Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 371

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Deforestation has been identified as one of the causes of flash
floods associated with climate change and global warming, which
has become a global concern, as more countries are beginning to
experience climate changes and its negative effects. In the past
years, typhoons Ondoy, Pedring, and Sendong had resulted to
wide-spread flash floods due to our denuded forests and water
reservoirs- the flash floods claimed thousands of lives, left
numerous families devastated, and sent small and medium-scale
businesses in the affected areas reeling to the ground.

On the other hand, Metro Manila and several provinces in
Luzon recently experienced water shortage for domestic use and
irrigation of agricultural lands as the water level in the major dams
like Angat, Ipo and San Roque went down below critical level. As
an immediate response, government has to ration and reduce the
volume allocated for users and consumers of water. Multiple
factors interplayed and contributed to this problem and one of
them is the worsening condition of the forest cover in the watershed
areas of these dams negatively impacting the water retention
capacity of the forest.

We experienced a paradox where we experience water shortage
during dry season and flash floods during wet season. This is
primarily due to the denudation of our forest cover.


As an appropriate solution to this problem, reforestation has
become a major and priority concern of the state through the
National Greening Program (NGP) which was previously launched
by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)
Nevertheless, reforestation should also be the concern of every
citizen and residents alike.

As an effort of every citizen to help in the reforestation
crusade of the State, this measure requires the planting of two (2)
trees for every child born of a couple, one of tree for the father and
another tree for the mother.

The number of trees to be planted as a result of this bill will
be very significant and it will effectively supplement the 1.5 billion
trees to be planted by the DENR through its NGP, taking into
account the thousands of babies that are born and Human
Development Report statistics almost 2 million babies are born in
the Philippines every year, 166,667 every month and 5,556 every
day; thereby assuring no less than 4 million trees yearly

Furthermore, it will serve to develop the people’s awareness of
the need for reforestation and encourage tree planting as part of the
family’s concern and responsibility, thereby reviving the Filipino
tradition- whereby parents, as a sign of love and care for their
children, plant tree for them; and in turn, their children will take
care of these trees as a sign of love, respect and as living memories
for their parents.

To ensure compliance with this compulsory measure, the
couple is required to execute a Joint Affidavit of Compliance sworn
to before the Punong Barangay of the place where they reside, or
the appropriate legal officer of the Provincial Environment and
Natural Resources Office (PENRO) or Community Environment and
Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in the area where they reside.
Thereafter, this joint-affidavit shall be submitted to the Civil
Registrar's Office of the Municipality or City where the birth of the
child should be registered as a requirement for the release of the
child’s Certificate of Live Birth


This proposal has been deliberated and was unanimously approved
on 3" Reading during the 17% Congress and I hope that this bill
will get the support of my colleagues in this 18 Congress.

Qu ¢.
ERIC L. OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. !371

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

AN ACT
REQUIRING PARENTS TO PLANT TWO TREES FOR EVERY
CHILD BORN TO THEM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the
“Family Tree Planting Act of 2016”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy.— The state recognizes the
prevailing climate change and global warming brought about by
human activity, and which have been experienced by countries
world-wide. Likewise, the Sate recognizes that in the last three
years typhoons have caused wide-spread flash floods that
devastated different areas of the country, claimed thousands of
lives, and caused massive damage to properties. Reforestation has
thus become a primary concern of the State, which had recently
launched the National Greening Program (NGP) through the
Department of Environment and Natural resources (DENR). As
supplement thereto, it is the policy of the State to involve the
Filipino people in the conservation of our natural resources,
particularly the State’s reforestation project under the National
Greening Program, and in the process, encourage tree planting as
part of the family’s concern and responsibility, thereby reviving the
Filipino tradition- whereby parents, as a sign of love and care for
their children, plant trees for them; and in turn, their children will
take care of these planted trees as a sign of love, respect and as
living memories for their parents.


SECTION 3. Mandatory Family Tree Planting — Each couple
residing in the Philippines whether legally married or not, shall be
required to plant or cause to plant two trees for every child born to
them. These trees shall be planted within the premises of their
family home. If the same is not possible, the same shall be planted
in the areas to be designated by the concerned Provincial
Environment and Natural Resources (PENRO) or by City
Environment and Natural Resources (CENRO), as the case maybe,
where they reside.

SECTION 4. Ownership of trees.— Ownership of the trees
planted pursuant to this Act shall pertain to the parents or the
child for whom the trees are planted, regardless of location,
including those planted in public lands or along highways.

SECTION 5. Joint Affidavit Attesting to Compliance - As
prerequisite for the release of the Certificate of Live Birth, the Local
Civil Registrar of the City or Municipality where the birth of a child
shall be registered shall require an affidavit executed by both
parents, or by the solo parent exercising parental authority over the
child, attesting that they have planted two trees in compliance with
the requirement of this Act, and sworn before the Punong Barangay
where they reside if the trees were planted within the premises of
the family home, or before the appropriate legal officer of the
PENRO or CENRO if the trees were planted in Government sites.

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The
Department of Environment and Natural Resources shall issue the
necessary rules and regulations to carry into effect the purpose of
this Act.

SECTION 7. Penal Provision — Any violation of this act by any
civil registrar shall be penalized by a suspension for 15 days or fine
of Five thousand Pesos (P5,000.00), or both, in discretion of the
court, for the first offense; for the second offense, suspension of one
month or a fine of Ten thousand Pesos (P10,000.00), or both, in the
discretion of the court; and for the third offense, the erring Local
Civil Registrar shall be dismissed from the office. The prosecution
of violations committed by the erring Local Civil Registrar shall be
without prejudice to the filing of an appropriate criminal case
against the parents or parent who likewise violated any provision of
this act.


SECTION 8. ffectivity- This Act shall be effective fifteen (15)
days following the completion of its publication in the Official
Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

SECTION 9. Appropriation~ The sums necessary for the
implementation of this act, including but not limited to the
seedlings to be planted pursuant to this Act shall be included in
the budget of the DENR under the Annual General Appropriations
Act.

Approved.