FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
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Second Regular Session 
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S. B. No. 
INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE MAR ROXAS 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Philippine mangrove forests have continued to decline substantially during the last 
century. From an estimated 450,000 hectares of mangroves in 1918, less than 140,000 
hectares exist in 1988 down to 112,400 hectares in 1997. The World Bank has estimated that 
there will be less than 100,000 hectares left in the year 2030 if this rate of reduction 
continues, Worse, existing mangrove forests today are of a much lower quality, given that as 
early as 1988,95% of these are secondary growth and only 5% are primary or old growth, as 
reported by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. 
One upshot of this continued decline in mangroves is the destruction of nursery 
grounds for fish, prawns, crabs and other important marine species. In the Philippines, with 
its thousands of islands and islets, mangrove forests also play a very important role as “shelter 
belts” against strong winds from typhoons, thereby protecting the inhabitants and preventing 
coastal erosion. This rapid decline is largely due to pressure from firewood gatherers, coral 
miners, blast cyanide fishers and industrial pollution. Over time the stress of the pollutants 
and reduced light kill large areas of mangrove forests. Worse, while the government ceased 
approving mangrove conversion to fishpond, illegal conversion still continues. 
This proposed measure thus seeks to establish reservation areas in all coastal areas in 
each municipality of the country solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation, and 
sustainable development of mangrove forests. To strengthen the provisions of this proposed 
measures, penal sanctions are imposed for the destruction and cutting of mangrove trees, 
dumping of waste products and other harmful activities within the mangrove reservation 
areas. 
Considering the vulnerability and importance of our mangrove resources, it is 
necessary to protect existing mangrove forests, rehabilitate and reforest denuded areas, and 
establish new mangrove plantations since it has been found that artificially established 
mangrove forests provide the same function as a natural mangrove forest. 
In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly requested 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
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REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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S E N A T E  
S.B.No. 2486 
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INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE MAR ROXAS 
AN ACT 
PROWDING FOR THE PRESERVATION, REFORESTATION AND SUSTAINABLE 
DEVELOPMENT OF ALL PHILIPPINE MANGROVE RESOURCES, DEFINING FOR THAT 
PURPOSE THE ACTS PROHIBITED WITHIN MANGROVE FORESTS, AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assem bled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as "The Mangrove Forest 
Protection and Preservation Act. 
SECTION 2. Declaraarion ofPolicy. The State shall protect and advance to right of the 
people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of 
nature. Towards this end, the State shall establish measures that safeguard the country's 
mangrove resources from destruction, exploitation and unregulated removal and bring an 
end to activities which cause the destruction of these resources. Further, in recognition of 
the important ecological role of our mangrove resources as habitat for various marine and 
estuarine animals, for water quality maintenance and as food-web support, the State shall 
hereby endeavor to maintain the natural diversity of animals and plants found in the 
mangrove areas. Thus, the State hereby undertakes to ensure the preservation, reforestation 
and sustainable development of the mangrove resources through the establishment of 
reservation areas exclusively for mangrove forests. 
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SECTION 3. Definition of Terms. 
a. Coastal areas - refer to the band of dry land and adjacent ocean space in which 
terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vice versa, its 
geographic extent may include areas within a landmark limit of one kilometer from the 
shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, 
estuarine rivers, sandy beaches and other areas within a seaward limit of two hundred (200) 
meters isobath to include coral reeds, algal flats, seagrass beds, and other soft-bottom areas; 
b. Mangrove forest - a type of forest occurring on a tidal flat along the sea coast, 
extending along streams where the water is brackish; 
c. Reservation areas - portions of coastal areas which have been set aside exclusively 
for reforestation, conservation, and preservation purposes; and 
d. Reforestation - the planting of mangrove trees along the denuded coastal areas. 
SECTION 4. Establishment of Mangrove Reservation Areas. - There shall be 
established and set aside in all municipalities with coastal areas within the Philippines 
portions of land solely for the preservation, protection, reforestation, and sustainable 
management of mangrove forests to be known as Mangrove Reservation areas. All existing 
mangrove forest reserves declared as such under Presidential Proclamation 2152 and all other 
areas that may hereinafter be declared as such pursuant to a law or executive order, shall 
automatically form part of said reservation areas. 
SECTION 5. Establishment and Composition of the National Council for the 
Preservation of Mangrove Forests. - There is hereby established a National Council for the 
Preservation of Mangrove Forests, hereinafter referred to as the National Council, which 
shall be attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). 
The National Council shall be composed of ten (10) members consisting of: 
(1) the Secretary of the DENR who shall act as Chairman; 
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(2) the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) who shall act as vice- 
chairman; 
(3) the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST); 
(4) the Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); 
(5) the Director of the Forest Management Bureau (FMB) of the DENR; 
(6) the Director of the Ecosystem and Research Development Bureau (ERDB); 
(7) the Administrator of the National Mapping and Resources Information Authority 
(NAMRIA); 
(8) a representative from the academe to be appointed by the President; 
(9) a representative from the research institutions conducting researches on 
sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by the President; and 
(10) a representative from a non-government organization (NGO) conducting 
programs on sustainable mangrove forest management to be appointed by the President. 
