Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

Fifteenth Congress
First Regular Session

185

House Bill No. __

Introduced by Rep. PRYDE RENRY A. TEVES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The protection and preservation of the countiy’s resources is one of the states’
primordial concerns. Many iaws ave aiready passed by Congress to be able to address
the same concern. An indispensable requisite to make the laws operational is the
availability of sufficient budget and an efficient system of utilizing it. One of the laws
that caters to this is Republic Act No. 7586 otierwise known as the national Integrated
Protected Areas System Act. This lavy is basically enacted in order to secure the
perpetual existence of all native plants and animals through the establishment of a
comprehensive system of integrated protected areas within the classification of national
park as provided for in the Constitution.

Provisions of the above-mentioned law relative to the funding for the
development and management of the protected areas are incorporated in the law, but
the existing system for the disbursement of accounts and utilization of funds of the
protected areas are not well crafted to address the need for the effective operation of
the law. At present, an Integrated Protected Ares Fund (IPAF) is in existence by virtue
of the same law. This was created for the purpose of financing projects of the National
Integrated Protected Area (NIPA} System. To reatize this purpose, the Implementing

Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the law created an IPAF Governing Board who shall
administer the fund.

As the said law so provides, all revenues generated from the operation of the
NIPA System shall accrue to the fund. Though the iRR provides for the retention by
Protected Areas Management Board {PAMB} of vie seventy five percent (75%) of the
revenues generated, such retention is only :nade for certain purposes, but the actual
funds are still remitted to the IPAF Governing Board at DENR Central Office. To be able
to withdraw funds therefrom, tie PAMB shall first make a request to the IPAF Governing
Board. The whole process from the request up to the withdrawal of funds takes long

months of waiting, making it iff for the PAMu to work as scheduled due to the
usual unavailability of funds.



It is the view of these representations that if a portion of the revenue generated
will be actually retained to every protected area, it is more feasible to manage and
develop these natural parks.

In view of the circumstances presented, it is of great necessity to overhaul the
system of how funds are utilized and administered for the development and
management of each protected area in the country. Hence, the approval of this bill is
highly sought.

PRYDE HENRY A. TEVES
3° district, Briental Negros


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Philippines

Fifteenth (15th) Congcess
First Regular Session

House Bill N 185

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PRYDE HENRY A. TEVES

AN ACT AMENDING SECTION 16 CF REPUBLIC ACT NUMBER
7586 OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL
INTEGRATED PROTECTED AREAS SYSTEM ACT OF 1992.

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

Act No. 7586 otherwise known
eas System Act of 1992 is hereby

SECTION 1. Section 16 of Repu!
as the National Integrated Protected /
amended as follows:

SEC. 16. Integrated Protected Areas Fund ~ There is
hereby established a trast fund to be known as Integrated
Protected Areas Fund (IPAF) for purposes of financing
projects of the System. The IPAF may solicit and receive
donations, endowments, and grants in the form of
contributions, and such endowments shall be exempted from
income or gift taxes and all other taxes, charges, or fees
imposed by the Government or any political subdivision or
insteumentality thereof.

All incomes generated from the operation of the System
of management of wild flora and faxna shall acctue to the Fund,
subject to the retention by the board of each protected area of
seventy five percent (75%) of all the revenue raised therefrom.
These incomes shall be derived from:

(@) Taxes from the permitted sale and export of flora and fauna and
other resources from protected areas;
(b) Proceeds from lease of multiple-use areas;


(© Contributions from industies and facilities directly benefiting from
the protected area; and

(@) Such other fees and incomes derived from the operation of the
protected area.

The fund including all donations, grants, endowments from
various sources and other contributions shall be deposited in any
government bank within the locality where each protected area is
located: provided, that if theze is no ment bank available in
the locality, an account shall be opened in a government bank
nearest to the locality.

Disbursements from the Fund shall be made solely for the
protection, maintenance, administration, and management of the
System, and duly approved projects endorsed by the PAMBs, in the
amounts authorized by the DENR in accordance with existing
accounting, budgeting, and auditing rules and regulations: Provided,
that the fund shall not be used to cover personal services
expenditures.

SECTION 2. Separability Clause. If any part of this Act is declared

invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the other parts of
this Act.

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause. Section 16 of Republic Act No.

7586 and all laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative
orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith or contrary to the
provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified, ot repealed accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity Clause. ‘This act shall take effect fifteen (15)

days after its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,