Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Quezon City DATE July 7, 2022

3 TIME 11:22am 2
NINETEENTH CONGRESS i
First Regular Session a a)
4
INDEX

House Bill No. 1534

iS RECEIVED
x

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers

AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9147,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “WILDLIFE RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
PROTECTION ACT,” BY INCREASING THE PENALTIES PROVIDED AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Philippines is one of the megadiverse countries, which hosts several thousand of
species of plants and animals, of which more than half are endemic or cannot be found
anywhere else on earth. However, this is also what makes the country a hotspot for
illegal wildlife trade.

Data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources- Biodiversity
Management Bureau (DENR-BMB) show that from 2013 to 2018, enforcement officers
were able to confiscate more than 26,700 different species of animals with an
estimated market value of P184.9 million pesos from wildlife traffickers.

Just last month, government authorities seized about 200 tons of giant clam shells
worth P1.2 billion pesos in one of their task force operations in the island province of
Palawan.

Experts have revealed that our country loses P50 billion annually due to these rampant
illegal activities. This amount includes the market value of wildlife and its resources,
their ecological role and value, the cost of habitat damage during poaching and losses
in potential ecotourism revenues, according to DENR reports.

Currently, the offense of trading of wildlife under Republic Act No. 9147, otherwise
known as the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” carries a penalty
that ranges from P200 to P300,000 fine and imprisonment of 10 days to 4 years,
depending on the conservation status of species involved.

Despite government efforts and the existence of punitive measures under the law,
wildlife crimes continue to thrive at an alarming scale. Offenders have now evolved
into an organized crime groups that supply wildlife and its products to the international
markets. By using a complex web of poachers and networks of traffickers, these
violators stay one step ahead of the law.


Widespread trafficking of thousands of wildlife, if not abated, will not only cause the
extinction of targeted species but will also lead to the collapse of our rich biodiversity
that has provided millions of Filipinos resources for food, natural medicines, wood and
plant products, as well as sustainable livelinoods among others.

Now that these unlawful activities have been linked to the emergence and spread of
new infectious diseases in humans, including emergent viruses such as Ebola, SARS,
MERS-CoV and Coronavirus, there is more reason that lawless exploitation of wildlife
must be stopped.

Considering its far-reaching impact on the environment, there is a pressing need to
amend certain provisions of RA 9147, by imposing stiffer penalties to deter future



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No. 1534

Introduced by Hon. Robert Ace S. Barbers

AN ACT AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9147,
OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE “WILDLIFE RESOURCES CONSERVATION AND
PROTECTION ACT,” BY INCREASING THE PENALTIES PROVIDED AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES

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

SECTION 1. Section 5 of Republic Act No. 9147, otherwise known as the
“Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act,” is hereby amended to read as
follows:

“SECTION 5. Definition of Terms. — As used in this Act, the term:

(a) xxx
XXX
(Pp) xx

(Q) “OTHER PROTECTED WILDLIFE SPECIES” REFERS TO
OTHER SPECIES THAT ARE NOT CONSIDERED ENDANGERED
OR VULNERABLE BUT HAVE THE TENDENCY TO BECOME
THREATENED DUE TO WILDLIFE EXPLOITATION OR OTHER
SIMILAR CAUSES AS MAY BE LISTED BY THE SECRETARY.

XXX"
SEC. 2. Section 28 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION 28. Penalties for Violations of this Act. — For any person
who undertakes illegal acts under paragraph (a) of the immediately
preceding section to any species as may be categorized pursuant to
this Act, the following penalties and/or fines shall be imposed:

(a) imprisonment of TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
THIRTY (30) YEARS [a minimum of six (6) years and one (1) day to
twelve (12) years] and/or a fine of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND
PESOS (P500,000.00) TO TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00)
[One hundred thousand pesos (100,000.00) to One million pesos


(1,000,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against species listed as
CRITICALLY ENDANGERED [critical];

(b) imprisonment of TWENTY (20) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS [four (4) years and one (1) day to six (6)
years] and/or a fine of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS
(P300,000.00) TO SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS
(P700,000.00) [Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) to Five hundred
thousand pesos (P500,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against
endangered species;

(c) imprisonment of FIFTEEN (15) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
TWENTY (20) YEARS [two (2) years and one (1) day to four (4) years]
and/or a fine of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00)
TO FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00) [Thirty
thousand pesos (P30,000.00) to Three hundred thousand pesos
(P300,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against vulnerable species:

(d) imprisonment of TEN (10) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIFTEEN
(15) YEARS [one (1) year and one (1) day to two (2) years] and/or a
fine of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS) [Twenty thousand pesos
(P20,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00)], if
inflicted or undertaken against other threatened species; and

(e) imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO TEN (10)
YEARS [six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year] and/or a fine of
FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) TO TWO HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) [Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00)
to One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)], if inflicted or
undertaken against other PROTECTED wildlife species.

