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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH (18") CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No. _ 2537

Introduced by: Representative Jose L. Atienza, Jr.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Our country has been blessed with an abundance of natural resources, more
than enough to provide for our needs, and even that of the world.

But decades of neglect and abuse from unscrupulous groups — have depleted
most of these resources, foremost of which are our forests — which take hundreds
of years to grow and sustain.

On the frontlines of this fight to protect and preserve our environment and
natural resources are our forest rangers. To date, there are only a few hundred of
them watching and protecting hundreds of thousands of hectares of forests all
around the country. Through the years, they have endured long hours of work,
insufficient pay, and many have even given up their lives in the performance of
their duties.

This Magna Carta for Forest Rangers seeks to provide our forest rangers
with the long-overdue benefits and protection that they so rightly deserve. These
include an entry level position of salary grade 18, security of tenure, hazard
allowance, transportation, longevity, and subsistence allowance, among others.
These are all designed to give due recognition to and provide just dompensation for
their hard work and dedication in safeguarding our forests.



Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

EIGHTEENTH (18") CONGRESS
First Regular Session

HOUSE BILL No, _2597

Introduced by: Representative Jose L. Atienza, Jr.

THE MAGNA CARTA FOR FOREST RANGERS

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

SECTION 1. Title.— This Act shall be known as the “ Magna Carta for
Forest Rangers. “

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy and Objective. — Forest Rangers
perform a critical role in the protection and preservation of the country’s remaining
forests and the reforestation of the denuded ones, yet, they lack the necessary
employment protection commensurate to their contribution to the protection and
development of this very important natural resource. Thus, this Act aims to (a) to
promote and improve the social and economic well-being of forest rangers, their
living and working conditions and terms of employment; (b) to develop their skills
and capabilities; and (c) to recruit and encourage those with proper qualifications
to join and remain in government service;

SECTION 3. Duties and Responsibilities. — The following are the duties
and responsibilities of forest rangers:

1. Monitor and evaluate plant life, animal life, soil erosion, water quality,
forest fire hazards, poaching activities, hunting, logging and mining
activities, as well as conduct other scientific activities aimed at the
protection and preservation of the country’s forests and wildlife;

2. Prepare and submit detailed quarterly reports of activities conducted and
make appropriate recommendations under the circumstances;

3. Perform and implement programs and policies geared towards the
protection and preservation of the country’s forests, including the wildlife
found therein, implement reforestation programs and other similar
efforts;


4. Coordinate and actively work together with law enforcement agencies,
including the Armed Forces of the Philippines, local government units,
other relevant government agencies and non-governmental organizations
for the strict enforcement and implementation of pertinent environmental
laws;

5. Perform such other relevant scientific activities;

SECTION 4. Qualifications. — As a minimum qualification, forest rangers
must be a Filipino citizen and a resident of the Philippines, of good moral character
and a holder of a four-year degree in forestry, biology, environmental science,
environmental management, coastal resource management or other similar field of
education, provided that they possess appropriate civil service eligibility, subject to
the applicability of Republic Act 1080;

SECTION 5. Recruitment. — Upon the effectivity of this Act, the
Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is
mandated to immediately develop and prepare a recruitment policy with regard to
the selection and appointment of forest rangers in accordance with policies, rules
and regulations of the Civil Service Commission and must complete the same
within a period of six (6) months. Pending preparation of such recruitment policy,
the Secretary is hereby authorized to issue temporary appointments to those
currently retained as contractual forest rangers even if they do not meet the
educational qualifications mentioned in the immediately preceding paragraph,
provided that such temporary appointment shall not exceed twelve (12) months.

