Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO. 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The 1987 Philippine Constitution specifically Section 16, Article II, laid 
down the framework for the protection and advancement/promotion of the 
people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and 
harmony of nature.  
The right to a clean environment is recognized as a human right in the 
Philippines, it being a duty imposed upon the State and responsibility required 
of individuals.   
The State shall instill environment consciousness among our people to 
effectively carry out the different environmental programs and projects of the 
government essential for the protection, preservation and revival of the quality 
of the environment and natural resources of the country. 
This House Bill aims: (a) to promote and improve the health, physical 
safety, social and economic well-being of the environment and natural resources 
personnel, their living and working conditions, security and terms of 
employment; (b) to develop their skills and capabilities in order that they will be 
more responsive and better equipped to deliver environmental management 
functions and sustainable development of natural resources in the attainment 
of projects and programs; and (c) to encourage those with proper qualifications 
and excellent abilities to join, contribute their expertise and remain in 
government service and in the country. 
The Environment and Natural Resources (ENR) Personnel includes but is 
July 1, 2022 
11:10 am
823


not limited to the personnel of the DENR, its Bureaus, Regional Offices, and 
attached Agencies, environmental units in the other government agencies; the 
ecological solid waste management and climate change adaptation and disaster 
risk management departments of the local government units; and units of other 
government agencies that are involved in environmental management, pollution 
prevention and rehabilitation works.     
This includes the forest rangers and park rangers that look after our forest 
and protected areas.  A forest ranger guards or has jurisdiction over a very large 
forest area, around 5,000-10,000 hectares.  However, his salary, is not as large 
as the area he is protecting.   
Passage of this Bill is earnestly sought to encourage those with proper 
qualifications and excellent abilities to remain in government service and in the 
country to work together for a clean and healthy environment.   
MICHAEL L. ROMERO, Ph.D. 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Quezon City 
19TH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
HOUSE BILL NO.  
 
Introduced by Honorable Michael L. Romero
AN ACT 
PROVIDING FOR THE MAGNA CARTA FOR ENVIRONMENT AND 
NATURAL RESOURCES PERSONNEL 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines 
in Congress assembled. 
Chapter I. General Provisions 
1 
Sec. 1. Title. This Act shall be known as the "Magna Carta for Environment 
2 
and Natural Resources Personnel." 
3 
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy and Objective. The State shall instill environment 
4 
consciousness among our people to effectively carry out the different 
5 
environmental programs and projects of the government essential for the 
6 
protection, preservation and revival of the quality of the environment and 
7 
natural resources of the country. 
8 
Towards this end, this Act aims: (a) to promote and improve the health, 
9 
physical safety, social and economic well-being of the environment and natural 
10 
resources personnel, their living and working conditions, security and terms 
11 
of employment; (b) to develop their skills and capabilities in order that they will be 
12 
more responsive and better equipped to deliver environmental management 
13 
functions and sustainable development of natural resources in the attainment 
14 
of projects and programs; and (c) to encourage those with proper qualifications 
15 
and excellent abilities to join, contribute their expertise and remain in 
16 
government service and in the country. 
17 
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Chapter II. Definition and Coverage 
1 
Sec. 3. Definition. For purposes of this Act, 
2 
“Department” shall mean the Department of Environment and Natural 
3 
Resources. 
4 
 
5 
"Environment and Natural Resources Personnel or ENR Personnel" shall 
6 
mean: 
7 
1. all persons who are engaged in the protection of the environment, 
8 
environmental management, and environment-related work; 
9 
2. all persons employed as environment and natural resources officers and 
10 
personnel in the environmental and ecological solid waste management 
11 
and climate change adaptation and disaster risk management units in 
12 
all local government units, and administrative and support personnel 
13 
employed regardless of their employment status; 
14 
3. all persons employed in the environmental units of the national and 
15 
regional government agencies and companies owned and operated by the 
16 
Government or its political subdivisions and shall include, but is not 
17 
limited to engineers, environmental management specialists, science 
18 
research specialists, ecosystems management specialists, foresters, 
19 
forest and park rangers, marine environmental protection officers and 
20 
personnel, and administrative and support personnel employed 
21 
regardless of their employment status; and 
22 
4. all persons employed in the environmental unit of private 
23 
corporations/enterprises including, but not limited to, pollution control 
24 
officers (PCOs) regardless of their employment status; and 
25 
5.  all persons (officials and personnel) employed with the Department, its 
26 
Bureaus, Regional Offices and attached Agencies, regardless of employment 
27 
status, including but not limited, to permanent, temporary, contractual, 
28 
contract of service/procurement service/Object 29 employment status. 
29 
Sec. 4. Coverage. This Act shall cover all environment and natural resources 
30 
personnel employed in the government service and private sector regardless of their 
31 
employment status. 
32 
Chapter III. Recruitment, Qualification and Promotion 
33 
Sec. 5. Recruitment and Qualification. Recruitment policy and minimum 
34 
requirements with respect to the selection and appointment of an environment 
35 
and natural resources personnel shall be developed and implemented by the 
36 


