Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4604

House Bill No.

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE FOR OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Article I, Section 16 of the Constitution provides that “The State shail
protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology
in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.”

As an archipelagic country, a great part of our economy is derived from
ocean-related industries. It is one of our paramount concerns to maintain the
ecological balance of our oceans.

Ocean acidification is one of the growing concerns of scientists around the
world. This phenomenon is defined as the decrease in PH of the Earth's oceans
and changes in ocean chemistry caused by chemical inputs from the
atmosphere, including carbon dioxide. One of the effects identified is the
imbalance in calcium carbonate, leaving calcifying organisms vulnerable to
dissolution. Such organisms include coccolithophores, corals, foraminifera,
echinoderms, crustaceans and mollusks.

This bill seeks to establish research and monitoring initiative that would
ensure that we would have sufficient information to act on the increasing danger
of ocean acidification.


We therefore enjoin our colleagues to work with us in ensuring the
expeditious passage of this bill into law.

DIOSDADO wre ARROYO GLORI Kiccnpaca ARROYO

Second District, Camarines Sur Sefond District, Pampanga


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

FIFTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

4604

House No,

oo

Introduced by Representatives
DIOSDADO MACAPAGAL ARROYO and GLORIA MACAPAGAL ARROYO

AN ACT
TO PROVIDE FOR OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Ocean
Acidification Research and Monitoring Act of 2011.”
SECTION 2. Purposes. — The purposes of this Act are to provide for -
A. development and coordination of a comprehensive interagency plan to:
1. monitor and conduct research on the processes and
consequences of ocean acidification on marine organisms and

ecosystems; and

2. establish an interagency research and monitoring program on
ocean acidification;

B. establishment of an ocean acidification program within the Philippine
Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration
(PAGASA);

C. assessment and consideration of regional and national ecosystem and
socio-economic impacts of increased ocean acidification; and


D. research on adaptation strategies and techniques for effectively
conserving marine ecosystems as they cope with increased ocean
acidification,

SECTION 3. Definitions. - The purposes of this Act the term:

A. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION - means the decrease in pH of the Earth's
oceans and changes in ocean chemistry caused by chemical inputs from
the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide:

B. SECRETARY - means the Secretary of Science and Technology acting
through PAGASA; and

C. SUBCOMMITTEE - means the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science
and Technology of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine
Research and Development (PCAMRD).

SECTION 4. interagency Subcommittee. — The Joint Subcommittee on
Ocean Science and Technology of the PCAMRD shall coordinate national
activities on ocean acidification.

SECTION 5. Duties. -The Subcommittee shall:

A. develop the strategic research and monitoring plan to guide national
research on ocean acidification required under this Act and oversee the
implementation of the plan;

B. oversee the development of:

1. an assessment of the potential impacts of ocean acidification on
marine organisms and marine ecosystems; and

2. adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine
organisms and ecosystems exposed to ocean acidification;

C. facilitate communication and outreach opportunities with
Nongovermmental organizations and members of the stakeholder
community with interests in marine resources;

D. coordinate the national research and monitoring program with research
and monitoring programs and scientists from other nations; and

E. establish or designate an Ocean Acidification Information Exchange to
make information on ocean acidification developed through or utilized by
the interagency ocean acidification program accessible through electronic

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means, including information which would be useful to policymakers,
researchers, and other stakehoklers in mitigating or adapting to the
impacis of ocean acidification.

SECTION 6. Report to Congress. -

A. Not later than one (1) year after the effectivity of this Act, the
Subcommittee shall transmit a report to the appropriate committees in the
Senate and the House of Representatives that:

1. includes a summary of govemment funded ocean acidification
research and monitoring activities, including the budget for each of
these activities; and

2. describes the progress in developing the strategic research plan
required under this Act.

B. Not later than two (2) years after the delivery of the initial report under
paragraph (1) and every 2 years thereafter, the Subcommittee shall
transmit a report to the appropriate committees in the Senate and the
House of Representatives that:

4. a summary of govemment funded ocean acidification research
and monitoring activities, including the budget for each of these
activities; and

2. an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and
priorities for the strategic research plan developed by the
Subcommittee under this Act.

C. Not later than two (2) years after the effectivity of this Act, the
Subcommittee shall transmit the strategic research plan developed under
this Act to the appropriate committees in the Senate and the House of
Representatives. A revised plan shalt be submitted at feast once every
five (5) years thereafter.

SECTION 7. Strategic Research Plan. — Not later than two (2) years after
the effectivity of this Act, the Subcommittee shall develop a strategic plan for
national research and monitoring on ocean acidification that will provide for an
assessment of the impacts of ocean acidification on maine organisms and
marine ecosystems and the development of adaptation and mitigation strategies
to conserve marine organisms and marine ecosystems. in developing the plan,
the Subcommittee shall consider and use information, reports, and studies of
ocean acidification that have identified research and monitoring needed to better
understand ocean acidification and its potential impacts, and recommendations

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made by the National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP) in the review
of the pian required under subsection (d).

