iF REPRESENTATIVES,

‘acs

RECEIVED

Republic of the Philippines jo, 27 JUL 2016
HOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES DATE te
Quezon City qin: )
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS BY:

First Regular Session saceigrpao UNE

HOUSE BILLNo, 2014 BILLS aN? Nu X SERVICE

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE CHERYL P. DELOSO-MONTALLA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Mount Tapulao which is located in the Municipality of Palauig in the Province of
Zambales ‘is the tallest mountain in the Zambales mountainirange. Also known as the
“High Peak” and “Poor Man's Mt. Pulag,” Mount Tapulao is host to a variety of
ecosystems ranging from grassland to primary and secondary dipterocarp forests to
mossy montane forest and pine forest. In addition to this are the scenic beauties of
several waterfalls and a whole lot of endemic plant and animal gpecies that abound this
mountain.

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With an elevation of 6,683 feet and a rolling and rocky terrain leading to its apex,
Mount Tapulao is one of the most attractive places for local and foreign trekkers and
mountaineers. At the summit, one can enjoy the view of the Zambales mountain range
on the east, the Lingayen Gulf on the north, the Zambales lowlands on the west and the
pristine South China Sea on the south.

This rare elegance of Mount Tapulao, however, has been slowly ruined by small
scale mining, illegal logging and the careless attitude of local inhabitants and tourists of
improperly disposing their garbage anywhere. Several initiatives have been made by
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to protect and preserve the
remaining forest cover and the various flora and fauna of Mount Tapulao. But these
initiatives are temporary solutions to a gamut of problems that pose a threat to the
mountain along with its rare plant and animal species.

This bill which was approved on 3 Reading by the 16" Congress is being
refilled and aims to provide long term protection to the natural beauty of Mount Tapulao
while allowing both local and foreign tourists not only to appreciate what Mount Tapulao
can offer but also to make them aware of the interrelationships of plant and animal
species in the area that collectively makes Mount Tapulao a beauty to behold among
the mountain peaks of the world. J

Immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

IERYL P. DELOSO MONTALLA
epresentative
24 District, Zambales


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSEOF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BiLLNo. 2014

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE CHERYL P. DELOSO-MONTALLA

AN ACT.
DECLARING MT. TAPULAO IN ZAMBALES AS AN ECOTOURISM ZONE AND
FOREST RESERVE, APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. It is hereby declared the policy of the state to
promote a sustainable ecotourism industry to attract local and foreign tourists while
making them aware of the urgent need to preserve the blessings of nature.

SECTION 2. Mt. Tapulao Ecotourism Zone and Forest Reserve. Mount Tapulao
is hereby declared an ecotourism zone and the area of 5,000 hectares of the said
mountain is hereby declared as a forest reserve. The Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) shall, within 90 days after the approval of this Act, make an
inventory of the existing flora and fauna in Mt. Tapulao that shall serve as the basis for a
master plan that will be developed for the purpose of this Act.

SECTION 3. Mt. Tapulao Ecotourism Governing Board. For the purpose of
Section 2 of this Act, an ecotourism governing board, to be known as the Mt. Tapulao
Ecotourism Governing Board, is hereby created. The board shall be composed of the
Governor of Zambales who shall act as Chairman, the Representative of the Second
District of Zambales who shall act as co-chair, the Secretaries of the Department of
Tourism and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources or their duly
authorized representatives, a member of a non-government organization whose
advocacy is environmental preservation, a member of the academe, a representative of
the business sector, a representative of the private sector and the local chief executives
of municipality where Mt. Tapulao is situated. The governing board shall prepare the
rules and regulations necessary for the full implementation by the concerned local
government units of the provisions of this Act and shall, as the need arises, amend,
modify or revise such rules and regulations to meet the needs of changing times.

SECTION 4. Mt Tapulao Ecotourism Master Plan. The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Tourism (DOT)
shall, within one hundred twenty (120) days from approval of this Act, develop a master
plan to be approved by the President of the Republic of the Philippines upon the
recommendation of the governing board

SECTION 5. Appropriation. The Secretary of the DOT shall include in the
Department's program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act and/or the internally-generated fund
of the Department.


SECTION 6. Repealing Clause. All laws, rules, regulations, executive orders,
presidential decrees or any other issuance contrary to or inconsistent with any of the
provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. If any provision or part of this Act may be
declared unconstitutional, the remaining provisions which are not affected shall remain
in full force and effect.

SECTION 8. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette.

Approved,