FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10SEP 29 P5:11 
SENATE 
S. No. 2550 
Introduced by Senator JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 P~ilippine Constitution provides in Article II, Section 16 that "the State 
shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in 
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature". 
It is also echoed in the various 
provisions of Article XII on National Economy and Patrimony as framework for the 
State's environmental mandate. 
The right to a clean environment is recognized as a human right in the 
Philippines while protection of that right is a duty imposed upon the State and certain 
responsibilities are required of individuals. 
The State shall instill environment consciousness among our people to effectively 
carry out the different environmental programs and projects of the government 
essential for the protection, preservation and revival of the quality of the environment 
and natural resources of the country. 
The important role of environment and natural resources personnel is widely 
accepted. However, the situations prevailing in the areas contested by business, 
environment workers and advocates and of government have placed the workers' lives 
in danger. There are numerous cases, a few of them are: 
-
Joey Estriber, an environmental activist and radio broadcaster was abducted 
on March 3, 2006, in Baler, Aurora. He headed the illegal-logging and mining 
campaign Butaris, a Multi-Sectoral Action Group of Aurora. 
Elpidio de la Victoria, Program Director of the Cebu City Bantay Dagat 
Commission, was shot dead on April 17, 2006. He campaigned for a ban on 
commercial and destructive forms of fishing in the Visayan Sea Marine 
Triangle. Eyewitnesses pointed to a member of the Philippine National Police 
as the gunman. The Cebu City government offered a One Million Peso 
reward for information leading to the arrest of De la Victoria's killer. 
-
Armin Marin, an oppositor of the nickel exploration project of the Sibuyan 
Nickel Property Development Corp. and BHP Silliton was shot dead on 
October 3, 2007. The nickel project was found to be inimical to the 
biodiversity of Sibuyan Island, called the Galapagos of Asia. 
Fernando Sarmiento, Secretary General of the environmental group 
Panalipdan-Southern Mindanao Region, was killed December 23, 2008. He 
opposed the PhilCo Mining Corporation gold project in New Bataan, 
Compostela Valley as destructive of the environment and people's health. 


Eliezer Billanes, 
Gawad ng Bayani ng Kalikasan awardee was killed in 
Koronadal City on March 09, 2009. He opposed the Xstrata mine· in 
Socsargen. 
-
On April 29, 2009, Ludinio Monzon, an oppositor to the Boston Mineral Mining 
Corp/Omega Gold Mining Company in Davao Oriental was killed. 
Mike Rivera, an anti-mining movement leader, was shot dead on May 16, 2010 in 
front of the Calapan United Evangelical Church of the Philippines on Ramirez St., 
San Vicente Central, Calapan City. 
Desidario "Jessie" Camangyan, a radio broadcaster at Sunrise FM-Mati in Manay 
town, Davao Oriental, was shot on June 15, 2010. He was discussing illegal 
logging in the east coast of Davao Oriental. 
-
Gensun Agustin, a leader of the illegal magnetite mining in Buguey in Cagayan 
Valley, was shot dead on March 1, 2010. He was a leader of the Alliance for 
Buguey Community Advocates and the Federation of Anti-Mining Advocates in 
Cagayan 
This Bill aims: (a) to promote and improve the health, physical safety, social 
and economic well-being of the environment and natural resources personnel, their 
living and working conditions, security and terms of employment; (b) to develop their 
skills and capabilities in order that they will be more responsive and better equipped to 
deliver environmental management functions in the attainment of projects and 
programs; and (c) to encourage those with proper qualifications and excellent abilities 
to join, contribute their expertise and remain in government service and in the country. 
The Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Personnel includes but is not 
limited to the personnel of the DENR, its Bureaus, Regional Offices, and attached 
Agencies, environmental units in the other government agencies and the ecological 
waste management department of the local government units. 
This Bill includes the forest rangers and park rangers that look after our forest and 
protected areas. A forest ranger guards or has jurisdiction over a very large forest area, 
around 5,000-10,000 hectares. However, his salary is not as large as the area he is 
protecting. The same situation exists in watershed areas. This Bill covers not only the 
forest rangers but also those in the ecological waste management department of local 
government units. 
