FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
~~ 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Coastal environments encompass different ecosystems such as shore lands, 
mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs. They are among the most productive and 
biologically diverse landscapes known to man. In an archipelagic country like the 
Philippines, where over 80% of the major settlements are located within ten or twenty 
kilometers from the shorelines, coastal environments are critical and often dominant 
ecological presuppositions of economic, social and cultural life. Thus, the protection 
and proper management of coastal environments are important concerns of the State 
and are explicitly mandated by the Constitution. 
The adoption of a Coastal Environment Program (CEP) is within the objectives, 
provisions, scoping and principles of the Philippine Strategy for Sustainable 
Development (PSSD), the Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan (PMTDP) and of 
the actions and agreements adopted by the Philippine Council for Sustainable 
Development (PCSD) related to the pursuit of the objectives of the Agenda 21 of the 
United Nations Conference on Environment and Sustainable Development (UNCED) 
and of such other protocols and treaties to which the Philippines has committed to 
abide. 
In view of the above-stated importance of establishing a Coastal Environment 
Program, early approval of this Act is enjoined. 
MANNY V LLAR 
@r 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
Senate Bill No. 992 
~ 
~~~ 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN 
ACT 
ESTABLISHING 
THE 
COASTAL 
ENVIRONMENT 
PROGRAM, 
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the Coastal Environment 
Program (CEP) Act. 
SEC. 2. 
Declaration of Policy. - The State shall promote partnerships 
among all sectors of Philippine society to protect, conserve and manage, on a 
sustainable basis, coastal environments throughout the territorial jurisdiction of the 
country. 
The integrity of coastal ecosystems and their productivity and biodiversity shall 
be maximized subject to some areas being designated for protection (exclusion of 
human exploitation) and others for sustainable use. 
Equitability of access to and utilization of resources and substantive involvement of 
local communities and stakeholders shall be basic concerns of the Program. 
SEC. 3. Lead Agency. - The Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources (DENR) shall be the lead agency in the implementation of this Act. It shall 
consult and coordinate with the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources of the 
Department of Agriculture, other concerned agencies such as Philippine Council for 


Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources, Research and Development (PCARRD), 
International Center for Living Aquatic Resources Management (ICLARM), and the 
University of the Philippines Marine Institute, and others, and the local governments, 
whenever applicable: Provided, That in the Province of Palawan, the Palawan Council 
for Sustainable Development shall implement the provisions of this Act pursuant to 
Republic Act No. 761 1 or the Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan; 
SEC. 4. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean: 
(1) 
Coastal environments. - Those areas where, at any given time, 
socioeconomic interactions among and between humans, land-based and sea- 
based natural resources occur, extending no more than one (1) linear kilometer 
from the highest tide point landward and to one hundred (100) fathom isobath or 
fifteen (1 5) linear kilometers (whichever is farther) seaward. 
(2) 
value to humans, grouped primarily as follows: 
(a) 
Shorelands. - Strips of land extending one (1) linear kilometer from the 
highest tide point of the nearest body of water, include the mineral, nutrients and 
life forms found under, on or above the land. 
(b) 
Coastal forests. - Mangroves and other beach vegetation whose 
structures and forms are consistent with the definition of forests under 
Presidential Decree No. 705 and the Forestry Master Plan of the Philippines. 
(c) 
Fishery and wildlife resources. - Vertebrates, invertebrates and floral 
formations in aquatic ecosystems, inhabiting or deriving sustenance from coastal 
environments. 
Coastal resources. - All objects and processes of nature which are of 
(d) 
or under the seabed. 
SEC. 5. 
following components: 
Minerals. - Solids and gases (free or dissolved) and other liquids found on 
Program Organization. - The CEP shall be organized into the 


(1) 
Coastal habitats and biodiversity. - This component shall deal mainly 
with the conservation and management of coastal areas, enhancing the 
biodiversity of floral and faunal populations. This component shall include the 
implementation of Republic Act No. 7586 or the National Integrated Protected 
Areas System Act of 1992, relative to protected areas in coastal environments. It 
shall also include the rehabilitation of mangroves, seagrasses and coral reefs in 
designated areas. 
(2) 
Endangered species. - This component shall focus on the conservation, 
protection and propagation of endangered species and on the protection and 
management of their habitats. Existing projects of the DENR on marine turtles, 
crocodiles, sea snakes, shore birds, whales, sea cows, porpoises and others 
shall be included in this component. 
