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Republic of the Philippines

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Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. _ 9695

Introduced by Representative Frederick W. Siao

EXPLANATORY NOTE

This bill seeks to impose a logging ban in Iligan City and to provide
penalties for violation thereof.

Section 16, Article II of the 1987 Constitution states:

“Sec. 16. The State shall protect and advance the right of the
people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the
rhythm and harmony of nature.”

In accordance with this constitutional provision, various legislations have
been enacted to protect and preserve the environment, including those that
impose a logging ban in selected municipalities, provinces and regions in the
country. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is
mandated to implement forest developmental programs to prevent loggers from
continuously degrading and denuding the country’s natural resources.
However, the deforestation in the Philippines continues unabated and calls for
further legislation that will protect trees and conserve the forests.

In 2011, it was reported that the rain brought by Typhoon Sendong fell on
areas in Iligan City where the natural forests, allegedly, had been illegally
logged that resulted to flashfloods and overflowing rivers. The flashfloods were
accompanied by rampaging logs from the mountain and caused massive loss of

REPRES:

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House of Representatives ||= DATE June 30, 2021m

Quezon City, Metro Manila x) TIME 5:19 | my
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lives and properties. Iligan City is richly endowed with forestlands that were
preserved through the centuries. These forestlands must continue to survive for
the benefit of the present and future generations. The unscrupulous commercial
logging has no place in Iligan City as it may end the existence of the local
forestlands.

The destruction of the forest areas must not be allowed to continue in
Iligan City and anywhere else in the country. One only has to see the
destruction wrought about by Typhoon Sendong to Iligan in 2011, largely due
to mining and deforestation, to attest to the fact that these activities have overall
detrimental effects than good for the people.

This proposed measure is in conjunction with House Bill No. 8276 that
seeks to make Iligan City a “mining-free” zone.

In view of the foregoing, the immediate approyal of this bill is earnestly

sought.


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Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Eighteenth Congress
Second Regular Session

HOUSE BILL NO. __ 9695

Introduced by Representative Frederick W. Siao

AN ACT
IMPOSING A LOGGING BAN IN ILIGAN CITY AND PROVIDING
PENALTIES FOR VIOLATION THEREOF

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

SECTION 1. Imposition of a Logging Ban in Iligan City. — A logging
ban is hereby imposed in Iligan City.

SEC. 2. Exemption from the Logging Ban. — The following are exempt
from the logging ban:

(a) Planted trees within private land;

(b) Planted trees within forestlands established and developed by
tenurial instrument holders in accordance with the approved plans;

(c) Wood sources necessary for government infrastructure projects in
predetermined areas, preferably a communal forest;

(d) Trees necessary for extraction as means of silvicultural treatment;

and



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(e) Trees affected during road construction and similar projects
approved by the government for basic services, including energy and power
development, public works or water utilities.

Any harvesting or cutting of tree species shall comply with Presidential
Decree No. 705, Series of 1975, as amended, otherwise known as the “Revised
Forestry Code of the Philippines,” Presidential Decree No. 1586, Series of
1978, entitled “Establishing an Environmental Impact Statement System,
Including Other Environmental Management Related Measures and for Other
Purposes,” and other pertinent forestry and environmental laws, rules and
regulations.

SEC. 3. Penalties. — Any person who commits a violation of Section 1 of
this Act shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than six (6) years but not
more than twenty (20) years, or a fine of not less than Five hundred thousand
pesos (P500,000.00) but not more than One million pesos (P1,000,000.00), or
both, at the discretion of the court. If the offender is a corporation or an
association, the president, manager, managing partner, or any officer of the
corporation or association who directly participated in the violation of Section 1
of this Act shall be held liable.

If the offender is a public officer and is found guilty, the public officer
shall be dismissed from the service and perpetually disqualified from holding
public office. In addition, the public officer shall also be administratively held

liable under existing laws, rules and regulations.


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SEC. 4. Implementing Rules and Regulations. — Within ninety (90)
days from the effectivity of this Act, the Secretary of Environment and Natural
Resources shall issue the necessary rules and regulations for the effective
implementation of this Act.

SEC. 5. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees, executive
orders, issuances, rules and regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with or
contrary to the provisions of this Act are repealed modified or amended
accordingly.

SEC. 6. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,