Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. 4956

Introduced by HON. RENE L. RELAMPAGOS
First District, Bohol

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Being an archipelagic country, the Philippines is dependent mainly on coastal
and marine resources as one of its primary sources of livelihood. We have a total
astline of 36,289 km and 226,000 square kilometers of coastal waters, making it
fourth with the longest coastline in the world. Sixty per cent (60%) of the country's
municipalities and almost all major cities are coastal. By 2015, it is estimated that
almost 51 million Filipinos will be living in coastal areas.

Despite the fact that these coastal resources play a critical role in the livelihoods
of coastal communities and in the nation as a whole, we have not given so much
importance in the management and preservation of our marine resources as evidenced
by the lack of funding. To date, over 70% of our coral reefs are in poor condition and of
the 450,000 hee s of mangroves in 1918, less than 140,000 hectares exist today. The
destruction and exploitation of our coastal marine resources have led to lesser fish
catch, loss of marine biodiversity and declining fish stocks resulting to the decline in
income of our fishermen. More importantly, the declining stocks of marine resour
may not be enough to sustain the needs of our growing population in the near future.

Clearly, local government units (LGUs) along coastal areas have to maintain,
protect and preserve the municipal waters within their territories before it’s too late. An
LGU with a wide coastline, therefore, needs to spend more to ensure that the ecological
balance of its municipal waters are maintained or protected for the benefit of the next
generation of Filipino:

Under Section 285 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the Local
Government Code of 1991, allocations of LGUs are based only on population, land area
and equal sharing. This formula, however, does not accurately reflect, and in fact does
injustice, to the governance needs of coastal LGUs with sizeable municipal waters.

It is for this reason that this bill seeks to factor in the size of an LGU’s municipal
waters in the formula used to determine the share of each municipality in the internal
revenue allotment (IRA) to ensure that they have adequate funds to manage and protect
their marine wealth.

‘The passage of this bill is earnestly sought.

RENE LOPEZ/RELAMPAGOS,


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular S

youse BitNo.__ 4958

Introduced by HON. RENE LOPEZ RELAMPAGOS
First District, Bohol

AN ACT
AMENDING REPUBLIC ACT NO, 7160 FOR THE PURPOSE OF INCLUDING
MUNICIPAL WATERS IN THE COMPUTATION OF A LOCAL
GOVERNMENT UNIT’S INTERNAL REVENUE ALLOTMENT

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

SECTION 1. Sectio
Government Code of 1991,”

5 of Republic Act No. 7160, otherwise known as the “Local
is hereby amended as follows:

“SECTION 285. Allocations to Local Government Units. — The share of
local government units in the internal revenue allotment shall be allocated in the
following manner:

a. Provinces ~ Twenty-three percent (23%);

b. Cities — Twenty-three percent (23%);

c. Municipalities ty-four percent (34%); and
d. Barangays ~ Twenty percent (20%)

Provided, however, that the share of each province, city and municipality shall be
determined on the basis of the following:

a. Population ~ Fifty percent (50%);
b. Land Area and Municipal Water area ~ (25%); and
c. Equal Sharing - Twenty-five percent — (25%)

SECTION 2. Definition —

a. Municipal Waters — as defined under Section 58 of Republic Act No. 8550,
includes streams, lakes, and tidal waters within the municipality, not being the
subject of private ownership and not comprised within the national parks, public
forest, timber lands, forest reserves or fishery reserves. It also pertains to marine
waters included between two lines drawn perpendicularly to the general coastline
from points where the boundary lines of the municipality or city touch the sea at
low tide and a third line parallel with the general coastline and fifteen (15)
kilometers from it. Where two (2) municipalities are so situated on the opposite
shores that there is less than fifteen (15) kilometers of marine waters between
them, the third line shalll be equally distant from opposite shores of the perspective
municipalities.

b. Coastal marine resources ~ includes fish, coral reefs, sea grass beds, mangroves,


and all other aquatic flora and fauna and other living resources of the coastal
marine environment

SECTION 3. Repealing Clause — All laws, decrees, executive orders,
issuances, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, not consistent with the provisions of this
Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 4. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
following the completion of its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2)
national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,