Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
housEBiLLNo.8957
Introduced by HON. AUGUSTINA DOMINIQUE "Ditse Tina" C. PANCHO
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Due to the harsh climate and topography of the Philippines, the country suffers
frequent  natural  calamities,  including  droughts  and  floods,  which  cause  enormous
losses for our society.
This   Bill  directly  supports  the  declared   policy  of  the  State  to  protect  and
advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology; and  recognizes
the role of the business sector as a partner for national development.
It  seeks  to  make  mandatory  for  establishments  with  a  land  area  of five  (5)
hectares or more, to have water impounding systems and facilities and help solve the
problem of flooding during the rainy season, and the need for stable and steady water
supply requirements during annual droughts caused by the EI  Nifio.
Currently,  despite a considerable dedicated  budget for flood control and other
similar water management programs, government has  not been  able to optimize its
gains in addressing both these threats to our people's security and well-being. Making
water impounding facilities mandatory structures for establishments occupying such a
large area, can significantly help resolve this problem by reducing flood damage, and
providing  irrigation  for the  agriculture  sector  during  the  dry  season.  This  not  only
ensures the increase in agricultural productivity,  but in the same light,  also facilitates
the  imperative  of business establishments to  both  focus toward  sustainable viability
alongside organizational return on investment (Rol).
Water impounding facilities have proven to be effective in terms of the reduction
of flood damage and the efficient direction of water resources to applications such as
irrigation  in  our  rural  farm  communities  where  it  is  most  needed.  In  turn  this  can
considerably   help   relieve   rural   poverty,   establish   food   security,   and   reconcile
economic and social disparities between urban and rural areas.


Given  this,  water  impounding
serve  as  doable  mechanisms  to
concern about climate change, fo
other concomitant development
With this in mind, the a
stems and  facilities as  presented  in  this  Bill
ve  the  escalating  public  and  governmental
d natural
Bill  is ea
DOMl
nd  Dis
source depletion
:=:=._:i    --_
nestly sought.
IQUE "Ditse Tina" C. PANCHO
epresentative
ct,  Province of Bulacan


Republic Of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session
'HOUSEBiLLNo.8957
Introduced by HON. AUGUSTINA DOMINIQUE "Ditse Tina" C. PANCHO
"AN ACT MANDATING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF WATER IMPOUNDING
SYSTEMS FACILITIES FOR ESTABLISHMENTS WITH AN AREA OF FIVE (5)
HECTARES OR IvloRE"
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTloN. 1. Dec/arafi.on of Po//.cy. - lt is the declared policy of the State to afford
full protection and the advancement of the right of the people to a healthful ecology in
accord  with  the  rhythm  and  harmony of nature.  Further, the  State  has adopted  the
principle    to   strengthen,    integrate,    consolidate   and    institutionalize   government
initiatives with the private sector to achieve coordination in the implementation of plans
and programs to address climate change in the context of sustainable development.
SEC.  2.  Scope.  -This  Act shall  apply  to  all  owners  of commercial  and  industrial
establishments, subdivisions, and private developers governed under Philippine Laws.
with an area of five (5) or more hectares.
SEC. 3. Defjnitfon of Terms. -For purposes of this Act, the following shall have the
corresponding meanings:
(a) Commercial    Establishment   -refers    to    an    establishment   used    for
commercial purposes, such as a bar, restaurant, private office, fitness club,
retail  store,  bank or other financial  institution,  supermarket,  automobile  or
boat dealership, or any other establishment with a common business area;
(b) Developer -  refers to the  person  or entity who develops  or improves the
subdivision  project or condominium  project for and  in  behalf of the owner
thereof.
(c) Green  Arohitecture  -  refers  to  the  sustainable  method  of  design  and
construction  drawn from the  key concepts of creating  an  energy efficient,
environmentally friendly houses and buildings.
(d) Industrial   Establishment  -refers   to   an   establishment  which   is   either


engaged in the manufacture, sale and distribution of goods or processing of
raw materials into end products;
(e) Subdivision  Project -    refers to a tract or a parcel of land registered under
Act  No.   496  which   is   partitioned   primarily  for  residential   purposes   into
individual  lots  with  or without  improvements  thereon,  and  offered  to  the
public for sale, in cash or in installment terms.  It shall include all residential,
commercial,  industrial and recreational areas, as well as open spaces and
other community and public areas in the project.
SEC. 4. /mp/emenfat;on. -The Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR) and the Local Government Units (LGUs) shall have the primary responsibility
in  the  implementation  of the  provisions  of this  Act  and  its  lmplementing  Rules  and
Regulations (IRR).
SEC. 5. Implementing Rules and Regulations. -\NIth-in s.ixty (60) days from t!he
effectivity of this Act,  the  DENR,  together with the  Department of Interior and  Local
Government (DILG), the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and the
Joint  Building  and  Environmental  Planning  Researoh  and  Standards  Commission,
shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation
of this Act.
The implementing  rules and  regulations shall include accepted standards and
guidelines  for  the  design,   construction,   installation,   materials,   site  selection  and
planning,   along   with    health,   safety,   and   site-specific   considerations   of   water
impounding systems and facilities.
SEC.  6.  Separabj./J.fy C/ause. -  lf any  portion  or provision  of this  Act  is declared
unconstitutional, the  remainder of this Act or any provision  not affected thereby shall
remain in force and effect.
SEC. 7.  Repea/;ng C/ause. -All other laws, acts,  presidential decrees, executive
orders,  issuances, presidential proclamations,  rules and regulations, or parts thereof,
which  are  contrary  to  and  inconsistent  with  any  provision  of  this  Act  are  hereby
repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
SEC.  8.  Effecliv/.fy C/arse.  -This  Act  shall  take  effect fifteen  (15)  days  after  its
publication in the Offic/.a/ Gaze#e or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,