 
 
appropriate government agencies concerned in accordance with policies and 
1 
standards of the Civil Service Commission: Provided, That in the absence of 
2 
appropriate eligible and it becomes necessary in the public interest to fill a 
3 
vacancy, a temporary appointment shall be issued to the person who meets all 
4 
the requirements for the position to which he/she is being appointed except 
5 
the appropriate civil service eligibility: Provided, further, That such temporary 
6 
appointment shall not exceed twelve (12) months nor be less than three (3) 
7 
months renewable thereafter but that the appointee may be replaced sooner if 
8 
(a) qualified civil service eligible becomes available, or (b) the appointee is found 
9 
wanting in performance or conduct befitting a government employee. 
10 
Sec. 6. Merit Promotion and Career System. The Secretary of Environment 
11 
and Natural Resources, upon consultation with the proper government 
12 
agencies concerned and the Environment and Natural Resources workers’ 
13 
organization, shall prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan 
14 
applicable to all environment and natural resources personnel. Such 
15 
career and personnel development plan shall include, but is not limited to, 
16 
provisions on merit promotion, performance evaluation, in-service training 
17 
grants, education / training / schooling or advance studies (graduate school), 
18 
opportunity for or to complete undergraduate studies, job rotation, suggestions 
19 
and incentive award system. 
20 
The performance evaluation plan shall consider foremost the improvement 
21 
of individual employee efficiency and organizational effectiveness: Provided, That 
22 
each employee shall be informed regularly by his/her supervisor of his/her 
23 
performance evaluation. 
24 
The merit promotion plan shall be in consonance with the rules of the Civil 
25 
Service Commission. 
26 
Sec. 7. Code of Conduct. Within six (6) months from the approval of this Act, 
27 
the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources, upon consultation with 
28 
other appropriate agencies, professional and environment and natural resources 
29 
worker's organization, shall formulate and prepare a Code of Conduct for ENR 
30 
personnel, which shall be disseminated as widely as possible. 
31 
Chapter IV. Rights and Benefits of ENR Personnel  
32 
Sec. 8. Normal Hours of Work. The normal hours of work of any environment 
33 


 
 
and natural resources personnel shall not exceed eight (8) hours a day or forty 
1 
(40) hours a week. 
2 
Hours worked shall include: 
3 
a) the time during which an environment and natural resources personnel is 
4 
required to be on active duty or to be at a prescribed workplace; and 
5 
b) the time during which an environment and natural resources personnel is 
6 
permitted to work. 
7 
c) the time during which an environment and natural resources personnel is 
8 
required in a place other than the prescribed workplace. 
9 
Provided, That, the time when an environment and natural resources worker is 
10 
placed on "On Call" status shall not be considered as hours worked but shall 
11 
entitle the environment and natural resources worker to an "On Call" pay 
12 
equivalent to fifty percent (50%) of his/her regular wage. "On Call" status refers 
13 
to a condition when environment and natural resources workers are called upon 
14 
to respond to urgent or immediate need for pollution incidences during 
15 
emergencies such that he/she cannot devote the time for his/her own use. 
16 
An environment and natural resources personnel can also teach or practice their 
17 
profession after office hours. 
18 
Sec. 9. Overtime Work. Where the exigencies of the service so require, any 
19 
environment and natural resources personnel may be required to render 
20 
service beyond the normal eight (8) hours a day, inclusive of Saturdays, Sundays 
21 
or nonworking holidays. In such a case, the environment and natural resources 
22 
personnel shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with 
23 
existing laws and prevailing practices 
24 
Sec. 10. Work During Rest Day. a) Where an environment and natural 
25 
resources personnel is made to work on his/her scheduled rest day, he/she 
26 
shall be paid an additional compensation in accordance with existing laws. 
27 
b) Where an environment and natural resources personnel is made to work on 
28 
any special holiday he/she shall be paid an additional compensation in 
29 
accordance with existing laws. Where such holiday work falls on the personnel's 
30 
scheduled rest day, he/she shall be entitled to an additional compensation as 
31 
may be provided by existing laws. 
32 