SECTION 6. Powers and Functions of the National Council. - The National Council 
shall have the following powers and functions: 
(1) Review existing, relevant policies and conduct studies on mangrove forest and its 
preservation; 
(2) Prepare a comprehensive program for the preservation, reforestation, and 
sustainable development of mangrove forests; 
(3) Establish the guidelines in identifying the coastal areas which shall form part of 
the mangrove reservation areas; 
(4) Identify and delineate the boundaries of the coastal areas which shall form part of 
the mangrove reservation areas; 
(5) Exercise control and suDervision over all the local councils; and 
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(6) Promulgate the necessary rules and regulations to carry out the provisions of this 
Act. 
SECTION 7. The Local Councils for the Preservation of Mangrove Forests. - A local 
council for the preservation of mangrove forests, hereinafter referred to as the Local Council, 
shall be established in each of the municipalities where a mangrove reservation area has been 
identified. Each Local Council shall be chaired by the Regional Executive Director of the 
DENR under whose jurisdiction the reservation area is located, with the following members: 
(1) A member of the municipal council of the municipality concerned; 
(2) A member of the barangay council from each barangay under whose territory the 
reservation area is located; and 
(3) A representative from an accredited non-governmental organization (NGO) 
involved in environmental advocacy; and 
SECTION 8. Powers and Funcrions of the Local Council. - The local council shall 
exercise the following powers and functions: 
(1) Implement and enforce all the programs and policies laid down by the National 
Council; 
(2) Carry out the general administration and day-to-day planning of the program; 
(3) Secure the mangrove reservation area from illegal and destructive activities which 
would endanger the successful implementation and viability of the program; 
(4) Engage the services of forest guards who shall be tasked to guard and police the 
areas and arrest those caught in violation of the provisions of this Act; 
(5) Provide the forest guards the necessary skills and knowledge training and support; 
(6) Conduct periodic consultations with the appropriate local government unit, non- 
governmental and people’s organizations and other concerned sectors of the community on 
issues, concerns and projects affecting the mangrove reserves in the locality; and 
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(7) Such other powers and functions as may be designated by the National Council. 
SECTION 9. Mandatov Prior Consultation. - No project or program that may cause 
pollution, destruction or loss of mangrove forests or extinction of marine and estuarine plant 
and animal species shall be implemented by the National or Local Council without prior 
consultations with the local government unit concerned, non-governmental or people’s 
organizations, and other sectors concerned to explain the objectives of the project or 
program, its impact on the people and the community in terms of ecological balance, and the 
measures that will be undertaken to prevent the adverse effects thereof; provided, that the 
prior approval of the sanggunian concerned shall be obtained in accordance with the 
provisions of Republic Act 7610. 
SECTION 10. Prohibiked Acts. - The, following acts are hereby prohibited within the 
mangrove reservation areas: 
(a) Cutting, uprooting, destroying or gathering any mangrove tree or any mangrove 
forest products; 
(b) Dumping of waste; 
(c) Construction or reclamation activity without the necessary license, permit, or 
authority; 
(d) Illegal fishing activities that will result in the damage and destruction of the 
mangrove forest; 
(e) Conversion of mangrove reservation areas into fishponds or for any other purpose; 
and 
(f) Other acts or activities that will result in the damage andor destruction of the 
mangrove forest, as determined by the Local Council concerned. 
SECTION 11. Penalties - Any person, natural or juridical, found guilty of violating 
any of the provisions of this Act or the rules and regulations issued by the National Council, 
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shall, after due notice and public hearing by the regular courts of competent jurisdiction, be 
fined in the amount of not less than One Hundred thousand pesos (PhP100,000.00) but not 
more than One million pesos (PhP1,000,000.00) or imprisonment for not less than one (1) 
year but not more than six (6) years, or both, at the discretion of the Court; provided rhar, if 
the area requires rehabilitation or restoration as determined by the Court, the offender shall 
also be required to restore or compensate for the restoration of the damage. 
If the offender is an association or corporation, the President or Manager and the 
officer who has direct knowledge over the offense shall be held liable under this Act. 
SECTION 12. Appropriations. The amount needed for the initial implementation of 
this Act shall be charged against the current appropriations of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources. Thereafter, such amount necessary for the continued 
and effective implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be included in the General 
Appropriations Act the year following its enactment. 
SECTION 13. Separability Clause. - If, for any reason, any section or provision of this 
Act shall be held unconstitutional or invalid, the other section or provision not otherwise 
affected shall remain in full 'force and effect. 
SECTION 14. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, 
proclamations, rules and regulations which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act 
hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SECTION 15. Effecrivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days from its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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