(3) 
Coastal industries and pollution. - This component shall focus on the 
regulation of industrial activities and water pollution in coastal areas. It shall 
study the impact of industrial activities and draw down pollution on coastal 
environments, to identify and recommend development and regulatory options to 
mitigate negative effects. 
(4) 
Resource inventory and assessment. - This component shall include 
activities to identify and estimate existing and future stocks of ecologically and 
economically important coastal species. 
(5) 
Research and special projects. - This component shall include activities 
related to the development, testing and application of methodologies to 
understand coastal environments and their associated resource systems. 
Special projects shall include those which, because of their unique scoping or 
funding specifications, may not be associated to the other four (4) components of 
the CEP. 
Future activities of the DENR relating to coastal environments shall be assigned 
to either or any of the five components above. 


SEC. 6. CEP Implementation. - All activities included in the CEP shall 
involve three (3) general phases, as follows: 
(1) 
Information, education and communication (IEC) campaign coupled with 
community organizing, to achieve higher levels of participation of local 
communities in the activities; 
(2) 
activities for eventual adoption by partner communities and sectors; and 
(3) 
Monitoring and evaluation of the activity to seek options and 
opportunities for follow-up and institutionalization. 
Introduction of intended interventions of package of developmental 
Each phase may overlap, to the extent deemed needed by the implementors to 
ensure success of the activity. 
SEC. 7. Local Government and Community farficipation. - CEP activities shall, 
to all extent possible, involve local communities and sectoral organizations (POs, NGOs 
and LGUs) in planning, implementing, monitoring and evaluating the activity. 
Leadership in the CEP activities shall be reposed on, or at least shared by the DENR 
with, the local leaders and community members. 
SEC. 8. Trainings. - The DENR shall give priority to the training of Department 
personnel and community leaders in the technical aspects of resource inventory and 
assessment as well as proper monitoring and evaluation of activities, to develop local 
expertise and to establish a reliable and uniform data base. 
SEC. 9. Program Management. - Overall direction and management of the CEP 
shall be reposed on the DENR Secretary. However, said direction and management 
affecting the Province of Palawan shall be exercised by the Palawan Council for 
Sustainable Development pursuant to Republic Act No. 7611 or the Strategic 
Environmental Plan for Palawan. There is hereby created a committee to be known as 
the National Coastal Environment Program Steering Committee (NCEPSC) which shall 
assist the DENR Secretary in formulating the policies and implementing guidelines of 
the CEP. The NCEPSC shall be composed of the following: 
(a) Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, chairman; 


(b) Secretary of Agriculture, member; 
(c) Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, member; 
(d) Secretary of Science and Technology, member; 
(e) Secretary of the Interior and Local Government, member; 
(9 Director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau, member; 
(9) Two (2) representatives from non-government organizations (NGOs) 
concerned with coastal environment protection and conservation, members; and 
(h) Two (2) representatives of national organizations or federations of fisherfolk 
organizations to be appointed by the President for a term of three (3) years, 
members 
The Secretary shall designate a National Coastal Environment Program 
Coordinator who shall assist in the implementation of the Program nationwide. The 
NCC shall direct the administrative and technical staff as may be formed by the 
Secretary, which shall serve as the coordinating body for all CEP activities. 
Regional Executive Directors may designate any officer or either Regional Technical 
Director (RTD), Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer (PENRO) or 
equivalent level to be the Regional CEP Coordinator (RCC), subject to the approval by 
the Secretary. 
SEC. 10. Appropriations. - The sum necessary to effectively carry out the 
provisions of this Act during the first year of implementation shall be sourced from the 
appropriations for the coastal environment program of the Department of Environment 
and Natural Resources under the current General Appropriations Act. Thereafter, such 
amount as may be necessary for its continued implementation which should not be less 
than the amount of prior years’ appropriations, shall be submitted by the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources to be included in the annual General 
Appropriations Act. 
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources may receive grants, 
subsidies, donations or contributions, bequests or gifts, in cash or in kind from 
corporations, trusts, foundations, associations and other sources from any private or 


government office, agency or corporation in the Philippines or abroad. The cash 
receipts and sale of donated commodities shall be deemed automatically appropriated 
for purposes specified by the donor. 
SEC. 11 Repealing Clause. - All laws and regulations inconsistent with this Act 
are hereby repealed. 
SEC. 12. Effectivity. -This Act shall take effect upon approval. 
Approved,