Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
 Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO  
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Under Article II, Section 16 of the 1987 Constitution, the State is 
1 
mandated with preserving and conserving the environment, so as to “protect 
2 
and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in 
3 
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.” At the same time, however, 
4 
the State cannot ignore how much of an economic driver tourism has 
5 
become. From 2000 to 2018, “[t]he average share of tourism to GDP [wa]s 7.4 
6 
percent”1 and then in 2019,  “the contribution of Tourism Direct Gross Value 
7 
Added (TDGVA) to the Philippine economy as measured by [GDP was ] 
8 
estimated at 12.7 percent.”2 
9 
10 
Hence, to strike a balance between the fast growth rate of our tourism 
11 
industry, we must promote an ecologically sound brand of tourism. We 
12 
already made headway into this with Republic Act No. 9593 (“The Tourism 
13 
Act of 2009”), with its Section 2 and 3 affirming the State’s commitment to 
14 
fostering the growth of tourism without sacrificing the environment: 
15 
16 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — x x x 
17 
18 
[T]he State shall seek to:
19 
20 
x x x 
21 
22 
(c) Promote a tourism industry that is ecologically sustainable, responsible,
23 
participative, culturally sensitive, economically viable, and ethically and
24 
socially equitable for local communities;
25 
26 
x x x 
27 
28 
(e) Develop the country as a prime tourist hub in Asia, as well as a center of
29 
world congresses and conventions, by promoting sustainable tourism
30 
1 “Average Contribution of Tourism to GDP is 7.4 percent from 2000 to 2018,” PSA, June 
18, 2020, available at https://psa.gov.ph/tourism/satellite-accounts/id/162601. 
2 “Share of Tourism to GDP is 12.7 percent in 2019,” PSA, June 19, 2020, available at 
https://psa.gov.ph/tourism/satellite-accounts/id/162606. 
March 31, 2021
12:15 AM
9164


anchored principally on the country’s history, culture and natural 
1 
endowments, and ensuring the protection, preservation and promotion of 
2 
these resources; and 
3 
4 
x x x 
5 
6 
SECTION 3. Objectives. — Pursuant to the above declaration, the State shall 
7 
adopt the following objectives: 
8 
9 
x x x 
10 
11 
(h) Ensure the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology through
12 
the promotion of activities geared towards environmental protection,
13 
conservation and restoration;
14 
15 
(i) Develop responsible tourism as a strategy for environmentally sound and
16 
community participatory tourism programs, enlisting the participation of
17 
local communities, including indigenous peoples, in conserving bio-physical
18 
and cultural diversity, promoting environmental understanding and
19 
education, providing assistance in the determination of ecotourism sites and
20 
ensuring full enjoyment of the benefits of tourism by the concerned
21 
communities;
22 
23 
(j) Strengthen the role of tourism councils and encourage the participation of
24 
nongovernment organizations (NGOs), people’s organizations (POs) and the
25 
private sector in initiating programs for tourism development and
26 
environmental protection;
27 
28 
x x x 
29 
30 
This bill seeks to secure and build upon the gains attained through the 
31 
implementation of R.A. No. 9593. Specifically, it aims to prioritize the interest 
32 
of coastal localities, which do want to boost their tourism activities and 
33 
revenue while also maintaining and developing the coast as an ecosystem. 
34 
35 
We still remember with much pain just how Boracay became the icon 
36 
of coastal tourism having gone totally wrong. “In a survey of the island’s 
37 
sewerage facilities carried out in February [2018], the vast majority of 
38 
residential and business properties – 716 out of 834 – were found to have no 
39 
discharge permit and were presumably draining waste water directly into the 
40 
sea, according to a report by the official Philippines News Agency.”3 No one 
41 
wants a repeat of the degradation of Boracay:4 
42 
43 
3 “Philippines to shut down tourist island Boracay for six months,” Aljazeera, April 5, 2018, 
available at https://www.aljazeera.com/economy/2018/04/05/philippines-to-shut-down-
tourist-island-boracay-for-six-
months/#:~:text=Boracay's%20closure%20ordered%20by%20President,was%20outraged%2
0by%20environmental%20violations.&text=The%20Philippines%20government%20will%20
be,was%20threatening%20its%20idyllic%20shores..  
4 Hugh Morris, “What’s happening in Boracay, the island paradise ruined by tourism?,” The 
Telegraph, September 13, 2018, available at 
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/destinations/asia/philippines/articles/boracay-
closure-when-will-island-reopen/.  


