NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
•22 JUL 26 All 36
SENATE
s. No. 886
RlXEl .
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE DELINEATION OF THE SPECIFIC FOREST LIMITS OF 
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
EXPLANATORY NOTE
Section 4, Article XII of the 1987 Constitution states that "The Congress 
shall, as soon as possible, determine by law, the specific limits of forest lands 
and national parks, marking clearly their boundaries on the ground. Thereafter, 
such forest lands and national parks shall be conserved and may not be 
increased nor diminished, except by law. The Congress shall provide, for such 
period as it may determine, measures to prohibit logging in endangered forests 
and watershed areas".
Based on the 2001-2003 satellite imageries reported out by the National 
Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), the total forest cover 
of the Philippines is estimated at 7.168 million hectares or 24.27% of the 
country's total land area.
Lack of demarcation on the ground resulted to confusion as to the actual 
size of the forest lands of the country which later resulted to incorrect land use 
and management.
This proposed legislation seeks to delineate the specific limits of forest 
lands In order to conserve, protect and develop the forest resources of the 
country In order to attain ecological balance, preserve valuable ecosystems, 
prevent environmental degradation and promote sustainable development for 
the present and future generations.


This bill was reported out In the Fifteenth Congress as Senate Bill No. 
3326 under Committee Report No. 464 and was approved on Second Reading.
I submit.
FRANCIS G. ESCUDEROI^


NINETEENTH CONGRESS OF THE ) 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) 
First Regular Session 
)
SENATE
O'-".) c \ \ 7-1 r
..k _ 
*»■»* it
of t!jc t r. ^tjvp
72 JUL 26 All 36
RlX£:Vt.DB*
S. No. 886
Introduced by Senator FRANCIS G. ESCUDERO
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26 
27
AN ACT
PROVIDING FOR THE DELINEATION OF THE SPECIFIC FOREST LIMITS OF 
THE PUBLIC DOMAIN 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 and cited as the "Final Forest 
Limits Act"
Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is the policy of the State to conserve, 
protect and develop the forest resources of the country in order to attain ecological 
balance, preserve valuable ecosystems, prevent environmental degradation and 
promote sustainable development for the present and future generations. To achieve 
these ends. Section 4 of Article XII of the 1987 Constitution mandates Congress to 
determine by law the specific limits of forestlands and national parks marking clearly 
their boundaries on the ground.
Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - For purposes of this Act, the following terms 
shall mean:
(a) 
Agricultural lands refer to alienable or disposable lands of the public 
domain which have been the subject of the land classification system and declared 
as not needed for forest purposes;
(b) 
Delimitation survey refers to the establishment of land classification 
boundaries, and the documenting thereof following ground survey;
(c) 
Delineation refers to the conduct of site investigation, field 
reconnaissance and assessment, and staking of boundaries between forest lands, 
national parks and agricultural lands verified In the field in accordance with the 
criteria set forth under Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
Administrative Order No. 2008-24;


