Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
Public parks in a city is of unparalleled necessity and even more so in a 
country like the Philippines. Where majority of our citizens have to live with an 
uptight budget and inability to afford a high-end lifestyle, the availability of free 
recreational facilities is, to say the least, paramount for people to live a simple yet 
happy life. 
Public parks serve as a favorable venue for people, especially the indigents, to 
enjoy recreational activities. Students may utilize available free spaces for their 
extracurricular activities like dance or drama practices. Our elders will have a reason 
to wake up early in the morning to do some walking exercises. These parks can serve 
as a place where all individuals from different walks of life to meet, socialize, play, or 
just to have fun. It can also be a favorable place to rest, ponder, or express one's 
artistic side. Public parks may also serve as a venue to assemble people for important 
social, commercial, and political events. 
Since public parks are meant for all - rich and poor, children and adults, men 
and women alike - without any distinction or discrimination, it fosters a democratic 
influence and somehow promotes equality. 
Furthermore, when people of the same interests, hobbies or talents converge 
in one place, a sense of belonging is immediately created and more likely than not, 
these formed groups will lead to the further betterment of each other's craft. In other 
words, a public park may encourage the unison of random people sharing the same 
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passion. In effect, public parks afford people a great opportunity to cultivate talents, 
friendship and harmony in the society. 
 
Ours is a nation with people whose primary objective is to survive each day 
and ensure that there is food on their plate. Therefore, our people barely have enough 
time and reason to relax, enjoy, and do other things that can in fact help them 
develop their full potential. 
 
We may not realize it but encouraging our hardworking people to spend some 
time alone or with their families even for just a couple of hours in a week to do 
whatever they enjoy will help them develop a sense of balance in life. Aside from this, 
allowing them to gather and socialize or to express and hone their hobbies or talents, 
undeniably leads to their individual development and well-roundedness. 
 
Having citizens who are well-rested, content, fulfilled, and with a high sense 
of self-worth inevitably contributes to the nation's development as a whole. Public 
parks, no matter how indirectly, provides a venue for this ideal goal. 
 
Nonetheless, this very significant potential role of public parks in the 
promotion of social and national development will be defeated if these parks are not 
easily accessible to the public. Hence, equally vital and important is the presence of 
nearby and easily accessible public parks. 
 
This is where the importance of establishing at least one public park in every 
city comes into play and it is for this reason that the approval of this bill is strongly 
recommended. 
 
 
 
EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
 
 
 
 
 
 


Republic of the Philippines 
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
Constitution Hills, Quezon City 
NINETEENTH CONGRESS 
First Regular Session 
House Bill No._____ 
________________________________________________________________ 
Introduced by: REPRESENTATIVE EDWIN L. OLIVAREZ 
AN ACT PROVIDING AT LEAST ONE PUBLIC PARK IN EVERY CITY 
SECTION 1. Short Title. This Act shall be known as the "City Park Act of 
2023.” 
SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. It is the policy of the State to provide the 
public an accessible venue or forum where they can enjoy, gather, socialize and do 
other recreational activities that will foster individual development, friendship, and 
group harmony amongst one another. 
SECTION 3. Establishment of One Park in Each City. Every city 
government is hereby mandated to provide and maintain a secured and safe leisure 
park accessible to the public for free. 
Each city park shall be open to the public for at least eight (8) hours a day, 
seven days a week, but in no case shall be accessible to the public beyond twelve 
o'clock (12:00) midnight. 
______________________________ 
SITE REQUIREMENTS 
SECTION 4. Ocular inspection and Site Visit. Before selecting or acquiring 
a site where the public city park shall be erected, the City Mayor and City Engineering 
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Office shall conduct an ocular inspection thereof and ensure that, as much as 
practicable, the potential park site is located on the central part or heart of the city. 
 
The park site shall be selected and evaluated in accordance with the 
regulations prescribed by the DPWH and plans therefor shall be approved by the 
same. 
 
SECTION 5. Site and Plans to de Approved by the DPWH. A building shall 
not be acquired or erected for use as a public park until the site is selected and 
evaluated in accordance with the regulations prescribed by the Department of Public 
Works and Highways (DPWH) and the plans therefor are approved by the same. 
 
______________________________ 
 
OFFICIAL PLAN 
 
SECTION 6. Official Plan Must Be Certified. For the purposes of this 
Section, "official plan" means a plan that is certified by the Regional Director of the 
DPWH to be as such. 
 
