter for confiscated, donated and/or

abandoned wild animals in the area;
b) To provide isolation and quarantine facilities for confiscated, donated and/or


abandoned wild animals; and,

To provide adequate care and maintenance for confiscated, donated and/or
abandoned wild animals with ultimate objective of releasing/ putting back to
the natural habitats those which are fit to survive.

SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the following shall be construed

as:

a)

b)

d)

e)

9)

h)

d

k)

Abandoned — wild animals intentionally left by keeper/owner (human) giving
up responsibility for care and maintenance or left by “biological” parents (for
animals;

Critically endangered species — refers to a species or subspecies that is
facing extremely high risk of extinction in the wild in the immediate future;
Confiscated — wild animals seized by the DENR personnel or turned over by
other apprehending authorities;

Derivatives — refers to a substance/ material extracted or taken from wildlife
such as but not limited to blood, saliva, oils, genes, urine; a compound
directly or indirectly produced from wildlife and/or products produced from
wildlife and wildlife products;

Domesticated ~ refers to any animal listed by the relevant authorities easily
propagated and altered or selected for desirable characteristics and
preferences for domestic use;

Donated — voluntary and unconditional giving up of ownership, and free of
charge turn-over of wild animals;

Endangered species ~ refers to species or subspecies that is not critically
endangered but whose survival in the wild is unlikely if causal factors
continue operating;

Endemic species ~ refers to species or subspecies which is naturally
occurring and found only within specific areas in the country;

Habitat - refers to place or environment where species or subspecies
naturally occur or has naturally established its population;

Indigenous wildlife - refers to species or subspecies of wildlife naturally
occurring or has naturally established population in the country;

Other wildlife species — refers to all non-threatened species that have the
tendency to become threatened due to the destruction of habitat or other
similar causes as may be listed by the Secretary upon the recommendation
of the National Wildlife Management Committee;


Protected Wildlife — refers to all wildlife falling under any category of
threatened wildlife species and other wildlife species listed by the DENR, DA,
PCSD and BMG that is not in the threatened list but are identified and listed
by DENR, DA, PCSD and BMG as requiring legal protection;

™m) Quarantine — wild animals are kept in isolation to prevent spread or

n)

0)

p)

q)

transmission of diseases;

Rehabilitation - restoring the normal health of wild animals with previous
injury or illness;

Vulnerable species — refers to species or subspecies that is not critically
endangered nor endangered but is under threat from adverse factor
throughout their range and is likely to move to the endangered category in
the near future;

Wildlife — refers to wild forms and varieties of flora and fauna, in all
developmental stages, including those which are in captivity or are being bred
or propagated;

Wildlife Rescue Center — refers to government establishment or designated
repositories of abandoned, injured, donated, and confiscated wildlife for
treatment, care and rehabilitation.

‘SEC. 5. The Wildlife and Rescue Center in MANP. - The Center shall be the central
body tasked to manage the daily operations. It shall compose of an In-charge Chief with three
(3) technical people with expertise in the field of veterinary medicine and other related course.

SEC. 6. Powers and Functions. — The Center shall have the following powers and

functions in terms of management and operations:

a)

b)
°)

4)

To accommodate, protect and preserve the local wildlife animals that are
identified in this Act as most vulnerable to the effects of human encroachment
and man-made disasters;

To help maintain Mt. Apo's quest for a UNESCO World Heritage Site;

To indulge partnership with the concerned national agencies and local
government units (LGUs), academe, local dwellers and other stakeholders
for a sustainable inclusive participation;

To received grants, subsidies, donations or contributions from corporations,
thrusts, foundations, associations and other sources from any private or
government office, agency or corporation in the Philippines or abroad;


SEC.

e) To establish, maintain, operate and provide transparent reporting system to
the national government concerns in order to achieve the objectives of this
Act.

7. Manpower Requirement. - The minimum manpower requirement in the

operation of the MANP Wildlife and Rescue Center shall be under the supervision of
the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, are as follows:

SEC.

a) In-charge of the MANP Wildlife Rescue Center
b) Veterinarian (resident or consultant)

c) Animal caretakers

d) Nursery caretakers

e) Clerk

f) Carpenter (optional)

9) Medical Technologist (optional)

h) Maintenance worker (optional)

8. Protected Area Management Bureau (PAMB). - The PAMB shall oversee

the operations of the Wildlife and Rescue Center in MANP with the same composition of the
Executive Committee officials and members set in Section 10 of RA 9237. It shall serve as
the oversight and advisory board of the Center where all decisions that requires policy
approval and funding requirements needed shall be duly approved by the PAMB Executive
Committee subject to the national government rules and regulations.

SEC.

9. Powers and Functions. The PAMB shall have the following powers and

functions as oversight in the management and operations of the Center:

a)

b)

qd)

To approved proposals that shall sustain the operations of the Center, subject
to research and development evidences;

To assist the Center to contribute to Mt. Apo's quest for a UNESCO World
Heritage Site;

To approved legal instruments in a form of memoranda and other agreements
entered by the Center in partnership with the concerned national agencies and
local government units (LGUs), academe, local dwellers and other stakeholders
for a sustainable inclusive participation;

To approved the received grants, subsidies, donations or contributions from
corporations, thrusts, foundations, associations and other sources from any
private or government office, agency or corporation in the Philippines or abroad;


e) To approve the Center's establishment, operations and maintenance for the

national government reporting requirements in order to achieve the objectives
of this Act.

SEC. 10. Partner Institutions. - The Center shall establish coordination and
partnership in terms of research and development (R&D), innovations, technical expertise,
and other breakthroughs related to conservations with the following institutions: The University
of the Philippines (UP);

a) State Colleges and Universities (SCUs);
b) Local Government Units;
©) Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF); and
d) Other Private institutions

SEC. 11. Exemption from Taxes and Duties. - The Center shall be exempt from the
payment of customs duties and taxes on the importation of veterinary and other supplies or
other farm inputs, equipment and machineries, research equipment, including its spare parts,
for purpose of augmenting and upgrading local stocks and breeders, subject to the following
conditions:

a) That the dairy equipment and machineries, including its spare parts are not
manufacture domestically in sufficient quantity, of comparable quality and
reasonable prices; and

b) That it shall be actually, directly and exclusively used by the Center in the
production, propagation and rescue of wildlife animals

‘SEC. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within three (3) months from the
effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall form an ad
hoc Task Force to be composed of representatives coming from the PAMB members to
formulate the Implementing Rules and Regulations within the ensuing period of three (3)
months. Two representatives of the Congressional Commission on Environment and Natural
Resources shall join the meetings of the ad hoc Task Force as observers.

‘SEC. 13. Appropriations. - The establishment, operations and maintenance of the
Mt. Apo Natural Park Wildlife and Rescue Center shall be included in the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) budget for the implementation of this Act, the
funding of which shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act.


SEC. 14. Separability Clause.

or invalid, other provisions thereof which are not affected thereby shall continue in full force
and effect.

—Ifany provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional

SEC. 15. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days following its
Publication in the Official Gazette of in any newspaper or general circulation.

Approved,