FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Article XIV, Sec. 17 of the1987 Constitution states that: “The State shall 
recognize, respect and protect the rights of indigenous cultural communities to 
preserve and develop their cultures, traditions and institutions. It shall consider 
these rights in the formulation of national plans and policies.” 
It is therefore, explicit that the State is mandated to establish, maintain, 
and ensure adequate social services in the field of education, health, housing, 
employment, welfare and social security to guarantee the enjoyment by the 
Filipino people, irrespective of color or creed, of a decent standard of living. 
The national tribal communities continue to live in the same manner they 
used to be in the past. We find the various regions of the country with little 
visible substantial changes in their standards of living. The benefits of improved 
health care and housing seem to be negligible in the minority areas and no 
appreciable improvement can be seen especially with the unstable peace and 
order prevailing in Muslim Mindanao and the Cordilleras. 
This bill seeks to establish Pilot Tribal Communities andlor Housing 
Projects in each and every region in the Philippines, including Metro Manila, 
which shall serve as model human settlements that will adhere or conform to 
their cultures and traditions. 
At ,the same time, it shall provide the basic 
convenience of modern living such as health, education, livelihood and 
recreational facilities. 
Under this proposed measure, it is believed that with the introduction or 
establishment of these human settlements the tribal minorities, both Christian 
and Muslims, will no longer feel that they neglected and the resultant benefits 
would be better understanding and harmony among all Filipinos of diverse 
religious beliefs. 
In view of the foregoing considerations, early approval of this bill is 
earnestly requested. 
AGGOAEJERCITO 
ESTRADA 
u s e n a t o r  


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OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
First Regular Session 
) 
-I 1 
S E N A T E  
Senate Bill No. 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO PRESCRIBE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF PILOT TRIBAL COMMUNITIES 
AND/OR HOUSING IN EACH AND EVERY REGION IN THE PHILIPPINES, 
INCLUDING METRO MANILA, WHICH SHALL SERVE AS MODEL HUMAN 
SETTLEMENTS THAT WILL ADHERE, TO THE EXTENT PRACTICABLE, TO 
THE 
CULTURE AND 
TRADITIONS OF THE 
NATIONAL 
TRIBAL 
COMMUNITIES, WHILE PROVIDING THE BASIC CONVENIENCES OF 
MODERN LIVING, 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. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Pilot Tribal 
Communities Act of 2007". 
SEC 2. Declaration of Policy. If the policy of the State to establish, 
maintain and ensure adequate shelter, education, health, employment, welfare 
and other social services to national tribal communities and/or housing projects in 
order to extend to such minorities the benefits now being enjoyed by the other 
cultural sectors of the country while endeavoring to preserve and enhance the 
distinctive cultures and traditions of such tribal groups in the various regions. 
SEC 3. lmplementing of Policy. In order to preserve and enhance the 
cultures and traditions of specific tribal communities in the Philippines, the Office 
of Muslim Affairs, Northern Cultural Communities and Southern Cultural 
Communities, in consultation with the Office of the President, shall establish a 
pilot tribal community andlor housing project in each region including Metro 
Manila. 
SEC 4. Acquisifion of Site the Pilof Tribal Community. The Offices of 
Muslim Affairs, 
Northern Cultural Communities and Southern Cultural 
Communities are hereby authorized to acquire by purchase, grant, donation or 
any other mode of acquisition, such adequate and appropriate suites as may be 
necessary to implement this Act and shall cause to be prepared such suitable 
and distinctive plans, architectural and engineering designs for the pilot tribal 
community in communities which will be reflective of the culture and traditions of 


the tribal community in whose behalf the pilot tribal community and/or housing 
projects shall be established. 
SEC 5. 
Basic Service. In every Pilot Tribal Community and/or housing 
project to be established, there shall be integrated health, education and 
recreation facilities. The design, function and services of which shall as far, as 
practicable, blend and harmonize with the environmental setting adopted for the 
project. 
SEC 6. Rules and Regulafions. The Offices of Muslim Affairs, Northern 
Cultural Communities and the Southern Cultural Communities, under the Office 
of the President, shall coordinate and issue the necessary rules and regulations 
with respect to application and agreement for occupancy of the tribes concerned. 
SEC 7. 
Appropriations. The amount necessary for the establishments 
'and construction of such project, not to exceed the amount approved by the 
President of the Philippines, shall be funded out of the appropriation not 
otherwise appropriated in the National Treasury which shall be recommended by 
the Offices of Muslim Affairs, Northern Cultural Communities and Southern 
Cultural Communities. Such sums as may be necessary shall be included in the 
annual General Appropriation Act. 
SEC 8. €ffectivity. 
This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) national newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,