Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

8696

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Rep. Abdullah D. Dimaporo and Rep. Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo

°XPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to establish an arboretum in the campus of the Mindanao State University
Lanao del Norte Agricultural College in Barangay Ramain, Municipality of Sultan Naga
Dimaporo to be known as the MSU-LNAC Arboretum,

An arboretum is an area devoted to specimen panting 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. [t 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 (CO,), using the carbon (C) to produce
sugar for tree growth and releasing the oxygen (Oz) 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, So also is the educational importance of an arboretum attached to a college
or university. 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, 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



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

Pag

Se

D)ULLAH D. DIMAPORO mown KIL
Second District, Lanao del Norte District, Lanao del Norte


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH Ct
First Regular S

HOUSE BILL NO. 7

Rep. Abdullah

o and Rep. Mohamad Khalid Q. Dimaporo

Dimapo

AN ACT
ESTABLISHING THE MINDANAO STATE UNIVERSITY-LANAO DEL NORTE.
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE ARBORETUM IN BARANGAY RAMAIN,
MUNICIPALITY OF SULTAN NAGA DIMAPORO AND APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFOR

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

Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. MSU-LNAC Arboretum. — here is hereby established an arboretum of 100
hectares within the reservation for campus of the Mindanao State University-Lanao del Norte
Agricultural College (MSU-LNAC) in Barangay Ramain, Municipality of Sultan Naga

Dimaporo, Province of Lanao del Norte to be known as the MSU-LNAC Arboretum.

For purposes of this Act, arboretum refers to a reserved area which is essentially for a
well-grown and representative collection of trees or shrubs species planted and maintained for the
purpose of reference, scientific studies and as a convenient source of seed and herbarium

materials.

SECTION 2. Objectives. ~ The MSU-LNAC Arboretum shall have the following
objectives:

a) For scientific purposes and to provide an outdoor laboratory for scientific studies
by faculty and students in Dendrology, Phenology, Botany, Environmental Studies,
and other related fields of study;

b) For teaching of Dendrology;

©) As asanctuary for the preservation and conservation of genetic resources of trees

and shrubs, and as a mode! for environmentally sound landscape management;

d) For the study of Phenology and the reproductive biology of speci



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To Grow the best of the woody plants and introduce new plants that can thrive in

the locality;

Provide recreation, enjoyment and study sites for students, visitors and local

communities while preserving the natural beauty and ambience of the arboretum’s

protection zone; and

Serve as the habitat for a variety of amphibians, reptiles, birds, and small

mammals, making for an interesting mix of wildlife in the area

SECTION 3, Site of the Arboretum, ~ The site of the arboretum shall be strategically

located within the MSU-LNAC based on the availability of the required area and its

accessibility, The site shall be situated in an area with available sources of water, with good

drainage and fertile soil to be determined by MSU-LNAC in coordination with the DENR

and Provincial Government of Lanao del Norte.

SECTION 4, Layout and Design. ~ The layout and d

sign of the arboretum should

satisfy its objectives and should conform to the following:

a)
b)

‘The trees should be planted in rows following the contour of the land area;

At least five replicates per species should be represented in a random/fashion
design to ensure the security of the species;

Each tree species should be numbered, labeled and tagged with scientific
name, common and/or local name, and date and place of collection. For easy
reference, the details of each tree species should be represented in the plan. In

case of mortal

, the species should be replanted with the appropriate species
as indicated in the plan,

SECTION 5. Planting. ~ The following should be considered:

a)

c)

The species of plants to be planted should be of high quality. Species to be
planted should be properly determined twelve (12) months prior to planting in
consultation with the DENR.

Proper site preparation should be done prior to planting, ‘This includes

brushing/slashing, staking, digging of hole, plo

¢ and/or cultivation
Grasses and other competing vegetation within at least one meter radius
around each spot must be cleared,

Planting should be done at the onset of the rainy season,


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SECTION 6, Supervision and Management. ~ The MSU-LNAC Arboretum shall be

placed under the overall management and supervision of the DENR with an organization to

be put in place by the DENR, headed by a Superintendent duly appointed by the Si

retary of

the DENR. The organization shall be named by the DENR Secretary.

SECTION 7. Oversight Committee. ~ An Oversight Committee is hereby created to
oversee and monitor the development and operation of the arboretum composed of the
following: 1) the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources or his representative as
Chairman; 2) the Provincial Governor of the Province of Lanao del Norte or his
representative as co-Chairman; 3) the Mayor of the Municipality of Sultan Naga Dimaporo as
Vice-Chairman; 4) the President of the League of Municipal Mayors of Lanao del Norte or
the Vice-President thereof if the Mayor of Sultan Naga Dimaporo is the President of the
League as member: 5) the Chancellor or Head of the MSU-LNAC as member and another
member to be appointed by the DENR Secretary from among three (3) recommendees of the

Provincial Governor.

SECTION 8. Donations. — An Arboretum may accept donations from government

agencies or units and from private entities, both local and foreign.

SECTION 9. Arboretum Account, ~ For purposes of the expeditious implementation
of this Act, the finances of the Arboretum shall be deposited in trust with the Provincial
Government of Lanao del Norte, and donations for specific purposes shall be in separate trust

funds.

SECTION 10. Appropriations. ~ The amount necessary to implement initially the

provisi

ns of this Act shall be taken from the available savings of the DENR System. Such
sums as may be necessary for the continued operation of the arboretum shall be included in

the annual General Appropriations Act.

SECTION 11, Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days al

its

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

Approved,