• 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC} 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
Second Regular Session 
} 
'17 
MAF( --7 ?? :Ofl 
SENATE 
:: : : 
COMMITTEE REPORT NO, 13:1 
Submitted jointly by the Committees on Environment and Natural Resources; Local 
Government; and on Finance on.....MAR - 7 2911 
. 
Re 
Senate Bill No. 314 (3 
Recommending its approval in substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 382 and 2448, taking into 
consideration House Bill No. 4330. 
Sponsors: 
Senators Escudero, Marcos, Drilon, Trillanes IV and Villar. 
MR. PRESIDENT: 
The Committees on Environment and Natural Resources; Local Government; and 
on Finance to which were referred Senate Bill No. 382, introduced by Senator Trillanes 
IV, entitled: 
"AN ACT 
TO PROVIDE THE REVIVAL OF ARBOR DAY BY VESTING IN 
PROVINCIAL, CITY AND MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENTS WITH THEIR 
COMPONENT 
BARANGAYS 
THE 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
FOR 
CELEBRATING THE DAY FOR TREE-PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL 
EVENT" 
and Senate Bill No. 24-48, introduced by Senator Villar, entitled: 
"AN ACT 
AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT UNITS TO DECLARE A DAY 
DEDICATED TO TREE PLANTING TO BE KNOWN AS 'ARBOR DAY', 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES" 
taking into consideration House Bill No. 4330, introduced by Representatives 
Villafuerte, Syjuco, Yu, Sarmiento CC,), Garcia-Albano, Mercado CR.), Lapus, Garay, Dalog, 


COMMITTEE REPORT ON SBN 382 AND 2448, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION HBN 4330 (ARBOR DAY) 
2 
Yap (S.) San Luis, Ouavit, Alvarez (M.), Mendoza CR.), Palm ones, Aquino, Celeste, 
Aumentado, Calimbas-Villarosa and Tieng, entitled: 
"AN ACT 
REVIVING HIE OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY BY VESTING IN 
GOVERNMENTS 
THE 
THE 
DAY 
FOR 
TREE 
PROVINCIAL, 
CITY 
AND 
MUNICIPAL 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
FOR 
CELEBRATING 
PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL EVENT" 
have considered the same and have the honor to report these bills back to the Senate 
with the recommendation that the attached bill, Senate Bill No. 3146, prepared 
jointly by the Committees, entitled: 
"AN ACT 
REVIVING THE OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY BY AUTHORIZING THE 
LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT 
UNITS 
THE 
RESPONSIBILITIES 
FOR 
CELEBRATING THE DAY FOR TREE-PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL 
EVENT" 
be approved in substitution of Senate Bill Nos. 382 and 2448, taking into consideration 
1·louse I3i1l No. 4330, with Senators Trillanes IV, Villar, Escudero, Marcos, and Orilan as 
authors. 


COMMITTEe REPOnT ON SBN 382 AND 2448, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATiON HBN 4330 (ARBOR DAY) 
3 
Respectfully submitted: 
Chairmen: 
FERDINAND 
. MAlcos JR. 
Committee n Local Government 
Member, C mmittee on Environment 
and Natural Resources 
Member, Com . tee on Environment and 
Natural Reso r es 
Member, Committee on Finance 
FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO 
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 
Member, Committee on Finance 
Member, Committee on Local Government 
Vice-Chairperson: 
<:~::=~~·-~~=~~~~~~~·i;~ii;i?-:~---'--' -,-
Committee on Environment and Natural Resources 
Member, Committee on Finance 
Member, Committee on Local Government 


COMMITTEE REPOHT ON SI3N 382 AND 2448, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION HBN 4330 (ARBOR DAY) 
4 
Members; 
Lv//~ , 
EDGARDOJ.ANGA~ 
Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resomces 
, 
1Pt?- ~ 
Committee on Fll1ance 
Committee on Local Government 
~N 
CJ) fi; 
0--
Jvrv..~ 
~~ 
MANNY 
Committee on En 'ronment and Natural 
Resources 
Committee on Fin nee 
Committee on Loc I Government 
Co mitteeon Environment and Natural 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
RA 
H .~ 
Co mittEfe'o' nvironment and Natmal 
source's 
ommittee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
esources 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
~() 
Natural 
MANUEL "LITO" M. LAPID 
Committee on Environm~nd Natural 
Resources 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
NGILINAN 
_.>.......l Environment and Natmal 
Committee on Finance 
SERGIO R. OSMENA III 
Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resources 
Committee on Finance 


