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Republic of the Philippines fh RECEIVED %'
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES [1-5 at poue27 2022 w
Quezon City

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

2500

HOUSE BILLNO. —

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE DANTE S. GARCIA

EXPLANATORY NOTE

In 2012, RA No. 10176 or the Arbor Day Act was enacted into law mandating the
local government units (LGUs) to designate a day in the year to observe Arbor Day and to
allocate for a budget for annual tree planting activity.

The law mandates the LGUs from the provinces, cities, municipalities and
component barangays to pass a resolution or ordinance designating a day of the year for the
observance of Arbor Day or tree planting/growing, by creating an Arbor Day Celebration
Committee. Further, it also requires the LGUs to report to the Department of Interior and
Local Government (DILG) the day of such Arbor Day observance. However, it is not clearly
known if all provinces, cities/municipalities and component barangays have passed such
resolutions, ordinances for the observance Arbor Day and if the LGUs have been allocating
funds for its implementation since its passage. Congress should be informed of the
compliance of LGUs on such an important legislation.

The law and its Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) specifically mandates
Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) to supply the LGUs
with planting materials, requires the Department of Environment and Natural Resources
(DENR), the Department Education (DepEd), the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd)
the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) as well as the Liga ng mga Barangay to establish
nurseries and produce planting materials for distribution to LGUs or for their own use. Other
agencies have also been assigned various tasks in the implementation of the Arbor Day Law,
however, it is not properly monitored if these agencies have been performing the tasks that
they have been assigned.


In 1999, the National Convergence Initiative (NCI) was adopted to formulate a
framework for sustainable rural development and poverty reduction, signed by the DA, DAR
and DENR through Joint Memorandum Circular JMC No. 01 Series of 1999. The
implementation of Arbor Day Law could be an effective vehicle for pursuing the objectives of
the National Convergence Initiative which are: |. To facilitate the implementation of different
agencies to ensure that resources are maximized by achieving synergy and institutional
efficiency; 2) To build partnership between and among the local communities, LGUs and
government agencies to ensure that all development interventions are based on actual needs and
aspirations of the community; 3) To expand opportunities for agro-enterprise and agribusiness
development for its constituency; and 4) achieve spatial integration within different ecosystem
to ensure environmental integrity and sustainability!

It is eamestly sought that this Act be approved to attain the intent and purpose of
RA 10176, which is to rehabilitate denuded forests, to provide the ecological needs and
environmental services, to combat the adverse effects of climate change as well as provide
resources for livelihood projects for rural communities, to strengthen the response of the LGUs
in implementing the Arbor Day law of 2012 and to improve the efficiency of the DILG in
supervising and implementing the law.

" NCI Operations Manual


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

NINETEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

a
HOUSE BILL No,_2900

Introduced by REPRESENTATIVE DANTE S. GARCIA

AN ACT

PROVIDING MECHANISMS THAT SHALL ENSURE THE EFFECTIVE
IMPLEMENTATION OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 10176, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE

“ARBOR DAY ACT OF 2012”

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

SECTION 1. Section 2 of Republic Act No. 10176 is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the
State to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful
ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. Towards this end, the
vital role and importance of trees in ecological stability is recognized, Hence, there
is a need for a collaborated effort between the State and its citizenry to combat the
loss of our natural resources and rejuvenate our environment by
REHABILITATING DEGRADED FOREST LAND AREAS, IMPROVING
SOIL FERTILITY AND LAND PRODUCTIVITY, AND REDUCING SOIL

EROSION ESPECIALLY IN THE RURAL AND UPLAND AREAS,


undertaking nationwide tree planting activities and providing effective measures
for their maintenance and sustainability.

“Itis hereby mandated that all provinces, cities and municipalities with their
component barangays shall be required to revive, by appropriate proclamation of
their respective local chief executives, an Arbor Day at an appropriate fixed date
every calendar year as shall be deemed suitable according to the proper time and
season for planting trees in the respective provinces and their Tespective component
municipalities or cities concerned. Although adoption of uniform dates for every
Province and its component municipalities and cities shall be encouraged, varying
dates for Arbor Day celebrations may be permitted in order to afford flexibility in
planning and in implementing tree planting programs to adjust to the proper time
and period of the year most suited to the trees selected to be planted, and as local
budgetary allotments shall allow.”

SEC. 2. Section 9 of the same Act is amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 9. Areas Covered by Tree Planting.- THE DENR SHALL
IDENTIFY SUITABLE AREAS IN EACH LGU TO BE PLANTED TO
VARIOUS SPECIES OF TREES AND PLANTS, INCLUDING BAMBOO.
THE DENR SHALL ALSO ENSURE THAT NATIONAL GREENING
PROGRAM SITES WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY AND CITY SHALL
CONTINUE TO PROPAGATE AND PLANT VARIOUS SPECIES TO
ENHANCE EXISTING VEGETATION.

“The local Arbor Day Celebrations Committee shall [specify] SELECT the
area within the LGU to be planted or reforested FROM AMONG THE AREAS

IDENTIFIED BY THE DENR AS SUITABLE FOR THESE PURPOSES.


“If the area to be planted or reforested is a protected area or a protection
forest, the Committee shall encourage the use of endemic or indigenous species
during the observance of the Arbor Day designated by the LGU

“The tree planting activities shall be done in any of the following areas:

“(a) Public school grounds, gardens or other available areas within the
school premises;

“(b) Idle or vacant public lands;

“(c) Public parks in urban and rural areas; and

“(@) Private schools, parks and lands with the consent of the owner thereof.”

SEC. 3. A new Section 11-A is inserted after Section 11 of the same Act to read as
follows:

“SEC. 11-A. ANNUAL REPORTS. - THE DILG SHALL MONITOR
THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT AND SUBMIT AN ANNUAL
REPORT TO THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE
CREATED UNDER SECTION 11-B HEREIN ON THE COMPLIANCE OF
LGUs WITH THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT.

“THE DENR SHALL ALSO SUBMIT AN ANNUAL REPORT TO.
‘THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE ON THE AREAS IT.
HAS IDENTIFIED IN EACH LGU THAT ARE SUITABLE TO TREE

PLANTING AND REFORESTATION.”

SEC, 4. A new Section 11-B is inserted after Section 11-A of the same Act to read as

follows:
“SEC. 11-B. CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE. - A
CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE IS HEREBY CREATED

TO MONITOR AND OVERSEE THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT.


IT SHALL BE CO-CHAIRED BY THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE
COMMITTEE ON LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES AND THE SENATE, AND SHALL HAVE AS
MEMBERS THE CHAIRPERSONS OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON
REFORESTATION AND COMMITTEE ON NATURAL RESOURCES OF

THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, AND THE CHAIRPERSON AND
VICE-CHAIRPERSON OF THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT,
NATURAL RESOURCES AND CLIMATE CHANGE OF THE SENATE.

THE CONGRESSIONAL OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE SHALL
PRESCRIBE AND ADOPT GUIDELINES WHICH SHALL GOVERN ITS
WORK. IT SHALL EXERCISE ALL THE POWERS NECESSARY AND
INCIDENTAL TO ATTAIN THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH IT IS
CREATED. IT SHALL REVIEW THE ANNUAL REPORTS OF THE DILG
AND DENR ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ACT.”

SEC. 5. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the
Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,