Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No, 8129 _

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE LIANDA B. BOLILIA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

San Juan is a first class municipality in the 4'* District of Batangas. The
location of the municipality at the southern tip of Batangas, with the picturesque
view of long white sandy beaches, coves and marine life cradled at the foot of
mountains and hills makes the area suitable for all levels of tourism development.

One of the most popular destinations in the municipality is Laiya
Beach, located in Laiya-Aplaya. Due to the beach’s white sands and clear waters, it
has become one of the most famous and most visited beaches in the country,
particularly for those from the National Capital Region. San Juan has 50 or more
commercial beach resorts and 33-kilometer coastline that includes 16 coastal
barangays.

It is a heritage town with a lot of grand ancestral homes. It is rich in
agricultural products like lambanog, palayok, panutsa, tableya, atsara and native
products where it contributed to the economic growth and is known as Lambayok as
it coincides with the celebration of the foundation day of San Juan, Batangas on
December 12.

The Department of Tourism has already identified the Municipality of San
Juan in the Province of Batangas as a priority area of Tourism Development under
the Philippine Tourism Master Plan. In fact, the whole Batangas Coastline was
declared as a Tourist Zone and Marine Reserve under Presidential Proclamation No.
1801 dated November 10, 1978. Under Presidential Proclamation No. 1801, the
Philippine Tourism Authority was tasked to delineate within the tourist zone areas
with potential tourism values and coordinate the integrated development of these
areas for the optimum use of natural assets and attractions, as well as existing
facilities.

San Juan was initially identified as one of the Special Economic Zones
(ECOZONES). According to RA 7916 or the Special Economic Zone Act of 1995,
ecozones are selected areas with highly developed or which have the potential to be


developed into agro-industrial, industrial, tourist/recreational, commercial,
banking, investment and financial centers."

On June 29, 2010, then President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo signed Executive
Order No. 904 designating the Municipality of San Juan as a Special Tourist Zone. It
created the San Juan Priority Tourism Area to be headed by a Task Force and
established a Forest Reservation on certain parcels of land of the public domain
situated. It also directed the Development Bank of the Philippines and the Land
Bank of the Philippines to make available credit facilities in sufficient amount to
eligible borrowers, which will be used for the construction and development of
tourism enterprises within the SJPTA. However, the said EO has not been
implemented due to lack of funding.

The declaration of the Municipality of San Juan as an eco-tourism zone will
provide structure to its tourism viability and ensure funding from the national
government. It will enhance the people's awareness for the importance of
conservation of the environment, as well as the promotion of stewardship of natural
and cultural resources. The people of San Juan will accrue economic and social
benefits thereby contributing to the overall development of the municipality.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate enactment and approval of this bill is
earnestly sought.

the
ja AH. BOLILIA
Repfesenttive
4th District, Batangas



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH CONGRESS
Second Regular Session

House Bill No. 8129

INTRODUCED BY HONORABLE LIANDA B. BOLILIA

AN ACT
DECLARING THE MUNICIPALITY OF SAN JUAN IN THE PROVINCE OF
BATANGAS AS AN ECOTOURISM ZONE AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS
TEHREFOR

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

SECTION. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “San Juan Ecotourism Act
of 2020.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to
promote a tourism industry that is ecologically sustainable, responsible,
participative, culturally sensitive, economically viable, and equitably beneficial to
local communities. Towards this end, the country should rationalize all efforts to
make the tourism industry a major source of livelihood and an avenue for economic
development. Moreover, measures should be taken to ensure that tourism
development should be done with a view on the preservation of the existing
ecosystem and natural environment.

SECTION 3. The Municipality of San Juan, Province of Batangas as an Ecotourism
Zone - The Municipality of San Juan in the Province of Batangas is hereby declared
as an Ecotourism Zone. As such, it shall be accorded priority development by the
Department of Tourism, herein referred to as the DOT, and shall be subject to the
rules and regulations governing the development of tourist zones.

In particular, these areas will be given focus by the DOT, the concerned
government agencies and also the Municipality of San Juan, Province of Batangas, to
wit:

. San Juan Nepomuceno Church;

Laiya Beach and the entire 33-kilometer coastline of San Juan;
Mount Daguldol;

Manerove Forest at Barangay Poctol;

Boge


28

£. Naambon Falls; and
g. Pinagbayanan Archeological and Heritage Site

The DOT shall prepare a development plan for the Municipality of San Juan,
Batangas and shall incorporate the same in the overall National Tourism
Development Plan (NDTP), pursuant to Republic Act No. 9593, otherwise known as
the “Tourism Act of 2009”. The Plan shall be implemented jointly with the
Municipality of San Juan, the Provincial Tourism Office of Batangas, the local
Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), and the Tourism Infrastructure and
Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA).

SECTION 4. The Secretary of the DOT, shall include in the Department's program
the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be included in the Annual
General Appropriations Act and internally generated funds of the DOT.

SECTION 5. Within sixty (60) days after the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of
the DOT, in consultation with the Municipality of San Juan, the Provincial Tourism
Office of Batangas, the PAMB, and the TIEZA, shall promulgate the necessary rules
and regulations for the proper implementation of this Act.

SECTION 6. All laws, orders, decrees, rules and regulations and other issuances, or
parts thereof which are inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified

accordingly.

SECTION 7. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,