A decade ago, Boracay certainly was worth visiting. The magazine 
1 
Travel+Leisure declared it the best island in the world back in 
2 
2012, thanks largely to the powder soft sand of White Beach. But 
3 
back in April [Pres.] Duterte called it a “cesspool”. His verdict 
4 
came after a video showing sewage flowing directly into Boracay’s 
5 
blue waters went viral. [He] castigated local authorities for 
6 
permitting unchecked development and dispatched an emergency 
7 
government taskforce to save the island from an ecological 
8 
catastrophe. Inspectors found over 800 environmental violations. 
9 
Figures showed that rubbish generated per person on Boracay was 
10 
more than three times higher than in the capital, Manila. 
11 
12 
This bill, moreover, is in line with Strategies 2 and 4 of the National 
13 
Ecotourism Strategy & Action Plan 2013-2022:5 
14 
15 
Strategy 
2: 
Creating 
conducive 
environment 
for 
ecotourism 
16 
investments. - The strategy encourages the participation of private 
17 
sector investment in the protection and management of the local 
18 
environment and protected areas.  
19 
20 
The objectives of this strategy are: 
21 
1. To establish a sustainable investment framework for ecotourism
22 
2. To develop confidence of the business sector on ecotourism
23 
investment
24 
3. To contribute to financial sustainability of protected areas
25 
4. To encourage creative and innovative community-based ecotourism
26 
enterprises
27 
28 
Strategy 4: Promoting and developing a culture of ecotourism 
29 
Consistent with the strategic directions identified in the NTDP, 
30 
creating a culture of ecotourism will further promote environmental 
31 
awareness among the host communities and visitors.  
32 
33 
The objectives of this strategy are: 
34 
1. To foster environmental awareness among host communities, local
35 
government, business sector and visitors.
36 
2. To integrate ecotourism into local tourism plans and programs.
37 
38 
It is for the foregoing premises that the approval of this Bill is earnestly 
39 
sought. 
40 
41 
42 
ALFRED C. DELOS SANTOS 
43 
Representative, Ang Probinsyano Party-List 
5 “National Ecotourism Strategy & Action Plan 2013-2022,” Biodiversity Management 
Bureau (BMB) – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and 
Department of tourism (DOT), available at 
file:///C:/Users/C17080/Downloads/National_Ecotourism_Strategy_and_Action_Plan_201
3-2022.pdf.


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City, Metro Manila 
EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS 
 Second Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. _______________ 
Introduced by ANG PROBINSYANO  
Party-List Representative Alfred Delos Santos 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTIONALIZING SUSTAINABLE COASTAL TOURISM, PROVIDING 
MECHANISMS FOR ITS INSTITUTIONALIZATION, APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
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 “Sustainable
1 
Coastal Tourism Act.” 
2 
3 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the 
4 
indispensable role of coastal tourism in promoting rapid and inclusive growth 
5 
among coastal provinces and affected local government units. The State 
6 
further recognizes the pressure which coastal tourism bears upon marine and 
7 
coastal environments. To this end, the State hereby declares it a policy to 
8 
promote sustainable coastal tourism to reconcile the social economic growth 
9 
from coastal tourism with the people’s right to a balanced and healthful 
10 
ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony and nature.  
11 
12 
SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. – For the purpose of this Act: 
13 
14 
a) Coastal Local Government Unit/Coastal LGU. – LGUs bordering a
15 
coast regardless of income classification.
16 
b) Coastal Recreational Area. – Coastal areas including shores, sand
17 
bars, bays, lagoon mouths, and coastal estuaries within the tidal
18 
zone, which are used by the public for recreational activities such as
19 
swimming, bathing, surfing, skim boarding, snorkeling, and any
20 
other water sports.
21 
c) Council. – The National Council for Sustainable Coastal Tourism
22 
established under this Act.
23 
d) Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plans. – Plans to be formulated
24 
by coastal provinces under this Act in consultation with affected
25 
cities, municipalities, and communities.
26 
9164


