NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
SENATE
s. No. 491
isena'E
of ll'p rliU'p
‘22 JUL13 PI :l 1
RHCEIVi DBV
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR URBAN AND COUNTRYSIDE GREENING IN THE 
PHILIPPINES THROUGH MANDATORY TREE PLANTING AND ADOPTION 
OF A FOREST SANCTUARY BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNDER THE 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 16, Article II of the 1987 Constitution provides that, "The State shall 
protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in 
accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature."
The Philippines is recognized to be one of the most vulnerable countries to face 
dangerous consequences of climate change such as increasing frequency and severity 
of droughts, fires, floods and storms, damage to ecosystems, and biodiversity loss. It 
is indeed high time for the Philippine archipelago and the local communities to be the 
voice of the vulnerable by addressing these challenges through pursuing green 
growth in preventing and reducing the adverse impacts climate change.
The increase of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere contributes to global 
warming and climate change. As reported by the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration (NASA), Carbon dioxide (C02) is an important heat-trapping 
(greenhouse) gas, which is released through human activities such as deforestation.1
https:/ / climate.nasa.gov/vital-signs/carbon-dioxide/


According to the Land Management Bureau (LMB), the Cadastral Survey 
completed m 2015 revealed that the country has an estimated total land area of 
29,704,230 hectares: 14,194,675 hectares (47.79%) are alienable and disposable lands, 
while 15,509,555 hectares (52.21%) are forest lands.
However, Global Forest Watch2 reported that the Philippines lost 158,000 
hectares of primary forest from 2002 to 2021, or 12% of its total tree cover loss.^ During 
the same period, 92% of tree cover loss occurred in areas where the dominant drivers 
of loss resulted in deforestation.
Trees and forests act as effective carbon sinks and help improve air quality. 
According to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), a single 
tree can sequester 0.56 metric tons of carbon dioxide in its lifetime. Thus, integrating 
tree-planting in our environmental agenda is a must and encouraging the youth, as 
the most active partners in challenging development norms, to actively participate in 
this cause will strengthen our initiatives towards the greening of urban and the 
countryside in the Philippines.
This measure seeks to empower the youth as effective catalysts for change, as 
well as the academe as the medium to disseminate information, as they adopt or create 
forest sanctuaries or gardens both in urban areas as well as in the countryside. With 
more than twenty million students in the public school sector planting trees the whole 
year round, the country s forests can surely be revived in the shortest time possible. 
More than the actual number of trees we plant, what is more important is to instill in
the minds of present and future generations that we must save the environment while 
there is still time.
2 https://www.globalforGstwatch.org/dashboards/coimtry/PHL/
T 
f°fler l0SS 1S defiTd aS the comPlete removal of tree cover for any reason, including human-caused loss and natural events
for w^,dee C°VeT..may hfleTa^ent °l temp0rary; for example, temporary tree cover loss may occur when trees are harvested 
SpSuv refetrto 
H18 subsequentl5' 
or allowed to naluraJly regenerate. Deforestation, on the other hand,
tadl^Wtaest 
permanent removal of natural forest cover. (https://reSearch.wri.org/gif/foreSt<.xtent-


In view of the foregoing considerations, the immediate passage of this measure i 
sought.
IS
-h0KES=EEGARDA


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session
)
- V --n
of tl)i' €'•'
■22 JUL 13 PI :12
SENATE
s.No. 491
RIXEIVED BV.
O
Introduced by Senator Loren B. Legarda
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AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR URBAN AND COUNTRYSIDE GREENING IN THE 
PHILIPPINES THROUGH MANDATORY TREE PLANTING AND ADOPTION 
OF A FOREST SANCTUARY BY PUBLIC SCHOOLS UNDER THE 
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled:
Section 1. Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Forest Sanctuaries Act of
2022/'
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - Recognizing the vital role of trees and plants in 
ecological stability, it is hereby declared the national policy to ensure sufficient 
greenery in urban and countryside areas and to promote the right of the people to a 
balanced and healthy ecology.
Sec. 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all barangays, municipalities, cities, and 
provinces, particularly in all public parks and public school grounds in urban and 
rural areas, idle public lands, unless otherwise identified to be used for other 
purposes, and privately-owned land whose proprietors voluntarily subject their 10 
properties to the provisions of this Act, upon the creation of appropriate agreements 
with the schools implementing this Act.
Sec. 4. Objectives. - Pursuant the policy declared herein, it is the objective of this
Act:


