FIFfEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 20 18 
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Introdnced by SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The destruction of Philippine forests has been described as the most rapid and 
most massive in the world. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the 
average annual rate of deforestation in the country is one of the highest in East Asia and 
Southeast Asia at 1.4%. 
According to another report from Haribon Foundation, our forests have reached 
the threshold of sustainability. In the 19009, forest cover in the Philippine was estimated 
at 21 million hectares (70% of the country's total land area). A decade later, the once lush 
forest cover was further reduced to a measly 800,000 hectares (18%). In the year 2010, it 
is projected that forest cover will be reduced to an upsetting 266,666 hectares (6%). 
Such a limited forest cover could hardly sustain a population, which today stood 
at more tban eighty million Filipinos growing at a rate of 2.36% per annum. As a gross 
consequence, ecological and economic disasters have now become inevitable. Based on 
the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) list, some 38 areas 
nationwide are prone to frequent landslides and flooding, most of which are located in the 
heavily denuded forest areas in the country. 
There is no single solution to all these problems but the Tree for Legacy Act as a 
Forest Management Program is certainly one of them. Its objectives are consistent with 
Executive Orders 263 and 318 in promoting community-based ('people-based') 
approaches in attaining sustainable forest management in the country. Further, this bill 
also encourages tree plantation development from both private and public lands, which is 
very important in integrated watershed management. 
Approval of this measure, therefore, is strongly urged. 
?vvc /~ 
EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
Senator 
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FIFT~ENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPU"!lLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
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Senate Bill No. 2018 
Introduced by SENATOR EDGARDO J. ANGARA 
AN ACT 
INSTITUTING A SELF-SUSTAINING FOREST MANAGEMENT 
PROGRAM, BY PROVIDING INCENTIVES TO TREE PLANTERS 
ON PRIVATE LANDS, FOREST LANDS, AND OTHER PUBLIC LANDS 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives in Congress 
assembled: 
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SEC. 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "Tree for Legacy Act of 
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2010." 
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SEC. 2. Declaration of Policies. Consistent with the constitutional precepts of 
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promoting social justice in all phases of national development and advancing the right 
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people to a balanced and healthful ecology, State hereby adopts the following policies in 
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relation to the conservation and management of forest and forest resources: 
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a. 
The State shall ensure equitable access and sharing of rights to natural 
resources development, management, protection and utilization by providing 
opportunities to the people to participate actively in forest resource 
development; 
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b. 
The State recognizes the role of local government units (LGUs), people's 
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organizations and the community in general as effective partners of the 
government in the implementation and management of community-based 
forestry projects and other forest development projects. 
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SEC. 3. Objectives. This Act intends to encourage and empower the citizemy in 
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sharing with the National Government and local government units (LGUs) the 
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responsibility in the management and maintenance of ecological balance within their 
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community. 
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Specifically, this Act aims to attain the following objectives: 
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a) To enhance public awareness and participation on environmental restoration 
and protection; 
b) To encourage the participation of the public and private civil society in the 
reforestation program of the government; 
c) To generate incentives and additional sources of income and livelihood 
without impairing the ecological balance of our natural resources; 
d) To reduce poverty incidence in the uplands; 
e) To cover available lands possible, including but not limited to, the protection 
and production of forest islands and private lands; and 
f) To accelerate implementation of reforestation programs with minimal 
government assistance. 
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SEC. 4. The Tree for Legacy Program. The Tree for Legacy program is a 
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nationwide reforestation program to be administered by local governments units in 
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partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and 
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other cortcerned government agencies. The program shall encourage the participation of 
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individuals, indigenous peoples', concerned citizens or groups (including, but not limited 
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to, NGOs, private, civic, and religious organizations) by providing incentives, as well as 
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rights and privileges to tree planters. 
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SEC. 5. Areas Available for the Tree for Legacy Program. The Program shall 
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cover private lands, protection forests, production forests, open lands, and other lands 
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deemed appropriate by the DENR. 
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SEC. 6. Who May Avail of the Program. This Program is open to all, including 
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but not limited to, individuals, government employees, civic and religious organizations, 
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indigenous peoples', cooperatives, associations, youth, students, Philippine National 
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Police (PNP) and military groups who meet the desired requirements. 
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Beneficiaries of existing DENR reforestation programs may also avail of this 
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Program. 
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SEC. 7. Issuance of Agreements, Certificates and Permits. To ensure and enable 
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the proper implementation of the Program, the following contracts, certificates and 
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permits shall be issued: 
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a) Tree for Legacy Contract (TLC). The DENR Provincial Office shall, upon the 
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recommendation of the municipality government concerned, issue Tree for Legacy 
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Contracts (TLCs) over the lands applied for by virtue of this Act. 