 
 
Sec. 11. Compensation. The existing laws on the salary scale of government 
1 
employees shall apply in determining the salaries of environment and natural 
2 
resources personnel. In case of violations of this provision, the ENR personnel 
3 
concerned shall file the necessary complaint to the Civil Service Commission 
4 
(CSC) or NLRC through the ENR Management and Consultative Council. 
5 
Sec. 12. Leave Benefits for ENR personnel. Environment and natural 
6 
resources personnel are entitled to all leave benefits and privilege such as but 
7 
not limited to maternity, paternity, sick leave and vacation leaves, as provided 
8 
for under existing laws: Provided, That upon separation of ENR personnel from 
9 
service, they shall be entitled to all accumulated leave credits with pay. 
10 
Sec. 13. Other Benefits. Aside from the benefits received as required under 
11 
existing laws and executive orders, an environment and natural resources 
12 
personnel shall receive the following allowances: 
13 
1. Honorarium. ENR personnel who rendered services beyond the established 
14 
irregular workload of ENR personnel whose broad and superior 
15 
knowledge, expertise or professional standing in a specific field contributes 
16 
to productivity and innovativeness shall be entitled to receive honorarium 
17 
subject to rules to be set by the Department. 
18 
2. Hazard Allowance. ENR personnel involved in hazardous undertakings such 
19 
as, but not limited to conduct of field inspections and air/water/chemical 
20 
and hazardous waste monitoring and sampling, forest ranger work and 
21 
assigned in the following units, but not limited to: environmental impact 
22 
assessment division, environmental quality division, compliance and permitting 
23 
division, environmental monitoring and enforcement division, mine safety 
24 
environment and social development division, environment health and safety 
25 
division, pollution control divisions, conservation and development division, 
26 
environmental protection units, and environmental research and laboratory 
27 
services divisions and other environment and natural resources offices/field 
28 
offices located in difficult areas which expose them to great danger, contagion, 
29 
radiation, volcanic activity/eruption, occupational risks or threats to life, 
30 
shall be compensated with hazard allowances equivalent to at least twenty-
31 
five percent (25%) of the monthly basic salary. 
32 
3. Subsistence Allowance/Transportation Allowance. ENR personnel 
33 
who are required to render service in forest/watershed areas, pollution 
34 
incident sites and other areas, in order, to make their services available at 
35 
all times, shall be entitled to daily full subsistence allowance for three (3) 
36 


 
 
meals 
which 
shall 
be 
computed 
in 
accordance 
with 
prevailing 
1 
circumstances. Those assigned out of their regular work stations shall be 
2 
entitled per diem in place of this allowance. Actual transportation allowance 
3 
shall also be provided to environment and natural resources personnel on 
4 
field work. 
5 
4. Clothing and Laundry Allowance. All ENR personnel shall be entitled to a 
6 
minimum of Six thousand pesos (Php 6,000.00) clothing allowance annually, 
7 
which amount shall be adjusted annually as needed. 
8 
 
In addition to the above, all environment and natural resources personnel 
9 
who are required to wear uniforms regularly shall be entitled to a minimum 
10 
of One thousand pesos (PhP1,000.00) per month laundry allowance. 
11 
Provided further, that these rates shall be reviewed periodically and 
12 
increased accordingly as needed. 
13 
5. Housing and Living Quarters Allowance. All environment and natural 
14 
resources personnel and officials, including, but not limited to Directors and 
15 
Regional Directors, who are transferred to another assignment due to the 
16 
exigency of the service shall be entitled to free housing within the agency 
17 
concerned: Provided, that if living quarters are not available within the agency 
18 
and the personnel has his/her residence outside of fifty (50) kilometer 
19 
radius from such government facility, he/she shall receive a housing 
20 
allowance of not less than Ten thousand pesos (Php 10,000.00), and: Provided 
21 
further, that the rate of such housing allowance shall be periodically adjusted 
22 
for inflation. 
23 
 
For purposes of this Section, the Department of Environment and Natural 
24 
Resources is authorized to develop housing projects in its own lands, not 
25 
otherwise devoted for other uses, for ENR personnel in coordination with 
26 
appropriate government agencies. 
27 
6. Longevity Pay. A monthly longevity pay equivalent to the ten percent (10%) 
28 
of the monthly basic pay shall be paid to an ENR personnel for the first five 
29 
(5) years of continuous, efficient and meritorious services rendered as 
30 
certified by the chief of office concerned, commencing with the service after 
31 
the approval of this Act. 
32 
Further, for every succeeding years of continuous, efficient and meritorious 
33 
services, the monthly longevity pay equivalent shall be as follows: ten (10) 
34 


 
 
years – fifteen percent (15%) of monthly basic pay; fifteen (15) years – 
1 
twenty percent (20%) of monthly basic pay; twenty (20) years – twenty-five  
2 
percent (25%) of monthly basic pay; twenty-five (25) years – thirty percent 
3 
(30%) of monthly basic pay; thirty (30) years – thirty-five percent (35%) of 
4 
monthly basic pay; thirty-five (35) years – forty percent (40%) of monthly 
5 
basic pay; forty (40) years – forty-five percent (45%) of monthly basic pay; 
6 
forty-five (45) years – fifty percent (50%) of monthly basic pay.  Said amount 
7 
shall be paid over and above the monthly salary of the ENR personnel. 
8 
7. Remote Assignment Allowance. ENR personnel who accept assignments 
9 
as such in remote areas or isolated stations, which for reasons of far distance 
10 
or hard accessibility, such positions had not been filled for the last two (2) 
11 
years prior to the approval of this Act, shall be entitled to an incentive bonus 
12 
in the form of remote assignment allowance equivalent to fifty percent (50%) 
13 
of their basic pay, and shall be entitled to reimbursement of the cost of 
14 
reasonable transportation to and from such remote post or station, upon 
15 
assuming or leaving such position and during official trips. 
16 
In addition to the above, such ENR personnel mentioned in the preceding 
17 
paragraph shall be given priority in promotion or assignment to better areas. 
18 
Their tour of duties in the remote areas shall not exceed two (2) years, except 
19 
when there are no positions for their transfer or they prefer to stay in such 
20 
posts in excess of two (2) years. 
21 
8. Personal Protective Equipment. ENR personnel which regularly conduct 
22 
field inspection, monitoring and sampling shall be provided by their 
23 
respective offices with the proper personal protective equipment’s (PPEs) in 
24 
accordance with existing laws on occupational health and safety. 
25 
9. Medical Examination and Immunization. During the tenure of their 
26 
employment, ENR personnel shall be given a compulsory medical 
27 
examination once a year and immunization as the case may warrant. The 
28 
medical examination shall include, but not be limited to: 
29 
a. Complete physical examination; 
30 
b. Routine laboratory, chest x-ray and ECG; 
31 
c. Psychometric examination; 
32 
d. Dental examination; and 
33 
e. Other indicative examination. 
34 
 
Provided, that where medical examination shows that medical treatment 
35 


 
 
and/or hospitalization is necessary for those already in government service, 
1 
the treatment and/or hospitalization including medicines shall be provided 
2 
free either in a government or a private hospital by the government entity 
3 
paying the salary of the ENR personnel especially in occupational-health 
4 
related illness. Provided, further, that the cost of such medical examination 
5 
and treatment shall be included as automatic appropriation in said 
6 
agency's annual budget. 
7 
10. Medical Examination and Immunization for the Dependents of ENR 
8 
Personnel. During the tenure of their employment, dependents of ENR 
9 
personnel shall be given a compulsory medical examination once a year and 
10 
immunization as the case may warrant. The medical examination shall 
11 
include, but not be limited to: 
12 
a. Complete physical examination; 
13 
b. Routine laboratory, chest x-ray and ECG; 
14 
c. Psychometric examination; 
15 
d. Dental examination; and 
16 
e. Other indicative examination. 
17 
Provided, that the cost of such medical examination and immunization 
18 
shall be included as automatic appropriation in said agency's annual 
19 
budget. 
20 
Sec. 14. Compensation for Injuries/Illnesses/Death. ENR personnel shall 
21 
be 
protected 
against 
the 
consequences 
of 
employment 
22 
injuries/occupational-related illnesses/death in accordance with existing 
23 
laws. Injuries incurred while doing overtime work shall be presumed work-
24 
connected. 
25 
Sec. 15. Non-DENR ENR Personnel. ENR Personnel not employed by the 
26 
Department, who are involved in environmental management and environment 
27 
and natural resources protection functions, and regardless of their employment 
28 
status may avail of the benefits of this Act, chargeable against their respective 
29 
agencies/local 
government 
units/offices/private 
corporations, 
upon 
30 
certification of the Secretary of the Department. 
31 
Sec. 16. Honorarium for other services. ENR personnel shall be allowed to 
32 
render consultancy services to the private sector and shall be entitled to receive 
33 
such honorarium that may be paid to them by the private entity concerned. Such 
34 
payments shall be over and above their salary from the government during the 
35 


