EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
F irs t R e g u la r S e ssio n  
}
S E N A T E  
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INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO HI
AN ACT
PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH EDUCATION 
AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO INCREASE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY AMONG THE YOUTH, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
D eforestation, frequent flooding, soil erosion, landslides, and pollution 
are environm ental issu es in the country th a t have been persisting for 
decades and passed on to m any generations. The co n stan t challenge to this 
day is arriving a t feasible an d  long-term  solutions in addressing their 
w orsening effects.
In harm ony w ith th e C onstitutional m andate to protect and advance the 
right of the people to a balanced an d  healthful ecology, this legislation seeks to 
provide a holistic approach th a t aim s to bring ab o u t an  eventual sustainable 
solution. First and forem ost, environm ental consciousness and literacy need 
reinforcem ent. G roundw ork begins in schools. E nvironm ental education m u st 
have as m uch w eight a s any other subjects included in every stu d en t’s 
curriculum  a s it will lay the foundation and necessarily com plem ent the existing 
positive efforts im plem ented over the years. As stew ards of succeeding 
generations, it is essential to develop am ong the youth a deeper understan d in g  
of the environm ental issu es confronting u s to effectively engage them  today and 
enable them  to take inform ed action in the future.
A nother objective of th is bill is to strengthen the sense of social 
responsibility an d  proactiveness am ong Filipino youth. Toward this end, schools 
an d  colleges m u st establish tree-seedling n u rseries or “P u n la a n ” w ithin their 
prem ises. It shall serve a s a place w here stu d en ts from grade levels 1-11 and 
those enrolled in the N ational Service Training Program  (NSTP) class can  p lan t 
seedlings of native tree species an d  m onitor its growth untU su ch  tim e it 
becom es suitable for p erm anent planting. These, then, will be planted by the


graduating stu d en ts in specific areas, w hich will be recom m ended by th e local 
governm ent and the D epartm ent of E nvironm ent an d  N atural R esources 
(DENR).
Furtherm ore, th is legislation aim s to w ork in harm ony w ith an d  ensure 
th e im plem entation of existing environm ental law s su ch  a s  b u t n o t lim ited to 
Republic Act No. 10176, otherw ise know n a s the “Arbor Day Act of 2012.” It 
also seeks to encourage participation in the greening initiatives of the 
governm ent, private sector, and civil society organizations in the country 
because it is by com bining o u r efforts th a t we can achieve more.
T hus, the passage of th is bill is earnestly sought.
;nte cJ sotto m


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
F irs t R e g u la r S e ssio n  
}
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IAN 23 
A10 5 9
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR VICENTE C. SOTTO m " '* 1 1'
AN ACT
PROMOTING ENVIRONMENTAL CONSCIOUSNESS THROUGH EDUCATION 
AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT IN ORDER TO INCREASE SOCIAL 
RESPONSIBILITY AMONG THE YOUTH, APPROPRIATING FUNDS 
THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assem bled:
1 
SECTION 
1. 
S h o rt 
T itle. -  This Act shall be 
know n 
as 
the
2 
“Environmental Responsibility Act”.
3 
SECTION 2. S ta te m e n t o f Policy. -  It is th e policy of the State to adopt
4 
su stainable m easures th a t will protect an d  advance the right of the people to a
5 
balanced and healthful ecology. It also recognizes the vital role of Filipino youth
6 
in th is endeavor a s stew ards of n atu re for future generations. Thus, educational
7 
in stitutions 
are 
m andated 
to 
intensify an d  
ensure 
the 
integration 
of
8 
environm ental education in the curriculum  they im plem ent. A w areness,
9 
coupled w ith actu al engagem ent in greening activities, is th e m ost effective
10 
m eans to shape and ingrain in young m inds a stronger sense of social
11 
responsibility and proactiveness.
12 
SECTION 
3. 
In te g ra tio n  
o f E n v iro n m e n ta l 
E d u c a tio n  
in  
th e
13 
C u rric u lu m  o f  A ll S tu d e n ts  F rom  E le m e n ta ry  to  
C ollege Level. -
14 
E nvironm ental studies shall form p a rt of the regular Science curriculum  for