The immediate passage of this Bill, is therefore, respectfully sought. 
.a.:f10K JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
", ',.-
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
SEfl' 29 P5 :11 
SENATE 
S. No.2550 
" 
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JUAN MIGUEL F. ZUBIRI 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES PERSONNEL 
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 
2 
Environment and Natural Resources Personnel." 
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy and Objective. - The State shall instill 
4 
environment consciousness among our people to effectively carry out the different 
5 
environmental programs and projects of the government essential for the protection, 
6 
preservation and revival of the quality of the environment and natural resources of the 
7 
country. 
8 
Towards this end, this Act aims: (a) to promote and improve the health, 
9 
physical safety, social and economic well-being of the ENR Personnel, their living and 
10 
working conditions, security and terms of employment; (b) to develop their skills and 
11 
capabilities in order that they will be more responsive and better equipped to deliver 
12 
environmental management functions in the attainment of projects and programs; and 
13 
(c) to encourage those with proper qualifications and excellent abilities to join, 
14 
contribute their expertise and remain in government service and in the country. 
15 
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in and for the purposes of this Act, the 
16 
following terms shall mean: 
17 
a)"Departmenf' shall mean the Department of Environment 'and Natural 
18 
Resources; and 
19 
b) "ENR Personnel or ENR Personnel" shall refer to: 
20 
1. all persons who are engaged in the protection of the environment, 
21 
environmental management and environment-related work; 
22 
2. all persons employed as environment and natural resources officers and 
23 
personnel in the environmental and ecological solid waste management units 


in all local government units, and administrative and support personnel 
2 
employed regardless of their employment status; 
3 
3. all persons employed in the environmental units of the national and regional 
4 
government agencies and companies owned and operated by the government or 
5 
its 
political 
subdivisions 
and 
shall 
include 
engineers, 
environmental 
6 
management specialists, science research specialists, foresters, forest and 
7 
park rangers, marine environmental protection officers and personnel, and 
8 
administrative and support personnel employed regardless of their employment 
9 
status; 
10 
4. 
all persons employed in the environmental unit of private 
11 
corporations/enterprises including but not limited to pollution control officers 
12 
regardless of their employment status; and 
13 
5. all persons employed with the Department, its Bureaus, Regional Offices and 
14 
attached Agencies, regardless of employment status, including but not limited to 
15 
permanent, temporary, 
contractual 
service/procurement service/Object 29 
16 
employment status. 
17 
SEC. 4. Coverage. - This Act shall cover all ENR Personnel employed in the 
18 
government service and private sector regardless of their employment status. 
19 
SEC. 5. Recruitment and Qualification. - Recruitment policy and minimum 
20 
requirements with respect to the selection and appointment of an ENR Personnel shall 
21 
be developed and implemented by the appropriate government agencies concerned in 
22 
accordance with policies and standards of the Civil Service Commission: 
23 
Provided, That in the absence of appropriate eligible applicant and it becomes 
24 
necessary in the public interest to fill a vacancy, a temporary appointment shall be 
25 
issued to the person who meets all the requirements for the position to which he/she is 
26 
being appointed except the appropriate civil service eligibility: Provided, further, That 
27 
such temporary appointment shall not exceed twelve (12) months nor be less than three 
28 
(3) months renewable thereafter but that the appointee may be replaced sooner if (a) 
29 
qualified civil service eligible becomes available, or (b) the appointee is found wanting in 
30 
performance or conduct befitting a government employee. 
31 
SEC. 6. Merit Promotion and Career System. - The Secretary of Environment 
32 
and Natural Resources, upon consultation with the proper government agencies 
33 
concerned and the Environment and Natural Resources workers' organization, shall 
34 
prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan applicable to all ENR 
35 
Personnel. Such career and 
personnel development plan shall include 
36 
provisions on merit promotion, performance evaluation, in service training grants, job 
37 
rotation, suggestions and incentive award system. 