 
 
period of the consultancy and skill not be considered as double compensation: 
1 
Provided, That the consultancy work will not jeopardize or adversely affect the 
2 
operations or activities of his originating office: Provided, further, That the 
3 
Secretary of the Department approves such consultancy. 
4 
Sec. 17. Exemption from the Attrition Law and Civil Service Rule on 
5 
nepotism. — Appointment of ENR personnel to positions of research assistant 
6 
and upwards shall not be covered by the Attrition Law and CSC rule on nepotism 
7 
in consideration of the highly technical nature of these positions. 
8 
Sec. 18. Rights of an ENR Personnel. ENR personnel shall have the following 
9 
rights: 
10 
1. Protection from discrimination by reason of sex, sexual orientation, age, 
11 
political or religious beliefs, civil status, physical characteristics/disability 
12 
or ethnicity; 
13 
2. Protection from any form of interference, intimidation, harassment or 
14 
punishment to include, but not limited to, arbitrary reassignment or 
15 
termination of service, in the performance of his/her duties and 
16 
responsibilities. 
17 
3. Join, organize, or assist organizations or unions for lawful purposes; 
18 
4. Protection from any act that will prevent his/her applying 
19 
professional interventions that the clients’ situation may require; and 
20 
5. Opportunities for continuing professional growth and development. 
21 
Sec. 19. Reassignment of ENR Personnel. 
22 
a. a transfer is a movement from one position to another which is of 
23 
equivalent rank, level or salary without break in service; 
24 
b. a geographical reassignment, hereinafter referred to as "reassignment," 
25 
is a movement from one geographical location to another; and 
26 
c. Except in the interest of public service, no transfer or geographical 
27 
reassignment shall be made or effected without written notice to an 
28 
environment and natural resources personnel: Provided, That said written 
29 
notice, stating the reasons for the reassignment, shall be made at least thirty 
30 
(30) days prior to the date of transfer or reassignment: Provided, further, 
31 
That, if the environment and natural resources personnel believes that 
32 
there is no justification for the transfer and/or reassignment, he/she may 
33 
appeal his/her case to the CSC, which shall cause his/her transfer and/or 
34 


 
 
reassignment to be held in abeyance: Provided, furthermore, That 
1 
reassignment coinciding with any local or national election shall be 
2 
made in compliance with Election Code and other existing laws and rules: 
3 
Provided, finally, That the necessary expenses of the transfer and/or 
4 
reassignment of the environment and natural resources personnel and 
5 
his/her immediate family shall be paid for by the agency concerned. 
6 
Sec. 20. Married ENR Personnel. Whenever possible, the proper authorities 
7 
shall take steps to enable married couples, both of whom are ENR personnel, 
8 
to be employed or assigned in the same office, but not in the same unit. Provided, 
9 
that it shall not apply to married ENR personnel already assigned in the same 
10 
office at the time that this Act takes effect. 
11 
Sec. 21. Freedom from Interference or Coercion. It shall be unlawful for 
12 
any person to commit any of the following acts of interference or coercion: 
13 
a. to require as a condition of employment that an ENR personnel shall not 
14 
join an ENR workers' organization or union or shall relinquish 
15 
membership therein; 
16 
b. to discriminate in regard to hiring or tenure of employment or any item or 
17 
condition of employment in order to encourage or discourage membership 
18 
in any ENR workers' organization or union; 
19 
c. to prevent an ENR personnel from carrying out duties laid upon 
20 
him/her by his/her position in the organization or union, or to 
21 
penalize him/her for the action undertaken in such capacity; 
22 
d. to harass or interfere with the discharge of the functions of the ENR 
23 
personnel when these are calculated to intimidate or to prevent the 
24 
performance of his/her duties and responsibilities; and 
25 
e. to otherwise interfere in the establishment, functioning, or administration 
26 
of ENR workers' organizations or unions through acts designed to place 
27 
such organization or union under the control of government authority. 
28 
Sec. 22. Freedom from Discrimination. It shall be unlawful for any person 
29 
or employer to discriminate against ENR personnel who falls under any of the 
30 
following: 
31 
a. ENR Personnel that are Solo Parents; 
32 


 
 
b. ENR Personnel that are Benefactors of Senior Citizens.  Benefactor shall 
1 
mean any person related to a Senior Citizen or not who takes care of 
2 
him/her as a dependent; 
3 
c. ENR Personnel that are Person with Disabilities (PWD); and 
4 
d. ENR Personnel that are Benefactors or Parents of a Person with 
5 
Disabilities (PWD) or Person with Special Needs or Person with 
6 
Developmental Disorders;  
7 
Chapter V. Periodic Review Clause 
8 
Sec. 23. Human Resource Development. The Department shall conduct a 
9 
periodic human resource development/management study into, among others, 
10 
the following areas: 
11 
a) Adequacy of facilities and resources to render quality environment and 
12 
natural resources management functions; 
13 
b) Opportunities for ENR personnel to grow professionally and develop their 
14 
potentials and experience a sense of worth and dignity in their work; 
15 
c) Mechanism for democratic consultations; 
16 
d) Ways and means of enabling the rank-and-file workers to avail of 
17 
educational opportunities for personal growth and development;  
18 
e) Upgrading of working conditions, reclassification of positions and salaries 
19 
of ENR personnel, regardless of employment status to correct disparity vis-
20 
a-vis other professions; and 
21 
f) Allocation of funds for the participation of ENR personnel in seminars, 
22 
conferences, conventions, physical fitness and sports development 
23 
program/activities and similar activities as part of their continuing 
24 
professional growth.  
25 
Chapter VI. Security of Tenure and Retirement 
26 
Sec. 24. Security of Tenure. — No ENR personnel holding a permanent 
27 
position shall be terminated except for cause: Provided, That, in the event the 
28 


 
 
environment and natural resources personnel is found to be unjustly dismissed 
1 
by the CSC or the NLRC; as the case may be, he/she shall be entitled to 
2 
reinstatement without loss of seniority rights and back wages with twelve per 
3 
centum (12%) interest to be computed from the time his/her compensation was 
4 
withheld from him/her up to the time of reinstatement. 
5 
Sec. 25. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement. Upon retirement, the 
6 
Environment and Natural Resources personnel shall automatically be granted 
7 
an increase of one (1) salary range or grade higher than his/her basic salary 
8 
and his/her retirement benefit thereafter, computed on the basis of his/her 
9 
highest salary received: Provided, That he/she has reached the age and 
10 
fulfilled service requirements under existing laws. 
11 
Sec. 26. Hiring of retired ENR personnel. — An employee retired under any 
12 
existing law, who, in the judgment of the governing board or head of a 
13 
environmental agency, possesses technical qualifications and the capability to 
14 
undertake environmental management activities, may be rehired on contractual 
15 
basis without refunding the unexpired portion of the gratuity and 
16 
accumulated leave benefits received by him from the Government: Provided, That 
17 
no qualified environment and natural resources  expert is available to 
18 
undertake said technical activities. 
19 
Sec. 27. Environmental Awards. - There shall be established an Environment 
20 
and Natural Resources Awards Committee which shall confer annually the 
21 
Environment and Natural Resources Awards for outstanding achievement/s 
22 
and excellence or original contribution to environmental protection/management. 
23 
The Committee shall promulgate the guidelines in implementing this Section 
24 
and shall specify the categories of awards to be given and the amount of 
25 
financial reward for each category. 
26 
Chapter VII. Congressional Commission  
27 
Sec. 28. Congressional Commission on Environment and Natural 
28 
Resources. - There is hereby created a Congressional Commission on 
29 
Environment and Natural Resources (ENVICOM) that shall Oversee the 
30 
implementation of all the Environment and Natural Resources laws; review 
31 
and assess, among others, the state of the Philippine environmental security, 
32 
human resources development in Environment and Natural Resources field; and 
33 
the implementation of this Act. The Commission shall be composed of five (5) 
34 
Members of the House of Representatives and five (5) Members of the Senate. It 
35 