1 
stu d en ts from elem entary to high school level while it shall be incorporated in
2 
th e N ational Service Training Program  (NSTP) of stu d en ts in college level.
3 
SECTION 4. E s ta b lis h m e n t o f a  T ree-seedling N ursery. -  All schools
4 
an d  colleges shall establish a seedling nursery hereinto referred a s uP u n la a n n.
5 
It will be a  place w here tree seedlings of native species shall be grown until su ch
6 
tim e it becom es ready for p erm anent planting.
7 
SECTION 5. P la n tin g  o f S e e d lin g s by G ra d es 1-11 a n d  C ollege
8 
S tu d en ts^ -  E ach stu d en t from grade levels 1-11 an d  college stu d en ts th a t are
9 
taking u p  National Service Training Program (NSTP) shall be required to plant
10 
an d  en su re the growth of a t least two (2) tree-seedlings per year in the
11 
established seedling n u rsery  of their school or college.
12 
SECTION 
8. 
T ree -p la n tin g  
a s  
a  
M a n d a to ry  
R eq u irem en t f o r
13 
G ra d u a tio n . -  All graduating stu d en ts from elem entary, high school and
14 
college shall be required to p lan t a t least ten (10) trees a s a m andatory
15 
requirem ent for their graduation. For this activity, they shall utilize tree-
16 
seedlings from the “Punlaan” w hich are ready for perm anent planting. In case
17 
th e n u m b er of tree-seedling available a t the tim e of planting is insufficient, the
18 
school or college m ay source it from other governm ent seedling banks.
19 
As far a s practicable, the tim e of tree planting shall coincide w ith the
20 
designated Arbor Day of the particular province, city, or m unicipality th a t h as
21 
jurisdiction over the school or college, as m andated by Republic Act No. 10176,
22 
otherw ise know n a s the “Arbor Day Act of 2012.”
23 
SECTION 9. P refere n c e  f o r  N ative S pecies. -  The species to be planted
24 
should be com patible w ith the location, clim ate and topography of the area with
25 
preference for native species.


1 
SECTION 10. L o catio n . -  Subject to the recom m endation of the
2 
D epartm ent of E nvironm ent a n d  N atural R esources (DENR), the trees to be
3 
planted u n d er th is Act shall be located in any of the following areas;
4 
a. F orestlands
5 
b. M angrove an d  protected areas
6 
c. A ncestral dom ains
7 
d. Civil and m ilitary reservations
8 
e. U rban areas u n d er the greening plan of the LGUs
9 
f. Inactive an d  abandoned m ine sites; and
10 
g. O ther suitable land
11 
SECTION 11. M an a g e m en t a n d  S u p erv isio n  o f T ree-seedling N ursery.
12 
-  “P u n la a n ” shall be u nder the overall m anagem ent an d  supervision of the
13 
particular school or college.
14 
SECTION 12. H a rm o n iz a tio n  w ith  O th e r G reening E ffo rts. -  The
15 
provisions of th is Act shall be consistent w ith the existing greening efforts of the
16 
governm ent, private sector, an d  civil society organizations in the country.
17 
Schools an d  colleges m ay work jointly a n d /o r en ter into a p artnersh ip
18 
agreem ent w ith said agencies an d  organizations w ith the end to attain  the
19 
objectives of th is Act.
20 
SECTION 
13. 
In te r-ag e n cy  
G reening 
C om m ittee. 
-  A 
greening
21 
com m ittee is hereby created consisting of an  inter-agency body com posed of the
22 
following;
23 
a. Secretaries of the 
D epartm ent of E ducation 
(DepEd) 
an d  
the
24 
C om m ission on Higher E ducation (CHED) a s C o-C hairpersons;
25 
b. Secretary of the D epartm ent of E nvironm ent and N atural R esources
26 
(DENR) as V ice-Chairperson;
27 
c. Secretary of the D epartm ent of B udget and M anagem ent (DBM) or its
28 
duly authorized representative a s M ember;
29 
d. Secretary of the D epartm ent of the Interior an d  Local G overnm ent
30 
(DILG) or its duly authorized representative as M ember;


2
3
4
5
6
7
8
1
e. Secretary of the D epartm ent of Science and Technology (DOST) or its 
duly authorized representative as M ember;
f. Secretary of the D epartm ent of H ealth or its duly authorized 
representative a s M ember;
g. Secretary of the D epartm ent of T ransportation (DOTr) or its duly 
authorized representative a s M ember; and
h. Secretary of D epartm ent of A griculture (DA) or its duly authorized 
representative as M ember.
9 
The responsibilities of these agencies shall include the following:
10 
1. N ursery establishm ent;
11 
2. Seedling production and site preparation;
12 
3. Site identification;
13 
4. M onitoring and evaluation;
14 
5. Provision of security, transportation, fire protection am enities and
15 
m edical support;
16 
6. Technical su p p o rt an d  extension services;
17 
7. O ther 
duties 
and 
responsibilities 
ap p u rte n an t 
to 
th e 
proper
18 
im plem entation of this Act.
19 
SECTION 14. Im p lem e n tin g  R u les a n d  R e g u latio n s. -  The DepEd,
20 
CHED, DENR, DBM, DILG, DOST, DOH, DOTr, and DA shall form ulate an d
21 
prom ulgate th e im plem enting rules and regulations (IRR) 
necessary to
22 
im plem ent th is Act w ithin sixty (60) days after approval.
23
24
25
SECTION 15. A p p ro p ria tio n s. -  The am ount necessary to carry o u t the 
provisions of th is Act shall be included in the A rm ual G eneral A ppropriations 
Act.
26 
SECTION 16. S e p a ra b ility  C lause. -  In case any provision of th is
27 
Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall have no
28 
effect in the validity or constitutionality of the rem aining provisions hereof.


1 
SECTION 17. R ep e a lin g  C lau se. -  All law s, decrees, rules and
2 
regulations inconsistent w ith the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed
3 
or am ended accordingly.
4 
SECTION 17. E ffectiv ity . -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
5 
after its publication in th e Official Gazette or in a new spaper of general
6 
circulation.
Approved,