For illegal acts under paragraph (b) of the immediately preceding
section, the following penalties and/or fines shall be imposed:

(a) imprisonment of TWENTY (20) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
‘TWENTY-FIVE (25) YEARS [a minimum of four (4) years and one (1)
day to six (6) years] and/or a fine of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND
PESOS (P300,000.00) TO EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS
(P800,000.00) [Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) to Five hundred
thousand pesos (P500,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against
species listed as CRITICALLY ENDANGERED [critical];

(b) imprisonment of FIFTEEN (15) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
TWENTY (20) YEARS [two (2)years and one (1) day to four (4) years}
and/or a fine of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND (P200,000.00) TO FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00) [Thirty thousand pesos
(P30,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00)], if
inflicted or undertaken against endangered species;


(c) imprisonment of TEN (10) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIFTEEN
(15) YEARS [one (1) year and one (1) day to two (2) years] and/or a
fine of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO
THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) [Twenty
thousand pesos (P20,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos
(P200,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against vulnerable species;

(d) imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO TEN (10)
YEARS [six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year] and/or a fine of
FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) [Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00)
to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against
other threatened species; and

(e) imprisonment of ONE (1) YEAR AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIVE (5)
YEARS [one (1) month to six (6) months] and/or a fine of TWENTY
THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00) TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS
(P50,000.00) [Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) to Twenty thousand
pesos (P20,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against other
PROTECTED wildlife species.

For illegal acts under paragraphs (c) and (d) of the immediately
preceding section, an imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS TO TEN (10)
YEARS [one (1) month to eight (8) years] and/or a fine of TWO
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) TO FIVE MILLION
PESOS (P5,000,000.00) [Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00) to Five
million pesos (P5,000,000.00)] shall be imposed.

For illegal acts under paragraph (e), the following penalties and/or fines
shall be imposed:

(2) imprisonment of FIFTEEN (15) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO
TWENTY (20) YEARS [two (2) years and one (1) day to four (4) years}
and/or a fine of FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00)
TO TWO MILLION PESOS (P2,000,000.00) [Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00) to Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00)}, if
inflicted or undertaken against species listed as CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED [critical];

(b) imprisonment of TEN (10) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIFTEEN
(15) YEARS [one (1) year and one (1) day to two (2) years] and/or a
fine of THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) TO
SEVEN HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P700,000.00) [Two
thousand pesos (P2,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos
(P200,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against endangered species;

(c) imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO TEN (10)
YEARS [six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year] andor a fine of
TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) TO FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00) [One thousand pesos


(P1,000.00) to One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)), if inflicted
or undertaken against vulnerable species;

(d) imprisonment of ONE (1) YEAR AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIVE (5)
YEARS [one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months] and/or a fine
of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) [Five hundred pesos
(P500.00) to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00)], if inflicted or
undertaken against species listed as other threatened species; and

(e) imprisonment of SIX (6) MONTHS AND AND ONE (1) DAY TO
ONE (1) YEAR [ten (10) days to one (1) month] and/or a fine of FIFTY
THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) TO TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND
PESOS (P200,000.00) [Two hundred pesos (P200.00) to Twenty
thousand pesos (P20,000.00), if inflicted or undertaken against other
PROTECTED wildlife species.

For illegal acts under paragraphs (f) and (g) of the immediately
preceding section, the following penalties and/or fines shall be imposed:

(a) imprisonment of TEN (10) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIFTEEN
(15) YEARS [two (2) years and one (1) day to four (4) years] and a fine
of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) TO FIVE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00) [Thirty thousand pesos
(P30,000.00) to Three hundred thousand pesos (P300,000.00)), if
inflicted or undertaken against species listed as CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED [critical];

(b) imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO TEN (10)
YEARS [one (1) year and one (1) day to two (2) years] and a fine of
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) [Twenty thousand
pesos (P20,000.00) to Two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00)], if
inflicted or undertaken against endangered species;

(c) imprisonment of ONE (1) YEAR AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIVE (5)
YEARS [six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year] and a fine of
FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS (P50,000.00) TO TWO HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P200,000.00) [Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00)
to One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)], if inflicted or
undertaken against vulnerable species;

(d) imprisonment of SIX (6) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY TO ONE (1)
YEAR [one (1) month and one (1) day to six (6) months] and a fine of
TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) [Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00)
to Fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against
‘species listed as other threatened species; and


(e) imprisonment of ONE (1) MONTH AND ONE (1) DAY TO SIX (6)
MONTHS [ten (10) days to one (1) month] and a fine of TEN
THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00) TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS
(P50,000.00) [One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against other PROTECTED
wildlife species: Provided, That in case of paragraph (f), where the acts
were perpetuated through the means of inappropriate techniques and
devices, the maximum penalty herein provided shall be imposed.

