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EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIUPPINES 
First Regular Session
A 
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S E N A T E
•19 AUG 27 P2 58
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
DECLARING 
PAG-ASA ISLAND CLUSTER IN  THE 
M UNICIPALITY OF 
KALAYAAN, PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AS AN ECOTOURISM DESTINATION 
AND PROTECTED AREA, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
This bill seeks to declare the Pag-asa island and its adjoining islands of Parola, 
Kota and Panata, collectively referred to as the Pag-asa Island Cluster in the 
Municipality of Kalayaan, in the province of Palawan which sit well within the territory 
of the Republic of the Philippines, as a special ecological tourism zone to promote and 
develop the Pag-asa Island Cluster as a tourist destination for domestic and 
international tourists while protecting its natural resources and diverse flora and fauna 
species. In addition, it also seeks to declare the islands of Parola, Kota and Panata as 
protected area under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
The Pag-asa island, located 480 kilometers off southwestern Palawan, is the 
largest that is effectively occupied by the Philippines, and the second largest island in 
the whole of Kalayaan Island Group (Spratlys) in the West Philippine Sea. It is the 
only Philippine-occupied island in the Spratlys that is inhabited by civilians. With its 
impeccable beauty, the island is an ideal tourist destination. However, Kalayaan Mayor 
Eugenio Bito-onon Jr., who has been leading the far-flung island for six years, still 
dreams to turn the Pag-asa Island Cluster to a tourist destination and fisheries zone.1
The rich biodiversity and truly Filipino heritage of the island truly reflects the 
beauty of a paradise that our country should be proud of.
1 Available at: http://globalnation.inquirer.net/119101/pag-asa-island-come-hell-or-high-water-this-is- 
ours


This proposed measure seeks to provide the necessary support to such efforts 
of the municipal government of Kalayaan by declaring it an ecological tourism area. 
By this, there shall be created the Pag-asa Island Ecotourism Cluster Governing Board 
which shall be composed of the Governor of Palawan as Chairperson, the 
Congressional Representative of the First District of Palawan as Co-Chairperson, the 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Regional Executive 
Director for Region IV-B as Vice Chairperson, the Department of Tourism (DOT) 
Regional Director for Region IV-B as Co-Vice Chairperson, the Mayor of the 
Municipality of Kalayaan, the Barangay Chairperson of Pag-asa, the commander of the 
AFP Western Command, a member of a nongovernment organization whose advocacy 
is environmental preservation, a member of the academe, a representative of the 
business sector, and a representative of the private sector. This Board shall rationalize 
all efforts pertaining to environmental protection and making the tourism industry a 
major source of livelihood and an avenue for the generation of employment.
This proposed measure also mandates the Pag-asa Island Ecotourism Cluster 
Governing Board in coordination with the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone 
Authority (TIEZA) to prepare an eco-tourism master plan to ensure the promotion of 
tourism, the generation of employment and most importantly, the protection and 
preservation of its environment and ecosystem.
This bill also highlights the recent South China Sea Arbitration Award of 12 July 
2016 of the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in The Hague where it declared that 
the Ayungin Reef (Second Thomas Shoal), one of the islets of the Muncipality of 
Kalayaan, is located within 200 nautical miles of the Philippines' coast on the island of 
Palawan. Thus, the PCA added that "between the Philippines and China, xxx Second 
Thomas Shoal form part of the exclusive economic zone and continental shelf of the 
Philippines." Moreover, Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, a 
member of the legal team that prepared the Philippines' case before the PCA, believes 
that the "the government should push for a peace agreement with China and other 
claimants in the Spratlys [where Kalayaan group of islands belong] by declaring the 
area as an international marine park and protected area, as originally suggested 
by American marine Biology professor John McManus. '2
In view of the foregoing, immediate passage of this bill is earnestly requested.
SONNY ANGARA
! Available at: http://www.philstar.eom/headlines/2016/07/18/1604013/spratlys-pushed-marine-park


EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
)
REPUBLIC OF THE PHIUPPINES 
)
First Regular Session 
)
Senate
o( tl)t frrtrttnrp
•19 
M)6 27 P2 58
S E N A T E
Introduced by Senator SONNY ANGARA
AN ACT
DECLARING 
PAG-ASA ISLAND CLUSTER IN  THE 
M UNICIPALITY OF 
KALAYAAN, PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AS AN ECOTOURISM DESTINATION 
AND PROTECTED AREA, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House o f Representative o f the Philippines in 
Congress assembled:
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Section 1. Declaration o f Policy. -  It is hereby declared the policy of the State
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to promote a sustainable ecotourism industry to attract local and foreign tourists to
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secure the country's share in the world tourism market and to make it an avenue for
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generation of employment while ensuring the environmental protection and
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preservation of the area.
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Sec. 2. The Pag-asa Island Ecotourism Cluster and Protected Area. -  The Pag-
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asa island and its adjoining islands of Parola, Kota and Panata are hereby declared an
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ecotourism destination and the islands of Parola, Kota and Panata are hereby declared
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as protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).
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The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall within ninety
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(90) days after the approval of this Act, make inventory of the existing flora and fauna
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in Pag-asa Island Cluster that shall serve as the basis for the creation of the master
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plan as provided in this Act.
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For the purpose of this Act, ecotourism shall refer to a form of sustainable
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tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation,
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protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge


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and practices, environmental education and ethics as well as economic benefits are 
fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and satisfaction of 
visitors.
Sec. 3. Pag-asa Island Ecotourism Cluster Governing Board. -  For the purpose 
of Section 2 of this Act, an ecotourism governing board, to be known as the Pag-asa 
Island Ecotourism Cluster Governing Board, is hereby created. The Board shall be 
composed of the following:
a) 
Governor of Palawan as Chairperson;
b) 
Congressional Representative of the First District of Palawan as Co- 
Chairperson;
c) 
DENR Regional Executive Director for Region IV-B as Vice Chairperson;
d) 
Department of Tourism (DOT) Regional Director for Region IV-B as Co-Vice 
Chairperson;
e) 
Mayor of the Municipality of Kalayaan;
f) 
Barangay Chairperson of Pag-asa Island;
g) 
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Western Command Commander;
h) 
One (1) member of a nongovernment organization whose advocacy is 
environmental preservation;
i) 
One (1) member of the academe;
j) 
One (1) representative of the business sector; and
k) 
One (1) representative of the private sector.
The governing board shall prepare the rules and regulations necessary for the 
full implementation by the concerned local government unit of the provisions of this 
Act and shall, as the need arises, amend, modify or revise such rules and regulations 
to meet the needs of changing times.
Sec. 4. Pag-asa Island Cluster Ecotourism Master Plan. -  The Pag-asa Island 
Ecotourism Cluster Governing Board, in coordination with the Tourism Infrastructure 
and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), shall within one hundred twenty (120) days 
from approval of this Act, prepare, develop and implement the Ecotourism Master Plan 
to be approved by the President of the Republic of the Philippines.
Sec. 5. Appropriations. -  The Secretary of the DOT shall include in the 
Department's program the implementation of this Act, and the amount necessary to


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carry out the provisions of this Act shall be taken from the current appropriation of
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the Department and shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year
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following its enactment into law and thereafter.
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Sec. 6. Separability Clause. -  If any portion or provision of this Act is
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subsequently declared invalid or unconstitutional, other provisions hereof which are
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not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
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Sec. 7. Repealing Clause. -  All other laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive
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orders, presidential proclamations, issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof
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which are contrary to or inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby
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repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.
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Sec. 8. Effectivity. -  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
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publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,