Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Philippines’ tropical climate and 18,000-kilometer coastline on more than 7,000 
islands give us year-long and endless options for beach vacations. Our postcards and 
picture-perfect beaches are often the main attraction for tourists who come here to 
visit. Boracay, Palawan, and Siargao are some of the most prominent names that 
attract foreign tourism to the country whole year-round.  
Unsurprisingly, the damaging effects of hotels, resorts, and restaurants multiplying in 
areas where there is demand have been immense such as the alteration of trophic 
dynamics and degradation of habitats. This bill seeks to preserve the integrity of our 
coasts and the viability of our environment for long-term business. Moreover, it serves 
as a mantle of protection from abusive business corporations that take advantage of 
the coastal view and lose sight of environmental preservation.  
This bill shall institutionalize the Sustainable Coastal Management and establish the 
Council on Sustainable Coastal Tourism to oversee the efforts of Local Government 
Units in the formulation and implementation of their respective Local Sustainable 
Coastal Tourism Plans.  
In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is eagerly sought. 
LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
November 10, 2022
2:54 pm
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Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. ____ 
Introduced by HON. LUIS RAYMUND “LRAY” F. VILLAFUERTE, JR. 
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 House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
ARTICLE I 
GENERAL PROVISIONS 
Section. 1. Short Title. – This Act shall be known as the “Sustainable Coastal 
Tourism Act”. 
Section. 2. Declaration of Policy. – The State recognizes the indispensable role of 
coastal tourism in promoting rapid and inclusive growth among coastal provinces and 
affected local government units. The State further recognizes the pressure which 
coastal tourism bears upon marine and coastal environments. To this end, the State 
hereby declares it a policy to promote sustainable coastal tourism to reconcile the 
social and economic growth from coastal tourism with the people's right to a balanced 
and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. 
Section. 3. Definition of Terms. – 
a)
Coastal Local Government Unit or Coastal LGU – refers to LGUs bordering a 
coast regardless of income classification;
b)
Coastal Recreational Area – refers to coastal areas, including shores, sand bars, 
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bays, lagoon mouths, and coastal estuaries within the tidal zone, which are used 
by the public for recreational activities such as swimming, bathing, surfing, 
skimboarding and any other water sports; 
c) 
Council – refers to the National Council for Sustainable Coastal Tourism 
established under this Act; 
d) 
Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plans or Plan – refers to the plans to be 
formulated by coastal provinces under this Act in consultation with affected cities, 
municipalities and communities; 
e)  National Coastal Recreational Area Quality Framework or Framework – refers to 
the Framework to be established by the Council under this Act; and, 
f) 
Sustainable Coastal Tourism – refers to an approach to coastal tourism which 
reconciles tourism with environmental sustainability; 
 
ARTICLE II 
THE PHILIPPINE COUNCIL FOR SUSTAINABLE COASTAL TOURISM 
 
Section. 4. Establishment of the Council. – The National Council for Sustainable 
Coastal Tourism, herein referred to as "the Council", is hereby established. The 
Council shall be the policy-making, standard-setting, planning, coordinating, 
enforcing, monitoring, and advisory body of the government on sustainable coastal 
tourism. The Council shall be an independent agency attached to the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources, with a separate budget under the General 
Appropriations Act. 
 
Section. 5. Powers and Functions of the Council. – The Council shall be 
empowered to: 
a)  Formulate the National Coastal Recreational Area Quality Framework, which 
shall include but not be limited to the following measurable requirements: 
1.  Ecological Waste Management 
2.  Water quality and sanitation; 
3.  Accessibility; 
4.  Preventing and reversing coastal degradation; 
5.  Protection of marine flora and fauna; 
6.  Presence of emergency health services; and, 


 
 
7.  Other measurable and reasonable quality standards pursuant to the 
declared state policy of this Act or other related laws or rules and 
regulations. 
 