SECTION 7. Copies of the Official Plan. The official plan shall be submitted 
to the DPWH. One (1) copy thereof shall be deposited in the Office of the City Mayor, 
and another shall always be kept in the Administration Office of the public city park. 
 
SECTION 8. Public inspection. Copies of official plans must be available for 
public inspection during regular business hours and any person may obtain a copy 
of an official plan on payment of a fee prescribed by the local government unit or the 
administration committee maintaining the public park. 
 
SECTION 9. Eminent Domain. For the purpose of erecting, developing, 
widening or relocating the city park as the case may be, any private lands, properties, 
highways and/or roads may be acquired by the local government unit concerned for 
the purpose of doing all work necessary to the functional operation of the city park, 
provided that due compensation shall be made to the owners thereof. 
 


SECTION 10. Widening and/or Relocating the City Park. The local 
government unit may widen, relocate, or otherwise alter the boundaries of the city 
park upon a reasonable finding that the same is necessary either due to over-
crowdedness (for widening) or due to the increasing crime rate in the area (for 
relocation) or for whatever ground or basis the local government unit deems 
reasonable and proper. 
 
______________________________ 
 
UTILITIES 
 
SECTION 11. Widening and/or Relocating the City Park. The Sanggunian 
of a city may enter into an agreement with any municipality or person, natural or 
juridical, owning or operating a waterworks system for the supply of water for the 
city public park. 
 
SECTION 12. Sewerage System. The Sanggunian of a city may enter into an 
agreement with a private entity (i.e. corporation) or with any city or municipality for 
connecting the city public park with the sewerage system of such city or municipality.  
 
SECTION 13. Electricity. The Sanggunian of a city may enter into an 
agreement with any person for the supply of electricity for light, heat or power 
purposes at the city public park. 
 
______________________________ 
 
FACILITIES 
 
SECTION 14. Playground and/or Children-Friendly Facilities. The city 
public park must have a portion where a playground or any child-friendly facility is 
to be erected for the use of toddlers and children. These facilities shall likewise be 
open to the public free of charge. 
 
SECTION 15. Environmental-Friendly Facilities. The city public park must 
as much as practicable, adopt and/or use environmental-friendly facilities, 
equipment and/or system in the operation of the said public park. 


 
SECTION 16. Garbage Disposal. The respective administration offices of the 
city parks must adopt and implement a garbage segregation scheme that must be 
maintained at all times. 
 
______________________________ 
 
STAFFING 
 
SECTION 17. Administration Committee. The city mayor shall appoint 
members of the City Park Administration Committee who shall manage the operation 
of the city public park. The City Park Administration Committee shall consist of five 
(5) members; 
 
SECTION 18. Executive Director. The Administration Committee shall elect 
from among its members an Executive Director of the city park who shall act as its 
chairman who shall be responsible for the general supervision and management of 
the city park, and shall have the power to prescribe regulations for observance by 
the public subject to the approval of the Administration Committee. 
 
SECTION 19. Park Officers. The Administration Committee may hire as 
many park officers as it deems necessary to ensure that the rules and policies of the 
public park are being maintained or followed. These park officers shall assist the 
public visiting the city park and shall handle their needs, inquiries and/or immediate 
grievances. These park officers shall be delegated or assigned post in strategic 
stations within the premises of the park. They shall likewise performs other functions 
as may be delegated by the Administration Committee. 
 
The number of park officers that may be hired by the Administration 
Committee shall depend on the area size of the park and the number of people who 
regularly visit the same. 
 
SECTION 20. Administrative Staff. The Administration Committee may hire 
as many administrative staff or personnel as it deems necessary for the efficient 
operation of the public park who shall be responsible for the paper works of the 
Administration Office. The Committee may delegate additional clerical tasks to the 


administrative staff which should always be necessary and desirable for the 
operation of the public park. 
 
SECTION 21. Maintenance and Utility. The Administration Committee may 
hire as many maintenance and utility personnel as it deems necessary for the upkeep 
and cleanliness of the public park. 
 
SECTION 22. Security. The Administration Committee may hire as many 
watchmen as it deems necessary for the effective guarding of the public park day and 
night. Provided that at least one (1) guard per work shift shall be assigned or posted 
at the entrance gate of the public park and at least one (1) guard per work shift shall 
be designated as a roving guard who shall maintain the peace and order within its 
premises and shall ensure the safety of the visiting public. 
 
