FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 9 86 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The alarming rate of environmental degradation today underscores the need to 
preserve and protect the ecological foundation of Mother Earth. 
The environmental issues and concerns besetting us, like ozone layer depletion 
and global warming, are becoming to technical and complicated for the general public 
to understand. There is a need to extensively educate the people to instill and promote 
public awareness of the need to enhance environmental quality and maintain ecological 
balance. Adequate assistance should be given to the people to enable them to 
understand the consequences of the increasing demands of infrastructure development 
on the environment, and their responsibility to maintain environmental stability so that 
future generations may enjoy their share of the fruits of the earth. Wanton destruction of 
the environment may thus be prevented and sustainable development achieved. 
This bill will create a massive and comprehensive education and training 
campaign needed for the success of public policy on environmental issues. Through 
popularization of the issues, private initiative in the protection of the environment will be 
enhanced. Hence, its immediate passage is most urgently requested. 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT CREATING THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, 
DEFINING IT'S FUNCTIONS AND APPROPRIATING FUNDS THEREFOR 
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short title - this Act shall be known as the "National Environmental 
Education Act" 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
ensure the sustainable use, development, management renewal and conservation of 
the country's forest, mineral, land off-shore areas and other natural resources. The 
State shall protect and enhance the quality of the environment and provide equitable 
access of the different segments of the population to the development and use of the 
country's natural resources, not only for the present generation but for future 
generations as well. 
SEC. 3. Creation of the Office of Environmental Education - there is hereby 
created an Office of Environmental Education, (hereinafter referred to as the OFFICE), 
which shall be regular division of the Department of Environment and Natural 
resources. 
SEC. 4. Mandate - The Office shall be the primary government agency 
SEC. 5. Functions and Responsibilities - In pursuit of it's mandate the OFFICE 
a) develop and implement a national integrated and comprehensive action plan 
b) encourage understanding of policies and support of activities designed to 
enhanced environmental quality and maintain ecological balance: 
c) formulate and prescribe expanded and varied program of curriculum 
development to include value formation and behavioral change on environmental 
concerned issues for schools, colleges and universities; 
responsible for the environmental education and training of all sectors of the society. 
shall have the following functions and responsibilities: 
for environmental education and training: 


d) provide support for the initiation and maintenance of programs for 
e) design and conduct massive information dissemination campaigns and 
f) exercise such other functions as may be necessary in pursuit of it's mandate; 
g) deputize or request the assistance of appropriate government agencies, local 
government units and non-governmental organizations for the purpose of implementing 
this Act. 
SEC. 6. Organization -the authority and the responsibility for the implementation 
of the mandate of the OFFICE and the exercise of its functions and responsibilities shall 
be vested in the executive Director of the office. He shall be appointed by the President 
upon the recommendation of the Secretary of the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources. He shall: 
exercise overall supervision and control relative to the functions and 
activities of the OFFICE; 
environmental education for the general public; 
environmental education and training programs; 
a) 
b) 
c) 
d) 
establish policies and standards for the efficient and effective 
cooperation of the OFFfCE in accordance with the overall program of the government; 
implement rules, regulations and other issuances necessary in 
executing policies, plans projects and programs of the OFFICE; 
perform such other functions as, may be provided by law or as 
appropriately assigned by the President or the Secretary of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources. 
SEC. 7. Staff of the Authority - To achieve its desired goals and objectives, the 
OFFICE, through the Executive Director shall organize its working staff of not less than 
ten employees, fix to their salaries and remunerations, subject tot the provisions of the 
Civil Service Law. 
SEC. 8. National, Environmental Education Advisory Council - There is hereby 
created a National Environmental Education and Advisory Council composed of 
representatives appointed by the respective Department Secretary/University President, 
who shall serve as ex-officio members from the following agencies: 
a) 
b) 
Department of Education 
c) 
d) 
Philippine Information Agency 
e) 
University of the Philippines 
The Advisory Council shall be primary tasked to advise the Executive Director on 
the design and promulgation of policies, methods, techniques, programs and projects 
relative to environmental education and training, and to monitor and evaluate the overall 
performance of the OFFICE and recommend necessary measures thereon. 
Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
Department of Science and Technology 


SEC. 9. Transitory Provision - The Secretary of Environment and Natural 
Resources shall oversee the implementation of this Act within ninety (90) days after its 
effectivity. 
SEC. 10. Appropriations - the amount necessary for the implementation of this 
Act shall be taken from the current fiscal year appropriations of the Department of 
Environment and Natural Resources. The succeeding appropriations shall be included 
in the General Appropriations Act for the fiscal year immediately following the effectivity 
of this Act and every year thereafter. 
SEC. 11. Separability Clause - If for any cause, any part of this Act is declared 
unconstitutional, the rest of the provisions shall remain in force and effect. 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause - All acts, decrees, general orders, letters of 
instructions, regulations and circulars, or parts thereof inconsistent with any provision of 
this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 13. Effectivity - This Act shall take effect fifteen days after its publication in 
two newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,