For illegal acts under paragraphs (h) and (i) of the immediately
preceding section, the following penalties and/or fines shall be imposed:

(a) imprisonment of FIVE (5) YEARS AND ONE (1) DAY TO TEN (10)
YEARS [six (6) months and one (1) day to one (1) year] and a fine of
ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO THREE
HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P300,000.00) [Fifty thousand pesos
(P50,000.00) to One hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00)], if
inflicted or undertaken against species listed as CRITICALLY
ENDANGERED [critical species];

(b) imprisonment of ONE (1) YEAR AND ONE (1) DAY TO FIVE (5)
YEARS [three (3) months and one (1) day to six (6) months] and a fine
of FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS TO TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND
PESOS (P200,000.00) [Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00) to Fifty
thousand pesos (P50,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken against
endangered species;

(c) imprisonment of SIX (6) MONTHS AND ONE (1) DAY TO ONE (1)
YEAR [one (1) month and one (1) day to three (3) months] and a fine of
TWENTY THOUSAND PESOS (P20,000.00) TO ONE HUNDRED
THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) [Five thousand pesos (P5,000.00)
to Twenty thousand pesos (P20,000.00)], if inflicted or undertaken
against vulnerable species;

(d) imprisonment of ONE (1) MONTH AND ONE (1) DAY TO SIX (6)
MONTHS [ten (10) days to one (1) month] and a fine of TEN
THOUSAND PESOS (P10,000.00) TO FIFTY THOUSAND PESOS
(P50,000.00) [One thousand pesos (P1,000.00) to Five thousand pesos
(P5,000.00)), if inflicted or undertaken against species listed as other
threatened species;

(e) imprisonment of TEN (10) DAYS TO ONE (1) MONTH [five (5) days
to ten (10) days and] a fine of FIVE THOUSAND PESOS (P5,000.00)
TO THIRTY THOUSAND PESOS (P30,000.00) [Two hundred pesos
(P200.00) to One thousand pesos (P1,000.00)], if inflicted or
undertaken against other PROTECTED wildlife species.

All wildlife, its derivatives or by-products, and all paraphernalia, tools
and conveyances used in connection with violations of this Act, shall be
ipso facto forfeited in favor of the government: Provided, That where the


ownership of the aforesaid conveyances belong to third persons who
has no participation in or knowledge of the illegal acts, the same may
be released to said owner. The apprehending agency shall immediately
cause the transfer of all wildlife that have been seized or recovered to
the nearest Wildlife Rescue Center of the Department in the area.

If the offender is an alien, he shall be deported after service of sentence
and payment of fines, without any further proceedings.

The fines herein prescribed shall be increased by at least ten percent
(10%) every three (3) years to compensate for inflation and to maintain
the deterrent function of such fines.”

SEC. 3. Section 29 of the same Act is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SECTION 29. Wildlife Management Fund. — There is hereby
established a Wildlife Management Fund to be administered by the
Department as a special account in the National Treasury. It shall finance
rehabilitation or restoration of habitats affected by acts committed in
violation of this Act and support scientific research, enforcement and
monitoring activities, as well as enhancement of capabilities of relevant
agencies.

The Fund shall derive from fines imposed and damages awarded, fees,
charges, donations, endowments, administrative fees or grants in the
form of contributions. Contributions to the Fund shall be exempted from
donor taxes and all other taxes, charges or fees imposed by the
government.

THE DEPARTMENT SHALL LIKEWISE IMPLEMENT A SYSTEM OF
REWARD AND INCENTIVES TO THE ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS
AND/OR INFORMANTS OF VIOLATORS OF THIS ACT. THE AMOUNT
OF THE MONETARY REWARD, AS DETERMINED BY THE
SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT, SHALL BE TAKEN FROM THIS
FUND, AND SHALL BE GIVEN TO THE PROPER RECIPIENTS UPON
ARREST OF THE VIOLATORS, OR UPON THE FILING OF
COMPLAINT/INFORMATION WITH THE PROPER COURT OR
TRIBUNAL.”

SEC. 4. Repealing Clause. — All laws, orders, issuances, circulars, rules and
regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are
hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SEC. 5. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,