There shall be created a minimum number of forest rangers positions
equivalent to the ratio of one (1) forest ranger per five hundred (500) heactares of
lands classified as forest or timber;

SECTION 6. Performance Evaluation and Merit Promotion .— The
Secretary of the DENR, upon consultation with the Civil Service Commission,
shall prepare a uniform career and personnel development plan, which shall
include provisions on merit promotion, performance evaluation, in-service training
grants, job rotation, suggestions and incentive award system. The performance
evaluation plan shall consider foremost the improvement of individual employee
efficiency and organizational effectiveness: provided, that each employee shall be
informed regularly by his or her supervisor of his or her performance evaluation.
The merit promotion plan shall be in consonance with rules of the Civil Service
Commission;

SECTION 7. Assignment and Transfer. — A forest ranger shall be assigned
in the province or city where such forest ranger is a resident and may not be
reassigned or transferred outside of such geographical location, unless the
exigencies of service demand his or her transfer or that he or she voluntarily
requested his or her transfer. However, request for transfer or reassignment is not
obligatory and may be denied on just and valid reasons or causes;


SECTION 8. Security of Tenure. - A forest ranger shall enjoy security of
tenure and shall not be terminated except for cause or causes provided by law and
after due process: provided, that if a forest ranger is found by the Civil Service
Commission to be unjustly dismissed from work, he or she be entitled to
reinstatement without loss of seniority rights and to his or her back wages with
twelve percent (12%) interest computed from the time his or her compensation was
withheld from his/her up to time of reinstatement;

SECTION 9. Discrimination. — A forest ranger shall not be discriminated
against on account of his or her gender, civil status, sexual orientation or
preferences, creed, religious or political beliefs and ethnic groupings in the
exercise of his or her profession. The same rule shall apply with regard to the
selection process leading to the entry into the position of forest ranger. Any
violation by the offending party shall be punished with the administrative penalty
of suspension or dismissal from service as the circumstances may warrant;

SECTION 10. Salary Grade and Additional Compensation. - the entry
level position of a forest ranger shall be salary grade 18. Except those deductions
allowed and/or required under existing laws or expressly authorized in writing by
the forest ranger concerned, no deductions shall be made from his or her salary.

SECTION 11. Working Hours. —The normal hours of work of a forest
ranger shall not exceed (8) hours a day or forty (40) hours a week. Hours worked
shall include: a) all the time during which a forest ranger is required to be on
active duty or to be at a prescribed workplace; and b)all the time during which a
forest ranger is suffered or permitted to work. Where the exigencies of the service
so require, any forest ranger may be required to render service beyond the normal
eight (8) hours a day. In such a case, the forest ranger shall be paid an additional
compensation in accordance with existing laws and prevailing practices.

SECTION 12. Working During Rest Day.— Where a forest ranger is made
to work on his or her scheduled rest day, he or she shall be paid an additional
compensation in accordance with existing laws. Where a forest ranger is made to
work on any special holiday he or she be paid an additional compensation in
accordance with existing laws. Where such holiday work falls on the forest
ranger’s scheduled rest day, he or she shall be entitled to an additional
compensation as may be provided by existing laws.

SECTION 13. Night-Shift Differential. — Every forest ranger shall be paid
a night-shift differential of ten percent (10%) of his or her regular wage for each
hour of work performed from ten (10) o’clock in the evening to six (6) o’clock in
the morning, on top of his or her regular overtime pay;

SECTION 14. Hazard Allowance. ~ Given the inherent hazards that a
forest ranger has to contend with doing his or her work in the field thereby
exposing him or her to physical dangers such forest ranger shall, by way of
additional compensation, be entitled to and paid hazard allowance;


SECTION 15. Subsistence Allowance. — Forest rangers shall be entitled to
full subsistence allowance of three (3) meals per day while in the field, travel time
being counted as time in the field;

SECTION 16. Longevity Pay.— A monthly longevity pay equivalent to
five percent (5%) of the monthly basic pay shall be paid to a forest ranger for every
five (5) years of continuous, efficient and meritorious services rendered as certified
by the chief of the office concerned, commencing with the service after the
approval of this Act.

SECTION 17. Transportation Allowance. — A forest ranger shall be
entitled to transportation allowance going to and from his place of assignment in
furtherance of the performance of his or her duties and responsibilities;

SECTION 18. Medical Examination. — Compulsory medical examination
shall be provided free of charge to all forest rangers before entering the service in
the Government or its subdivisions and shall be repeated once a year during their
tenure of employment: provided, that where medical examination shows that
medical treatment and/or hospitalization is necessary for those already in
government service, the treatment and/or hospitalization including medicines shall
be provided free either in a government or a private hospital by the DENR:
provided, further, that the cost of such medical examination and treatment shall be
included as automatic appropriation in said entity’s annual budget;

SECTION 19. Compensation for Injuries. — Forest rangers shall be
protected against the consequences of employment injuries in accordance with
existing laws. Injuries incurred while doing overtime work shall be presumed
work-connected.

