Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth congress
+  -ri  First Regular Session
HOusEBTL`L^rio.5985
Introduced by Representative Christian S. Unabia
EXPLANATORY NOTI]
This bill seeks to provide for the mandatory appointment of provincial, city
and-  municipal-  environmerfu  and  natural-  resources  officer,  amending  for  the
purpose Republic Act  (RA) No.  7160,  as  amended or the  "Loco/ Gover#me#f
Code of 1991 " .
The   implementation   of  RA   9003   or   the    "Eco/ogjccr/   So/jc7   Wczs/e
A4cz77cygeme#f ,4c/" is weak due to the absence of a permanent municipal, city or
provincial  environment  and  natural  resources  officer  (MENRO,  CENRO,  or
PENRO).   Usually, the functions of the MENRO, CENRO, or PENRO are only
added to the regular functions of an existing local agriculturist and worst, if an
environment officer is appeinted at all, the empleyment statu-s is orily contractu-al.
Under  Section  484,  Article  XIV  of RA  7160,  the  appointments  of  a
MENRO, CENRO, and PENRO are only optional. Given the current natural and
man-made environmental crises that the country is experiencing, it is high time
and crucial to appoint a permanent environment and natural resources officer for
the  provincial,  city  and  municipal  government  who  can  develop  plans  and
programs and provide technical assistance to the local executive as regards the
protection,  sustainable  utilization,  and  conservation  of the  environment  and
nattmal res-otlrces within the local govemmeut unit.
This bill does not only aim to strengthen the implementation of RA 9003
but also intends to promote awareness down to the grassroot level on the existing
environmental crises the country is challenged with, and pass remedial measures
that will address the deteriorating state of the environment.


In view of the foregoing, approval of this bill is earnestly sought.


Republic of the Philippines
House of Representatives
Quezon City, Metro Manila
Nineteenth Congress
First Regular Session
-I.     +   ~   .~
HOUSE BILL; NO. 5985
Introduced by Representative Christian S. Unabia
AN ACT
PROVIDING     FOR     THH     MANDATORY     APPOINTMENT     OF
PROVINCIAL,    CITY    AND    MUNICIPAL    ENVIRONMENT    AND
NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICER, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE
RHPUBLIC ACT NO. 7160, AS AMENDED, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS
T" "LOCAL GOVERNMENT CODE OF 1991 "
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House Of Representatives Of the Philippines
in Ccingress ctssembled:
SECTION   1.     Section  443   of  Republic  Act  No.   7160,   as  amended,
otherwise known  as  the  "£occz/ Gover#me#J Coc7e  o/ /99/ "  is hereby  further
amended to read as follows:
CSECFTOIN 443.   Of f iicia[s Of the Municipal Government.
(a)  There  shall be  in  each municipality  a municipal mayor,  a
municipal vice mayor, sangguniang bayan members, a secretary
to the  sangguniang bayan,  a municipal treasurer,  a municipal
assessor, a municipal accountant, a municipal budget officer, a
municipal planning and development coordinator, a municipal


engineerfuuilding official,  a municipal health officer,  [and]  a
municipal      civil     registrar[.],     AND     A     MUNICIPAL
ENVIRONMENT      AND      NATURAL      RESOURCES
OFFICHR.
"(b)   In   addition   thereto,   the   mayor   may   appoint   a
municipal administrator, a municipal legal officer, a municipal
agriculturist,  [a municipal  environment  and natural  resources
offieer7] a municipal social welfare and development officer, a
municipal architect, and a municipal information officer.
"xxx."
SEC.  2.   Section  454 of Republic Act No.  7160,  as  amended,  otherwise
known as the  "£occz/ Gover#me#/ Coc7e o//99/ " is hereby amended to read as
follows:
"EEC;TTOIN  454.   Officials  Of the  City  Government.   (tL)
There shall be in each city a mayor, a vice mayor, sangguniang
panlungsod    members,    a    secretary    to    the    sangguniang
pan]ungsod, a city treasurer, a city assessor, a city accountant, a
city    budget    officer,    a    city    plarming    and    development
coordinator,  a city engineer,  a city  health officer,  a city  civil
registrar,   a  city   administrator,   a  city   legal   officer,   a  city
veterinarian,  a  city  social  welfare  and  development  officer,
[and]   a   city   general   services   officer[.],   AND   A   CITY


ENVIRONMENT      AND      NAT URAL      RE SOURCH S
OFFICHR.
"(b) In addition thereto, the city mayor may appoint a city
architect,  a city  information officer,  a city agriculturist,  a city
population officer,  [a city  environment and natural  resources
offieer7] and a city cooperatives officer.
"xxx"
SEC.  3.   Section 463  of Republic Act No.  7160,  as  amended,  otherwise
known as the  "£occJ/ Gover#me#/ Coc7e o//99/ " is hereby amended to read as
follows:
CCF+ECTroIN 463.   Of f icials Of the Provincial Government.
There  shall be  in each province  a governor,  a vice  governor,
members of the sangguniang panlalawigan,   a secretary to the
sangguniang panlalawigan, a provincial treasurer, a provincial
assessor,   a  provincial  accountant,   a  provincial  engineer,   a
provincial    budget    officer,     a    provincial    planning    and
development coordinator, a provincial legal officer, a provincial
administrator,  a provincial  health officer,    a provincial  social
welfare and development officer, a provincial general services
officer,       a   provincial   agriculturist,    [aHd]       a   provincial
veterinarian[.I,  AND  A  PROVINCIAL  ENVIRONMENT
AND NATURAL RESOURCES OFFICER.


"a)  In  addition  thereto,  the  governor  may  appoint  a
provincial  population  officer,  [a provincial  environment  and
natural  resources  officer,]  a provincial  cooperative  officer,  a
provincial architect, and a provincial information officer.
"xxx.„
SEC.  4.   Section 484 of Republic Act No.  7160,  as  amended,  otherwise
known as the  "£occr/ Gover#"e#/ Coc7e o//99J " is hereby amended to read as
follows:
CCSECTICIN 484.  Qualifiications, Powers and Duties. ~ (a)
No   person   shall   be   appointed   environment   and   natural
resources  officer  unless  he  is  a  citizen  of the  Philippines,  a
resident of the local government unit concerned, of good moral
character,    a   holder   of   a   college   degree   preferably   in
environment, forestry, agriculture or any related course from a
recognized college or university, and a first-grade civil service
eligible or its equivalent.  He must have acquired experience in
environmental       and      natural      resources      management,
conservation,  and utilization,  for at least five (5) years in the
case of the provincial or city environment and natural resources
officer,   and  three  (3)  years  in  the  case  of  the  municipal
environment and natural resources officer.


"The   appointment   of   the   environment   and   natural
resources officer is  [cpticr.al] MANDATORY for provincial,
city, and municipal governments."
SEC. 5.  The anount necessary to carry out the implementation of this Act
shall be charged against the current year's appropriations of the local government
units.       Thereafter,   such   sums   as   may   be   necessary   for   the   continued
implementation of this Act shall be included in their armual budget.
SEC.   6.      The  DENR  shall,   in   coordination  with  the   Civil   Service
Commission and the Secretaries of Budget and Management, and the Interior and
Local Government, formulate and promulgate the necessary rules and regulations
for the effective implementation of this Act.
SEC.   7.      All   laws,   decrees,   proclamations,   issuances   or   ordinances
inconsistent  with  any  provision  of this  Act  are  hereby  amended,  repealed  or
modified accordingly.
SEC. 8.  This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in
the Q#cz.cr/ Gcz=ezze or in a newspaper of general circulation.
Approved,