Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  ________ 
Introduced by Lone District of Agusan del Norte Representative 
HON. DALE B. CORVERA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL 
RESOURCE 
OFFICERS 
AND 
SOCIAL 
WELFARE 
AND 
DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS IN PROVINCES, CITIES, AND MUNICIPALITIES, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 443, 454, 463, 483, AND 484 OF 
REPUBLIC 
ACT 
NO. 
7160, 
OTHERWISE 
KNOWN 
AS 
THE 
“LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991”, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The implementation of environmental protection and social welfare development 
functions are among the five fundamental functions devolved to local government units 
through the enactment of Republic Act (RA) No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local 
Government Code of 1991”.  
Although RA No. 7160 provides for the positions of Environment and Natural 
Resources Officer (ENROs) and Social Welfare and Development Officers (SWDOs), the 
appointment of ENROs remains optional for provinces, cities, and municipalities under Section 
484 of the Code. On the other hand, the appointment of Social Welfare and Development 
Officers (SWDOs) is only mandatory for provinces and cities under Section 483 of the Code. 
Interestingly, the latest criteria for the Seal of Good Local Governance require the appointment 
of full-fledged SWDOs across all levels. 
The enactment of subsequent laws to RA No. 7160 have placed additional mandates to 
ENROs such as RA No. 8749, otherwise known as the “Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999”; RA 
No. 9003, otherwise known as the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000”, and 
RA No. 9275, otherwise known as the “Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004”.  
Meanwhile, SWDOs are mandated additional functions under RA No. 8980, otherwise 
known as the “ECCD Act”, and RA No. 9344, otherwise known as the “Juvenile Justice and 
Welfare Act of 2006”, as amended, among others. In fact, Section 16 of RA No. 9344 even 
mandated that “all LGUs shall appoint a duly licensed social worker as its local social welfare 
and development officer tasked to assist children in conflict with the law”. 
For these reasons, there is an urgent need to immediately reclassify the ENRO and 
SWDO as mandatory positions in all provinces, cities and municipalities across the country. 
August 18, 2025
10:17 am
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In view of the foregoing, immediate approval of this bill is earnestly sought. 
DALE B. CORVERA 
Representative 
Lone District of Agusan del Norte 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
TWENTIETH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  ________ 
Introduced by Lone District of Agusan del Norte Representative 
HON. DALE B. CORVERA 
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MANDATORY APPOINTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL 
RESOURCE 
OFFICERS 
AND 
SOCIAL 
WELFARE 
AND 
DEVELOPMENT OFFICERS IN PROVINCES, CITIES, AND MUNICIPALITIES, 
AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 443, 454, 463, 483, AND 484 OF 
REPUBLIC 
ACT 
NO. 
7160, 
OTHERWISE 
KNOWN 
AS 
THE 
“LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991”, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1.  Section 443 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local 
Government Code of 1991”, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Section 443. Officials of the Municipal Government. 
(a) There shall be in each municipality a municipal mayor, a municipal vice-
mayor, sangguniang bayan members, a secretary to the sangguniang bayan, a
municipal treasurer, a municipal assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal
budget officer, a municipal planning and development coordinator, a municipal
engineer/building official, a municipal health officer [and], a municipal civil
registrar, A MUNICIPAL SOCIAL WELFARE AND DEVELOPMENT
OFFICER, AND A MUNICIPAL ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL
RESOURCES OFFICER.
(b) In addition thereto, the mayor may appoint a municipal administrator, a
municipal legal officer, a municipal agriculturist, [a municipal environment and
natural resources officer, a municipal social welfare and development officer,]
a municipal architect, and a municipal information officer.
xxx.” 
SEC. 2.  Section 454 of the RA No. 7160, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
“Section 454. Officials of the City Government.  
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(a) There shall be in each city a mayor, a vice-mayor, sangguniang panlungsod 
members, a secretary to the sangguniang panlungsod, a city treasurer, a city 
assessor, a city accountant, a city budget officer, a city planning and 
development coordinator, a city engineer, a city health officer, a city civil 
registrar, a city administrator, a city legal officer, a city veterinarian, a city 
social welfare and development officer, A CITY ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICER, and a city general services officer. 
 
