REPUBLIC OF
First Regular

EIGHTEENTH me Pt OF THE )

|E PHILIPPINES )

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
6131

House Bill No.,

Introduced by Representative: Victor A. Yap

‘The Philippi
increasing populatior
Program (UNDP),
that figure will have
Region (NCR), the o
to increase to 20 milli

‘The rapid grov
mega-cities. However,

affordable housing, uj

EXPLANATORY NOTE

is one of the most dynamic economies in Asia with a growing middle class, an
and a developing urbanization.’According to the United Nations Development
re than half of the world’s population live in urban areas. It is estimated that by 2050,

en to 6.5 billion people or two-thirds of all humanity.’ In the National Capital
‘rall population as of the 2015 national census is 12.8 million’ people and is projected
1n by the present year."

th of cities, coupled with increasing rural to urban migration, has led to a boom in
extreme poverty and inequality has risen in these highly populated and concentrated

grading highly dense slum settlements, investing in public transport, creating green

urban spaces. It is ‘rosin essential to make cities safe and sustainable by ensuring access to safe and

public spaces and imy

(SDG9), this bill is s

ving urban planning through inclusive and participatory management.
1s pl 1s Participatory manage

yught to institutionalize the policy framework for establishing sustainable cities and

In line with t country’s commitment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals

ensure the develoy

In view of the

tof cities and communities to be geared towards sustainability.

foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

* Retrieved from hlips//stww.worldbank org/en/country/philippines/overview on 16 January 2020.
Retrieved from https://wivw.ph.undp org/conteny/philippines/en/home/sustainable-development-goals/goal-1 |-sustainable-
cities-and-communities.hjn om 16 January 2020.

Retrieved from hilips://ps
January 2020,

“Retrieved from hitps://
2020/75279/75279/on 16}

{a gov ph/contcnl/population-national-capital-region-based-20 1 5-census-population- on 16

yw manilatimes.net/20 14/02/12/opinion/columnists/a-manila-megalopolis-by-
january 2020.


EIGHTEENTH INGRESS OF THE
REPUBLIC OF PHILIPPINES
First Regular Sessit

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

House Bill No 6131

Introduced by Representative: Victor A. Yap

AN ACT
PROVIDING F THE DEVELOPMENT OF SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND
COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as “Sustainable Cities and Communities
Act”.

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. ~The 1987 Constitution mandates the undertaking of a program of
urban land reform and housing which will make decent housing and basic services available at affordable
cost to underprivileged and homeless citizens in urban centers and resettlements areas, and ensure the
availability of employment opportunities for them.

Pursuant thereto, it is hereby declared the policy of the State to make cities safe and sustainable by
ensuring access to safé and affordable housing, and upgrading slum settlements.

“The State shall likewise invest in public transport, create green public spaces, and improve urban
planning and management in a way that is both participatory and inclusive.

Sec. 3. Model for Sustainable Cities and Communities. — Existing cities and communities shall
transition into sustainable cities and communities. A sustainable city or community shall have the
following:

@ Affordable housing;

(b) Accessible healthcare services and facilities;

(©) Accessible social services to all, especially the vulnerable and disadvantaged;

(@ | Child care facilities, youth centers, centers for senior citizens and other sectors;

(©) _ Efficient, accessible, and affordable public transport system;

(9 Alternative means of getting from one place to another, other than private and
public vehicles, such as by walking, biking, using scooters, and other eco-friendly
and non-motorized modes;

@ Safe, accessible, and enjoyable areas of open space;

(h) Preference for use of renewable resources;

@ | Waste management system, where waste is recycled, wherever possible;

@ Energy efficient homes;

(Strong community linkages to deal with issues such as peace and order; and
@ Access to sports and cultural activities.

Sec. 4. Indicators. — The National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) shall set
targets based on the following indicators, taking into consideration Goal No. 11 of the United Nations
Sustainable Development Agenda, to determine if a city or community has fully transitioned into a
sustainable ct or comunity:

(@ Urban population living in slums — measured in terms of proportion of urban
population living in slums, informal settlements or inadequate housing;

(b) Public transport access — measured in terms of proportion of population that has
convenient access to public transport, by sex, age and persons with disabilities;



37

(€) Sustainable urbanization rates — measured in terms of ratio of land consumption
rate to population growth rate;

(@ | Urban planning management — measured in terms of proportion of cities with a
direct participation structure of civil society in urban planning and management that
operate regularly and democratically;

( Protecting cultural heritage - measured in terms of total public and private
expenditure per capita spent on the preservation, protection and conservation of all
cultural and natural heritage;

(® | Deaths and injuries from natural disasters - measured in terms of number of deaths,
missing persons and directly affected persons attributed to disasters per 100,000
population;

@ Economic losses from natural disasters - measured in terms of direct economic loss
in relation to global GDP, damage to critical infrastructure and number of
disruptions to basic services, attributed to disasters;

(b) | Solid waste management - measured in terms of proportion of urban solid waste
regularly collected and with adequate final discharge out of total urban solid waste
generated;

@ | Urban air pollution - measured in terms of the annual mean levels of fine particulate
matter;

@ | Open spaces in cities - measured in terms of average share of the built-up area of
cities that is open space for public use for all, by sex, age and persons with
disabilities;

(&) Safe spaces in cities - measured in terms of proportion of persons victim of physical
or sexual harassment, by sex, age, disability status and place of occurrence, in the
previous 12 months;

() | Urban and regional planning - measured in terms of proportion of population living
in cities that implement urban and regional development plans integrating

| population projections and resource needs, by size of citys

(m) Integrated disaster risk management - measured in terms of adoption and
implementation of national disaster risk reduction strategies;

(n) Local disaster risk management —measured in terms of adoption and
implementation of local disaster risk reduction strategies in line with national
disaster risk reduction strategies; and

(0) | Such other targets based on indicators to be determined by NEDA consistent with
the model of sustainable cities and communities provided in Section 3 of this Act.

Sec. 5. Support from National Government - The Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG) shall provide the necessary technical assistance and resource augmentation to LGUs
to assist them in transitioning into sustainable cities and communities.

‘The NEDA and other related agencies are also hereby mandated to extend the necessary support
and provide relevant input towards the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 6. Incentives for Transitioning into Sustainable Cities or Communities. - The DILG
shall develop a grant or cash award incentive scheme for LGUs that are able to achieve their annual targets
set by NEDA related to transitioning into sustainable cities and communities.

Sec. 7. Authority to Enter into Contracts and Agreements. - LGUs are hereby authorized to
enter into contracts or agreements and receive grants, as may be necessary for the attainment of the
objective of this Act.

Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared unconstitutional or
otherwise invalid, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

Sec. 10. Effeetivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days from its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,