| HOUSE OF REPRE:

Republic of the Philippines

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES DATE:
Quezon City, Metro Manila tiwe:_
BY:

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

1015

HOUSE BILL NO.

Introduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg

EXPLANATORY NOTE

‘This bill was filed in the Sixteenth Congress as House Bill No. 6074, It has been
approved in the House of Representatives for three readings per House Committee Report
No.: 00846. Consequently, it has been transmitted to the Senate of the Philippines on
September 16, 2015.

The proposed bill seeks to declare Gangub Cave in barangay Sandoval,
municipality of Bataraza, province of Palawan as tourist destination. Gangub Cave is
located approximately twenty (20) kilometers from the town center of the municipality of
Bataraza.

This cave resembles a ten-storey building with a towering height of more or less
one hundred (100) feet from the base. Its main entrance has an elevation of at least thirty-
nine (39) feet which requires an individual to climb the concrete steps toward the mouth
of the cave.

‘An estimate of fifty (50) steps is needed before a person reaches the main entrance
of the cave. It is similar to a dome of a big cathedral which can accommodate a large
group of people at a time, reaching to as many as five hundred (500) individuals.

Inside the cave is the main chamber which is about thirty (30) meters and can be
likened to the Pefiablanca Cave of Cagayan and the Bathala Cave of Marinduque. The air
is cool within the cave and it is home to thousands of bats.

In view of the policy of the State to promote a tourism industry that is ecologically
sustainable, responsible, participative, culturally sensitive, economically viable, and
ethically and socially equitable for local communities, as declared in Republic Act 9593,
otherwise known as “The Tourism Act of 2009”, the approval of this bill is earnestly
recommended.

TATIVES
RECEIVED

REGISTRATION UNIT
BILLS AND INDEX SERVICE



Ren

Cmdr daw

Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

Seventeenth Congress
First Regular Session

4
HOUSE BILL NO. 1025

Introduced by Hon. Frederick F. Abueg

AN ACT
DECLARING GANGUB CAVE IN THE MUNICIPALITY OF BATARAZA,
PROVINCE OF PALAWAN AS TOURIST DESTINATION, PROVIDING FOR
ITS DEVELOPMENT AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR

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

SECTION 1. The Gangub Cave is hereby declared tourist destination. As
such, it shall be accorded with priority development by the Department of
Tourism (DOT) and shall be subject to the rules and regulations governing the

development of tourist destination.

SEC. 2. The Department of Tourism, in accordance with the local
government units and other concerned agencies of the government shall, within
one (1) year after the approval of this Act, prepare a development plan involving
the construction, installation and maintenance of such appropriate facilities and
infrastructure as shall enhance tourism in the area; Provided, That said
development plan shall ensure the preservation and conservation of the natural

resources of the area.

SEC. 3. The Department of Tourism shall take immediate steps in
implementing the tourism development plan that will suit the natural
characteristic of Gangub Cave and shall incorporate the same in its overall

development plans and programs for national implementation.



SEC. 4. It shall be the responsibility of the DOT to promote Gangub

Cave as tourism area in all its national, regional and local promotion programs.

SEC. 5. The Secretary of Tourism shall issue such rules and regulations
as may be necessary to carry out the purpose of this Act.

SEC. 6. The amount necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act
shall be included in the General Appropriations Act of the year following its
enactment into law and thereafter.

SEC. 7. All laws, rules, regulations, proclamations, executive orders or
parts thereof inconsistent with this Act, are hereby amended accordingly.

SEC. 8. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after publication in
the Official Gazette or in two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,