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
(d) 
Forest refers to an ecosystem or an assemblage of ecosystems 
dominated by trees and other woody vegetation; a community of plants and animals 
interacting with one another and its physical environment;
(e) Forest lands refer to all lands of the public domain already classified as 
forest land as per existing land classification maps issued by the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) including all permanent forest reserves 
proclaimed as such by the President or declared by law, and such areas within the 
unclassified lands of the public domain that were assessed and delineated by the 
DENR in accordance with pertinent laws, rules and regulations;
(f) 
Production forest refers to a forest area designated primarily for 
production of wood, fiber, bio-energy and/or non-wood forest products;
(g) Protected Area refers to identified portions of land and/or water set aside 
by reason of their unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance 
biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation.
(h) Protection forest refers to a forest whose value lies in the regulating of 
stream flow and the preventing of erosion and avalanches rather than in its timber;
(i) Protection forestlands refer to all areas within the forestlands devoted 
primarily for the protection, conservation of forest resources to ensure 
environmental stability, conservation of biological diversity. Improvement of 
ecosystem functions and services, and provision of ecological and economic benefits 
shall constitute the protection forestlands. All mossy and primary/old growth forests 
and natural beach, key biodiversity areas, areas regardless of slope and vegetation 
cover which are highly erodible or too rocky for establishment of either production 
forests, developed for the principal objectives of establishing vegetative cover to 
prevent erosion, conserve water and nurture wildlife, freshwater, swamps, and 
marshes, all areas along the bank of the rivers and streams, and the shores of the 
seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within the zone of three (3) 
meters In urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas, and forty (40) 
meters in forest areas, along their margins which are subject to the easement of 
public use in the interest of recreation, settlements, navigation, floatage, fishing and 
salvage shall also be sub-classified as protection forestlands. Cutting and mining are 
banned In these protection forestlands: Provided, That the provisions of the IPRA 
Law and NIPAS Act shall be respected.
(j) Tenured migrant refers to forest occupants who have actually and 
continuously occupied a portion of the forest and is solely dependent therein for 
subsistence. A forest occupant is understood to be "solely dependent for 
subsistence" when everything Indispensable for survival for the household, including 
food, clothing, shelter and health, comes only from the utilization of resources from 
the forest.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
Sec. 4. What Constitutes the Forest Lands. - The following shall constitute 
the forest lands, to wit:
(a) 
all lands of the public domain already classified as forest land as per 
existing land classification maps issued by the DENR;
(b) 
all permanent forest reserves proclaimed as such by the President or 
declared by law; and
(c) 
such areas within the unclassified lands of the public domain that were 
assessed and delineated by the DENR in accordance with pertinent laws, rules and 
regulations and which may hereafter be classified as forest land by the DENR.
Sec. 5. Guidelines in Determining the Specific Limits of Forest Lands. - The 
following guidelines and procedures shall be followed in determining the specific 
limits of forest lands in the country:
(a) The previously-established Land Classification (LC) survey lines per 
province with their respective technical descriptions (TDs) and maps shall be the 
basic data and information that will be used as reference material In undertaking the 
validation, assessment and delineation process.
(b) 
All completed assessment and delineation reports for a given province 
shall be endorsed to the National Review and Evaluation Committee as created 
herein to be headed by the Secretary of the DENR for final approval.
(c) 
The same process shall be followed for other provinces with on-going 
assessments and delineation activities until such time that all the boundaries of 
forest lands of the whole country shall have been delimited: Provided, That all 
assessments, validations and delineations shall be completed not later than one (1) 
year after the passage of this Act.
Sec. 6. Creation of the National Review and Evaluation Committee. - In 
recognition of the Constitutional mandate as embodied in Section 4, Article XII 
thereof, and in view of the urgent need to establish the permanent limits of the 
forest lands of the country, a National Review and Evaluation Committee is hereby 
created to process, evaluate and approve all completed assessment and delineation 
reports referred to in the immediately preceding section. The Committee, in its 
evaluation and approval of the said reports, shall adhere strictly to existing 
established laws, policies, rules, regulations and guidelines pertinent thereto.
The Committee shall be composed of the following:
(a) 
Secretary of the DENR as Chairman;
(b) 
Secretary of the Socioeconomic Planning and Director-General of the 
National Economic and Development Authority, as Vice-Chairman;
(c) 
Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) 
as Member;
(d) 
Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA) as Member;
(e) 
Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as Member;
(f) 
Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council 
(HUDCC) as Member; and


