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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Section 6. Article I1 of the Constitution provides that “the State shall protect and advance 
the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and 
harmony of nature.” 
The duty imposed on the State is corollary to the people’s right to protection against the 
degradation of the country’s natural resources, and against any impairment of the ecological 
balance needed to maintain a healthfbl and sustainable environment for human existence and 
progress. The State’s duty is, however, a shared responsibility between government in the people. 
Consequently, all of us are responsible for the environmental degradation and destruction of the 
earth. 
The solution to this problem must, therefore, start with us through education. We ought to 
be informed of the delicate balance education of nature that must be maintained, of the 
unthinking practices and habits that we should discontinue because of their disastrous 
consequences and of the remedial self-help measures that we must adopt in order to repair the 
damage we had inflected on mother nature of which we are a steward and a part. 
This bill, therefore seeks to educate and reform society by integrating in the cuwiculum of 
all educational institutions in the two (2) levels of instruction - Elementary and Secondary - a 
course on “The Philippine Society and the Environment” either as a separate subject or as a part 
of another relevant subject. 
For these reasons, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly requested. 


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THIRTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
I 
SENATE 
S. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANUEL B. VILLAR, JR. 
AN ACT TO INTEGRATE IN THE CURRICULA OF ALL EDUCATION 
OF SCHOOL PROGRAMS, A COURSE ON PHILIPPINE SOCIETY AND THE 
ENVIRONMENT 
INSTITUTIONS INCLUDING NON-FORMAL, INDIGENOUS LEARNING AND OUT- 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
Section 1. The teaching of the appreciation, conservation, rehabilitation and promotion of 
the environment shall be included in the curricula of all public and private elementary and 
secondary schools, including non-formal, indigenous learning and out-of -school program. 
Section 2. The environment shall refer to the bio-physical world of human beings, the 
maritime, fluvial, and aerial domains, the mineral, coal, petroleum oils, all forces of potential 
energy, fisheries, flora and fauna and all other natural resources. 
Section 3. There is hereby created a course with a proposed title “ The Philippine Society 
and the Environment” which shall be added to the elementary and secondary school curriculum. 
In addition to the teaching of the appreciation, conservation, rehabilitation and promotion of 
environment, the course shall likewise include the teaching of environmental laws I the 
Philippines. 
Section 4. The Department of Education, Culture and Sports (DECS) in coordination 
with the Department of Environment and Natural resources (DENR) shall promulgate the 
necessary rules and regulations and call upon the assistance of other government agencies, 
offices, entities and instrumentalities for the purpose of implementing the provisions of this Act. 
Section 5. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication on the official 
gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,