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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._1453

Introduced by Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma
Lone District of Nueva Vizcaya

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is among the countries that are losing their forest cover fast, ranking
4th in the world’s top 10 most threatened forest hotspots according to Conservation
International. Data from the DENR-Forest Management Bureau in 2010 show that combined
reforestation efforts by the government and the private sector are not enough to arrest the rapid
deforestation. Previous administrations had been weak in compelling timber license holders
to fulfill their obligation of reforesting concession areas. If the deforestation rate of 157,400
hectares per year continues, the country’s remaining forest cover will be wiped out in less than
40 years.

According to the “Status of Philippine Forests” report of the Philippine Tropical Forest
Conservation Foundation, Inc. (2015), “Forests also have key ecosystem functions that are
vital to a healthy environment. These include water and air purification; collection of water in
catchment areas and watersheds; and soil conservation to help support a variety of plants.
Forest cover and vegetation help prevent soil erosion by keeping soils intact. They moderate
floods, drought and extremes in temperature. Forests also play a major role in climate change
mitigation as forests are a major carbon sink. Forest resources provide the basis for many
cultures, particularly of indigenous groups whose lives are closely interwoven with forest
resources. Belief systems are governed by spirits found in mountains, trees, lakes and other
facets of nature; and rituals are performed as part of traditional natural resource management
activities. In the Philippines, approximately 30 percent of the population, including some
twelve to fifteen million indigenous peoples, depend on forests for their survival, and their

cultures revolve around their interactions within their natural environment (DENR 2009).”


Halting deforestation is more than planting trees. For as long as commercial logging
continues, all efforts that are meant to stop deforestation are bound to fail. The persistence of
any form of logging in our forests, plus the threats of more disasters brought by climate change
will show that it is high time for a log ban and a massive reforestation effort.

This bill seeks to impose a total log ban in forests, timberland, forest reserves and
watersheds for the next twenty-five (25) years to allow all efforts to save our remaining forests
and to ensure the successful reforestation of the badly denuded areas.

In view of the foregoing, the passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

Fi ISA LUOREN CUARESMA


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 1458

Introduced by Rep. Luisa Lloren Cuaresma
Lone District of Nueva Vizcaya

AN ACT TOTALLY BANNING LOGGING OPERATIONS FOR THE NEXT
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS

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

SECTION 1. Declaration of Policy. — It is the obligation of the State to protect the
remaining forest cover areas of the country not only to prevent flash floods and hazardous
flooding but also to preserve biodiversity, protect threatened habitats and sanctuaries of
endangered and rare species, and allow natural regeneration of residual forests and development
of plantation forests. Towards this end, the State shall prohibit logging operations of any kind in
any forest, timber land, forest reserve or watershed for the next twenty-five (25) years.

SECTION 2. Prohibited Acts. — The following shall be prohibited under this Act:

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to cut, fell or destroy any tree standing on any
forest, timber land, forest reserve or watershed within the next twenty-five (25) years
from the approval of this Act. This prohibition shall not apply to trees grown in
legitimate commercial tree farms;

(b) Cutting of trees grown in private lands shall only be allowed upon a certification,
citing the purpose for such, issued by the DENR;


(c)The DENR is henceforth hereby prohibited from issuing logging
contracts/agreements in all natural and residual forests, such as Integrated Forest
Management Agreements (IFMA), Socialized Integrated Forest Management
Agreements (SIFMA), Community-Based Forest Management Agreement (CBFMA)
and other agreements/contracts with logging components in natural and residual
forests. It shall review/evaluate all existing IFMAs, SIFMAs, CBFMAs and other
forestry agreement/contracts and immediately terminate/cancel the agreements of
those who have violated the terms and conditions of their contracts/agreements as well
as existing forest laws, rules and regulations. The same cancellation/termination shall
also apply if holders thereof engage in logging activities in any natural or residual
forest or abet the commission of the same;

Moreover, the DENR shall close and not allow to operate all sawmills, veneer
plants and other wood processing plants that are unable to present proof of sustainable
sources of legally cut logs for a period of at least five (5) years within one month from
the effectivity of this act.

SECTION 3. Penalties. - Any person who violates this Act shall be punished by

imprisonment of not less than five (5) years but not more than ten (10) years,

Any juridical entity that violates this Act shall forfeit its license or permit to do
business in the Philippines. In addition, it shall be made to pay a fine of not less than Five
hundred thousand pesos (#500,000.00) but not more than Five million pesos (P5,000,000.00) at
the discretion of the Court. The Chairman and/or the Chief Executive Officer or any other officer
of the company or government agency responsible for the violation of this law shall be
imprisoned for a period of not less than five (5) years but not more than ten (10) years also at the
discretion of the Court. Aliens who violate this law shall be deported after their sentences shall
have been served.

SECTION 4. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, proclamations,
rules and regulations, or parts thereof inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed or modified
accordingly

SECTION 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect upon its publication in at least two
(2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved,