FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
1 
7 
JlL -2 ’ 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
1 
S E N A T E  
I 
Senate Bill No. 4 7 6 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The alarming rate of environmental degradation merits our increasing 
concern for the need to protect and preserve the ecological foundation of our 
Mother Earth. For the past few years, the science of environment has become 
more and more complex. 
Environmental issues and concerns, like ozone depletion and global 
warming, are becoming too technical and complicated for the general public to 
understand. There is an urgent 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 is imperative to enable them 
to understand the consequences of the increasing demands of development on 
the environment and its resources, and their responsibility to maintain 
environmental stability so that future generations may enjoy their share of the 
environment‘s benefits and rewards. In so doing, 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, it is hoped that private initiative in the 
protection of the environment will be enhanced. Hence, its immediate passage is 
urgently requested. 


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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
7 JIJ. -2 
p 3 : 
First Regular Session 
) 
Senate Bill No. 
~- 
INTRODUCED BY SEN. JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA 
AN ACT 
CREATING THE OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, DEFINING ITS 
FUNCTIONS 
AND 
RESPONSIBILITIES, 
APPROPRIATING 
FUNDS 
THEREFORE, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES 
Be if enacted by fhe Senate ana‘ House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the “National 
Environmental Education Act of 2007.” 
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, offshore areas and other 
natural resources, including the protection and enhancement of the quality of the 
environment, and 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 as well as for the future generation. 
In order to efficiently sustain this commitment, a program of environmental 
education to instill and promote public awareness on environmental issues is 
necessary. 
SEC. 3. Creation of the Office of Environmental Education. - There is 
hereby created an Office of Environment Education, hereinafter referred to as the 
OFFICE which shall be a regular division of the Department of Environment and 
Natural Resources. 
SEC. 4. Mandate. -The OFFICE shall be the primary government agency 
responsible for the environmental education and training of all sectors of society. 
SEC. 5. Functions and Responsibilities. - In pursuit of its mandate, the 
OFFICE shall have the following functions and responsibilities: 
a. develop and implement a national integrated and comprehensive action 
plan for environmental education and training: 


b. encourage understanding of policies and support activities designed to 
enhance environmental quality and maintain ecological balance; 
c. formulate and prescribe an expanded and varied program of curriculum 
development to include value formation and behavioral change on 
environmental concerns and issues for schools, college and universities; 
d. provide support for the initiation and maintenance of programs for 
environmental education for the general public; 
e. design and conduct massive information dissemination campaign and 
environmental education and training programs; 
f. deputized or request the assistance of appropriate government 
agencies, local government units and non-governmental organizations for 
the purpose of implementing this Act; 
g. exercise such other function as may be necessary in pursuit of its 
mandate. 
SEC. 6. Organization. - The authority and the responsibility for the 
implementation of the mandate of the OFFICE and the exercise of its function 
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. The Executive Director 
shall have the following functions: 
a. exercise overall supervision and control relative to the functions and 
activities of the OFFICE: 
b. establish policies and standards for the efficient and effective operation 
of the OFFICE in accordance with the overall program of government; 
c. implement rules, regulations and other issuances necessary in 
executing policies, plans, projects and programs of the OFFICE; 
d. perform such other functions as may be provided by law or as 
approximately 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 their salaries and remunerations, 
subject to the provisions of the Civil Service Law. 
SEC. 8. National Environment Education Advisory Council. - There is 
hereby created a National Environmental Education Advisory Council composed 
of representatives appointed by the respective Department Secretaryluniversity 
President, who shall serve as Ex-Officio members, from the following agencies: 
a. Department of Environment and Natural Resources 
b. Department of Education, Culture and Sports 
c. Department of Science and Technology 
d. Philippine Information Agency 


e. University of the Philippines 
The Advisory Council shall be primarily 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. 
SEC. 9. Jransitory Provision. - The Secretary of Environment and 
Natural Resources shall oversee the implementation of this Act within 90 days 
after its effectivity. 
SEC. 
I O .  
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 appropriation for the Office shall be included in the Annual 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 in 
effect. 
SEC. 12. Repealing Clause. -All acts; decrees, general orders, letters of 
instruction, regulations and circulars; or parts thereof inconsistent with any 
provision of this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 13. €t%ecfivify. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (I 
5) days after its 
publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved,