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Republic of the Philippines a eI ive
HOUSE Ohenae VES ij; 3 LAT! paul
iezon City iz

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No, 2410

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA
‘2nd District, Ilocos Norte

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING COASTAL CLEANUP IN THE PHILIPPINES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines has a total coastline of 36,289 kilometers or 22,548.94
miles. It ranks third among sovereign countries or states with the longest
coastline in Asia, next to Indonesia and Russia, and fifth in the entire world.?
Considering the country’s archipelagic nature, long coastlines and high plastic
usage, the Philippines is one of the primary sources of marine plastics
globally.

Despite the existence of environmental protection laws such as the
Philippine Clean Water Act and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act,
the country ranks as the third worst ocean polluter in the world.3 The lack of
public participation in environment protection is one of the reasons why
environmental protection laws are deemed insufficient.

Civil society engagement is key to achieving sustainable development and
environmental goals.4 In order to protect and advance the right of the people
to a balanced and healthful ecology, public participation must therefore be
encouraged.

+ PhilAtlas citing CIA World Factbook. Retrieved from https://www.philatas.com/philippines.htm! on September
17, 2020.

2 PhilAtlas, Retrieved from https://www.philatlas.com/philippines. html on September 17, 2020.

> Greenpeace Philippines. 22 September 2017. Nestlé, Unilever, P&G among worst offenders for plastic pollution
in Philippines in beach audit. Retrieved from _https://www.greenpeace.org/philippines/press/1110/
nestle-unilever-pg-among-worst -offenders-for-plastic- pollution-in-philippines-in-beach-audit/ on September 17,
2020

+ perry, Li. et.al. January 2019. Making space: how public participation shapes environmental decision-making
‘Stockholm Environment Institute Retrieved from https://www.sel.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/
‘making-space-how-public-participation-shapes-environmental-decision-making.paf on September 17, 2020



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International Coastal Cleanup (ICC) Day is considered the largest one-day
volunteer event to fight ocean trash.5 Since the Philippines joined this global
initiative in 1998, the country has consistently topped the ICC in terms of
volunteer turnout, and has been recognized the “cleanup capital of the
world”.

Our annual participation in the ICC gave us the opportunity to make a
difference in a global movement to free coastal, marine environment and
waterways of marine litter or debris. It provided the people, private
organizations and government the right information to develop policies and
solutions to our ocean trash problems.

Accordingly, this representation intends to institutionalize coastal cleanup
in the country so as not to limit cleanup activities into an annual event. It
seeks a whole-of-government and a whole-of-nation approach in establishing
a National Cleanup Program that would not only engage all concerned
government agencies, local government units, and environmental
organizations, but most importantly the people to actively participate in
coastal cleanups for the preservation and conservation of our coastal and
marine environment.

It is important to note that, out of the country’s 81 provinces, 66 (or
81.48%) are coastal.” Among the cities, those along the coast, 88 (or 60.69%)
far outnumber the landlocked ones (57).8 Majority of the municipalities, too,
are coastal — a total of 812 (or 54.53%).9 Bearing in mind that great
proportions of the provinces, cities, and municipalities in the country are
coastal, cleanup activities will help create a safer environment for coastal
communities. A safer environment boosts local economies. Above all, we help
protect our environment for future generations.

In light of the foregoing, the immediate passage of this bills is earnestly
sought.

ANGE! COS BARBA

5 UN Environment Programme. 16 September 2019. international Coastal Cleanup 2019. Retrieved from
hhttps://www.unenvironment.org/cep/news/blogpost/international-coastal-cleanup-2019 on September 17,
2020.

© Presidential Proclamation No. 470, $2003

7 PhilAtlas. Retrieved from https://www.philatlas.com/philippines.html on September 17, 2020.

® bid.

» ‘bid.


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. _2410

Introduced by Rep. ANGELO MARCOS BARBA
2nd District, Ilocos Norte

AN ACT
INSTITUTIONALIZING COASTAL CLEANUP IN THE PHILIPPINES,
APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “National
Coastal Cleanup Act”.

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is the policy of the State to
protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology
in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature by encouraging people to
actively participate in coastal cleanups for the preservation and conservation
of coastal and marine environment.

SECTION 3. Definition of terms. — As used in this Act, the following
terms shall mean:

a. Coastal - refers to the land near a shore, relating to or near a coast;

b. Cleanup Report — refers to the final report of any cleanup activity
which contains trash data, cleanup location and its technical
description, number of participants, and such other data that may be
required by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR);

c. Marine litter — means any persistent, manufactured or processed solid
material discarded, disposed of or abandoned in coastal and marine
environment;

d. Marine environment — refers to the oceans, seas, bays, estuaries, and
other major water bodies, including their surface interface and
interaction, with the atmosphere and with the land seaward of the
mean high-water mark;


e. Trash data — a record of trash or items collected during cleanup
activities based on the classification to be determined by the DENR;
and

f. Waste map - provides information on the location of waste for cleanup;

SECTION 4. National Coastal Cleanup Program. - The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in coordination with the
Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED),
Civil Service Commission (CSC), Department of Interior and Local
Government (DILG), Philippine National Police (PNP), Armed Forces of the
Philippines (AFP), and other relevant government agencies, shall establish
and implement a National Coastal Cleanup Program, hereinafter referred to as
the Program, which shall mobilize all sectors of society to participate in
nationwide cleanup activities to promote cleanliness in coastal, marine
environment, inland waterways, esteros and creeks.

SECTION 5. Components of the National Coastal Cleanup Program. —
The National Cleanup Program shall be consistent with existing
environmental protection and enforcement laws and shall include the
following:

a. Volunteerism and participation of both public and private sectors;

b. Strategic initiatives to identify marine litter sources;

cc. Operationalization of online, real-time Waste Map;

d. Generate data for waste mapping;

e. Prompt submission of Trash Data Report and Cleanup Reports;

f. Proper waste management training and activities;

g. Holding of post-activity summit to report on the number of volunteers,
local government unit participation and volumes of waste collected for
proper disposal and/or recycling;

h. Strengthening cleanup information drive; and

i. Periodic evaluation of the Program to effectively manage, address, and
reduce the threats of degradation of coastal and marine environment
for the benefit of present and future generations.

SECTION 6. Cleanup period. — National cleanup activities shall be held
‘once every quarter without prejudice to local cleanup activities and the
International Cleanup Day held every third Saturday of September.

SECTION 7. Selection of Cleanup Sites. - The DENR, in coordination

with the DILG and all concerned local government units, shall select the sites
for the cleanup activities.


SECTION 8. Role of the Local Government Units. — All local government
units (LGUs) shall monitor the conduct of cleanup activities on coastal areas,
marine environment, inland waterways, esteros and creeks and ensure active
participation of their constituents. The LGUs shall likewise submit to the
DILG and DENR Trash Data and Cleanup Reports.

SECTION 9. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within six (6)
months from the effectivity of this Act, the DENR, consultation with
concerned government agencies and stakeholders, shall promulgate the
implementing rules and regulations of this Act.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary for the effective
implementation of this Act shall be charged to the appropriations of the DENR
under the current General Appropriations Act (GAA). Thereafter, such sums
as may be necessary for the continued implementation of this Act shall be
included in the annual GAA.

SECTION 11. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected by such
declaration shall remain in full force and effect.

SECTION 12. Repealing Clause. - All laws, executive orders,
administrative orders, and rules and regulations inconsistent with this Act are
hereby repealed or amended accordingly.

SECTION 13. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days

after its publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general
circulation.

Approved,