e) National 
Coastal 
Recreational 
Area 
Quality 
Framework. 
– 
1 
Framework to be established by the Council under this Act. 
2 
f) Sustainable Coastal Tourism. – An approach to coastal tourism 
3 
which reconciled tourism with environmental stability. 
4 
 
5 
SECTION 4. Establishment of the Council. – The National Council for 
6 
Sustainable Coastal Tourism is hereby established. The Council shall be the 
7 
policymaking, 
standard-setting, 
planning, 
coordination, 
enforcing, 
8 
monitoring, and advisory body of the government on sustainable coastal 
9 
tourism. The Council shall be an independent agency attached to the 
10 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources, with a separate budget 
11 
under the General Appropriations Act. 
12 
 
13 
SECTION 5. Powers and Functions of the Council. – The Council shall be 
14 
empowered to: 
15 
 
16 
a) Formulate 
the 
National 
Coastal 
Recreational 
Area 
Quality 
17 
Framework, which shall include, but not be limited to, the following 
18 
measurable requirements: 
19 
1) Ecological Waste Management; 
20 
2) Water Quality and Sanitation; 
21 
3) Accessibility; 
22 
4) Preventing and Reversing Coastal Degradation; 
23 
5) Protection of Emergency Health Services; and 
24 
6) Other measurable and reasonable standards pursuant to the 
25 
declared State policy of this Act or other related laws or rules and 
26 
regulations. 
27 
b) Supervise the formulation and implementation of Local Sustainable 
28 
Coastal Tourism Plans; 
29 
c) Utilize the Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Fund created 
30 
under this Act as an incentive for LGUs to implement the provisions 
31 
of this Act; 
32 
d) Recognize meritorious and/or extraordinary implementation of this 
33 
Act by LGUs through awards; 
34 
e) Review, harmonize, and identify gaps in existing rules and 
35 
regulations on sustainable coastal tourism; 
36 
f) Conduct an inventory and assess the quality of all existing and 
37 
potential coastal recreational areas in the country; 
38 
g) Compile, use, and provide access to data on coastal recreational 
39 
areas, which shall include, but not be limited to, location, 
40 
magnitude, tourist arrivals, revenue from sustainable coastal 
41 
tourism, coastal degradation, water quality, and sanitation, 
42 
accessibility, and habitation of marine wildlife; 
43 
h) Research and develop community-based and sustainable coastal 
44 
tourism models and promote their adoption among local government 
45 
units; 
46 
i) Receive grants, contributions, donations, endowments, bequests, or 
47 
gifts in cash or in kind from local and foreign sources in support of 
48 
the development and implementation of climate change programs 
49 


and plans; Provided, That such donations shall not be used to fund 
1 
personal services expenditures and other operating expenses of the 
2 
Council; 
3 
j) Provide capacity building and technical assistance to coastal 
4 
municipalities, cities, and provinces in evaluating, formulating, and 
5 
reviewing local sustainable coastal tourism plans; 
6 
k) Mobilize non-government, private, and international participation in 
7 
local sustainable coastal tourism plans and projects; and 
8 
l) Provide awards and other forms of recognition to coastal provinces 
9 
and affected LGUs, which provide good examples of implementing 
10 
sustainable coastal tourism. 
11 
 