38 
The performance evaluation plan shall consider foremost the improvement 
2 


of individual employee efficiency and organizational effectiveness: Provided, That each 
2 
employee shall be informed regularly by his/her supervisor of his/her performance 
3 
evaluation. 
4 
The merit promotion plan shall be in consonance with the rules of the Civil 
5 
Service Commission. 
6 
SEC. 7. Code of Conduct. - Within six (6) months from the approval of this Act, 
7 
the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, upon consultation with other 
8 
appropriate agencies, professional and environment and natural resources worker's 
9 
organization, shall formulate and prepare a Code of Conduct for ENR Personnel, 
10 
which shall be disseminated as widely as possible. 
11 
SEC. 8. Normal Hours of Work. - The normal hours of work 'of any ENR 
12 
Personnel shall not exceed eight (8) hours a day or forty (40) hours a week. 
13 
Hours worked shall'include: 
14 
a) the time during which an ENR Personnel is required to be on active duty or to 
15 
be at a prescribed workplace; 
16 
b) the time during which an ENR Personnel is permitted to work 
17 
c) the time during which an ENR Personnel is required in a place other than the 
18 
prescribed workplace. 
19 
Provided, That, the time when an ENR Personnel is placed on "On Call" status shall 
20 
not be considered as hours worked but shall entitle the ENR Personnel to an "On 
21 
Call" pay equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of his/her regular wage. "On Call" status 
22 
refers to a condition when ENR Personnel are called upon to respond to urgent or 
23 
immediate need for pollution incidences during emergencies such that he/she cannot 
24 
devote the time for his/her own use. 
25 
An ENR Personnel can also teach or practice their profession after office hours, 
26 
SEC, 9. Overtime Work. - Where the exigencies of the service so require, any 
27 
ENR Personnel may be required to render service beyond the normal eight (8) hours a 
28 
day, inclusive of Saturdays, Sundays or nonworking holidays. In such a case, the ENR 
29 
Personnel shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with existing laws 
30 
and prevailing practices 
31 
SEC. 10. Work During Rest Day.-
32 
a) Where an ENR Personnel is made to work on his/her scheduled rest day, 
33 
he/she shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with existing laws. 
34 
b) Where an ENR Personnel is made to work on any special holiday he/she shall 
35 
be paid an additional compensation in accordance with existing laws. Where such 
36 
holiday work falls on the personnel's scheduled rest day, he/she shall be entitled to an 
37 
additional compensation as may be provided by existing laws, 
38 
SEC. 11. Compensation. - The existing laws on the salary scale of government 
3 


employees shall apply in determining the salaries of ENR Personnel. In case of 
2 
violation of this provision, the ENR Personnel concerned shall file the necessary 
3 
complaint to the Civil Service Commission (CSC) or National Labor Relations 
4 
Commission through the ENR Management and Consultative Council. 
5 
SEC. 12. Leave Benefits for ENR Personnel. - ENR Personnel are entitled to 
6 
all leave benefits and privilege such as but not limited to maternity, paternity, sick 
7 
leave and vacation leaves, as provided for under existing laws: Provided, That upon 
8 
separation of ENR Personnel from service, they shall be entitled to all accumulated 
9 
leave credits with pay. 
10 
SEC. 13. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement. - Upon retirement, the ENR 
11 
Personnel shall automatically be granted an increase of one (1) Salary Grade higher 
12 
than his/her basic salary and hiS/her retirement benefit thereafter, computed on 
13 
the basis of his/her highest salary received: Provided, That he/she has reached the 
14 
age and fulfilled the service requirements under existing laws. 
15 
SEC. 14. Other Benefits. - Aside from the benefits received as required under 
16 
existing laws and executive orders, an ENR Personnel shall receive the following 
17 
allowances: 
18 
a) Honorarium. ENR Personnel who rendered service beyond the established 
19 
irregular workload of ENR Personnel whose broad and superior knowledge, 
20 
expertise or professional standing in a specific field contributes to productivity and 
21 
innovativeness shall be entitled to receive honorarium subject to rules to be set by the 
22 
Department. 