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For public lands, the TLC shall allocate the portion of land applied for to be 
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covered by this Act. The TLC shall also enable the grantee to plant trees and utilize 
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the covered land for agro-forestry purposes as contained in the Indicative 
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Development and Environment Plan which shall form part of the TLC, embody the 
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rights and obligations of the applicants and the grantor and shall serve as the basis for 
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the issuance of the Certificate of Tree Ownership and Certificate of Usufruct. The 
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TLC shall have a lifespan of twenty five (25) years. 
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b) Certificate of Tree Ownership (CTO). The Certificate of Tree Ownership (CTO) is 
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issued to cover the trees planted by the grantee on titled lands, production forests and 
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other non-protected areas. The CTO shall signify the tree planters' ownership over 
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the trees they planted and enable the planters to cut and transport their forest 
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products. The DENR Provincial Office and the Provincial Government shall jointly 
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conduct complete inventory and thorough inspection to ensure compliance with the 
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prescribed conditions prior to the issuance of the CTO. 
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c) Certificate of Usufruct (COU). The Certificate of Usufruct (COD) is issued to cover 
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the trees planted by the grantee on protection forest plantation areas and other areas 
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where cutting is prohibited as determined by DENR. The COU shall permit the tree 
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planters to enjoy the fruits of their plantations. The DENR Provincial Office and the 
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Provincial Government shall jointly conduct complete inventory and thorough 
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inspection to ensure compliance with the prescribed conditions prior to the issuance 
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of the COD. 
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d) Permit to Haruest. Those with Certificates of Usufruct (COU) shall immediately be 
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given the permit to harvest the fruits and other by-products thereof: Provided, That 
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no cutting of trees that will be involved. The permit shall be issued by the local 
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DENR office concerned upon the recommendation of the Provincial Government. 
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e) Permit to Cut and Transport. Those with Certificates of Tree Ownership (CTO) shall 
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be given permit to cut and transport trees upon compliance with the conditions set 
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forth by the DENR in the implementing rules and regulations. 
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SEC. 8. Incentives and Privileges. To encourage participation in the Tree for 
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Legacy Program, the following incentives and privileges are hereby granted: 
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a) All planted trees within private lands and forest lands shall belong to the owner or 
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grantee who shall have the right to harvest, sell and utilize such trees and crops, 
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except those retained for environmental protection purposes or those identified by 
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DENR as mother trees; 
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b) All plantation products shall be exempted from payment of forest charges. 
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However, the municipality/city government concerned may enact an ordinance 
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imposing service charges which shall constitute a lien on the trees; and 
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c) The TLC, CTO and COU are transmissible either by voluntary transfer or by 
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testate or intestate succession. 
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SEC. 9. Obligations of the Grantees, the Grantors, the DENR and The 
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following obligations are hereby imposed for the effective and the LGUs. successful 
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implementation of the Program: 
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a) On the part of the Grantees. The grantees or beneficiaries ofthe Tree for Legacy 
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Program shall: 
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1) Prepare an Indicative Development and Environment Plan for the project; 
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2) To finance all the necessary cost in undertaking the tree planting activities; 
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3) Assist in the delineation and survey of the area applied for under the Tree for 
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Legacy contract; 
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4) Abide by the standards and guidelines prescribed by DENR with respect to 
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proper forest plantation management; and 
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5) Report any violation of forest laws, rules and regulations. 
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b) On the part of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). 
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The DENR, through its Provincial Offices shall: 
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1) Assist the grantee in the preparation of the Indicative Development and 
Environment Plan as part of the TLC; 
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2) Together with the respective LGUs, provide technical and marketing 
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assistance to the holders of the CTO and COU; 
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3) Issue permit to cut, harvest or transport timber or lumber subject to existing 
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forestry laws, rules and regulations; 
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4) Determine the trees to be harvested in coordination with the municipal/city 
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government; and 
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5) Monitor the cutting and processing of trees including the transport of forest 
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products in coordination with the concerned municipal Icity government. 
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c) On the part of the Municipal I City Government. The concerned municipality 
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government shall: 
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1) Serve as custodian and registering officer of all documents relative to this 
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program in coordination with the DENR local office; 
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2) Assist in the identification of the sites for tree planting; 
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3) Establish seedling nursery; and 
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4) Monitor the implementation of the program in the municipality I city. 
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d) On the part of the Sangguniang Barangay. The Sangguniang Barangay, through 
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the Punong Barangay shall: 
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1) Validate the identity of participants and issue appropriate certification thereof; 
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2) Act as arbiter of all conflicts arising relative to the program. 
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Ie) On the part of the Grantor. The Grantor, together with the DENR and the 
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Provincial Government, shall: 
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1) Identify, evaluate, and survey and map out areas subject to the Program; 
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2) Approve and issue the Tree for Legacy Agreement (TLC) for areas within the 
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private and public forest lands; 
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3) Approve and issue eTO within private and public forestlands within the 
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production forest plantations; 
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4) Approve and issue eou within protection forest plantations; 
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5) Provide technical and marketing assistance to the program beneficiaries; 
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6) Establish a date-base system on all proj ects within its jurisdiction; and 
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7) Monitor program implementation in the province. 