12 
SECTION 6. Composition of the Council. – The Council shall be 
13 
composed of: 
14 
 
15 
a) The DENR Secretary, or his duly authorized representative, as 
16 
Chairperson; 
17 
b) The Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary, or his duly authorized 
18 
representative, as Co-Chairperson; 
19 
c) The Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary, or his duly 
20 
authorized representative; 
21 
d) The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary, 
22 
or his duly authorized representative; 
23 
e) The Department of Health (DOH) Secretary, or his duly authorized 
24 
representative; 
25 
f) The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary, 
26 
or his duly authorized representative; 
27 
g) Two (2) representative from the academe, who shall be experts in 
28 
sustainable coastal management and/or related disciplines; and 
29 
h) Three 
(3) 
representatives 
from 
reputable 
non-government 
30 
organizations working on sustainable coastal tourism. The 
31 
representatives 
from 
the 
academe 
and 
non-government 
32 
organizations shall be appointed by the Council. 
33 
 
34 
SECTION 7. National Sustainable Coastal Recreational Area Quality 
35 
Framework. – The Coastal shall formulate a National Coastal Recreational 
36 
Area Quality Framework, herein referred to as “The Framework,” within ninety 
37 
(90) days from the effectivity of this Act. The Framework shall be used to: 
38 
 
39 
a) Assess the quality of all coastal recreational areas in the country; 
40 
b) Guide national government agencies in formulating, implementing, 
41 
and monitoring policies, programs, and projects in relation the goals 
42 
of this Act; 
43 
c) Guide coastal provinces, coastal cities, and coastal municipalities in 
44 
formulating their respective local sustainable coastal tourism plans. 
45 
 
46 
SECTION 8. Components of the Framework. – The Framework shall 
47 
include, but not be limited to, the following measurable components: 
48 
 
49 


a) Ecological Waste Management; 
1 
b) Water Quality and Sanitation; 
2 
c) Presence of floatable materials, such as plastics, aluminum cans, 
3 
and bottles; 
4 
d) Accessibility; 
5 
e) Preventing and reversing coastal degradation; 
6 
f) Coastal cleanliness and/or visible pollution; 
7 
g) Presence of Emergency Health Services; 
8 
h) Protection of marine flora and fauna; and 
9 
i) Other measurable and reasonable quality standards pursuant to the 
10 
declared state policy of this Act or other related laws or rules and 
11 
regulations. 
12 
 
13 
SECTION 9. National Inventory and Assessment of Coastal Recreational 
14 
Areas. – Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, and every three 
15 
(3) years thereafter, the Council shall create a database of existing coastal 
16 
recreational areas in the country and assess them using the Framework. 
17 
 
18 
SECTION 10. Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Trust Fund. – The 
19 
Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Fund, hereafter referred to as “the 
20 
Fund,” is hereby established. The Council shall use the Fund as an incentive 
21 
for LGUs to comply with and implement the provisions of this Act. 
22 
 
23 
The Fund shall be sourced from the equivalent of five percent (5%) of 
24 
any annual increase of the revenues collected from the excise tax on 
25 
manufactured oils and other fuels. It shall be indicated as a separate line item 
26 
under the budget of the Council. 
27 
 
28 
SECTION 11. Role of National Government Agencies. – In addition to 
29 
their duties as members of the Council, the concerned agencies shall also 
30 
perform the following functions to ensure the successful implementation of 
31 
this Act: 
32 
 
33 
a) The DOT shall provide technical and financial assistance in 
34 
marketing, promoting, and developing sustainable coastal tourism 
35 
projects. The DOT shall also coordinate with the Philippine 
36 
Information Agency (PIA) in formulating and disseminating 
37 
information against the collection of flora and fauna in coastal 
38 
recreational areas; 
39 
b) The DPWH shall construct access roads and other essential 
40 
infrastructure that are sustainably master planned for coastal 
41 
recreational areas, in coordination with the DOT, the DILG, and the 
42 
concerned coastal provinces and affected local government units; 
43 
Provided, That all infrastructure constructed pursuant to this Act 
44 
shall be planned and maintained in an environmentally sustainable 
45 
manner; 
46 
c) The DOTr shall assist in the provision of transportation services for 
47 
coastal recreational areas, in coordination with the DOT, the DILG, 
48 


and the concerned coastal provinces and affected local government 
1 
units; 
2 
d) The DENR and its attached agencies shall provide technical and 
3 
financial assistance in monitoring and the status of flora and fauna 
4 
in coastal recreational areas and maintaining their assistance; 
5 
e) The DOH and the DENR – Environmental Management Bureau shall 
6 
formulate and enforce water quality and sanitation standards for 
7 
coastal recreational areas. The DOH shall also provide technical 
8 
assistance to coastal provinces and affected local government units 
9 
in monitoring such standards in coastal recreational areas; and 
10 
f) The DILG, in coordination with the Council, shall take the lead in 
11 
raising awareness of sustainable coastal tourism among coastal 
12 
provinces and affected local government units. 
13 
 