23 
b) Hazard Allowance. ENR Personnel involved in hazardous undertakings such 
24 
as, but not limited to conduct of field inspections and air/water/chemical and hazardous 
25 
waste monitoring and sampling, forest ranger work and assigned in the following units: 
26 
environmental impact assessment division, environmental quality divi~ion, pollution 
27 
control divisions, environmental protection units, and research and development 
28 
divisions and other environment and natural resources offices/field offices located in 
29 
difficult areas which expose them to great danger, contagion, radiation, volcanic 
30 
activity/eruption, occupational risks or threats to life, shall be compensated with 
31 
hazard allowances equivalent to at least twenty-five percent (25%) of the monthly basic 
32 
salary. 
33 
c) Subsistence Allowance/Transportation Allowance. ENR Personnel 
34 
who are required to render service in forest/watershed areas, pollution incident sites 
35 
and other areas, in order, to make their services available at all times, shall be 
36 
entitled to daily full subsistence allowance for three (3) meals which shall be 
37 
computed in accordance with prevailing circumstances. Those assigned out of their 
38 
regular work stations shall be entitled per diem in place of this allowance. Actual 
4 


transportation allowance shall also be provided to ENR Personnel on field work. 
2 
d) Clothing and Laundry Allowanc(f. All ENR Personnel shall bel entitled to a 
3 
minimum of One Thousand Five Hundred Pesos (PhP 1,500.00) clothing allowance 
4 
annually, which amount shall be adjusted annually as needed. 
5 
In addition to the above, all ENR Personnel who are required to wear uniforms 
6 
regularly shall be entitled to a minimum of Two Hundred and Fifty Pesos (PhP250.00) 
7 
per month laundry allowance. Provided further, That these rates shall be reviewed 
8 
periodically and increased according.ly as needed. 
9 
e) Housing and Living Quarters Allowance. All ENR Personnel who are 
10 
transferred to another assignment due to the exigency of the service shall be entitled to 
11 
free housing within the agency concerned: Provided, That if living quarters are not 
12 
available within the agency and the personnel has his/her residence outside of fifty 
13 
(50) kilometer radius from such government facility, he/she shall receive a housing 
14 
allowance, and: Provided further, That the rate of such housing allowance shall be 
15 
periodically adjusted for inflation. 
16 
For purposes of this Section, the Department is authorized to develop housing 
17 
projects in its own lands, not otherwise devoted for other uses, for ENR Personnel in 
18 
coordination with appropriate government agencies. 
19 
f) Longevity Pay. A monthly longevity pay equivalent to ten percent (10%) of 
20 
the monthly basic pay shall be paid to an ENR Personnel for every five (5) years of 
21 
continuous, efficient and meritorious services rendered as certified by the chief of 
22 
office concerned, commencing with the service after the approval of this Act. 
23 
g) Remote Assignment Allowance. ENR Personnel who accept assignments 
24 
as such in remote areas or isolated stations, which for reasons of far distance or hard 
25 
accessibility, such positions had not been filled for the last two (2) years prior to the 
26 
approval of this Act, shall be entitled to an incentive bonus in the form of remote 
27 
assignment allowance equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of their basic pay, and shall 
28 
be entitled to reimbursement of the cost of reasonable transportation to and from such 
29 
remote post or station, upon assuming or leaving such position and during official 
30 
trips. 
31 
In addition to the above, such ENR Personnel mentioned in the preceding 
32 
paragraph shall be given priority in promotion or assignment to better areas. Their tour 
33 
of duties in the remote areas shall not exceed two (2) years, except When there are no 
34 
positions for their transfer or they prefer to stay in such posts in excess of two (2) years. 