b) 
Supervise the formulation and implementation of Local Sustainable Coastal 
Tourism Plans; 
c)  Utilize the Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Fund created under this Act 
as an incentive for LGUs to implement the provisions of this Act; 
d)  Recognize meritorious and/or extraordinary implementation of this Act by LGUs 
through awards; 
e) 
Review, harmonize, and identify gaps in existing rules and regulations on 
sustainable coastal tourism; 
f)  
Conduct an inventory and assess the quality of all existing and potential coastal 
recreational areas in the country; 
g) 
Compile, use, and provide access to data on coastal recreational areas, which 
shall include but not be limited to location, magnitude, tourist arrivals, revenue 
from sustainable coastal tourism, coastal degradation, water quality and 
sanitation, accessibility, and habitation of marine wildlife; 
h) 
Research and develop community-based and sustainable coastal tourism 
models and promote their adoption among local government units; 
i) 
Receive grants, contributions, donations, endowments, bequests, or gifts in 
cash, or in kind from local and foreign sources in support of the development 
and implementation of climate change programs and plans: Provided, that such 
donations shall not be used to fund personal services expenditures and other 
operating expenses of the Council; 
j) 
Provide capacity building and technical assistance to coastal municipalities, 
cities and provinces in evaluating, formulating, and reviewing local sustainable 
coastal tourism plans; 
k) 
Mobilize non-government, private and international participation in local 
sustainable coastal tourism plans and projects; and, 
l) 
Provide awards and other forms of recognition to coastal provinces and affected 
LGUs which provide good examples of implementing sustainable coastal 
tourism. 
 


 
 
Section. 6. Composition. – The Council shall be composed of: 
a) 
The Secretary of the DENR, or his duly authorized representative, as 
chairperson; 
b) 
The Secretary of the Department of Tourism (DOT), or his duly authorized 
representative, as Co-Chairperson; 
c) 
The Secretary of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), or his duly 
authorized representative; 
d) 
The Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), or his 
duly authorized representative; 
e) 
The Secretary of the Department of Health (DOH), or his duly authorized 
representative; 
f) 
The Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government, or his duly 
authorized representative; 
g) 
Two (2) representatives from the academe who shall be experts in sustainable 
coastal management and/or related disciplines; and, 
h) 
Three (3) representatives from reputable non-government organizations working 
on sustainable coastal tourism. 
 
The representatives from the academe and non-government organizations shall be 
appointed by the Council. 
 
Section. 7. National Sustainable Coastal Recreational Area Quality Framework. 
– The Council shall formulate a National Coastal Recreational Area Quality 
Framework, herein referred to as "The Framework", Within ninety (90) says from the 
effectivity of this Act. The Framework shall be used to: 
a) 
Assess the quality of all coastal recreational areas in the country; 
b) 
Guide national government agencies in formulating, implementing and 
monitoring policies, programs and projects in relation the goals of this Act; 
and, 
c) 
Guide coastal provinces, coastal cities and coastal municipalities in 
formulating their respective local sustainable coastal tourism plans. 
 
Section. 8. Components of the Framework. – The Framework shall include, but not 
be limited to, the following measurable components: 


 
 
a) 
Ecological Waste Management 
b) 
Water quality and sanitation; 
c) 
Presence of floatable materials, such as plastics, aluminum cans, and bottles; 
d) 
Accessibility; 
e)  Preventing and reversing coastal degradation; 
f) 
Coastal cleanliness and/or visible pollution; 
g) 
Presence of emergency health services; 
h) 
Protection of marine flora and fauna; and, 
i) 
Other measurable and reasonable quality standards pursuant to the declared 
state policy of this Act or other related laws or rules and regulations. 
 
Section. 9. National Inventory and Assessment of Coastal Recreational Areas. – 
Within two (2) years from the effectivity of this Act, and every three (3) years 
thereafter, the Council shall create a database of existing coastal recreational areas in 
the country and assess them using the Framework. 
 
Section. 10. Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Trust Fund. – The 
Sustainable Coastal Tourism Challenge Fund, hereafter referred to as "the Fund", is 
hereby established. The Council shall use the Fund as an incentive for LGUs to 
comply with and implement the provisions of this Act. 
 
The Fund shall be sourced from the equivalent of five percent (5%) of any annual 
increase of the revenues collected from the excise tax on manufactured oils and other 
fuels. It shall be indicated as a separate line item under the budget of the Council. 
 
