SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
'15 S[P 14 P 1 :11 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No, 
2 9 4 9 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
TO BAN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES ALONG RIVER BANKS, 
WATERWAYS AND BANKS OF INLAND WATERS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Year in and year out, the Philippines is hit by strong typhoons which most often 
result to heavy floods. Thousands of families are affected and millions of pesos 
are lost due to damage in public and private properties. Thousands of deaths of 
those who were drowned and swept away by the flooding were also recorded. 
One major contributor to this are the constricted pathways of water, which is 
brought about by, among others, illegal housing resettlements of families along 
the riverbanks, waterways and banks of inland waters. 
To prevent loss of lives and damage to properties, this measure seeks to ban the 
construction of houses along said bodies of water. It prohibits the construction of 
houses within ten (10) meters from the edge of the rivers and bodies of inland 
waters. 
The "Housing Ban Along Riverbanks Act of 2015" shall be implemented by local 
government units. The measure was originally filed by Sen. Manny Villar in the 
15th Congress and it mandated the Departrnent of Interior and Local Government 
(DILG) to craft the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the law. This 
representation, however, made an amendment to the original bill by including the 
Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) and the various leagues and 
organizations of local government units such as League of Provinces, League of 
Cities, and League of Municipalities, among others, to be consulted in crafting 
the IRR. 
In view of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bill is earnestly sought. 
Senator 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
Third Regular Session 
) 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
2949 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
'15 
SEP 14 PI:II 
:{i.ii~iVU.l BY;~.J d 
TO BAN THE CONSTRUCTION OF HOUSES ALONG RIVER BANKS, 
WATERWAYS AND BANKS OF INLAND WATERS AND FOR OTHER 
PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Housing Ban Along 
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Riverbanks Act of 2015'. 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to protect the people 
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from natural and man-made disasters and to implement laws to achieve such 
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purpose. One way to do this is to take the potential victims from harms way by 
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preventing them from subjecting themselves to probable risks such as building 
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their houses along the path of floodwaters. 
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SEC. 3. Ban on the Construction of Houses along Riverbanks, Waterways and 
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Bodies of Inland Waters. - The construction of houses within ten (10) meters 
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from the edge of rivers and bodies of inland waters is hereby prohibited. 
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SEC. 4. 
Penalties. -
Barangay Chairmen, Municipal Mayors and Provincial 
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Governors shall be jointly liable to penalties if in their jurisdictions there are 
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houses that are built within ten (10) meters along riverbanks, banks of waterways 
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and banks of inland waters whether or not they issued construction permits or 
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not. They shall be jointly liable to a fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000) 
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each or an imprisonment of six (6) months of both. Repeated violation of this Act 
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shall be ground for their removal from office. 
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SEC. 5. Operation of this Act. - This Act shall cover only constructions that are 
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made after the approval of this Act. 
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SEC. 6. Implementing Rules and RegUlations. - The Department of Interior and 
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Local Government (DILG), in consultation with the Metro Manila Development 
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Authority (MMDA) and the various leagues and organizations of local 


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government units, shall issue within one hundred eighty (180) days from the date 
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of the approval of this Act, the implementing rules and regulations for this Act. 
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SEC. 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall at any time be 
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found to be unconstitutional or invalid, the remainder thereof not affected by such 
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declaration shall remain in full force and effect. 
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SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, rules or regulations inconsistent 
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with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days 
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following its complete publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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