FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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SENATE 
%No. 3126 
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Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 provides that: 
SEC. 1 6  The State shall protect and advance the right of the 
people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the 
rhythm and harmony of nature. 
As an archipelago, our country is surrounded by oceans. A great part of our economy is 
derived from ocean related industries. It is one of our paramount concerns to maintain the 
ecological balance of our oceans. 
Ocean acidification is one of the growing concerns of scientists around the world. This 
phenomenon is defined as the decrease in pH of the Earth's oceans and changes in ocean 
chemistry caused by chemical inputs from the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide. One of the 
effects identified is the imbalance in calcium carbonate, leaving calcifying organisms vulnerable 
to dissolution. Such organisms include coccolithophores, corals, foraminifera, echinoderms, 
crustaceans and mollusks. 
This bill seeks to establish research and monitoring initiative that would ensure that we 
would have sufficient information to act on the increasing danger of ocean acidification. 
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FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
1 
Second Regular Session 
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i 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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AN ACT 
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TO PROVIDE FOR OCEAN ACIDIFICATION RESEARCH AND MONITORING 
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Congress assembled: 
Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. -This Act shall be known as the "Ocean Acidification Research 
and Monitoring Act of 2009." 
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SECTION 2. Purposes. - The purposes of this Act are to provide for- 
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A. development and coordination of a comprehensive interagency plan to- 
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1. monitor and conduct research on the processes and consequences of ocean 
acidification on marine organisms and ecosystems; and 
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2. establish an interagency research and monitoring program on ocean 
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acidification; 
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B. establishment of an ocean acidification program within the Philippine Atmospheric, 
Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA); 
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C. assessment and consideration of regional and national ecosystem and socioeconomic 
impacts of increased ocean acidification; and 
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D. research on adaptation strategies and techniques for effectively conserving marine 
ecosystems as they cope with increased ocean acidification. 
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SECTION 3. Dejkitions. - The purposes of this Act the term - 
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A. OCEAN ACIDIFICATION - means the decrease in pH of the Earth's oceans and 
changes in ocean chemistry caused by chemical inputs from the atmosphere, 
including carbon dioxide; 
B. SECRETARY - means the Secretary of Science and Technology acting through 
PAGASA; and 
C. SUBCOMMITTEE - means the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and 
Technology of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and 
Development (PCAMRD). 
SECTION 4. Interagency Subcommittee. - The Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science 
and Technology of the PCAMRD shall coordinate national activities on ocean acidification. 
SECTION 5. Duties. -The Subcommittee shall- 
A. develop the strategic research and monitoring plan to guide national research on 
ocean acidification required under this Act and oversee the implementation of the 
plan; 
B. oversee the development of- 
1. an assessment of the potential impacts of ocean acidification on marine 
organisms and marine ecosystems; and 
2. adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and 
ecosystems exposed to ocean acidification; 
C. facilitate communication and outreach opportunities with nongovernmental 
organizations and members of the stakeholder community with interests in marine 
resources; 
D. coordinate the national research and monitoring program with research and 
monitoring programs and scientists from other nations; and 
E. establish or designate an Ocean Acidification Information Exchange to make 
information on ocean acidification developed through or utilized by the interagency 
ocean acidification program accessible through electronic means, including 
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information which would be useful to policymakers, researchers, and other 
stakeholders in mitigating or adapting to the impacts o f  ocean acidification. 
SECTION 6. Report to Congress. - 
A. Not later than one (1) year after the effectivity o f  this Act, the Subcommittee shall 
transmit a report to the appropriate committees in the Senate and the House of 
Representatives that- 
1. includes a summary of government funded ocean acidification research and 
monitoring activities, including the budget for each of these activities; and 
2. describes the progress in developing the strategic research plan required under 
this Act. 
B. Not later than two (2) years after the delivery of the initial report under paragraph (1) 
and every 2 years thereafter, the Subcommittee shall transmit a report to the 
appropriate committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives that- 
1. a summary o f  government funded ocean acidification research and monitoring 
activities, including the budget for each of these activities; and 
2. an analysis of the progress made toward achieving the goals and priorities for 
the strategic research plan developed by the Subcommittee under this Act. 
C. Not later than two (2) years after the effectivity of this Act, the Subcommittee shall 
transmit the strategic research plan developed under this Act to the appropriate 
committees in the Senate and the House of Representatives. A revised plan shall'be 
submitted at least once every five (5) years thereafter. 
SECTION 7. Strategic Research Plan. - Not later than two (2) years after the effectivity 
of this Act, the Subcommittee shall develop a strategic plan for national research and monitoring 
on ocean acidification that will provide for an assessment of the impacts of ocean acidification 
on marine organisms and marine ecosystems and the development of adaptation and mitigation 
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strategies to conserve marine organisms and marine ecosystems. In developing the plan, the 
Subcommittee shall consider and use information, reports, and studies of ocean acidification that 
have identified research and monitoring needed to better understand ocean acidification and its 
potential impacts, and recommendations made by the National Research Council of the 
Philippines (NRCP) in the review of the plan required under subsection (d). 
