Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS,
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No._3701

Introduced by Rep. Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo and Rep. Sittie Aminah Q. Dimaporo _
EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish an arboretum in the Municipality of Tagoloan,
Lanao del Norte that shall include the Mighty Cave Park in it and shall be known
as the Mighty Cave Park Arboretum.

An arboretum is an area devoted to specimen planting of woody plants
which are either trees or shrubs. Distinct from a forest or park, it is in a sense an
outdoor museum of trees. It is a place where many varieties of trees and shrubs
are grown for research, educational, and ornamental purposes where trees and
other woody plants are cultivated for exhibition.

An arboretum plays an important role in the lives of many people and is a
valuable environmental, educational, recreational, and cultural resource for the
country. It plays an important role in the area of conservation and preservation
of endangered species of trees where they can be protected and propagated to
preserve the biological diversity of planet Earth.

Trees help us address climate change by reducing the amount of
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere. They do this by absorbing carbon dioxide
(C02), using the carbon (C) to produce sugar for tree growth and releasing the
oxygen (O2) back in the air. As trees grow, they store carbon in their leaves.
Planting more trees surely mitigate the effects of climate change — as long as the
right trees are planted in the right place. An arboretum is such one right place.

Many services that an arboretum performs for the public at large are too
well known to require elaboration. Perhaps the most important arboretum
function from the academe point of view is to provide an outdoor laboratory for
scientific studies by faculty, students and residents in dendrology, phenology,
botany, environmental studies, photography and other related fields of study. The
arboretum will serve as an educational resource for environmental stewardship
and the promotion of environment consciousness, the history of the province, the
study of trees and other woody plants, and a place of learning and respite for the
people of Lanao del Norte. Hence this bill is filed.


In view of the importance of protecting and conserving endangered tree
species and other woody plants, and having a clean and healthy environment, the
prompt approval of this measure is earnestly requested.

d

IMELDA QUIB! IMAPORO SITTIE AMINAH Q. DIMAPORO.
First District, Lanao del Norte Second District, Lanao del Norte


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

TWENTIETH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. 3701

Introduced by Rep. Imelda Quibranza Dimaporo and Rep. Sittie Aminah Q. Dimaporo _

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING AN ARBORETUM IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF
TAGOLOAN, LANAO DEL NORTE, TO BE KNOWN AS THE
MIGHTY CAVE PARK ARBORETUM, AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. There is hereby established an arboretum with an area of
approximately two hundred (200) hectares and which shall include Mighty Cave
Park in the Municipality of Tagoloan, Lanao del Norte to be known as the Mighty
Cave Park Arboretum, hereinafter referred to as the Arboretum.

As used in this Act, the term arboretum refers to a reserved area which is
essentially for a well-grown and representative collection of trees, shrubs and
herbs planted and maintained for the purpose of reference, scientific studies and
as a convenient source of seeds and herbarium materials.

SECTION. 2. The Arboretum shall serve the following purposes:

a) Toaid in the study and teaching of dendrology, phenology, botany,
biology, and other related fields of study by being utilized as an outdoor
laboratory by both faculty and students of nearby schools;

b) _ To serve as a sanctuary for the preservation and conservation of
genetic resources of trees, shrubs and herbs, and as a model for environmentally
sound landscape management;

c) To provide an area wherein the best species of indigenous woody
plants can be propagated and where new species, can be introduced and be
allowed to thrive in the locality;


d) To provide a healthy and conducive area for recreation and at the
same time enhance the consciousness of the community to preserve and protect
the environment; and

e) To serve as the habitat for a variety of amphibians, reptiles, birds,
small mammals, and other wildlife in the area.

SECTION 3. The Arboretum shall conform to the following
considerations:

a) The trees shall be planted in rows following the contour of the land area;

b) At least five (5) replicates of each specie shall be planted to ensure its
preservation; and

c) Each tree specie shall be numbered, labelled and tagged with its
scientific name, common or local name, and the date and place of collection.

SECTION 4. To ensure the growth of the species to be planted:

a) The seedling of every specie to be planted shall be of high-quality, and
shall be selected at least twelve (12) months prior to planting, in
consultation with the nearest office of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources (DENR).

b) Proper site preparation shall be done prior to planting, to include
brushing/slashing, staking, digging of hole, plowing and/or cultivation;

c) In case of morality, the replanting of the respective specie shall be

undertaken; and

d). Planting shall be done at the onset of the rainy season.
SECTION 5. The Arboretum shall be placed under the overall
management and supervision of the DENR. The DENR Secretary shall appoint a
Superintendent of the Arboretum who, together with a staff to be provided by the
DENR from among its staff, shall ensure the proper management of the

Arboretum.


SECTION 6. An Oversight Committee is hereby created to oversee and
monitor the development and operation of the Arboretum to be composed of

the following:

a)  DENR Secretary or a duly designated representative as Chairperson;

b) Provincial Governor of the Province of Lanao del Norte or a
duly designated representative, as co-Chairperson;

c) Mayor of the Municipality of Tagoloan as Vice-Chairperson;

d) President of the League of Municipal Mayors of Lanao del Norte
or the Vice-President thereof if the Mayor of Tagoloan is the President of the
League, as member; and

e) One (1) member to be appointed by the DENR Secretary from
among three (3) recommendees of the Provincial Governor.

SECTION 7. The Arboretum may accept donations from government
agencies or local and foreign private entities.

SECTION 8. The DENR Secretary shall include in the Department’s
program the implementation of this Act, the funding of which shall be
included in the annual General Appropriations Act.

The local government units concerned shall set aside from any
available local revenue an amount deemed appropriate as annual counterpart
fund to support the operation of the Arboretum herein established.

SECTION 9. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,