SECTION 8. Contents of the Strategic Research Plan. ~ The strategic
research plan shall:

A. establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year the plan is
submitted, the goals and priorities for national research and monitoring
which will:

1. advance understanding of ocean acidification and its physical,
chemical, and biological impacts on marine organisms and marine
ecosystems;

2. improve the ability to assess the socioeconomic impacts of
ocean acidification; and

3. provide information for the development of adaptation and
mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and marine
ecosystems.

B. describe specific activities, including:

. @fforts to determine user needs;

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research activities;

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monitoring activities;

4. technology and methods development;

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data collection;

6. database development;

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madeling activities;
8. assessment of ocean acidification impacts; and
9. participation in intemational research efforts;
C. identify relevant programs and activities of the govemment agencies

that contribute to the interagency program directly and indirectly and set
forth the role of each government agency in implementing the plan;


D. consider and utilize, as appropriate, reports and studies conducted by
other entities;

E. make recommendations for the coordination of the local ocean
acidification research and monitoring activities with such activities of other
nations and intemational organizations;

F. outline budget requirements for national ocean acidification research
and monitoring and assessment activities to be conducted by each agency
under the plan;

G. identify the monitoring systems and sampling programs currently
employed in collecting data relevant to ocean acidification and prioritize
additional monitoring systems that may be needed to ensure adequate
data collection and monitoring of ocean acidification and its impacts; and

H. describe specific activities designed to facilitate outreach and data and
information exchange with stakeholder communities.

SECTION 9. Program Elements. — The plan shall include at a minimum
the following program elements:

A. Monitoring of ocean chemistry and biologicat impacts associated with
ocean acidification at selected coastal and open-ocean monitoring
stations, including satellite-based monitoring to characterize:

1. marine ecosystems;
2. changes in marine productivity; and
3. changes in surface ocean chemistry.

B, Research to understand the species specific piysiological response of
marine organisms to ocean acidification, impacts on marine food webs of
ocean acidification, and to develop environmental and ecological indices
that track marine ecosystem responses to ocean acidification

C. Modeling to predict changes in the ocean carbon cycle as a function of
carbon dioxide and atmosphere-induced changes in temperature, ocean
circulation, biogeochemistry, ecosystem and terrestrial input and modeling
to determine impacts on marine ecosystems and individual marine
organisms.

D. Technology development and standardization of carbonate chemistry
measurements on moorings and autonomous floats


E. Assessment of socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and
development of adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine
organisms and marine ecosystems.

SECTION 10. NCRP Review. - The Secretary shall enter into an
agreement with the NCRP to review the plan,

SECTION 11. Public Participation. — In developing the plan, the
Subcommittee shail consult with representatives of academic, local goverment,
industy and environmental groups. Not later than 90 days before the plan, or
any revision thereof, is submitted to the Congress, the plan shall be duly
published for a public comment period of not less than 60 days.

SECTION 12. PAGASA Ocean Acidification Activities. The Secretary
shail conduct research and monitoring activities and may establish a program on
Ocean acidification within PAGASA consistent with the strategic research plan
developed by the Subcommittee under this Act that-

A. Includes-

1. interdisciplinary research among the ocean
sciences, and coordinated research and activi
understanding of ocean acidification;

2. the establishment of a long-term monitoring program of ocean
acidification utilizing existing global and national ocean observing
assets, and adding instrumentation and sampling stations as
appropriate to the aims of the research program;

3. research to identify and develop adaptation strategies and
techniques for effectively conserving marine ecosystems as they
cope with increased ocean acidification;

4. as an integral part of the research programs described in this
Act, educational opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary
and international approach to exploring the impacts of ocean
acidification;

5. as an integral part of the research programs described in this
Act, national public outreach activities to improve the understanding
of current scientific knowledge of ocean acidification and its impacts
on marine resources; and

6. coordination of ocean acidification monitoring and impacts
fesearch with other appropriate intemational ocean science bodies;


8. provides grants for critical research projects that explore the effects of
ocean acidification on ecosystems and the socioeconomic impacts of
increased ocean acidification that are relevant to the goals and priorities of
the strategic research plan; and

C. incorporates a competitive merit-based process for awarding grants,

SECTION 13. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the
implementation of this Act is hereby appropriated.

SECTION 14. Separability Clause. — If any provision or part hereof, is heid
invalid or unconstitutional, the remainder of the faw or the provision not otherwise
affected shall remain valid and subsisting.

SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. — Any law, presidential decree or
issuance, executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or
regulation contrary to or is inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby
fepealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,