35 
h) Medical Examination. During the tenure of their employment, ENR 
36 
Personnel shall be given a compulsory medical examination once a year and 
37 
immunization as the case may warrant. The medical examination shall include, but not 
38 
be limited to: 
5 


1. Complete physical examination; 
2 
2. Routine laboratory, chest x-ray and ECG; 
3 
3. P~ychometric examination; 
4 
4. Dental examination; and 
5 
5. Other indicative examination. 
6 
Provided, That where medical examination shows that medical tre,atment 
7 
and/or hospitalization is necessary for those already in government service, the 
8 
treatment and/or hospitalization including medicines shall be provided free either in a 
9 
government or a private hospital by the government entity paying the salary of the 
10 
ENR Personnel especially in occupational-health related illness. Provided, further, That 
11 
the cost of such medical examination and treatment shall be included as 
12 
automatic appropriation in said agency's annual budget. 
13 
i) Personal Protective Equipment. ENR Personnel which regularly conduct 
14 
field inspection, monitoring and sampling shall be provided by their respective offices 
15 
with the proper personal protective equipments (PPEs) in accordance with existing laws 
16 
on occupational health and safety. 
17 
SEC. 15. Compensation for Injuries/Illnesses. - ENR Personnel shall be 
18 
protected against the consequences of employment injuries/occupational-
19 
related illnesses in accordance with existing laws. Injuries incurred while doing 
20 
overtime work shall be presumed work-connected. 
21 
SEC. 16. Non-DENR ENR Personnel. - ENR Personnel not employed by the 
22 
Department, who are involved in environmental management and environment and 
23 
natural resources protection functions, and regardless of their employment status may 
24 
avail of the benefits of this Act, chargeable against their respective agenciesllocal 
25 
government units/offices/private corporations, upon certification of the Secretary of the 
26 
Department. 
27 
SEC. 17. Honorarium for other services. - ENR Personnel shall be allowed 
28 
to render consultancy services to the private sector and shall be entitled 'to receive 
29 
such honorarium that may' be paid to them by the private entity conqerned. Such 
30 
payments shall be over and above their salary from the government during the period 
31 
of the consultancy and skill not be considered as double compensation: Provided, 
32 
That the consultancy work will not jeopardize or adversely affect the operations or 
33 
a,ctivities of his originating office: Provided, further, That the Secretary of the 
34 
Department approves such consultancy. 
35 
SEC. 18. Exemption from the Attrition Law and Civil Service Rule on 
36 
Nepotism. - AppOintment of ENR Personnel to positions of research assistant and 
37 
upwards shall not be covered by the Attrition Law and CSC rule on nepotism in 
38 
consideration of the highly technical nature of these pOSitions. 
6 


SEC. 19. Rights of an ENR Personnel. - ENR Personnel shall have the 
2 
following rights: 
3 
a) Protection from discrimination by reason of sex, sexual orientation, age, 
4 
political or religious beliefs, civil status, physical characteristics/disability or 
5 
ethnicity; 
6 
b) Protection from any form of interference, intimidation, harassment or 
7 
punishment to include, but not limited to, arbitrary reassignment or termination of 
8 
service, in the performance of his/her duties and responsibilities; 
9 
c) To join, organize, or assist organizations or unions for lawful purposes; 
10 
d) Protection from any act that will prevent his/her applying professional 
11 
interventions that the clients situation may require; and 
12 
e) To avail of opportunities for continuing professional growth and development. 
13 
SEC. 20. Reassignment of ENR Personnel. - A transfer is a movement from 
14 
one position to another which is of equivalent rank, level or salary without break in 
15 
service; 
16 
a) geographical reassignment, hereinafter referred to as "reassignment," is a 
17 
movement from one geographical location to another; and 
18 
c) Except in the interest of public service, no transfer or ,geographical 
19 
reassignment shall be made or effected without written notice to an ENR Personnel: 
20 
Provided, That said written notice, stating the reasons for the reassignment, shall be made 
21 
at least thirty (30) days prior to the date of transfer or reassignment: Provided, further, 
22 
That, if the ENR Personnel believes that there is no justification for the transfer and/or 
23 
reassignment, he/she may appeal his/her case to the CSC, which shall cause his/her 
24 
transfer and/or reassignment to be held in abeyance: Provided, furthermore, That 
25 
reassignment coinciding with any local or national election shall be made in 
26 
compliance with Election Code and other existing laws and rules: Provided, finally, That 
27 
the necessary expenses of the transfer and/or reassignment of the ENR Personnel 
28 
and his/her immediate family shall be paid for by the agency concerned. 
