EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No.
639
S ': -
yStli;,' of il;r 
cr trrii
'19 JUL 22 A9«9
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILIIJ^^^^N 
,,
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PRESERVATION, REFORESTATION, AFFORESTATION, 
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF MANGROVE FORESTS IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES 
THEREFOR, 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
According to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), mangrove 
forests are being destroyed three to five times higher than the average rate of 
deforestation.1 For the past two decades, 628 square kilometers of mangroves in 
Southeast Asia were cut down annually.2 In the Philippines alone, UNEP said that almost 
50% of mangroves have already been lost since 1918. Further, the ASEAN Centre for 
Biodiversity said that the former 500,000 hectares of Philippine mangroves are down to 
just 100,000 hectares or less.3
Aside from its rich biodiversity, mangroves are vital in ensuring food security for 
local communities, providing forest products, and sustaining fisheries. In fact, some 75% 
of commercial fish species spend part of their lifecycle in these coastal wetlands.4 
Furthermore, mangrove forests sequester almost 22.8 million tons of carbon each year5 
and reduce the risks caused by tsunami waves, erosion, and storms6.
Despite its significance, mangrove forests are among the world's most threatened 
tropical ecosystems, with man-made pollution posing a much bigger threat than natural 
disasters. Threats include clearing, overharvesting, river changes, overfishing, 
destruction of coral reefs, pollution, and climate change.7
UNEP, 
Mangroves 
in 
the 
Spotlight, 
Published 
on 
25 
July 
2017, 
Available 
at 
https://www.unenvironment.org/news-and-stories/story/mangroves-spotlight. Accessed on 03 
July 2019.
Rappler, Mangroves are PH's best shield vs climate change, Published on 02 October 2013, Available at 
https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/40420-ph-mangroves-climate-change. Accessed on 03 
July 2019.
Rappler, Ibid.
UNEP, Ibid.
UNEP, Ibid.
The Maritime Review, Mangrove forests in the Philippines, Published on 22 November 2017, Available 
at https://maritim ereview.ph/2017/ll/22/m angrove-forests-in-the-philippines/, Accessed on 02 
July 2019.
The Maritime Review, Ibid.


To address such concerns, this legislation seeks to protect and 
country's natural resources, specifically the mangrove forests. It aims to 
preservation, reforestation, afforestation, and sustainable development of 
mangrove forests. In addition, this bill provides for the establishment of the 
Local Councils for the Preservation of Mangrove Forests to serve as 
implementer of programs and policies for the preservation and sustainable 
of the country's mangrove forests.
preserve the 
promote the 
the country's 
National and 
the primary 
development
In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.
FRAN
ANGILINAN


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
S E N A T E
Senate Bill No. 639
of il)f &.'crrtni|>
'19 
JUL 22 A9^)9
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS N. PANGILINAN 
y 
Ria:
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE PRESERVATION, REFORESTATION, AFFORESTATION, 
AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT OF MANGROVE FORESTS IN THE 
PHILIPPINES, 
PROVIDING 
PENALTIES 
THEREFOR, 
AND 
FOR 
OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Mangrove Forest
2 
Protection and Preservation Act of 2019."
3 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to protect
4 
and preserve the country's natural resources. Towards this end, the preservation,
5 
reforestation, afforestation, and sustainable development of the mangrove forests shall
6 
be pursued through the establishment of reservation areas exclusively for mangrove
7 
trees.
8 
9
10 
11 
12
13
14
15
16
SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act:
a) Afforestation refers to the establishment of a mangrove forest in an area that 
did not carry such forest within the pasty fifty (50) years or within living 
memory;
b) Coastal area refers to the band of dry land and adjacent ocean space (water and 
submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic 
processes and uses and vice versa; its geographic extent may include areas 
within a landmark limit of one (1) kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to 
include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine


1 
rives, sandy beaches, and other areas within a seaward limit of two hundred
2 
(200) meters isobath to include coral reefs, algae flats, seagrass beds, and other
3 
soft bottom areas;
4 
c) Mangrove forest refers to a type of forest occurring on a tidal flat along the sea
5 
coast, extending along streams where the water is brackish;
6 
d) Resenmtion area refers to the portion of coastal areas which have been set aside
7 
exclusively for reforestation, afforestation, conservation, and preservation
8 
purposes; and
9 
e) Reforestation refers to the planting of mangrove trees along the denuded coastal
10 
areas.
11 
SEC. 4. Establishment of Mangrove Reservation Areas. -  There shall be established
12 
and set aside in all coastal areas in each municipality within the Philippine portions of
13 
land solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation, afforestation, and sustainable
14 
management of mangrove forests. All existing mangrove forests shall automatically form
15 
part of the reservation areas.
16 
SEC. 5. Establishment of the National Council for the Preservation of Mangrove
17 
Forest. -  There is hereby established a National Council for the Preservation of Mangrove
18 
Forests, hereinafter referred to as the National Council, which shall be an attached agency
19 
of the Deparhnent of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
20 
The National Council shall be composed of twelve (12) members consisting of:
21 
1) The Secretary of the DENR who shall act as Chairman;
22 
2) The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall act as Vice-
23 
Chairman;
24 
3) The Secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG);
25 
4) The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);
26 
5) The Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority
27 
(NEDA);