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
(g) 
Chairman of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) as 
Member; and
(h) 
President of the League of Provinces of the Philippines as Member.
Upon approval of the assessment and delineation reports as herein specified, 
the Committee shall submit the same to Congress which shall thereafter form part of 
its official records. The assessment and delineation reports as approved by the 
Committee shall be adopted as constituting the final boundaries of the forest lands 
covered by the said report.
Sec. 7. Demarcation and Delimitation of Forest Land Boundary. - 
Immediately after the forest line has been determined following the guidelines 
prescribed in Section 5 hereof, the DENR shall delimit and establish the permanent 
boundary monuments on the ground.
Sec. 8. Permanency of the Specific Forest Limits. — The permanent forest 
lands established pursuant to this Act shall not be diminished nor reduced except by 
an act of Congress. The DENR, in coordination with all agencies and branches of 
government, shall see to it that the forest cover and vegetation therein shall be 
protected, preserved and enhanced.
Sec. 9. Sub-classification of the Permanent Forest Lands. - The permanent 
forest lands shall be further sub-classified as follows: (a) protection forests; and (b) 
production forests.
After due consultation with the local government units (LGUs), concerned 
communities, and other stakeholders, the DENR shall undertake the sub­
classification of the permanent forest lands.
Sec. 10. Recognition of the Rights of the Indigenous Cultural 
Communities/Indigenous Peoples and Tenured Migrant Communities. - In the 
ground delineation of the permanent forest limits, the occupation by indigenous 
cultural communities/indigenous peoples and tenured migrants shall be recognized 
and respected consistent with the provisions of Republic Act No. 7160 or the Local 
Government Code of 1991, Republic Act No. 8371 or the Indigenous Peoples Rights 
Act (IPRA) of 1997, and Presidential Decree No. 705, as amended, or the Forestry 
Code of 1975.
Sec. 11. Accessibility of Record Xd the Public. - All records and information 
pertaining to the specific forest limits delineated pursuant to this Act shall be made 
available to all local government units (LGUs), other government agencies, and to 
the general public.
Sec. 12. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within three (3) months 
from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of the DENR shall issue the 
corresponding Implementing Rules and Regulations for the effective implementation 
of this Act.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
Sec. 13. Monitoring, Evaination, and Reporting System. - To attain the 
objectives of this Act, a field monitoring, evaluation, and reporting system shall be 
adopted by the Secretary of the DENR to regularly keep track of the state of the 
country's forest lands after their delimitation. Toward this end, at the opening of 
each session of Congress, the DENR shall submit a report to the President on the 
status of the forest lands for transmission to Congress.
Sec. 14. Creation of the Adjudication Board to Resoive Controversies on Land 
Ciassification Conflicts. - A Land Classification Conflict Adjudication Board, herein 
referred to as the Board, is hereby created to resolve controversies arising from land 
classification as a result of the delimitation of forest lands pursuant to this Act. The 
Board shall be composed of the following:
(a) 
Secretary of the Department of Justice (DOJ) as Chairman;
(b) Administrator of the Land Registration Authority (LRA) as Member;
(c) Representative from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) as 
Member;
(d) Representative from a reputable College of Forestry as Member; and
(e) Representative from the private sector as Member.
Sec. 15. Powers and Functions of the Adjudication Board. - The Board shall 
have the following powers and functions:
(1) Adjudicate cases on land conflicts and adverse claim before it for 
resolution;
(2) Summon witnesses, administer oaths, take testimony and require 
submission of reports;
(3) 
Compel production of books and documents and answers to 
interrogatories; and
(4) Issue subpoena duces tecum, writs of possession, writs of execution and 
other writs to enforce Its orders and decisions.
In any proceeding before the Board, the Rules of Evidence prevailing in courts 
of law or equity shall not be controlling and it Is the spirit and intention of this Act 
that shall govern. The Board shall use every and all reasonable means to ascertain 
the facts In each case speedily and objectively and without regard to technicalities of 
law or procedure, all in the Interest of due process. In any proceeding before the 
Board, the parties may be represented by legal counsel. The findings of fact of the 
Board shall be conclusive and binding on the parties and its decision or order shall 
be final and executory.
Sec. 16. Appropriations. - The Secretary of the DENR shall include In the 
Department program the implementation of this Act, the initial funding of which shall 
be charged against the current year's appropriations of the Department and 
thereafter included in the annual General Appropriations Act.


1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8 
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20 
21 
22 
23
Funds for the implementation of the provisions of this Act shall be 
supplemented also from any available official development assistance (ODA) and 
from joint projects between agencies of the Philippines and an assisting country.
Local government units shall also allocate counterpart funds to be taken from 
their Internal revenue allotment (IRA) and other LGU income for the delineation of 
the forest limits within their respective territorial jurisdictions.
Sec. 17. Separability Clause. - If any portion of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity and effectivlty of the other 
provisions not affected thereby.
Sec. 18. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, letters of instruction, executive 
orders, rules and regulations and other Issuances or parts thereof inconsistent with 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.
Sec. 19. Effectivlty. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
complete publication in the Official Gazette or In two (2) newspapers of general 
circulation In the Philippines.
Approved,