NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
s. No. 127
Senate
tlK
•22 JUL-7 P2S7
RECEIVED aV;
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
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
Mangrove forests are considered one of the most productive and fertile 
ecosystems in the world. Many of our people living in coastal communities lived, 
fished and hunted in the mangroves for ages, deriving from them important 
commodities such as food, fuel, timber, medicine and building materials. Mangrove 
forests also served as "shelterbeit" because they can cushion the iiiipact of strong 
winds and provide protection against soil erosion. With its extensive air root system, 
mangrove forests are able to stabilize shorelines and protect inshore nutrients from 
adjacent areas. More important, mangrove forests serve as natural nurseries or 
breeding places for a large number of commercially important marine species.
Through the years, we have witnessed the rapid decline of our mangrove 
forests, which could be attributed to the "open access" of the present system that 
causes the over-population of resources found within the forests. This is intensified 
by the lack of technical understanding of management, especially among local 
government executives and community residents living along the coasts.


This measure proposes to establish reservation areas in all coastal areas In 
each municipality of the country solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation, 
afforestation and sustainable development of mangrove forests. In setting aside 
portions of land for mangroves, we can ensure that our people will continue to enjoy 
the benefits accorded by this important ecosystem. This bill will also penalize the 
destruction and cutting of mangrove trees, as well as the dumping of waste products 
within the reservation areas. Furthermore, the measure makes the offender pay for 
the expenses that will be incurred for the restoration or rehabilitation of the 
mangrove areas that will be damaged or destroyed.
In view thereof, early approval of this bill is earnestly recommended.
/(/l(NX
CYNTHIA A. VILLAR


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
■22 JUL-7 P2 57
SENATE
S. No. 1 27
RHCEiVED 8Y;
Introduced by SENATOR CYNTHIA A. VILLAR
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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
1 
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Mangrove Forest
2 
Protection and Preservation Act of 2022".
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It Is hereby declared the policy of the State to
4 
protect and preserve the country's natural resources. Towards this end, the
5 
preservation, reforestation, afforestation and sustainable development of the
6 
mangrove forests shall be pursued through the establishment of reservation areas
7 
exclusively for mangrove trees.
8 
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms
9 
shall mean:
10
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12
a) "Afforestation" refers to the establishment of a mangrove forest In an 
area that did not carry such forest within the past fifty (50) years or 
within living memory;


1 
b) 
Xoasta! areas" refers to the band of dry land and adjacent ocean
2 
space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and
3 
uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses and vice versa; its
4 
geographic extent may include areas within a landmark limit of one (1)
5 
kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps,
6 
brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches
7 
and other areas within a seaward limit of two hundred (200) meters
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isobath to include coral reefs, algae flats, seagrass beds and other soft
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bottom areas;
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c) 
'^Mangrove forest" refevs to a type of forest occurring on a tidal flat
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along the sea coast, extending along streams where the water is
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brackish;
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d) 
'"Reservation areas" refers to portions of coastal areas which have
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been set aside exclusively for reforestation, afforestation, conservation
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and preservation purposes; and
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e) 
"Reforestation"shew refer to the planting of mangrove trees along the
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denuded coastal areas.
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Sec. 4. Estabiishment of Mangrove Reservation Areas. - There shall be
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established and set aside in all coastal areas in each municipality within the
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Philippine portions of land solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation,
21 
afforestation and sustainable management of mangrove forests. All existing
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mangrove forests shall automatically form part of the reservation areas.
23 
Sec. 5. Estabiishment of the Nationai Councii for the Preservation of
24 
Mangrove Forests. - There is hereby established a National Council for the
25 
Preservation of Mangrove Forests, hereinafter referred to as the National Council,
26 
which shall be an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural
27 
Resources (DENR).
28 
The National Council shall be composed of twelve (12) members consisting of
29 
the following:


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3
4
5
6
7
8
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12
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15
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(1) 
The Secretary of the DENR who shall act as Chairman;
(2) 
The Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall act as 
Vice-Chairman;
(3) 
The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government 
(DILG);
(4) 
The Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST);
(5) 
The Director-General of the National Economic Development Authority 
(NEDA);
(6) 
The Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 
of the DA;
(7) 
The Director of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the DENR;
(8) 
The Director of the Ecosystem and Research Development Bureau 
(ERDB) of the DENR;
(9) 
The Administrator of the National Mapping and Resources Information 
authority (NAMRIA);
(10) 
A representative from the academe to be appointed by the President 
of the Philippines;
(11) 
A representative from the research institutions conducting researches 
on sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by the 
President of the Philippines; and
(12) 
A representative from an accredited non-government organization 
(NGOs) conducting programs on sustainable mangrove forest
« management to be appointed by the President of the Philippines.
24 
Sec. 6. Powers and Functions of the National Council. - The National Council
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shall have the following powers and functions:


1 
(1) 
To review existing relevant policies and conduct studies on n'langrove
2 
forest and its preservation;
3 
(2) 
To 
prepare a comprehensive program for the preservation,
4 
reforestation, afforestation and sustainable development of mangrove
5 
forests;
6 
(3) 
To establish the guidelines in identifying the areas to be declared as
7 
mangrove forest reservations;
8 
(4) 
To identify and delineate the boundaries of coastal areas which shall
9 
form part of the mangrove reservation areas;
10 
(5) 
To exercise control and supervision over all the local councils; and
11 
(6) 
To promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the
12 
provisions of this Act;
13 
Sec. 7. The Local Council for the Preservation of Mangrove Forests. - A local
14 
council for the preservation of mangrove forests, hereinafter referred to as the Local
15 
Council, shall be established in each of the municipalities where a mangrove
16 
reservation area has been identified, for each of the municipality where a
17 
reservation area has been identified. Each Local Council shall be chaired by the
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Regional Executive Director of the DENR under whose jurisdiction the reservation
19 
area is located, with the following members; (a) a representative of the municipal
20 
government concerned; (b) a representative each from the barangays under whose
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territory the reservation area is located; (c) a representative from an accredited
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non-governmental organization (NGO); and (d) a representative from the private
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sector.
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Sec. 8. The Powers and Functions of the Local Council. - The Local Council
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shall have the following powers and functions:
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(1) To implement and enforce all the programs and policies laid down by 
the National Council;


1 
(2) 
To carry out the general administration and day to day planning of the
2 
Program;
3 
(3) 
To secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive
4 
activities which would endanger the successful implementation and
5 
viability of the program; and
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(4) To perform such other powers and functions as may be designated by
7 
the National Council.
8 
In order to secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive
9 
activities, the Local Council and the local government, under whose jurisdiction the
10 
reservation area is located, shall employ the services of forest guards who shall be
11 
tasked with the responsibility to guard and police the areas. They shall have the
12 
authority to arrest those caught violating the provisions of this Act and the rules and
13 
regulations issued pursuant thereto.
14 
In the event that any of the forest guards are found to be guilty of
15 
nonfeasance, misfeasance or malfeasance, the forest guard or guards concerned
16 
and the officials of the Local Council and the local government, by virtue of the
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principle of command responsibility, shall be held liable for such violations and shall
18 
be prosecuted in accordance with the provisions of this Act without prejudice to any
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criminal and/or liabilities provided for under existing laws of the country.
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Sec. 9. Prohibited Acts. - The following acts are hereby prohibited within
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the mangrove reservation areas:
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(a) Cutting, uprooting or destroying any mangrove tree;
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(b) Dumping of waste;
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(c) Construction or reclamation activity;


1 
(d) Illegal fishing activities that will result in the damaging and destruction
2 
of the mangrove forest; and
3 
(e) Other acts or activities that will result in the damage and/or
4 
destruction of the mangrove forest.
5 
Sec. 10. Penalties. - Any person, natural or juridical, found guilty of violating
6 
any provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations issued by the National Council,
7 
shall, after due notice and public hearing by the regular courts of competent
8 
jurisdiction, be fined in the amount of not less than Two hundred thousand pesos
9 
(PhP200,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (PhPl,000,000.00) or
10 
imprisonment for not less than one (1) year but not more than six (6) years, or
11 
both, at the discretion of the Court: Provided, That if the area requires rehabilitation
12 
or restoration as determined by the Court, the offender shall also be required to
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restore or compensate for the restoration of the damage.
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If the offender is an association or corporation, the president or manager and
15 
the officer who has direct knowledge over the offense shall be held liable under this
16 
Act.
17 
Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within ninety (90) days from
18 
the effectivity of this Act, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
19 
(DENR), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government
20 
(DILb) and other relevant stakeholders, shall promulgate the Implementing rules and
21 
regulations as may be necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act.
22 
Sec. 12. Appropriations. - The amount needed for the initial implementation
23 
of this Act shall be taken from the current year's appropriations of the Department of
24 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Thereafter, such sums as may be
25 
necessary for its continued implementation shall be included in the annual General
26 
Appropriations Act.
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Sec. 13. Separability Clause. - If any portion or provision of this Act is
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declared unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provisions
29 
hereof not affected thereby shall continue to be in force and effect.


1 
Sec. 14. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance,
2 
executive order, letter of instruction, rule or regulation inconsistent or contrary to
3 
the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
4 
Sec. 15. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following
5 
its complete publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,