When I was in college, tree planting was a requirement for graduation. In the 18th Congress, a bill with the same intent was filed and approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives. Sadly, it did not become a law. The bill, HB 8728 or the "Graduation Legacy for the Environment Act”, requires all graduating elementary, high school, and college students to plant at least 10 trees each as a prerequisite for graduation. A similar bill was refiled in the 19th Congress.
From students, lawmakers now have their eyes on builders. A bill was recently passed by the House of Representatives which requires building permit applicants to plant trees. The speed at which the bill was passed is one for the books. It was filed on July 03, 2023 and was approved on second reading exactly a month after on August 2, 2023. The following week, August 09, 2023, the bill was approved unanimously on the third and final reading.
The bill, known as “Green Measures Act”, mandates the submission of a tree planting plan as a requirement in the application for building permits. All applicants for building permits of residential, commercial, industrial and public building development projects are mandated to submit a Tree Planting Plan (TPP) in addition to other requirements imposed by local government units and other existing laws.
The proposed law applies to both government and private entities. Any person, firm, corporation, department, office, bureau, agency or instrumentality of the government intending to construct, alter, repair or convert any building or structure, is required to set aside, and properly maintain in said property, areas adequate for planting and maintaining trees and flora.
The minimum number to be planted is one (1) tree for every five hundred (500) square meters for commercial or industrial projects or one (1) tree for every two hundred fifty (250) square meters for housing and development projects.
The tree planting shall give preference to indigenous species of trees, taking into account the location, climate and topography of the area. Planting non-vigorously growing endemic ornamental plants or trees and fruit bearing trees is recommended for residential lots.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in coordination with the Department of the Interior and Local Government, the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Public Works and Highways are tasked to issue the necessary implementing rules and regulations (IRR). The bill itself is very concise and thus needs details in the IRR.
After the approval in the House, the bill was transmitted to the Senate last August 14, 2023. However, there is still no counterpart bill filed in the Senate, but there is more than enough time to pass their version. Meanwhile, local government units can pass their own ordinances similar to this bill.
If the bill won’t progress into a law, builders, developers and contractors are still encouraged to incorporate the planting of native trees in their site development.