COMMITTEE REI'Ol<'I'ON SON 382 AND 24 48, TAKING INTO CONSiDERATION flBN 4330 (ARBOR DAY) 
5 
rUslAYE ANO 
Natural 
5 
Committee 
1 Environment and Natural 
Res'ources 
Committee on Finance 
~~ 
JOKER P. ARROYO 
Committee on Environment and Natural 
Resources 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
PAN~(iditlA2s0N 
Com itt e on Finance 
Comn idee on Local Government 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
("v:.~-
~~""'-' D 1~ 
MIRIAM DEFE 
OR SAtrTIA'lj'" 
Committee on FI ance 
A·1;~,j\\~ 
AQUILINO "KOKO
u L. PIMENTEL IiI 
Committee on Finance 
Committee on Local Government 
AN4~~~N:~ANES 
IV 
Committee on Local Government 


COMMITTEE REPORT ON SBN 382 AND 2448, TAJ(ING INTO CONSIDERATION HBN 4330 (ARBOR DAY) 
Ex-Officio Members: 
Majority Le 
~-
ALAN PETER "COMPANERO" S. CAYETANO 
Minority Leader 
Hon. JUAN PONCE ENRILE 
President 
Senate of the Philippines 
Pasay City 
6 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC } 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
} 
Second Regular Session 
} 
SENATE 
" 
SENATE BILL NO. 3146 H!: 
(In substitution o/SBN 382 and 2448, taking into consideration HEN 4330) 
Prepared jointly by the Committees on Environment and Natural Resources; Local 
Government; and Finance with Senators Trillanes IV, Villar, Escudero, Marcos Jr. 
and Drilon as authors 
AN ACT 
REVIVING THE OBSERVANCE OF ARBOR DAY BY AUTHORIZING THE LOCAL 
GOVERNMENT UNITS THE RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CELEBRATING THE DAY FOR 
TREE-PLANTING AS AN ANNUAL EVENT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House a/Representatives o/the Philippines in Congress assembled: 
1 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Arbor Day Act of 2011". 
2 
SEC. 2. Dec/oration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
3 
protect and advance the right of the people to a balance and healthful ecology in accord 
4· 
with the rhythm and harmony of nature. Towards this end, the vital role and 
5 
importance of trees in ecological stability is recognized. Hence, there is a need for a 
6 
collaborated effort between the State and its citizenry to combat the loss of our natural 
7 
resources and rejuvenate our environment by undertaking a nationwide tree-planting 
8 
activities and providing effective measures for their maintenance and sustainability. 
9 
It is hereby mandated that all provinces, cities and municipalities with their 
10 
component barangays shall be required to revive, by appropriate proclamation of their 
11 
respective local chief executives, an Arbor Day at an appropriate fixed date every 
12 
calendar year as shall be deemed suitable according to the proper time and season for 


-2-
1 
planting trees in the respective provinces and their respective component 
2 
municipalities or cities concerned. Although adoption of uniform dates for every 
3 
province and its component municipalities and the cities shall be encouraged, varying 
4 
dates for Arbor Day celebrations may be permitted in order to afford flexibility in 
5 
planning and in implementing tree-planting programs to adjust to the proper time and 
6 
period of the year most suited to the trees selected to be planted, and as local budgetary 
7 
allotments shall allow. 
S 
SEC. 3. Creation of Arbor Day Committee. - In implementing the intents of this 
9 
Act, there shall be created in every pl"Ovince, city and municipality in the country an 
10 
Arbor Day Celebration Committee the composition of which shall be selected by the 
11 
concerned local chief executive. The members shall preferably, composed of field 
12 
officers of various government agencies, based in the locality, but not limited to the 
13 
following: 
14-
a. 
Local Sanggunian; 
15 
b. 
Local Environment and Natural Resource's Office; 
16 
c. 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); 
17 
d. 
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI); 
18 
e. 
Department of Education (DepEd); 
19 
f. 
Department of Interior and Local Government (DlLG); 
20 
g. 
Commission on Higher Education (CHED); 
21 
h. 
Department of Agriculture (DA); 
22 
i. 
Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR); 
23 
j. 
Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH); 
24 
k. 
Department of Tourism (DOT); 