 
 
shall be co-chaired by the Chairpersons of the Committee on Environment and 
1 
Natural Resources of the Senate and the Committees of Ecology and Natural 
2 
Resources of the Lower House. Such congressional review shall be undertaken at 
3 
least once every five (5) years. 
4 
Chapter VIII. Implementing Rules and Regulations 
5 
Sec. 29. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Secretary of the 
6 
Environment and Natural Resources after consultation with appropriate 
7 
agencies of the Government as well as professional and environment and natural 
8 
resources workers' organizations or unions, shall formulate and prepare the 
9 
necessary rules and regulations to implement the provisions of this Act. Rules 
10 
and regulations issued pursuant to this Section shall take effect thirty (30) 
11 
days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation. 
12 
Chapter IX. Prohibitions  
13 
Sec. 30. Prohibition Against Double Recovery of Benefits. Whenever other 
14 
laws provide for the same benefits covered by this Act, the Environment and 
15 
Natural Resources personnel shall have the option to choose which benefits will 
16 
be paid to him/her. However, in the event that the benefits chosen are less than 
17 
that provided under this Act, the ENR personnel shall be paid only the difference. 
18 
Sec. 31. Prohibition Against Elimination and/or Diminution. Nothing in this 
19 
law shall be construed to eliminate or in any way diminish benefits being enjoyed 
20 
by an Environment and Natural Resources workers at the time of the effectivity of 
21 
this Act. 
22 
Sec. 32. Penal Provision. Any person who shall willfully interfere with, restrain 
23 
or coerce any Environment and Natural Resources personnel in the exercise of 
24 
his/her rights or shall in any manner commit any act in violation of any of the 
25 
provisions of this Act, upon conviction, shall be punished by a fine of not less 
26 
than Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) but not more than Eighty thousand 
27 
Pesos (P80,000.00) or imprisonment of not more than one (1) year or both at the 
28 
discretion of the court. 
29 
If the offender is a public official, the court, in addition to the penalties provided in 
30 
the preceding paragraph, may impose the additional penalty of disqualification 
31 
from office. 
32 
Chapter X. Transitory Provisions 
33 


 
 
Sec. 33. Special Treatment for Benefits of ENR Personnel. All benefits 
1 
received by an Environment and Natural Resources Personnel under this law, 
2 
including but not limited to, benefits given to rank-and-file employees, whether 
3 
granted under a collective bargaining agreement or not, fringe benefits and de 
4 
minimis benefits, are not taxable pursuant to Section 33.C.3 of the Republic Act 
5 
8424 (Tax Reform Act of 1997). 
6 
Sec. 34. Appropriations/Funding. The amount necessary to fully 
7 
implement this Act shall be provided in the General Appropriations Act (GAA) 
8 
of the year following its enactment into law under the budgetary appropriations 
9 
of the DENR, concerned agencies and local government units. 
10 
Additional funding may be sourced from five percent (5%) of the fines and 
11 
penalties collected by the DENR, Bureaus, Regional Offices, Attached Agencies, 
12 
Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB).  
13 
Private companies with ENR personnel shall allocate their respective funds for 
14 
their companies’ implementation of this Act. 
15 
Sec. 35. Annual Report. The Secretary of the Department shall submit to the 
16 
Congressional Commission on Environment and Natural Resources an annual 
17 
report on the implementation of this Act. 
18 
Chapter XI. Separability and Repealing Clauses 
19 
Sec. 36. Separability Clause. The provisions of this Act is declared 
20 
separable. In the event that any provision hereof is rendered unconstitutional, 
21 
those that are not affected shall remain valid and effective. 
22 
Sec. 37. Repealing Clause. All laws, presidential decrees, executive orders 
23 
and their implementing rules, or parts thereof, inconsistent with the provisions 
24 
of this Act are hereby, repealed; amended or modified accordingly. 
25 
Chapter XII. Effectivity Clause  
26 
Sec. 38. Effectivity. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
27 
publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation. 
28 
Approved, 
29