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SEe. 10. Rights of the Grantee. The grantee shall exercise the following rights: 
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a) Sell, convey and transfer to any person or group of persons, associations, 
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corporations, government agencies or entitles rights over the standing planted 
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trees covered by the eTO; 
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b) Gather and harvest fruits and other by-products thereof covered by eou; 
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c) Transfer by will and testament or through intestate succession the trees 
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covered by hislher eTO leou; 
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d) Utilize the land for agroforestry to prevent activities that may endanger the 
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ecological conditions of the area (such as fires, and the use of the kaingin 
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system)and promote other productive purposes (such as ecotourism and agri-
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tourism); 
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e) Utilize branches as a result ofpnming and thinning and enjoy the right to cut 
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trees destroyed by natural calamities or disease after inventory of such 
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damaged trees has been jointly made by both the DENR and the Provincial 
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Government; 
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±) Harvest and utilize planted trees in production areas covered by eTO; and 
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g) In case of private properties, if the grantee has already .harvested the tree 
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crops, the owner shall have the right to utilize his /her land for agricultural 
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purposes. 
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SEC. 11. Assistance by Government Agencies. To ensure the progressive 
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development and Success of the program, assistance to the local government units shall 
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be provided by the following agencies, but not limited to the: 
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a) Department ofInterior and Local Government (DILG); 
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b) Department of Agriculture (DA); 
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c) Department of Education (DepEd); 
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d) Commission on Higher Education (CHED); 
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e) Department of Trade and Industry (DTI); 
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t) Philippine Coconut Authority (PHILCOA); 
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g) Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP); and 
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h) Philippine National Police (PNP). 
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The assistance shall either be in the form of financial, technical and marketing 
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assistance, provision of seedlings, tools and equipment, and other services within the 
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ambit of the agencies' respective fields of specialization. 
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SEC. 12. Designation and Obligations of Area Manager. To guarantee the 
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successful implementation and close monitoring of the Program, a licensed Forester or 
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Agroforester shall be appointed by the Provincial Governor as Area Manager of the 
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Program in the province. 
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The Area Manager shall have the following obligations: 
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a. Ensure the proper inventory of trees; 
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b. Facilitate the issuance of certificates and permits; 
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c. Monitor the implementation ofthe Program within his area of responsibility; 
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d. Establish a marketing mechanism that will link the planters to local and 
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international market; and 
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e. Perform other acts necessary or incidental thereto for the effective and 
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successful implementation of the Program. 
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SEC. 13. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DENR, in coordination with 
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the Department of Local and Interior Government (DILG) and the House Special 
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Committee on Reforestation and the Senate's Committee on Environment and Natural 
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Resources shall within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act, promulgate the 
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implementing rules and regulations necessary for the effective implementation of this 
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Act. 
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SEC. 14. Report to Congress. The DENR shall report to Congress at the end of 
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every year following the approval of this Act, the progress of the program and 
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recommend necessary actions for legislation. 
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SEC. 15. Congressional Oversight. An oversight committee consisting of five (5) 
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members each from both houses of Congress shall constitute a Joint Congressional 
Overs.ight Committee who shall conduct a review and assessment of the program with the 
aim of strengthening or improving program implementation. 
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The Oversight Committee shall be composed of representatives from each House 
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from their respective Committees on Environment and Natural Resources. 
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SEC. 16. Penalties. Failure of the grantee to comply with the terms and 
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conditions stipulated in the TLC or violation of any of the pertinent forestry laws, rules 
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and regulations shall constitute a ground for the suspension or cancellation of the rights 
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and privileges under the Program or the reduction of granted areas, when applicable. 
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Failure of the grantor to comply with the terms and conditions stipulated in the 
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TLC or violation of any of the pertinent forestry laws, rules and regulations shall likewise 
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make him liable for the penalties stated hereunder. 
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Any person, natural or juridical, found guilty of violating any provisions of this 
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Act or the rules and regulations issued by the DENR shall, after due process and upon 
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conviction, either be fined in the amount of not less than Ten Thousand Pesos (PhP 
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10,000.00) but not more than One Hundred Thousand Pesos (PhP 100,000.00), or be 
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sentenced to imprisonment of not less than one (1) month to six (6) months, or both, at 
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the discretion of the Court: Provided, That if the area requires rehabilitation or restoration 
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as determined by the Court, the offender shall be required to restore or compensate for 
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the restoration of the damage; Provided, further, That if the offender is an organization, 
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association or corporation, the president, or the manager and the officer who has direct 
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knowledge of the offense shall be held liable under this Act. 
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SEC. 17. Separability Clause. Should any provision of this Act be declared 
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unconstitutional, the validity or legality of the other provisions that can stand 
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independently shall not be affected thereby. 
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SEC. 18. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders, rules 
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and regulations or parts thereof which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are 
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hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
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SEC. 19. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its complete 
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pUblication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation, 
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whichever comes first. 
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Approved, 
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