• 
1 
2 
3 
4 
-3-
I. 
Philippine National Police (PNP); 
m. 
Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); 
n. 
Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA); 
o. 
Civic Organizations; 
5 
p. 
Sangguniang Kabataan (SK); 
6 
q. 
Liga ng mga Barangay (LnB); and 
7 
r. 
Media Associations. 
8 
SEC. 4·. Proclamation of Arbor Day. - All provinces, cities and municipalities with 
9 
their component barangays shall be required to declare an Arbor Day or Tree-planting 
10 
Day, by appropriate proclamation of their respective local chief execUtive through an 
11 
ordinance passed by the respective local sanggunian, at a fixed date every calendar year 
12 
as shall be deemed conducive to the proper time and season for planting trees in the 
13 
respective localities. Although adoption of uniform dates for its celebration shall be 
14 
encouraged, varying dates may be allowed in order to afford flexibility in the planning 
15 
and implementing of the programs for tree planting: Provided, That the Arbor Day 
16 
designated shall be declared as a public working holiday in order to ensure the 
17 
participation of the different sectors of society and such declaration may be embodied 
18 
in the proclamation that local chief executives are authorized to do under this Act. 
19 
SEC. 5. Funding. - The local sanggunian shall provide for the allocation of 
20 
resources pertinent to the implementation of this Act at their respective local 
21 
government level. 
22 
SEC. 6. Information and Monitoring. - For information and monitoring pLtrpOses, 
23 
all local government units shall submit to the Department of the Interior and Local 


• 
-4-
1 
Government (DILG), the actual date of the Arbor Day Celebration in their respective 
2 
locality. 
3 
SEC. 7. Supply and Distribution afSeedlings. - The Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), 
4· 
in coordination with the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA), shall supply and distribute 
5 
the seedlings to the local government units for the Tree Planting Program. 
6 
SEC. 8. Planting of Trees. - All able-bodied Citizens of the Philippines, who are at 
7 
least 12 years of age, shall be required to plant one tree every year. 
8 
SEC. 9. Areas Covered by Tree Planting. - The local Arbor Day Celebrations 
9 
Committee shall specify the area within the local government unit (LGU) to be planted 
10 
or reforested. If the area to be planted or reforested is a protected area or a protection 
11 
forest, the Committee shall encourage the use of endemic or indigenous species during 
12 
the observance of the Arbor Day designated by the LGU. 
13 
The tree planting activities shall be done in any of the following areas; 
14 
a. 
Public school grounds, gardens or other available areas within the school 
15 
premises; 
16 
17 
18 
b. 
Idle or vacant public lands; 
c. 
Public parks in urban and rural areas; and 
d. 
Private schools, parks and lands with the consent ofthe owner thereof. 
19 
SEC. 10. Maintenance of Trees. -
The barangay officials and deputized 
20 
nongovernmental organizations shall be responsible for the maintenance of sllch trees. 
21 
SEC. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Interior and 
22 
Local Government (DlLG), in coordination with the local government units and the 
23 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), shall promulgate the rules 
24 
and regulations to effectively implement the provisions of this Act. 


• 
-5-
1 
SEC. 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act or any part thereof be 
2 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions not affected thereby shall 
3 
continue in full force and effect. 
4-
SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. -
All laws, presidential decrees, proclamations, 
5 
executive orders, or regulations and other issuances inconsistent with the provisions 
6 
and/or purposes of this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
7 
SEC. 14. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
8 
publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general 
9 
circulation. 
Approved,