Republic of the Philippine|
HOUSE OF REPRESENTAT!
Constitution Hills, Quezon

SEVENTEENTH CONGRE:
First Regular Session

QretsTPATON UNIT.
BILLS 4\0 Au & SERVICE

536

House Bill No. _

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Deforestation has been identified as one of the causes of flash floods
associated with climate change and global warming. It has become a global
concern, as more countries are beginning to experience climate changes and its
negative effects. In the past three (3) years, typhoons Ondoy, Pedring, and
Sendong resulted to wide-spread flash floods due to our denuded forests and
inefficient water reservoirs. These typhoons and the flash floods that came with
it claimed thousands of lives, left many Filipino families devastated, and sent
small and medium-scale businesses in the affected areas reeling to the ground.

As an appropriate solution to this problem, reforestation has become a
major and priority concern of the state, through the National Greening Program
(NGP) recently launched by the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources (DENR). Nevertheless, reforestation should also be the concern of
every citizen and residents alike:

As an effort of every citizen to help in the reforestation crusade of the
State, this measure requires the planting of two (2) trees for every child born of
a couple, one (1) tree for the father and another tree for the mother.

The number of trees to be planted as a result of this bill will be very
significant, and it will effectively supplement the 1.5 billion trees to be planted
by the DENR through its NGP, taking into account the thousands of babies
that are born and Human Development Report statistics almost 2 million


babies are born in the Philippines every year, 166,667 every month and 5,556
every day; thereby assuring no less than 4 million trees yearly

Furthermore, it will serve to develop the people’s awareness of the need
for reforestation and to encourage tree planting as part of the family’s concern
and responsibility, thereby reviving the Filipino tradition- whereby parents, as
a sign of love for their children, will plant trees for them; and in turn, their
children will take care of these trees as a sign of love, respect, and as living
memories for their parents.

To ensure compliance with this compulsory measure, the couple is
required to execute a Joint Affidavit of Compliance sworn to before the Punong
Barangay of the place where they reside, or the appropriate legal officer of the
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) or Community
Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) in the area where they
reside. Thereafter, this joint-affidavit shall be submitted to the Civil Registrar's
Office of the Municipality or City where the birth of the child should be
registered as a requirement for the release of the child’s Certificate of Live
Birth.

Because of the merits of this measure and the urgency of reforestation, it
is hoped that this bill will get the support of the colleagues.

te Ca OW,

ERIC L. OLIVAREZ


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Constitution Hills, Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

526

House Bill No.

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE ERIC L. OLIVAREZ

AN ACT
REQUIRING PARENTS TO PLANT TWO TREES FOR EVERY CHILD BORN
TO THEM, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Be 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 “Family Tree
Planting Act of 2016”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — The state recognizes the prevailing
climate change and global warming brought about by human activity, and
which have been experienced by countries world-wide. Likewise, the State
recognizes that in the last three years, typhoons have caused wide-spread flash
floods that devastated different areas of the country, claimed thousands of
lives, and caused massive damage to properties. Reforestation has thus become
a primary concern of the State, which had recently launched the National
Greening Program through the Department of Environment and Natural
resources. Supplemental thereto, it is the policy of the State of involve the
Filipino people in the conservation of our natural resources, particularly the
State’s reforestation project under the National Greening Program, and in the
process, encourage tree planting as part of the family’s concern and
responsibility, thereby reviving the Filipino tradition- whereby parents, as a
sign of love for their children, plant trees for them; and in turn, their children
will take care of these trees as a sign of love, respect, and as living memories
for their parents.



SECTION 3. Mandatory Family Tree Planting — Each couple residing in
the Philippines, whether legally married or not, shall be required to plant or
cause to plant two (2) trees for every child born to them. These trees shall be
planted within the premises of their family home. If the same is not possible,
the same shall be planted in the areas to be designated by the concerned
Provincial Environment and Natural Resources to be designated by the
concerned Community Environment and Natural (CENRO) where they reside.

SECTION 4. Ownership of trees. — Ownership of the trees planted
pursuant to this Act shall pertain to the parents or the child for whom the trees
were planted, regardless of location, including those planted in public lands or
along highw:

SECTION 5. Joint Affidavit Attesting to Compliance ~ As prerequisite for
the release of the birth certificate by the City or Municipality where the child
was born, the Local Civil Registrar of the said City or Municipality shall require
an affidavit executed by both parents, or by the solo parent exercising parental
authority over the child, attesting that they have planted two (2) trees in
compliance with the requirement of this Act, and sworn before the Punong
Barangay where they reside if the trees were planted within the premises of the
family home, or before the appropriate legal officer of the PENRO or CENRO if
the trees were planted in Government sites

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations - The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources shall issue the necessary rules and
regulations to carry into effect the purpose of this Act.

SECTION 7. Penal Provision - Any violation of this Act by any civil
registrar shall be penalized by a suspension for 15 days or fine of Five
thousand Pesos (P5,000.00), or both, at the discretion of the court, for the first
offense; suspension of one month or a fine of Ten thousand Pesos (P10,000.00),
or both, at the discretion of the court, for the second offense; and for the third
offense, the erring Local Civil Registrar shall be dismissed from the office. The
prosecution of violations committed by the erring Local Civil Registrar shall be
without prejudice to the filing of a criminal case against the guilty parents or
parent.



SECTION 8. Effectivity- This Act shall be effective fifteen (15) days
following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or a
newspaper of general circulation.

SECTION 9. Appropriation The sums necessary for the implementation

of this act, including but not limited to the seedlings to be planted pursuant to
this Act shall be included in the Annual General Appropriations Act.

APPROVED.