SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. 2167 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
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TO FURTHER PROTECT PHILIPPINE 
CORALS AND 
OTHER MARINE 
TREASURES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 91 AND 97 OF' 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8550 OR THE PHILIPPINE FISHERIES CODE OF 1998 
Explanatory Note 
It is declared the policy of the State to conserve and protect the country's wildlife 
resources and promote biodiversity. Biodiversity is essential in addressing food 
security, sustainable development and the threats of climate change. 
Laws to protect the nature, such as Republic Act No. 8550 or the Philippine 
Fisheries Code of 1998 and RA 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and 
Protection Act of 2001, had been passed to prevent-or at least lessen-abuses in the 
trade of wild flora and fauna and protect endangered plants and animals. Although 
existing Philippine laws and international conventions had been in place to control 
trade of species in extinction, however, these do not deter abuses against nature, further 
escalated by threats of poaching in Philippine waters. 
It is in this view that penalties for violations against the nature are proposed to 
be increased, in particular to RA 8550, in order to ward off potential abusers and further 
protect our environment in the light of escalating degradation of the natural 
environment. 
The Philippines became a party to the Convention on International Trade of 
Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna or CITES, also known as the Washington 
Convention, in 19811. The Philippines is blessed with vast territorial waters and marine 
animals, but several of them had been listed as critically endangered, endangered or 
vulnerable. 
1 http://www.cites.org/eng/node/129 


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Laws providing stiffer penalties should be complemented with a collective action 
of citizens from the local, national and international level and adopt measures to 
develop areas without compromising the integrity of the environment. 
In consideration of the foregoing, approval of this measure is earnestly sought. 


SIXTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
S.B. 2267 
Introduced by Senator Poe 
AN ACT 
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"14 
JON -2 P 4 :31 
TO FURTHER PROTECT PHILIPPINE CORALS AND OTHER MARINE 
TREASURES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTIONS 91 AND 97 OF 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 8550 OR THE PHILIPPINE FISHERIES CODE OF 1998 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
SECTION 1. Section 91 of Republic Act No. 8550, otherwise known as the 
Philippine Fisheries Code of 1998, is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SECTION 91. Ban on Coral Exploitation and Exportation. - It shall be unlawful 
for any person or corporation to gather, possess, sell or export ordinary precious and 
semi-precious corals, whether raw in or processed form, except for scientific or research 
purposes. 
Violations of this provision shall be punished by imprisonment from six (6) 
months to two (2) years and a fine from [Two thousand pesos (P2,000.00) to Twenty 
thousand pesos (P20,000.00)] ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P100,000.00) TO 
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (P500,000.00), or both such fine and 
imprisonment, at the discretion of the court, and forfeiture of the subject corals, 
including the vessels and its proper disposition. 
The confiscated corals shall either be returned to the sea or donated to schools 
and museums for educational or scientific purposes or disposed through other means." 
SECTION 2. Section 97 of R.A. 8550 is hereby amended to read as follows: 
"SE<;::TION 97. Fishing or Taking of Rare, Threatened or Endangered Species. It 
shall be unlawful to fish or take, CATCH, GATHER, SELL, PURCHASE, POSSESS,. 
TRANSPORT AND EXPORT rare, threatened or endangered species, as listed [in the 
CITES] AND DEFINED AS SUCH IN THE CONVENTION ON INTERNATIONAL 
TRADE OF ENDANGERED SPECIES OF FLORA AND FAUNA HEREINAFTER 


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REFERRED TO AS CITES, THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR CONSERVATION 
OF NATURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES (IUCN), AND REPUBLIC ACT NO. 
9147, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS THE WILDLIFE RESOURCES CONSERVATION 
AND PROTECTION ACT and as [determined] IMPLEMENTED by the Department 
PURSUANT TO ITS RULES AND REGULATIONS. 
THE TAKING, CATCHING, GATHERING AND POSSESSION OF WILD 
SPECIES FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH OR ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION 
PURPOSES MAY BE ALLOWED SUBJECT TO THE RULES AND REGULATIONS 
PROMULGATED BY THE 
DEPARTMENT: PROVIDED, THAT GATHERING, 
SELLING OR EXPOR1lING CULTURED OR ARTIFICIALLY PROPAGATED 
SPECIES THAT HAVE BEEN TRANSPLANTED TO THEIR NATURAL HABITAT 
AND LISTED IN THE CITES, IUCN AND R.A. NO. 9147 SHALL NOT BE 
ALLOWED. 
nIE TAKING, CATCHING, GATHERING, POSSESSION OR TRADE OF 
ARTIFICIALLY PROPAGATED AND CULTURED SPECIES LISTED IN THE 
CITES, IUCN AND R.A. NO. 9147 MAY BE ALLOWED SUBJECT TO THE RULES 
AND REGULATIONS PROMULGATED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 
CONSISTENT WITH THE CITES RULES AND REGULATIONS, A NON-
DETRIMENTAL FINDING (NDF) SHALL BE CONDUCTED BEFORE ANY TRADE 
WILL BE ALLOWED TO THOSE SPECIES LISTED UNDER APPENDIX II AND III 
OF THE CITES. 
Violation of the provision of this section shall be punished by imprisonment of twelve 
(12) years to twenty (20) years and/or a fine of [One Hundred and Twenty Thousand 
Pesos (Php120,000.00)] ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (Php100,OOO.OO) to 
FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND PESOS (Php500,OOO.OO), [and] forfeiture of the catch, 
and the cancellation of fishing permit. 
SHOULD THE CULPABLE VIOLATION BE COMMITTED THROUGH OR BY A 
FISHING VESSEL MANNED BY MORE THAN TWO (2) PERSONS, THE HEAD OR 
CAPTAIN OF THE BOAT AND THE SUPPORT PERSONNEL THEREOF 
INVOLVED IN THE FISHING AND CATCHING OF SUCH PROTECTED MARINE 
LIFE SHALL BE PRESUMED TO HAVE COMMITTED THE PROHIBITED ACT 
AND THE PENALTY PROVIDED FOR IN THE IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING 
PARAGRAPH SHALL BE IMPOSED ON THEM." 
SECTION 3. The Department of Agriculture - The Bureau of Fisheries and 
Aquatic resources shall promulgate the rules and regulations to implement this 
amendment within sixty (60) days from the approval of this Act. 
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic resources shall, in coordination with the National 
Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Councils (NFARMC), Local Government 
Units, private institutions and other government agencies concerned, initiate the 
development of a fisheries resource management plan for each CITES listed species, 
indicating therein conservation and rehabilitation measures. 


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SECTION 4. This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in a 
newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,