(b) In addition thereto, the city mayor may appoint a city architect, a city 
information officer, a city agriculturist, a city population officer, [a city 
environment and natural resources officer,] and a city cooperatives officer. 
 
The appointment of a city population officer shall be optional in the city: 
Provided, however, That cities which have existing population offices shall 
continue to maintain such offices for a period of five (5) years from the date of 
the effectivity of this Code, after which said offices shall become optional. 
 
xxx.” 
 
SEC. 3.  Section 463 of the RA No. 7160, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Section 463. Officials of the Provincial Government. 
 
(a) There shall be in each province a governor, a vice-governor, members of the 
sangguniang panlalawigan, a secretary to the sangguniang panlalawigan, a 
provincial treasurer, a provincial assessor, a provincial accountant, a provincial 
engineer, a provincial budget officer, a provincial planning and development 
coordinator, a provincial legal officer, a provincial administrator, a provincial 
health officer, a provincial social welfare and development officer, A 
PROVINCIAL ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES 
OFFICER, a provincial general services officer, a provincial agriculturist, and 
a provincial veterinarian. 
 
(b) In addition thereto, the governor may appoint a provincial population 
officer, [a provincial environment and natural resources officer,] a provincial 
cooperative officer, a provincial architect, and a provincial information officer. 
 
The appointment of a provincial population officer shall be optional in the 
province: Provided, however, That provinces which have existing population 
offices shall continue to maintain such offices for a period of five (5) years from 
the date of the effectivity of this Code, after which said offices shall become 
optional. 
 
xxx.” 
 
SEC. 4.  Section 483 of the RA No. 7160, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Section 483. Qualifications, Powers and Duties. 
 


(a) No person shall be appointed social welfare and development officer unless 
he is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the local government concerned, 
of good moral character, a duly licensed social worker or a holder of a college 
degree preferably in sociology or any other related course from a recognized 
college or university, and a first grade civil service eligible or its equivalent. He 
must have acquired experience in the practice of social work for at least five (5) 
years in the case of the provincial or city social welfare and development 
officer, and three (3) years in the case of the municipal social welfare and 
development officer. 
 
The appointment of a social welfare and development officer is mandatory for 
provincial [and], city, AND MUNICIPAL governments[, and optional for 
municipal government]. 
 
xxx.” 
 
SEC. 5.  Section 484 of the RA No. 7160, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
 
“Section 484. Qualifications, Powers and Duties. 
 
(a) No person shall be appointed environment and natural resources officer 
unless he is a citizen of the Philippines, a resident of the local government unit 
concerned, of good moral character, a holder of a college degree preferably in 
environment, forestry, agriculture or any related course from a recognized 
college or university, and a first grade civil service eligible or its equivalent. He 
must have acquired experience in environmental and natural resources 
management, conservation, and utilization, of at least five (5) years in the case 
of the provincial or city environment and natural resources officer, and three 
(3) years in the case of the municipal environment and natural resources officer. 
 
The appointment of the environment and natural resources officer is [optional] 
MANDATORY for provincial, city, and municipal governments. 
 
xxx.” 
 
SEC. 6. The Department of the Interior and Local Government shall, within ninety (90) 
days after the effectivity of this Act, in coordination with the DBM and other relevant 
concerned government agencies, promulgate such rules and regulations necessary to implement 
this Act.  
 
SEC. 7. If, for any reason, any section, clause or term of this Act is held to be illegal, 
invalid, or unconstitutional, such parts not affected by such declaration shall remain in full 
force and effect. 
 
SEC. 8. All laws, presidential decrees, issuances, executive orders, letters of 
instruction, rules, and regulations inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby 
repealed or modified accordingly. 
 
 


SEC. 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official 
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation. 
 
Approved,