Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session
HoUSEBILL`No.      5279
Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Environmental laws must be attuned to the demands of climate change as well as the
socio-economic needs of the increasing number of people in our communities.
Presently, however, Presidential Decree No.  705, otherwise known as "The Revised
Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines" requires that the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources to revert fishponds with Fisheries License Agreement (FLAs) to forest lands
the same must have been unutilized and abandoned for a period of five (5) years from the time
it was released for such purposes.   This period is deemed too long for such fishponds to be
utilized  for  purposes  other than  that  it  was  intended,  since  it  may  be  used  for  mangrove
propagation  to  address  the  devastating  effects  brought  about  by  climate  change  or  for
promoting eco-tourism activities to jumpstart the economy of communities wanting in socio-
economic  development.     The  bill  provides  that  fishponds  that  have  been  unutilized  or
abandoned for three (3) years shall be reverted to the category of forest land.
To effectively implement the provision on the reversion of fishponds as well as the
Fishpond Lease Agreements (FLAs) issued by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources
(BFAR) of the Department of Agriculture, covering fishponds, the DA should be mandated to
prepare with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), joint guidelines
in determining abandoned, undeveloped or underutilized fishponds.
This bill was filed during the  16th and  17th Congresses.   In both occasions the House
approved it on 3rd Reading.  In the 18th Congress it was re-filed and was due for Sponsorship
in Plenary.  However, no further action was taken on it due to time constraints.  This is re-filed
for the consideration of the 19th Congress.
Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.
\
rfuirL
REP. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
NINETEENTH CONGRES S
First Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO.
Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4TH DISTRICT, BULACAN
AN ACT
REVERTING FISH PONDS WHICH HAVE BEEN UNUTILIZED OR ABANDONED
FOR A PERIOD OF THREE (3) YEARS TO FORESTLANDS, AMENDING FOR THE
PURPOSE SECTION 43 0F PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 705, OTHERWISE KNOWN
AS THE REVISED FORESTRY REFORM CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House Of Representatives of the Republic of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:
SECTION  1.  Section  43  of Presidential  Decree  No.  705,  otherwise  known  as  "The
Revised Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines" is hereby amended to read as follows:
"SECTION 43. Swamplands and mangrove forests. xxx. . .
"Mangrove  and  other  swamps  released  to  the  Bureau  of Fisheries  and
Aquatic Resources for fishpond purposes which are not utilized, or which
have been abandoned for [five (5)] TlmEE (3) years from the date of such
release   shall   revert  to  the  category  of  forestland   AND   SHALL   BE
IMMEDIATELY REHABILITATED AND REFORESTED.
"THE      DEPARTMENT     OF      AGRICULTURE      AND      THE
DEPARTMENT
OF  ENVIRONMENT  AND  NATURAL  RESOURCES  SHALL  SET
JOINT      GUIDELINES      FOR      DETERMINING      ABANDONED,
UNDEVELOPED        OR        UNDERSCRUTIN IZED        FISHPON DS
COVERED  BY  FISHPOND  LEASE  AGREEMENTS  (FLAs)  WHICH
SHALL        BE        REVERTED        INTO        FORESTLAND        AND
REHABILITATED."
SEC. 2. If any section or provision of this Act is held unconstitutional or invalid, other
parts or provisions not affected thereby shall continue to be in full force and effect.
SEC. 3. All laws, decrees, executive orders and regulations or parts thereof which are
contrary to or inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.
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SEC. 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official
Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,
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