Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

8524

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE NELSON L. DAYANGHIRANG

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Province of Davao Oriental boasts of diverse natural tourist spots and is
home to a wide array of natural resources. However, its abundant natural wealth is
under threat from both natural disasters and man-made activities. Global Forest
Watch, an initiative of the World Resources Institute that provides data and tools for
monitoring forests in near real-time, estimates that the Province of Davao Oriental
lost 9.99kha of humid primary forest between 2002 to 2021.

From this figure alone, it is evident that the protection and preservation of
Davao Oriental’s forests requires collaboration and coordination between the
national and local government. As part of this effort, this representation proposes the
establishment of community forests in the Municipalities of Baganga, Boston, Caraga,

Cateel, Manay, and Tarragona in the First District of Davao Oriental.

A communal forest refers to a tract of forest land set aside by the Secretary of
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) upon the
recommendation of the concerned local government unit (LGU) for the use of the
residents of a city or municipality. The residents of the city or municipality may then
cut, collect, and remove forest products for their personal use in accordance with
existing laws and regulations and subject to the provision that utilization of resources

therein shall be in accordance with sustainable development.


The establishment of communal forests will empower the residents and local
communities in the First District of Davao Oriental to take a more active role in the
responsible use, conservation, and management of their municipality's forest
resources. Further, as the DENR will be mandated to provide technical assistance to
the concerned LGUs in all facets of forest management planning, both the LGUs and
local communities will be equipped with the necessary training and knowledge to
ensure that their communal forests will be utilized in a sustainable manner and

conserved through replanting activities.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly

NE YANGHIRANG

1* District, Davao Oriental


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL 08524

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE NELSON L. DAYANGHIRANG

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING COMMUNAL FORESTS IN THE MUNICIPALITIES OF BAGANGA,
BOSTON, CARAGA, CATEEL, MANAY, AND TARRAGONA IN THE FIRST DISTRICT
OF DAVAO ORIENTAL, AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

assembled:

SEC. 1. Short Title. - There shall be established, under the supervision of the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), community forests in
the Municipalities of Baganga, Boston, Caraga, Cateel, Manay, and Tarragona in the
Province of Davao Oriental.

The DENR shall determine the size and specific limits of the community forest

to be established within each of the municipalities concerned.

Each established community forest shall be identified in accordance with a
Forest Land Use Plan, consistent with the municipality's land use plan, and all existing

and related plans, programs and projects of the province and national government.

SEC. 2. The DENR shall, within two (2) years after the determination and
establishment of the community forests, transfer the management of the same to the

local government unit (LGU) concerned through a memorandum of agreement. It


shall implement a training and phasing-in program for local government personnel

on the management, utilization and conservation of community forests,

The DENR shall, in coordination with the concerned LGU, undertake a forest
resource inventory in each of the barangays, determine the sustainable level of forest
resource utilization and provide the LGU technical assistance in all facets of forest
management planning. To ensure the sustainability of the community forests, the
management plan shall include the necessary replanting activities by the

communities and the LGUs.

SEC. 3. The DENR Secretary shall include in the Department's program the
implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the annual

General Appropriations Act.

The LGU concerned shall set aside funds from any available local revenue in
an amount deemed appropriate for the management, utilization, and conservation of

the community forests.
SEC. 4, Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the DENR
Secretary shall issue the rules and regulations necessary for the implementation of

this Act.

SEC. 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the

Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,