29 
SEC. 21. Married ENR Personnel. - Whenever possible, the proper authorities 
30 
shall take steps to enable married couples, both of whom are ENR Personnel, to be 
31 
employed or assigned in the same office, but not in the same unit. Provided, That it shall 
32 
not apply to married ENR Personnel already assigned in the same office at the time that 
33 
this Act takes effect. 
34 
SEC. 22. Freedom from Interference or Coercion. - It shall be unlawful for 
35 
any person to commit any of the following acts of interference or coercion: 
36 
a) to require as a condition of employment that an ENR Personnel shall not join an 
37 
ENR workers' organization or union or shall relinquish membership therein; 
38 
b) to discriminate in regard to hiring or tenure of employment or any item or 
7 


condition of employment in order to encourage or discourage membership in 
2 
any ENR workers' organization or union; 
3 
c) to prevent an ENR Personnel from carrying out duties laid upon him/her by 
4 
his/her position in the organization or union, or to penaliZe him/her for the 
5 
action undertaken in such capacity; 
6 
d) to harass or interfere with the discharge of the functions of the ENR Personnel 
7 
when these are calculated to intimidate or to prevent the performance of his/her 
8 
duties and responsibilities; and 
9 
e) to otherwise interfere in the establishment, functioning, or administration of ENR 
10 
workers' organizations or unions through acts designed to place such 
11 
organization or union under the control of government authority. 
12 
SEC. 23. Freedom from Discrimination. - It shall be unlawful for any person 
13 
or employer to discriminate against ENR Personnel who falls under any of the following: 
14 
a) ENR Personnel that are Solo Parents; 
15 
b) ENR Personnel that are Benefactors of Senior Citizens. 
Benefactor shall 
16 
mean any person related to a Senior Citizen or not who takes care of him/her 
17 
as a dependent; 
18 
c) ENR Personnel that are Person with Disabilities (PWD); and 
19 
d) ENR Personnel that are Benefactors or Parents of a Person with Disabilities 
20 
(PWD) or Person with Special Needs of Person with Developmental 
21 
Disorders. 
22 
SEC. 24. Human Resource Development. - The Department shall conduct a 
23 
periodic human resource development/management study into, among others, the 
24 
following areas: 
25 
a) Adequacy of facilities and resources to render quality environment and natural 
26 
resources management functions; 
27 
b) Opportunities for ENR Persorinel to grow professionally and develop their 
28 
potentials and experience a sense of worth and dignity in their work; 
29 
c) Mechanism for democratic consultations; 
30 
d) Ways and means of enabling the rank-and-file workers to avail of educational 
31 
opportunities for personal growth and development; 
32 
e) Upgrading of working conditions, reclassification of positions and salaries of ENR 
33 
Personnel, regardless of employment status to correct disparity vis-a-vis other 
34 
professions; and 
35 
f) Allocation of funds for the participation of ENR Personnel in seminars, 
36 
conferences, conventions and similar activities as part of their continuing 
37 
professional growth 
38 
SEC. 25. Security of Tenure. - No ENR Personnel holding a permanent 
8 


1 
position shall be terminated except for cause: Provided, That, in the event the ENR 
2 
Personnel is found to be unjustly dismissed by the CSC or the NLRC; as the case may be, 
3 
he/she shall be entitled to reinstatement without loss of seniority rights and back wages 
4 
with twelve per centum (12%) interest to be computed from the time his/her compensation 
5 
was withheld from him/her up to the time of reinstatement. 
6 
SEC. 26. Highest basic salary upon retirement. - Upon retirement, the ENR 
7 
Personnel concemed shall automatically be granted one (1) Salary Grade higher than 
8 
his/her basic salary and his/her retirement benefits shall be computed on the basis of 
9 
his/her highest salary received. 
