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

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 1263

By Honorable Jose Carl Cari

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Our country can rightly be considered as a maritime nation dependent to a large extent on a
healthy coastal environment. It has a 17,460 kilometer coastline and 226,000 square kilometers of
coastal waters. Sixty per cent (60%) of the country’s municipalities and almost all major cities are
coastal. By 2015, it is estimated that almost Fifty One Million (51,000,000) Filipinos will be living
in coastal areas. More than fifty one per cent (51%) of the country’s protein are derived from marine
fisheries. Despite these numbers, not much attention is given for the preservation and enhancement
of coastal marine resources. For 2013, the allocated budget for the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) of P4,609,672,000 account for only eight per cent (8%) of the total budget
allocation for the Department of Agriculture and only 0.23% of the total budget allocation of Two
Trillion Six Billion Pesos (P2,006,000,000,000). Of the P4,609,672,000 budget of the BFAR, only
‘Twenty Three per cent (23%) or P1,055,874,000 is earmarked for capital outlay while the rest is for
personal services and maintenance and other operating expenses. This explains why the BFAR is
‘more inclined towards programs aimed increasing production rather than preserving coastal marine
resources and ensuring its sustainability.

Obviously, there are not enough funds to finance the programs and projects needed for a
healthy and sustainable coastal environment. To date, over seventy per cent (70%) of our coral reefs
are in poor condition and of the 450,000 hectares of mangroves in 1918, less than 140,000 hectares,
exist today. The wanton destruction and exploitation of our coastal marine resources have resulted in
lesser fish catch, loss of marine biodiversity and declining fish stocks to sustain an increasing
population. Funds are needed to rehabilitate, improve and enhance our coastal marine resources. If
managed properly, coastal areas and its resources can continue to benefit the Philippine economy and
the well-being of many coastal residents.

This bill seeks to provide an annual allocation of at least Five Billion Pesos
(P5,000,000,000), to be given to coastal cities and municipalities, for a period of ten (10) years for
the implementation of programs aimed solely at rehabilitating and improving our coastal marine
resources. The distribution of the allocation shall be based upon the municipal waters of coastal
cities and municipalities with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) as the
implementing agency. The ten-year period provided for the annual allocation would suffice for local
governments purchase the equipment and machinery necessary for the protection of coastal marine
areas, for programs to be initiated and take effect, and for marine resources to be once again
sustainable for the growing needs of the country. With the annual allotment to fund programs aimed
solely at the enhancement and preservation of our country's coastal marine resources, the
development and preservation of marine life in our country will be assured.

In view of the foregoing, the approval of this bill is earnestly sought,

¢
JOSE GARLOS L. CARI


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

Sixteenth Congress
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILLNo.__ 1263

By Honorable Jose Carlos L, Cari

AN ACT
PROVIDING FUNDS FOR THE COASTAL MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAMS OF COASTAL CITIES AND MUNICIPALITIES WITH THE AIM OF
ENHANCING, REHABILITATING AND IMPROVING THI JUNTRY’S COASTAL.
MARINE RESOURCES

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 Coastal Areas Rehabilitation and Improvement
Act of 2012.

SECTION 2. Definition of Terms.

a. BFAR ~ shall refer to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

b. Coastal marine resources ~ includes fish, coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves, and all other
aquatic flora and fauna and other living resources of the coastal marine environment,

¢, DILG shall refer to the Department of Interior and Local Government.

d. FARMC ~ shall refer to the Fisheries and Aquat

Resources Management Council.

©. Municipal waters ~ as defined under Section 58 of Republic Act No. 8550, includes not only
streams, lakes, inland bodies of water and tidal waters within the municipality which are not
included within the protected areas as defined under Republic Act No. 7586 (The NIPAS
Law), public forest, timber lands, forest reserves or fishery reserves, but also marine waters
included between two (2) lines drawn perpendicular to the general coastline from points
where the boundary lines of the municipality touch the sea at low tide and a third line parallel
with the general coastline including offshore islands and fifteen (15) kilometers from such
coastline, Where two (2) municipalities are so situated on opposite shores that there is less
than thirty (30) kilometers of marine waters between them, the third line shall be equally
distant from opposite shore of the respective municipalities.

f. NAMRIA ~ shall refer to the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority.

SECTION 3. Continuing Allotment. An annual allocation in an amount equivalent to at least Five
Billion Pesos (P5,000,000,000) shall be provided for the rehabilitation and improvement of coastal
marine life and resources. For this purpose, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is
hereby mandated to include annually for ten (10) years from the effectivity of this Act, in the
President's program of expenditures, the afore-stated amount for the implementation of this Act.
Such amount shall be added to the annual budget of the Department of Agriculture, and shall be

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immediately released to coastal cities and municipalities without any condition except those imposed
by the BFAR in accordance with this Act.

SECTION 4. Period of Effectivity. This Act shall be effective for a period of ten (10) years from the
date of its enactment,

SECTION 5. Implementing Agency. The BFAR shall be the implementing agency to achieve the
objectives of this Act. For this purpose, the BFAR is tasked with the allocation and distribution of
the allotted amount to the coastal cities and municipalities in accordance with its prescribed rules and
regulations, The BFAR shall likewise provide technical assistance to coastal cities and
municipalities, as well as monitor the implementation of programs established in accordance with
this Act.

SECTION 6. Distribution 10 Local Governments, The annual allotted amount shall be allocated and
distributed by the BFAR to coastal cities and municipalities based on the extent of their municipal
waters, as determined by the NAMRIA, and upon submission and approval of the developmental
programs by the local governments, The NAMRIA, in accordance with its mandate as the central
mapping agency of the country, is tasked to establish and delineate the municipal waters of coastal
cities and municipalities, as well as resolve boundary disputes in relation thereto,

SECTION 7. Fund Utilization. ‘The allocation shall fund programs such as the purchase of
equipment and machineries to be used for coastal marine protection, establishment of artificial reefs,
rehabilitation and maintenance of marine sanctuaries, livelihood programs for fisher folks, programs
for the training and capability-building for personnel directly involved in coastal marine
enhancement and protection such as, but not limited to, the Bantay Dagat, and finance other
programs aimed at rehabilitating and improving our coastal marine life and resources. The annual
allocation received by coastal cities and municipalities under this Act shall not be utilized for
payment of any personnel, salaries, emoluments and other employment benefits of whatever nature.

SECTION 8. Role of the Local Government Unit. Designation of a Coastal Area Officer per
Coastal City or Municipality. Each coastal city and municipality, in consultation with its Fisheries
and Aquatic Resource Management Councils (FARMC) and with the concurrence from its
Sanggunian, shall formulate its own developmental programs for the rehabilitation and improvement
of their coastal resources which shall be submitted to the BFAR for approval. For this purpose, there
shall be designated, in each coastal city or municipality, a Coastal Area Officer to spearhead and
monitor its own programs established under this Act. The Coastal Area Officer shall coordinate with
the BFAR. The salaries and other benefits for a Coastal Area Officer shall be sourced from the local
budget of the coastal city or municipality.

SECTION 9. Reportorial Requirements. The city or municipality referred to in the preceding
section shall furnish the Department of Interior and Local Government, the Bureau of Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources, and other like agencies, of its development plans and programs for each year.

SECTION 10. /mplementing Rules and Regulations. The BFAR is hereby mandated to formulate
rules and regulations for the implementation of this Act within thirty (30) from its effectivity, Such
rules and regulations shall take effect upon publication in a newspaper of general circulation

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. All laws, executive orders, rules and regulations or parts thereof
which may be inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or amended
accordingly.

SECTION 12. Bffectivity Clause, This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.