1 
6) The Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR);
2 
7) The Director of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB);
3 
8) The Director of the Ecosystem and Research Development Bureau;
4 
9) The Administrator of the National Mapping and Resources Information
5 
Authority;
6 
10) A representative from the academe to be appointed by the President of the
7 
Philippines;
8 
11) A representative from the research institutions conducting researches on
9 
sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by the President of
10 
the Philippines; and
11 
12) A representative from an accredited non-govemment organization (NGO)
12 
conducting programs on sustainable mangrove forest management to be
13 
appointed by the President of the Philippines.
14 
SEC. 6. Powers and Functions of the National Council. - The National Council shall
15 
have the following powers and functions:
16 
a) To review existing relevant policies and conducts studies on mangrove forest
17 
and its preservation;
18 
b) To prepare a comprehensive program for the preservation, reforestation;
19 
afforestation, and sustainable development of mangrove forests;
20 
c) To establish the guidelines in identifying the areas to be declared as mangrove
21 
forest reservations;
22 
d) To identify and delineate the boundaries of coastal areas which shall form part
23 
of the mangrove reservation areas;
24 
e) To exercise control and supervision over all the local councils; and
25 
f) To promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions
26 
of this Act.


1 
SEC. 7. The Local Council for the Presennition of Mangrove Forests. - A local
2 
council for the preservation of mangrove forests, hereinafter referred to as the Local
3 
Council, shall be established in each of the municipalities where a mangrove reservation
4 
area has been identified. Each Local Council shall be chaired by the Regional Executive
5 
Director of the DENR under whose jurisdiction the reservation area is located, with the
6 
following members: (a) a representative of the municipal government concerned; (b) a
7 
representative each from the barangays under whose territory the reservation area is
8 
located; (c) a representative from an accredited NGO; and (d) a representative from the
9 
private sector.
10 
SEC. 8. The Powers and Functions of the Local Council. -  The Local Council shall
11 
have the following powers and functions:
12 
1) To implement and enforce all the programs and policies laid down by the
13 
National Council;
14 
2) To carry out the general administration and day-to-day planning of the
15 
program;
16 
3) To secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive activities
17 
which would endanger the successful implementation and viability of the
18 
program; and
19 
4) To perform such other powers and functions as may be designated by the
20 
National Council.
21 
In order to secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive
22 
activities, the Local Council and the local government, under whose jurisdiction the
23 
reservation area is located, shall employ the services of forest guards who shall be tasked
24 
with the responsibility to guard and police the areas. They shall have the authority to
25 
arrest those caught violating the provisions of this Act and the rules and regulations
26 
issued pursuant thereto.


1 
In the event that any of the forest guards are found to be guilty of nonfeasance,
2 
misfeasance or malfeasance, the forest guard or guards concerned and the officials of the
3 
Local Council and the local government, by virtue of the principle of command
4 
responsibility, shall be held liable for such violations and shall be prosecuted in
5 
accordance with the provisions of this Act, without prejudice to any liability provided for
6 
under existing laws of the country.
7 
SEC. 9. Prohibited Acts. - The following acts are hereby prohibited within the
8 
mangrove reservation areas:
9 
a) Cutting, uprooting or destroying any mangrove tree;
10 
b) Dumping of waste;
11 
c) Construction or reclamation activity;
12 
d) Illegal fishing activities that will result in the damage and/or destruction of
13 
the mangrove forest; and
14 
e) Other acts or activities that will result in the damage and/  or destruction of the
15 
mangrove forest.
16 
SEC. 10. Penalties. - Any person, natural or juridical, found guilty of violating any
17 
provision of this Act or the rules and regulations issued by the National Council shall,
18 
after due notice and public hearing by the regular courts of competent jurisdiction, be
19 
fined in the amount of not less than Two Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP200,000.00) but
20 
not more than One Million Pesos (PhPl,000,000.00) or imprisonment of not less than one
21 
(1) year but not more than six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the court: Provided,
22 
That if the area requires rehabilitation or restoration as determined by the court, the
23 
offender shall also be required to restore or compensate for the restoration of the damage.
24 
If the offender is an association or corporation, the president or manager and the
25 
officer who has direct knowledge over the offense shall be held liable under this Act.


1 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared invalid or
2 
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such declaration shall remain in full
3 
force and effect.
4 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders, administrative orders, and
5 
rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or amended
6 
accordingly.
7 
SEC. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
8 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,