SECTION 8. Contents of the Strategic Research Plan. - The strategic research plan shall 
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A. establish, for the 10-year period beginning in the year the plan is submitted, the goals 
and priorities for national research and monitoring which will- 
1. advance understanding of ocean acidification and its physical, chemical, and 
biological impacts on marine organisms and marine ecosystems; 
2. improve the ability to assess the socioeconomic impacts of ocean 
acidification; and 
3. provide information for the development of adaptation and mitigation 
strategies to conserve marine organisms and marine ecosystems; 
B. describe specific activities, including- 
1. efforts to determine user needs; 
2. research activities; 
3. monitoring activities; 
4. technology and methods development; 
5. data collection; 
6. database development; 
7. modeling activities; 
8. assessment of ocean acidification impacts; and 
9. participation in international research efforts; 
C. identify relevant programs and activities of the government agencies that contribute 
to the interagency program directly and indirectly and set forth the role of each 
government agency in implementing the plan; 
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D. consider and utilize, as appropriate, reports and studies conducted by other entities; 
E. make recommendations for the coordination of the local ocean acidification research 
and monitoring activities with such activities of other nations and international 
organizations; 
F. outline budget requirements for national ocean acidification research and monitoring 
and assessment activities to be conducted by each agency under the plan; 
G. identify the monitoring systems and sampling programs currently employed ' in 
collecting data relevant to ocean acidification and prioritize additional monitoring 
systems that may be needed to ensure adequate data collection and monitoring of 
ocean acidification and its impacts; and 
H. describe specific activities designed to facilitate outreach and data and information 
exchange with stakeholder communities. 
SECTION 9. Program Elenzents. - The plan shall include at a minimum the following 
program elements: 
A. Monitoring of ocean chemistry and biological impacts associated with ocean 
acidification at selected coastal and open-ocean monitoring stations, including 
satellite-based monitoring to characterize- 
1 : marine ecosystems; 
2. changes in marine productivity; and 
3. changes in surface ocean chemistry. 
B. Research to understand the species specific physiological response of marine 
organisms to ocean acidification, impacts on marine food webs of ocean acidification, 
and to develop environmental and ecological indices that track marine ecosystem 
responses to ocean acidification. 
C. Modeling to predict changes in the ocean carbon cycle as a function of carbon dioxide 
and atmosphere-induced changes in temperature, ocean circulation, biogeochemistry, 
ecosystem and terrestrial input, and modeling to determine impacts on marine 
ecosystems and individual marine organisms. 
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D. Technology development and standardization of carbonate chemistry measurements 
on moorings and autonomous floats. 
E. Assessment of socioeconomic impacts of ocean acidification and development of 
adaptation and mitigation strategies to conserve marine organisms and marine 
ecosystems. 
SECTION 10. NCRP Review. - The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with the 
NCRP to review the plan. 
SECTION 11. Public Participation. - In developing the plan, the Subcommittee shall 
consult with representatives of academic, local government, industry and environmental groups. 
Not later than 90 days before the plan, or any revision thereof, is submitted to the Congress, the 
plan shall be duly published for a public comment period of not less than 60 days. 
SECTION 12. PAGASA Ocean Acidification Activities. - The Secretary shall conduct 
research and monitoring activities and may establish a program on ocean acidification within 
PAGASA consistent with the strategic research plan developed by the Subcommittee under this 
Act that- 
A. Includes- 
1. interdisciplinary research among the ocean and atmospheric sciences, and 
coordinated research and activities to improve understanding of ocean 
acidification; 
2. the establishment of a long-term monitoring program of ocean acidification 
utilizing existing global and national ocean observing assets, and adding 
instrumentation and sampling stations as appropriate to the aims of the 
research program; 
3. research to identify and develop adaptation strategies and techniques for 
effectively conserving marine ecosystems as they cope with increased ocean 
acidification; 
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4. as an integral part of the research programs described in this Act, educational 
opportunities that encourage an interdisciplinary and international approach to 
exploring the impacts of ocean acidification; 
5. as an integral part of the research programs described in this Act, national 
public outreach activities to improve the understanding of current scientific 
knowledge of ocean acidification and its impacts on marine resources; and 
6. coordination of ocean acidification monitoring and impacts research with 
other appropriate international ocean science bodies; 
B. provides grants for critical research projects that explore the effects of ocean 
acidification on ecosystems and the socioeconomic impacts of increased ocean 
acidification that are relevant to the goals and priorities of the strategic research plan; 
and 
C. incorporates a competitive merit-based process for awarding grants. 
SECTION 13. Appropriations. -The amount necessary for the implementation of this Act 
is hereby appropriated. 
SECTION 14. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
valid and subsisting. 
SECTION 15. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
SECTION 16. Efectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
/apm03052009 
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