14 
SECTION 12. Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plans. – Coastal LCDs 
15 
shall formulate and implement their respective Local Sustainable Coastal 
16 
Tourism Plans, herein referred to as “the plan,” to ensure the quality of coastal 
17 
recreational areas within their jurisdiction. The plans shall include, but not 
18 
be limited to: 
19 
 
20 
a) Promotion and marketing of sustainable coastal recreational areas 
21 
in their jurisdiction; 
22 
b) Provision of proper and well-equipped waste management facilities 
23 
which can accommodate 50% more than the total number of waste 
24 
produced by the coastal area in a day; 
25 
c) Provision of facilities for coastal tourism, including the acquisition 
26 
of equipment, regulation and supervision of business concessions, 
27 
and security services for such facilities; 
28 
d) Clean-ups of coastal recreational areas; 
29 
e) Banning tourists and locals from collecting samples of flora and 
30 
fauna found in coastal recreational areas; 
31 
f) Collection of tourism access fees from coastal recreational areas; 
32 
Provided, That all amounts collected pursuant to this provision shall 
33 
accrue to the city or municipal government from which it was 
34 
collected and which shall be accounted for in accordance with 
35 
existing government rules and regulations; Provided, further, That 
36 
all the amounts collected shall be sued by the LGU to implement the 
37 
provisions of this Act; 
38 
g) Inspection and regulation of water quality and sanitation in coastal 
39 
recreational areas; 
40 
h) Construction and maintenance of sustainably planned and 
41 
maintained access roads near coastal recreational areas; 
42 
i) Enforcement of easement zones, as provided in Presidential Decree 
43 
No. 1067, s.1976, otherwise known as the Water Code of the 
44 
Philippines; 
45 
j) Provision of emergency health services; 
46 
k) Dismantling of structures which prevent access to coastal 
47 
recreational areas; and 
48 


l) Moratorium on mining of sand and other minerals in or near coastal 
1 
recreational areas. 
2 
 
3 
Local sustainable coastal tourism plans shall integrate the measurable 
4 
indicators used in the National Coastal Recreational Area Quality Framework. 
5 
Coastal LGUs shall consult affected communities in formulating their 
6 
respective plans. 
7 
 
8 
SECTION 13. Appropriations. – The amounts necessary to implement 
9 
this Act shall be taken from the current budget of the Department of 
10 
Environment and National Resources. Thereafter, such amounts necessary to 
11 
effectively carry out the provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual 
12 
General Appropriations Act. 
13 
 
14 
SECTION 14. Penalty for Non-Compliant LGUs. – Local government 
15 
officials who fail to formulate and implement their Local Sustainable Coastal 
16 
Tourism Plan shall be charged with the penalty of dereliction of duty as 
17 
defined under Chapter IV, Section 6 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise 
18 
known as the “Local Government Code of 1991.” 
19 
 
20 
SECTION 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DENR, DOT, 
21 
DOTr, DPWH, DOH, and DILG shall promulgate the implementing rules and 
22 
regulations of this Act within ninety (90) days from its effectivity. 
23 
 
24 
 
25 
SECTION 16. Separability Clause. – If any provision of this Act is 
26 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such 
27 
declaration shall remain in force and effect. 
28 
 
29 
SECTION 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, executive orders, 
30 
administrative orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act 
31 
are hereby repealed or amended accordingly. 
32 
 
33 
 
34 
Effectivity Clause. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
35 
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
36 
 
37 
Approved, 
38