FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE }
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }
Third Regular Session )

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No, 6835

Introduced by: MA, THERESA B. BONOAN-DAVID
4 District, City of Manila

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The alarming rate of environmental degradation today
underscores the need to preserve and protect the ecological foundation
of Mother Earth.

The environmental issues and concems besetting us, like ozone
layer depletion and global warming, are becoming too technical and
complicated for the general public to understand. There is a need to
extensively educate the people to instill and promote public awareness
of the need to enhance environmental quality and maintain ecological
balance. Adequate assistance should be given to the people to enable
them to understand the consequences of the increasing demands of
infrastructure development on the environment, and _ their
responsibility to maintain environmental stability so that future
generations may enjoy their share of the fruits of the earth. Wanton
destruction of the environment may thus be prevented and
sustainable development achieved.

This bill will create a massive and comprehensive education and
training campaign needed for the success of public policy on
environmental issues. Through popularization of the issues, private
initiative in the protection of the environment will be enhanced.
Hence, its immediate passage is most urgently requested.

MA. meme ALA

4th District, City of Manila



FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE )
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES )
‘Third Regular Session }

HOUSE of REPRESENTATIVES
House Bill No. 6838

Introduced by: MA. THERESA B. BONOAN-DAVID
4 District, City of Manila

AN ACT CREATING THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL
EDUCATION, DEFINING ITS FUNCTIONS AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Short Title - This Act shall be known as the “National
Environmental Education Act.”

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to ensure the sustainable use, development, management renewal
and conservation of the country’s forest, mineral, land off-shore areas
and other natural resources. The State shall protect and enhance the
quality of the environment and provide equitable access of the different
segments of the population to the development and use of the country’s
natural resources, not only for the present generation but for future
generations as well.

SECTION 3. Creation of the Office of Environmental Education - There is
hereby created an office of environmental education, (hereinafter referred
to as the “OFFICE”), which shall be regular division of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

SECTION 4. Mandate - The Office shall be the primary government
agency responsible for the environmental education and training of all
sectors of the society.

SECTION 5. Functions and Responsibilities - In pursuit of its mandate the
OFFICE shall have the following functions and responsibilities:


a) develop and implement a national integrated and comprehensive action
plan for environmental education and training:

b) encourage understanding of policies and support of activities designed to
enhanced environmental quality and maintain ecological balance:

©) formulate and prescribe expanded and varied program of curriculum
development to include value formation and behavioral change on
environmental concerned issues for schools, colleges and universities;

d) provide support for the initiation and maintenance of programs for
environmental education for the general public;

e) design and conduct massive information dissemination campaigns and
environmental education and training programs;

f} exercise such other functions as may be necessary in pursuit of it's
mandate;

g) deputize or request the assistance of appropriate government agencies,
local government units and non-governmental organizations for the
purpose of implementing this Act.

SECTION 6. Organization - The authority and the responsibility for the
implementation of the mandate of the OFFICE and the exercise of its
functions and responsibilities shall be vested in the executive Director of
the office. He shall be appointed by the President upon the
recommendation of the Secretary of the Department of Environment and
natural resources. He shall:

a) exercise overall supervision and control relative to the functions and
activities of the OFFICE;

b) establish policies and standards for the efficient and effective cooperation
of the OFFICE in accordance with the overall program of the government;

¢) implement rules, regulations and other issuances necessary in executing
policies, plans projects and programs of the OFFICE;

d) perform such other functions as, may be provided by law or as
appropriately assigned by the President or the Secretary of the Department
of Environment and Natural resources.

SECTION 7. Staff of the Authority - To achieve its desired goals and
objectives, the OFFICE, through the Executive Director shall organize its
working staff of not less than ten employees, fix their salaries and
remunerations, subject tot the provisions of the Civil Service Law.


SECTION 8. National, Environmental Education Advisory Council -
There is hereby created a National Environmental Education, and
Advisory Council composed of representatives appointed by the
respective Department Secretary, University President, who shall serve
as ex-officio members from the following agencies:

a) Department of Environment and natural Resources
b) Department of education, Culture and Sports

c} Department of Science and Technology

d) Philippine Information Agency

e) University of the Philippines

The Advisory Council shall be primary tasked to advise the
Executive Director on the design and promulgation of policies, methods,
techniques, programs and projects relative to environmental education
and training, and to monitor and evaluate the overall performance of the
OFFICE and recommend necessary measures thereon,

SECTION 9. Transitory Provision - The Secretary of Environment and
Natural Resources shall oversee the implementation of this Act within
ninety (90) days after its effectivity.

SECTION 10. Appropriations - The amount necessary for the
implementation of this Act shall be taken from the current fiscal year
appropriations of the Department of environment and Natural Resources.

The succeeding appropriations shall be included in the General
Appropriations Act for the fiscal year immediately following the effectivity
of this Act and every year thereafter.

SECTION 11. Repealing Clause. - All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, proclamations, rules and regulations, or parts thereof which are
inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or
modified accordingly.

SECTION 12. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain
valid.

SECTION 13. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15)
days from its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2)
newspapers of general.

Approved.