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a. 
To build, adopt, develop maintain forest or sanctuaries public elementary 
and secondary schools;
b. To require the planting of trees and shrubbery as well as provision of 
financial, physical, and technical support by national agencies and local 
government units;
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To promote environmental consciousness by encouraging active 
participation in tree-planting activities in the community, especially among 
students, youth, other civic action groups, and the academe; and
d. To protect trees from harmful human activity and increase the country's 
forest rover.
Sec. 5. National Forest Sanctuary Committee. - A National Forest Sanctuary 
Committee is hereby created with the Secretary of the Department of Education 
(DepEd) as Chairman and the respective secretaries of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Tourism (DOT), 
Department of Interior and Local Government DILG), and the Department of 
Agriculture (DA) as members.
The National Forest Sanctuary Committee shall promulgate the pertinent rules 
and regulations as may be necessary to fully implement the objectives and purposes 
of this Act not later than ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act.
The National Forest Sanctuary Committee shall convene every quarter to hear 
the reports or performance from the Regional Committees.
Sec. 6. Specific Functions of the Executive Department. - The following are the 
specific functions:
a. The DENR shall provide the technical, scientific, and physical support in:
1) determining of the suitable species of trees and provision of seeds or 
samplings to be planted in existing forest/mangrove sanctuaries or 
areas where a forest mangrove sanctuary or urban garden is to be 
established;
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2) classifying and determining of existing forest mangrove sanctuaries,
proposed forest mangrove sanctuaries and urban gardens;
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and
3) tree planting activities.


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b. The Local Government Units (LGUs) shall:
(1) in partnership with DENR and DA, aid in the determination of suitable 
areas for the proposed forest mangrove sanctuaries urban gardens;
(2) mobilize all concerned local agencies and communities to ensure prompt
and effective implementation of this Act in all public schools within their 
jurisdiction;
(3) mobilize non-government organizations, foundations and other private 
entities or corporations provide financial, physical or other kinds of support 
for the implementation of this Act; and
(4) effect the apprehension for the consequent prosecution of all persons 
violating the penal provisions of this Act.
c. The DILG shall coordinate all local government units to ensure prompt and 
effective implementation of this Act.
d. The DOT shall assist in the conceptualization and site-evaluation and 
cooperate in the maintenance or creation of forest/mangrove sanctuaries 
and urban gardens and provide additional funding from its resources.
e. The DA shall aid in the determination of suitable areas for the proposed 
forest/mangrove sanctuaries/urban gardens and provide the technical and 
scientific support i.e. the necessary tools, equipment, and manpower to 
effect the implementation of this Act.
f. The DepEd, as lead agency of this Act, shall coordinate all tree-planting 
activities of all public elementary and high schools and integrate the tree­
planting activities into the school curriculum to promote environmental 
consciousness. It shall also undertake relevant projects for the promotion of 
these activities.
Sec. 7, Tree Planting Guidelines. - Tree Planting in duly qualified areas shall 
comply with the following guidelines:
a. Considering the classification and condition of the soil and the total land 
area of the site, suitable species of forest trees or fast-growing trees shall be 
planted in the identified areas;


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b. In cases where multiple trees can be planted, the trees should be planted in 
clusters not more than four (4) meters apart from one another; and
c. The DepEd and DENR shall facilitate and supervise all the tree planting 
activities and the consequent maintenance of the same within its 
jurisdiction. The government agencies concerned shall perform their duties 
and responsibilities as indicated in Section 6 this Act.
Sec. 8. Prohibited Acts, - All forest mangrove parks or sanctuaries or urban 
gardens established under this Act shall be protected and maintained by all concerned 
public schools, the DENR, DepEd, and other government agencies and local 
governments. These forest mangrove sanctuaries shall not be destroyed, except when 
the cutting and destroying of the same is necessary for public safety.
Sec. 9. Penalties. - Any person found guilty of violating Section 8 of this Act shall 
be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) months to not less than one (1) 
year or a fine not less than Three Thousand Pesos (Php 3,000.00) to not more than Ten 
Thousand Pesos (Php 10,000.00), or both imprisonment and fine, at the discretion of 
the court.
Sec 10. Submission of Reports. - The National Forest Sanctuary Committee shall, 
within ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act, submit periodic reports to both 
houses of Congress of the Philippines.
Sec. 11. Funding. - The fund needed for the implementation of this Act shall be 
taken from any available appropriation in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) of 
the year of its implementation; Provided, that funds for this purpose shall also be 
included in every annual GAA; Provided further, that there shall be equitable and 
proportionate appropriations of funds annually for this purpose for all barangays, 
municipalities, cities and provinces. In addition, adequate portions of financial grants 
and concessional loans extended by foreign governments and multilateral agencies 
every year, the amount to be determined by the President, shall be allocated to 
augment the annual appropriations until this Act is fully implemented.
Sec. 12. Separability Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules and regulations, or parts 
thereof inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.


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Sec. 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at
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least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.
Approved,