______________________________ 
 
LEASE PERMITS 
 
SECTION 23. Grant of Building Lease within the Premises of' the Park. 
The Executive Director may, in his discretion and with the approval of the 
Administration Committee, grant leases for buildings for terms not exceeding ten (10) 
years in said park for the accommodation of the visiting public; 
 
SECTION 24. Grant of Other Commercial Leases. The Executive Director 
may grant a permit authorizing a person or organization to sell merchandise, to 
advertise, or to otherwise engage in service-type of business within the premises of 
the public park for a reasonable fee. Provided that the merchandise, advertisement, 
or service to be provided to the public within the premises of the park are of 
wholesome nature and are suitable or safe for the visiting children to see or witness. 
 
______________________________ 
 
CHARGES ALLOWED AGAINST THE VISITING PUBLIC 
 


SECTION 25. Prohibition Against Collection of Entrance Fees. No 
entrance fee shall be charged against or collected from any person before he or she 
can be allowed access to the park. 
 
SECTION 26. Allowed Fees and Charges. With the prior approval of the 
Administration Committee, the Executive Director may make regulations prescribing 
a fee, rate, or charge payable by the visitors of the said park for the following: 
 
a. The exclusive use of a portion of the park. 
 
b. The holding of a private event in any portion of the park. 
 
c. Penalties and fines to be prescribed by the Executive Director for 
violation of any regulation being implemented within the premises of 
the park, provided that these regulations are made available and known 
to the public upon entering the public park. 
 
In light of this, the Administration Committee may post the said rules and 
regulations in a bulletin board placed in conspicuous places in the park or it may 
opt to distribute printed handouts to every visitor thereof. 
 
However, an offending visitor must be given a first warning by any park officer 
or security personnel of the public park. A second attempt of disobedience or 
defiance, whether intentional or not, shall entail the imposition of the respective 
penalty and/or fine. 
 
______________________________ 
 
PROHIBITIONS 
 
SECTION 27. Sleeping. No person shall enter or be allowed to enter the 
public park after the operating hours of the same. In addition, sleeping in the 
premises of the park after its operating hours shall likewise be prohibited. 
 
SECTION 28. Squatting and/or any Private Construction. No person shall 
be allowed to establish a make-shift dwelling within the premises of the public park. 


A person must not construct, install, erect or place any structure, improvement or 
work of any nature in the said park except as otherwise authorized under this Act 
by virtue of a valid permit issued by the Executive Director. 
 
SECTION 29. Dumping. Transporting or depositing any 
garbage, 
refuse, 
domestic and/or industrial waste in any park is prohibited. 
 
______________________________ 
 
RIGHTS 
 
SECTION 30. Rights and interest Vested in the Government. As a general 
rule, every right, title, and interest in any structure, improvement or installation in 
the public park belongs to the local government unit except as otherwise provided by 
a park use permit or resource use permit. 
 
SECTION 31. No Private Rights Except by Permit. A person or party must 
not be permitted to acquire any property right in the city park except under a valid 
permit as s issued by the Executive Director and as provided for in this Act. 
 
______________________________ 
 
OFFENSES AND PENALTIES 
 
SECTION 32. General Penalty. A person who contravenes any provision of 
this Act is liable to a fine of up to P10,000.00 or a term of imprisonment of not more 
than one (1) year or both at the discretion of the court. 
 
SECTION 33. Continuing offense. When a contravention of this Act or the 
regulations prescribed by the Executive Director continues for more than one (1) day, 
the person is guilty of a separate offence for each day on which the contravention 
continues. 
 
______________________________ 
FINAL PROVISIONS 


 
SECTION 34. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The DPWH, in 
coordination with the DILG and local government units, shall promulgate the 
implementing rules and regulations for the effective and immediate implementation 
of this Act. 
 
SECTION 35. Repealing Clause. All laws, decrees, executive orders, letters 
of instructions, rules and regulations or parts thereof, which are inconsistent with 
this this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly. 
 
SECTION 36. Separability Clause. If any provision of this Act is judicially 
declared invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions of this Act not affected 
thereby shall be continue to be in full force and effect. 
 
SECTION 37. Effectivity Clause. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days 
following its publication in two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
 
Approved.