Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE!
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 5614

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE PANTALEON D. ALVAREZ
AND HONORABLE RODOLFO C. FARINAS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to declare the Kalayaan Island Group situated in the
Province of Palawan as alienable and disposable land for agricultural,
residential and commercial purposes.

Presidential Decree No. 1596, entitled “Declaring Certain Area
Part of the Philippine Territory and Providing for Their Government and
Administration,” constituted the Kalayaan Island Group as a distinct and
separate municipality of the Province of Palawan, now known as the
Municipality of Kalayaan. Kalayaan Island Group is composed of islets
and reefs with aggregate land area of approximately 79 hectares: a)
Pagasa with 32.7 hectares; b) Likas with 18.6 hectares; c) Parda, 12.7
hectares; d) Lawak, 7.9 hectares; e) Kota, 6.45 hectares; f) Patag, 0.57
hectare; g) Parata, 0.44 hectare; h) Ayungin Reef, 0 hectare; and (1)
Rizal Reef, 0 hectare.

The Kalayaan Island Group offers rich fishing grounds and
contains significant oil and natural gas reserves. It is vital to the security
and economic survival of the Philippines. The Municipality of Kalayaan
is in the process of making new projects to promote tourism for the island
group. It is inviting Filipino businessmen to invest in Kalayaan but
investors are reluctant to invest because the island group is inalienable
and non-disposable for agricultural, residential and commercial purposes.
Even residents who have been long tilling and developing the parcels of
land within the Kalayaan Island Group cannot apply for title for their
occupied area.


Thus, there is an urgent need to declare the Kalayaan Island Group
as alienable and disposable to promote permanent dwelling and develop a
viable source of livelihood for the residents therein. This will also
promote the growth of business opportunities and spur the development
of trade and industry by attracting investors to the area.

In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is
earnestly requested.

souks C. FARINAS PANTALEON VAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 5614

—— A

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE PANTALEON D, ALVAREZ AND
HONORABLE RODOLFO C. FARINAS

—_- sss

AN ACT
DECLARING THE KALAYAAN ISLAND GROUP LOCATED IN
THE MUNICIPALITY OF KALAYAAN, PROVINCE OF
PALAWAN AS ALIENABLE AND DISPOSABLE LAND

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

SECTION 1. The Kalayaan Island Group composed of Pagasa
(Thitu), Likas, Parola, Lawak, Kota, Patag, Panata, Ayungin Reef,
Balagtas Reef and Rizal Reef containing a total land area of 0.79 km?
(0.31 sq. mi) constituting the Municipality of Kalayaan, Province of
Palawan, is hereby declared as alienable and disposable land for
agricultural, residential, commercial and other productive purposes,
subject to actual survey and delineation, and more particularly described
in Presidential Decree No. 1596, entitled “Declaring Certain Area Part
of the Philippine Territory and Providing For Their Government and

Administration” as follows:


KALAYAAN ISLAND GROUP

From a point [on the Philippine Treaty Limits] at
latitude 7°40’ North and longitude 116°00' East of
Greenwich, thence due West along the parallel of 7°40" N to
its intersection with the meridian of longitude 112°10° E,
thence due north along the meridian of 112°10° E to its
intersection with the parallel of 9°00" N, thence
northeastward to the inter-section of the parallel of 12°00’ N
with the meridian of longitude 114°30’ E, thence, due East
along the parallel of 12°00’ N to its intersection with the
meridian of 118°00" E, thence, due South along the meridian
of longitude 118°00" E to its intersection with the parallel of
10°00” N, thence Southwestwards to the point of beginning at
7°40" N, latitude and 116° 00’ E longitude; including the sea-

bed, sub-soil, continental margin and air space.

SEC. 2. Within ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act,

the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources shall promulgate the

necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this

SEC. 3. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general

circulation.

Approved,