SECTION 20. Leave Benefits. — forest rangers are entitled to such vacation
and sick leaves as provided by existing laws and prevailing practices: provided,
that women forest rangers are entitled to such maternity leaves provided by
existing laws and prevailing practices: provided, further, that upon separation of
forest rangers from service, they shall be entitled to all accumulated leave credits
with pay.

SECTION 21. Highest Basic Salary Upon Retirement. — Three (3) months
prior to his compulsory retirement, the forest ranger shall automatically be granted
one (1) salary range of grade higher than his or her basic salary and his or her
retirement benefit thereafter computed on the basis of his or her highest salary:
provided, that he or she has reached the age and fulfilled service requirements
under existing laws.

SECTION 22. Right to Self-Organization — Forest rangers shall have the
right to freely form, join or assist organizations or unions for purposes not contrary
to law in order to defend and protect their mutual interests and to obtain redress of
their grievances through peaceful concerted activities. Any interference to or
violation of this right shall be dealt with administratively and the offending party
punished with either suspension of dismissal from service as the circumstances of
the case may warrant;


SECTION 23. Prohibited Acts. — Forest rangers shall have the right to
enter, monitor, inspect, examine and evaluate all lands classified as forest or timber
even if those lands are covered by valid and existing agreements with private
individuals or corporations such as Forest Land Grazing Management Agreement,
Special Land Use Agreement and similar other contracts. Toward this end, it shall
be unlawful for any person or entity to prevent, interfere, obstruct, hinder, or delay
without just, valid and legal cause the performance by the forest ranger of his or
her official functions, including refusal to give him or her entry into the forest land
subject of the monitoring, inspection, examination or evaluation. Any violation
hereof shall cause the violator to be meted with the penalty of imprisonment
ranging from ten (10) to fifteen (15) years and a fine not exceeding Five Hundred
Thousand Pesos ( P 500,000.00);

SECTION 24. Rules and Regulations. — The Secretary of the DENR shall
formulate and prepare the necessary rules and regulations to implement the
provisions of this Act. Rules and regulations issued pursuant to this Section shall
take effect thirty (30) days after publication in a newspaper of general circulation;

SECTION 25. Prohibition Against Double Recovery of Benefits. —
Whenever other laws provide for the same benefits covered by this Act, the forest
ranger shall have the option to choose which benefits will be paid to him or her.
However, in the event that the benefits chosen are less than that provided under
this Act, the forest ranger shall be paid only the difference.

SECTION 26. Transitory Provision. — Individuals currently retained by
the government as forest rangers but do not meet the educational qualifications
mentioned in Section 4 above shall be provided by the government through the
DENR with free educational training in State Universities and Colleges (SUCs) for
them to be able to acquire the necessary educational qualification provided under
this Act. Towards this end, these individuals shall be allowed educational leave for
the duration of the term of their schoolings, provided that during semestral breaks,
they should report back to work. For the duration of their educational leave, they
shall be entitled to receive the regular salaries and emoluments that they are
receiving. They shall also be entitled to reasonable allowances to defray their
expenses while in school such as board and lodging, food and transportation
expenses.

This provision shall be valid only for ten (10) years from the effectivity of
this Act and shall automatically expire after such period.

Section 27. Appropriation. — The Secretary of the DENR shall, in the first
opportunity following the effectivity of this Act, as well as in the subsequent years,
include in the DENR’s yearly budget submission to Congress the necessary budget
estimates to fund in full the intents and purposes of this Act. Failure of the
Secretary to do so shall be a cause for him to be punished criminally and
administratively under pertinent laws;


SECTION 28. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is
declared invalid, the remainder of this Act or any provision not affected thereby
shall remain in force and effect;

SECTION 29. Repealing Clause. — All laws, presidential decrees,
executive orders and their implementing rules, inconsistent with the provisions of

this Act are hereby repealed, amended or modified accordingly.

SECTION 30. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days
after its publication in at least two (2) national newspapers of general circulation.

Approved.