Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session
3225

HOUSE BILL NO. __

Introduced by: Honorable GEORGE P. ARNAIZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Southeast Asia holds more diverse flora and fauna than
Europe, but it is in danger losing its biodiversity. Jt has naturai
habitats of up to 40 percent of all species existing on the planet. A
single small tropical-forest patch anywhere in this region, covering
st a couple of hundred hectares, might support
mammal species than there are in the whole of the
Belgium and Germany combined.

© bird and

etherlands,

However, the flora and fauna of the region are increasingly
under threat. Annually, ASEAN loses one percent of its fore:
a figure four times higher than the world average. There
than 150 endangered species in the Philippines alone. Philip:
Indonesia and Malaysia were among the world's top mega-div
countries. At the same time, the three Asean nations were also
among 25 biodiversity hotspots or places at risk of species loss

The region's continued biodiversity loss is due to extensive
orestation and habitat loss, widespread conversion of land for
ulture or urban and industrial development, and the continuing
population growth. Southeast Asia could have three-fourths
less forest cover and 42 percent less biodiversity by 2010 at the
current rate of logging, forest fires and problematic iand use
among others. Today, more trees are being felled duc to shitting
agricuttural practices, illegal lumber trade and la
Further, global warming and climate change are
phenomena intertwined with the world’s decreasing
The loss of biodiversity is making climate change more <
which poses threat on the planet’s marine and plant jife

This bill seeks to address the problem of biodiversity joss
requiring every student to plant 10 trees every year. To date, there
are 2.4 million tertiary students, 6 million in the secondary level,


and 13 million in the primary level. Hence, in just a year, aa
additional 214,000,000 trees would be planted.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this,
sought.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO, 3225

Introduced by: Honorable GEORGE P. ARNAIZ

AN ACT
TO REQUIRE EVERY STUDENT TO PLANT TREES EVERY YEAR

Section 1. Declaration of Policy. - It is the declared policy
of the state to protect and preserve biodiversity in the country.

Section 2. Requirement of Planting Ten (10) Trees
Every Year. ~ To protect and preserve biodiversity in the country,
the Department of Education and the Commission on Higher
Education shall require every student to plant ten (10) tree
year in an area to be designated by the Provincial Environment
Natural Resources Office of the Department of Environment
Natural Resources (DENR) where the school is located.

Section 3. Appropriations. - The necessary budget to
implement this Act shall be included in the 2011 budget of the
Department of Education and the Commission on Higher Education

Section 4, Rules and Regulation. - The Department of
Education, Commission on Higher Education and Department of
Environment and Natural Resources shall promulgate the rules and

regulations for the effective enforcement of the provisions of this
Act.

Section 5, Separability Clause. - Should any provision of
this Act or any part thereof be declared invalid, the other provisi
50 far as they are separate from the invalid ones, shall remai
force and effect.

ns,

full

Section 6. Repealling Clause. ~ All laws, orders, issuances,
rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


Section 7. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fif
days after its complete publication in at least two (2) newspa
general circulation,

en (15)

rs ol

Approved,