10 
SEC. 27. Hiring of retired ENR Personnel. - An employee retired under any 
11 
existing law, who, in the judgment of the goveming board or head of an environmental 
12 
agency, 
possesses technical 
qualifications and 
the 
capability to 
undertake 
13 
environmental management activities, may be rehired on contractual basis without 
14 
refunding the unexpired portion of the gratuity and accumulated leave benefits 
15 
received by him from the Govemment: Provided, That no qualified environment and 
16 
natural resources' expert is available to undertake said technical activities. 
17 
SEC. 28. Environmental Awards. - There shall be established an Environment 
18 
and Natural Resources Awards Committee which shall confer annually the 
19 
Environment and Natural Resources Awards for outstanding achievementls and 
20 
excellence or original contribution to environmental protection/management. The 
21 
Committee shall promulgate the guidelines in implementing this Section and shall 
22 
specify the categories of awards to be given and the amount of financial reward 
23 
for each category. 
24 
SEC. 29. Congressional Commission on Environment and Natural 
25 
Resources. -
There is hereby created a Congressional Commission on 
26 
Environment and 
Natural 
Resources 
(ENVICOM) that shall 
Oversee the 
27 
implementation of all the Environment and Natural Resources laws; review and 
28 
assess, among others, the state of the Philippine environmental security, human 
29 
resources development in Environment and Natural Resources field; and the 
30 
implementation of this Act. The Commission shall be composed of five (5) Members 
31 
of the House of Representatives and five (5) Members of the Senate. It shall be co-
32 
chaired by the Chairpersons of the Committee on Environment and Natural 
33 
Resources of the Senate and the Committees of Ecology and Natural Resources of the 
34 
Lower House. Such congressional review shall be undertaken at least once every five (5) 
35 
years. 
36 
SEC. 30. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Secretary of the 
37 
Environment and Natural Resources after consultation with appropriate agencies of 
38 
the Govemment as well as professional and environment and natural resources workers' 
9 


, 
I 
organizations or unions, shall formulate and prepare the necessary rules and 
2 
regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued 
3 
pursuant to this Section shall take effect thirty (30) days after publication in a 
4 
newspaper of general circulation. 
5 
SEC. 31. Prohibition Against Double Recovery of Benefits. - Whenever other 
6 
laws provide for the same benefits covered by this Act, the ENR Personnel shall have 
7 
the option to choose which benefits will be paid to him/her. However, in the event that the 
8 
benefits chosen are less than that provided under this Act, the ENR Personnel shall be 
9 
paid only the difference. 
10 
SEC. 32. Prohibition Against Elimination and/or Diminution. - Nothing in this 
II 
law shall be construed to eliminate or in any way diminish benefits being enjoyed by an 
12 
Environment and Natural Resources workers at the time of the effectivity of this Act. 
13 
Sec. 33. Penal Provision. - Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain 
14 
or coerce any ENR Personnel in the exercise of his/her rights or shall in any manner 
15 
commit any act in violation of any of the provisions of this Act, upon conviction, shall 
16 
be punished by a fine of not less than Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.OO) but not 
17 
more than Forty thousand Pesos (P40,OOO.00) or imprisonment of not more than one (1) 
18 
year or both at the discretion of the court. 
19 
If the offender is a public official, the court, in addition to the penalties provided in the 
20 
preceding paragraph, may impose the additional penalty of disqualification from 
21 
Office. 
22 
Sec. 34. Funding. - The amount necessary to fully implement this Act shall 
23 
be provided in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of the year following its 
24 
enactment into law under the budgetary appropriations of the DENR, concerned 
25 
agencies and local government units. 
26 
Sec. 35. Annual Report. - The Secretary of the Department shall submit to the 
27 
Congressional Commission on Environment and Natural Resources an annual report on 
28 
the implementation of this Act. 
29 
Sec. 36. Separability Clause. - The provisions of this Act is declared 
30 
separable. In the event that any provision hereof is rendered unconstitutional, those 
31 
that are not affected shall remain valid and effective. 
32 
Sec. 37. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders 
33 
and their implementing rules, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
34 
are hereby, repealed; amended or modified accordingly. 
35 
Sec. 38. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
36 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
37 
Approved, 
10