ARTICLE III 
ROLE OF NATIONAL GOVERNMENT UNITS 
 
Section. 11. Role of National Government Agencies. – In addition to their duties as 
members of the Council, the concerned agencies shall also perform the following 
functions to ensure the successful implementation of this Act: 
a) 
The DOT shall provide technical and financial assistance in marketing, 
promoting and developing sustainable coastal tourism projects. The DOT 
shall also coordinate with the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) in 


 
 
formulating and disseminating information against the collection of flora and 
fauna in coastal recreational areas; 
b)  The DPWH shall construct access roads and other essential infrastructure 
that are sustainably masterplanned for coastal recreational areas, in 
coordination with the DOT, the DILG and the concerned coastal provinces 
and affected local government units: Provided, that all infrastructure 
constructed pursuant to this Act shall be planned and maintained in a 
environmentally sustainable manner; 
c) 
The DOTr shall assist in the provision of transportation services for coastal 
recreational areas, in coordination with the DOT, the DILG, and the concerned 
coastal provinces and affected local government units; 
d) 
The DENR and its attached agencies shall provide technical and financial 
assistance in monitoring and the status of flora and fauna in coastal 
recreational areas and maintaining their assistance; 
e) 
The DOH and the DENR- Environmental Management Bureau shall 
formulate and enforce water quality and sanitation standards for coastal 
recreational areas. The DOH shall also provide technical assistance to 
coastal provinces and affected local government units in monitoring such 
standards in coastal recreational areas; and, 
f)  
The DILG, in coordination with the Council, shall take the lead in raising 
awareness of sustainable coastal tourism among coastal provinces and 
affected local government units. 
 
ARTICLE IV 
ROLES OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS 
 
Section. 12. Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plans. – Coastal LGUs shall 
formulate and implement their respective Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plans, 
herein referred to as "the plan", to ensure the quality of coastal recreational areas 
within their jurisdiction. The plans shall include, but not be limited to: 
a) 
Promotion and marketing of sustainable coastal recreational areas in their 
jurisdiction; 
b)  Provision of proper and well-equipped waste management facilities which 
can accommodate 50% more than the total number of waste produced by the 


 
 
coastal area in a day. 
c) 
Provision of facilities for coastal tourism, including the acquisition of 
equipment, regulation and supervision of business concessions, and security 
services for such facilities; 
d) 
Clean-ups of coastal recreational areas; 
e)  Banning tourists and locals from collecting samples of flora and fauna found 
in coastal recreational areas; 
f)  
Collection of tourism access fees from coastal recreational areas: Provided, 
that all amounts collected pursuant to this provision shall accrue to the city or 
municipal government from which it was collected and which shall be 
accounted for in accordance with existing government rules and regulations: 
Provided further, that the all amounts collected shall be used by the LGU to 
implement the provisions if this Act. 
g) 
Inspection and regulation of water quality and sanitation in coastal 
recreational areas; 
h) 
Construction and maintenance of sustainably planned and maintained access 
roads near coastal recreational areas; 
i) 
Enforcement of easement zones as provided in Presidential Decree No. 1067, 
s. 1976, otherwise known as the Water Code of the Philippines; 
j) 
Provision of emergency health services; 
k) 
Dismantling of structures which prevent access to coastal recreational areas; 
and, 
l) 
Moratorium on mining of sand and other minerals in or near coastal 
recreational areas; 
 
Local sustainable coastal tourism plans shall integrate the measurable indicators 
used in the National Coastal Recreational Area Quality Framework. Coastal LGUS 
shall consult affected communities in formulating their respective plans. 
 
ARTICLE V 
FINAL AND TRANSITORY PROVISIONS 
 
Section. 13. Appropriations. – The amounts necessary to implement this Act shall 
be taken from the current budget of the Department of Environment and National 


 
 
Resources. Thereafter, such amounts necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act shall be included in the annual General Appropriations Act. 
 
Section. 14. Penalty for Non-Compliant LGUs. – Local government officials who 
fail to formulate and implement their Local Sustainable Coastal Tourism Plan shall be 
charged with the penalty of dereliction of duty as defined under Chapter IV, Section 6 
of Republic Act No. 7160 under Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the 
"Local Government Code of 1991".  
 
Section. 15. Implementing Rules and Regulations. – The DENR, DOT, DOTr, 
DPWH, DOH, DILG shall promulgate the implementing rules and regulations of this 
Act within ninety (90) days from its effectivity. 
 
Section. 16. Separability Clause. – If for any reason any section or provision of this 
Act is declared as unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof 
shall not be affected thereby. 
 
Section. 17. Repealing Clause. – All laws, ordinances, rules and regulations, and 
other issuances or parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
Section. 18. Effectivity. – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after the 
completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) national 
newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved,