SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
FIRST REGULAR SESSION 
) 
) 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No,.52-1 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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This bill seeks to ensure the sufficient greenery in the urban and countryside 
by making it mandatory to plant trees in urban and countryside parks as well as in 
school grounds, vacant lots and other urbanized sites all over the country. 
The Philippines was once known for its vast and lush forests. Over the Jast 15 
years, the environmental situation of the country has undergone a .transformation. In 
1990, forests covered 35.5 percent of the country's land area, By 2005, the number 
dropped to 24 percent. The Philippines' rate of deforestation from 2000-2005 was 2.1 
percent, the highest in th~ Southeast Asian region . 
. This bill aims to improve the country's environmental conditions by 
promoting the building/development and maihtenance of forests parks in local 
areas,educational institutions and public roads; promoting environmental 
consciousness among the Filipinos; and protecting the existing"trees from further. 
harm. 
This proposed measure will further establish a National Greening Committee 
to be headed by the Secretary of the Department of Environment jnd National 
Resources. To guarantee the proper nationwide implementation of the programs, the 
respective secretaries of the other depqrtments such as the Department of Tourism, 
Deparfment of Interior and Local Government, and Departinent of Agriculture will 
serve as the committee's members. Among the tasks the committee has to undert<j.ke 
are the strict implementation of the requirements of the tree planting along national 
roads and mandatory planting of trees in urban and countryside parks, public 
vacant lots and other permissible areas. 
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Finally, this bill protects existing trees and plants by prohibiting c:utting .and . 
destroying without the necessary permit. The penalties against vlolatorshave been 
included and specified. 
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In view of the. foregoing, the immediate passage of .this :pillisearnestly 
sought. 
-=,==~~~.~.~~-:::::=;; =. s:=::::::> 
LOREN LEGARDA 
.SenatOr.··.· 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ") 
, First Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
S.B. No. 521 
Introduced by Senator LOREN LEGARI;>A 
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JUL -8 A 8 :to 
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR 
i 
THE URBAN AND COUNTRYSIDE GREENING IN THE PHILIPPINES 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Title. - This Act shaH be known as the" Greening Act of 2013." . 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - Recognizing the vital role of trees in 
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ecological stability, it is hereby declared the national policy to ensure sufficient 
5' greenery in urban and countryside and to promote the right of the people to enjoy 
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the benefits of a balanced and healthy ecology. 
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SECTION 3. Scope. - This Act shall apply to all barangays, municipalities, 
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cities and provinces. 
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SECTION 4. Objectives. - Pursuant to the policy declared herein, it is the 
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objective of this Act: 
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(a) 
To build, develop and maintain forest parks in provincial, city and municipal 
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plazas, elementary school grounds and by the planting of trees in national, , 
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pro';'incial, municipal or barangay roads and other public open spaces where 
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appropriate; 
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(b) 
To require from the 'national agenCles and local government units the 
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planting of trees and shrubbery in specified areas; 
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(c) 
To promote environmental consciousness among the community members, 
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i.e. students, youth, other civic action' groups, by encoura~ing active 
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participation in treeoplanting activities; and 
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(d) 
To protect trees from various human activities,. 
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SECTION 5. Creation of National Greening Committee. A National Greening 
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Committee is hereby created with the Secretary of the Department ,of Environment 
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and Natural Resources (DENR) as Chairman and the respective secretaries of the 
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Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), Department of Tourism 
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(DOT), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of 
6 ,Education (DepEd) and the Department of Agriculture (DA) as members. 
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The National Greening Committee shall have the power to promulgate the 
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pertinent rules and regulations as may be necessary to fully implement the 
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objectives and purposes 6f this Act within a period not later than ninety (90) days 
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after the approval of this Act. 
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It shall have the power to rule on disputes involving the Regional Greening 
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Committees and to appoint or f\ilrm an ad-hoc committee when the Regional 
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Committee is unable to perform its duties. 
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. The National Greening Committee shall convene every quarter to hear the 
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reports or performance from the Regional Committees. 
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SECTION 6. Creation 0/ Regional Committees. A Greening Committee for 
18, ' every region in the country, in cooperation with the various local government 
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offices, is hereby created to initiate and oversee all the tree-planting activities to be 
done in,barangays, municipalities, cities and provinces in the respective regions. 
The Regional Director representing the Secretary of the Department of 
Environment' and Natural Resources (DENR) and the lead official of the concerhed 
local government, unit (LGU) shall both serve as .co-Chairmen of the Committee. 
Members of the Committee, representing the respective secretaries, will be the 
regional directors of the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Interior and 
Local Government (DILG), Department of Education (DepEd) and the Department 
of Agriculture (DA) and at most three (3) represen.tatives from civic action groups 
appointed by the Chairman. 
The Regianal Greening Cammittee shall caardinate with all the cancerned 
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gavernment 
agencies, 
non-governmental 
organizatian 
(NGOs), 
peaple's 
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.organizations (POs), 'and ather civic actian groups far assistance and coaperatian in 
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the implementatian .of this Act. 
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SECTION 7. Specific Functions of the E~ecutive Departments. Aside fram the 
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Cammittee respansibilities: 
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2 


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(a) 
The DENR shall determine the suitable species of trees and provide seeds or 
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saplings to" be planted along or on major thoroughfares, suited to the kind, 
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classification, and condition of the area and shall provide technical support 
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involving tree-planting activities; 
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(b) 
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(c) 
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(d) 
The LGU shall: 
(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
Mobilize all local concerned agencies and coinmunitier to ensure 
pro~pt and ,effective implementation of this Act in every barangay, 
municipality, city and province; 
Provide for effective measures and ways for the optimum maintenance 
and sustainability of trees an shrubbery; 
Effect the apprehension and the prosecution of all persons violating 
Sections 8 and 9 of this Act; 
The DPWH and the DA ~hall provide the technical support i.e, the necessary 
tools, equipment, and, manpower to effect the implementation of this Act; 
The DOT shall assist in the conceptualization and site-eValuation and 
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cooperate in the maintenance of parks and specified areas and provide 
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(e) 
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(f) 
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additional funding from its resources; 
The DILG shall coordinate the local government units to ensure prompt and 
effective implementation of this Act; and 
The DepEd shall integrate the tree-planting activities into the school 
curriculum to raise awareness and to promote environmental consciousness. 
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SECTION 8. Requirements for Tree Planting along National Roads. In the 
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consonance with Department Order No, 15 of the Department of Public Works and 
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'Highways issued on the 24th of January 2000, all projects concerning the construction 
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and development of national roads shall comply with the following standard 
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requirements: 
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(a) 
The trees that will be planted along the national roads shall be of the varieties 
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the root systems of which grow downward rather than sideward to avoid 
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road and sidewalk slabs destruction; 
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(b) 
Trees shall be planted in a neat row, within the road right-of-wa~ (ROW) and 
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as close as possible to the ROW limit, with sufficient allowance ISO that fully 
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grown trees will not encroach on the adjoining property or touch electric and 
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other overhead utility lines; 
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(c) 
The center-to-center spacing between trees shall be 10-20 meters. 'For road 
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sections with a generally north-south alignment, the trees on one side of the 
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(d) 
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(e) 
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(f) 
road shall be planted alternately with the trees on the other side, thus 
ensuring adequate sunlight needed for drying the road; 
For roads without curbs, the trees shall be planted with mini~um clear 
distance of 0.60 meters beyond the edge of the shoulder, but in no case less 
than 0.30 meters from the edge of the pavement; . 
For roads with curbs, particularly in urban areas, the trees shall be planted 
with a minimum setback of one (1.00) meter beyond the face of the curb; 
. Where there are longitudinal drainage canals, the trees shall be planted on the 
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. outer side of such canals; 
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(g) 
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(h) 
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(i) 
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On roadway curves' and intersections, the pertinent design standards on sight 
distance shall be concerned; 
Non-traversable hazards (ravine, waiting shed, and the like) along the line of 
trees shall be provided with appropriate clearly marked barriers so that these 
do not pose hazards to motorists; 
The DPWH shall, within ninety (90) days after the approval of the Act and 
everyone hundred eighty (180) days thereafter, submit periodic reports to the 
National GJ;'eening Committee.1 
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SECTION 9. Tree Planting in Urban and Countryside Parks, Public Vacant 
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Lots, and Other Permissible Areas. Planting of trees shall be mandatory in urban 
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and countryside parks as well as in school grounds, vacant lots, and otlierunutilized 
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sites identified with the quality of soil where different or certain species of trees can 
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thrive. This shall apply to all publicly-owned lands, without exempting the 
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properties of interested p~ivate individuals or institutions. 
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(a) 
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(1;» 
Scope. The areas covered by this provision shall include: 
(1) 
All public parks in urban and rural areas; 
(2) 
All public school grounds in the city and in the provinces; 
(3) 
All idle public lands in urban and rural' areas, unless otherwise 
identified to soon be used for other purposes such as agriculture, 
infrastructure-building, and others; 
(4) 
Parks, schools and other pieces of land owned by private individuals, 
organizations, or institutions whose proprietoris voluntarily and 
willingly subject their properties to the provisions of this Act. 
General Guidelines. Tree planting in duly qualified areas shall comply with 
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the following general guidelines: 
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(1) 
(2) 
(3) 
(4) 
Considering the classification and condition of the soil and th~ total 
land area of the site, suited species of forest trees or fast-growing trees 
shall be planted in the identified areas; 
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In cases wherein multiple trees can be planted, the tree6 should be 
planted in clusters wherein one is not more than four (4) meters apart 
frofn one another; 
The Regional Greening Committee shall facilitate and supervise all the 
tree-planting activities in its jurisdiction. The government agencies 
.concerned shall perform their duties and responsibilities as indicated 
in Section 7, Specific Functions of the Executive Department, of this Act; 
The Regional Greening Committee shall, within ninety (90) days after 
the )approvalof this Act and everyone hundred eighty (180) days, 
thereafter, submit periodic reports to the National Greening 
Committee. 
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SECTION 10. Issuance of Permits. The issuance of a permit allowing a 
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person or company to cut, uproot and in any way disturb the planted trees given by 
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the DENR should also be approved and co-signed by the Regional Committee 
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following public consultations done by and with the consensus of the Regional 
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Committee. 
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SECTION 11. Prohibited Acts. No cutting and destroying of trees and plants 
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shall be permitted, except when the cutting and destroying of the same is necessary 
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for public safety, and subject to the issuance of permits. 
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SECTION 12. Persons Liable and Penalties Therefore. Any person who 
violates Sections 9 and 10 hereof shall be punished with imprisonmert of not less 
than six (6) months to not more than one (1) year or a fine of not less than Three 
. 
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Thousand Pesos (P3,OOO.00) to not more than Ten Thousand Pesos (P10,OOO.00), or 
both imprisonment and fine, at the discretion of the court. 
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SECTION 13. Submission of Reports. The National Committee shall, within 
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ninety (90) days after the approval of this Act and everyone hundred eighty (180) 
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days thereafter, submit periodic reports on the implementation of this Act to both 
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houses of Congress. 
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SECTION 14. Funding: The fund needed for the implementation of this Act 
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shall be taken from any available appropriation in the General Appropriations Act 
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(GAA) of the year of its implementation; Provided, that funds for this purpose shall . 
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also be included in every annual GAA; Provided further, that there shall be equitable 
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and proportionate appropriations of funds annually for this purpose for all 
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barangays, municipalities, cities and provinces. In addition, adequate portions of 
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financial grants and concessional loans extended to Philippines by foreign 
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governments and multilateral agencies every year, the amount to be determined by 
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the President, shall be allocated to augment the annual appropriations until this Act 
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is fully implemented. 
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SECTION 15. Separability Clause. All laws, decrees,. rules and regulations; 
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or parts thereof, 
accordingly. 
inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed ir modified 
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SECTION 16. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect upon its 
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publication in at least two (2) 'newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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