Kaparkan Falls Ecotourism Site
Filed on August 6, 2025, and referred to the Committees on Tourism, Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, and Finance; it has been pending in committee since September 2, 2025.
The bill aims to promote sustainable tourism and protect natural resources.
The bill addresses the need for sustainable tourism development in the area.
Kaparkan Falls Ecotourism Site
This bill declares Kaparkan Falls in Barangay Caganayan, Tineg, Abra as an ecotourism site and establishes the Kaparkan Falls Development Council to oversee its development and management.
Compared with current law:
Kaparkan Falls is not recognized as an ecotourism site.
Kaparkan Falls is officially declared an ecotourism site, ensuring its protection and development.
No formal management body exists for Kaparkan Falls.
The Kaparkan Falls Development Council is established to oversee the site.
Limited support for local tourism development.
The DOT is mandated to support the development of Kaparkan Falls.
The bill declares Kaparkan Falls in Tineg, Abra as an ecotourism site and establishes the Kaparkan Falls Development Council to manage its development and ensure sustainable tourism.
Source · full text✦ Dashed tags are AI-suggested nuance; solid tags follow the committee taxonomy.
Stalled: the bill has sat in committee for over a month with no recorded action since its referral on September 2, 2025.
No floor deliberations yet — this measure has not reached plenary. Its committee-stage actions appear under Legislative history above.
TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session 1UG -6 A10:45 SENATE RECEIVCO OY S. No. 1014 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT DECLARING THE KAPARKAN FALLS LOCATED IN BARANGAY CAGANAYAN, MUNICIPALITY OF TINEG, PROVINCE OF ABRA AN ECOTOURISM SITE, AND ESTABLISHING THE KAPARKAN FALLS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL EXPLANATORY NOTE Ecotourism is a form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection, and management of natural resources, culture, and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors. Executive Order No. 111 issued by former President Joseph Ejercito Estrada on 1999 established the guidelines for ecotourism development in the country. It declared as State policy the "development and promotion of sustainable tourism while enjoining the participation of the Filipino people in enhancing the growth and competitiveness of the Philippine economy." It also recognized ecotourism as a viable and sustainable activity that will promote the protection of the environment while contributing to the expansion of the economy. Pursuant thereto, a National Ecotourism Strategy was crafted which provided the comprehensive framework and integrated management plan in protecting and
developing the natural resources and cultural heritage of the country and harnessing their potential toward inclusive development, employment generation, and poverty alleviation. This bill seeks to declare Kaparkan Falls in Tineg, Abra as an ecotourism site. Kaparkan Falls is a recently discovered natural wonder situated in Barangay Caganayan. Its enchanting beauty, featuring cascading waterfalls in unique multi- tiered rock formation, similar to the majestic Banaue Rice Terraces, captured the hearts of many local and foreign tourists. The inclusion of the Kaparkan Falls as one of the ecotourism sites would ensure the protection of the site against destructive practices, while allowing the municipality and its people to benefit from this magnificent communal asset. The passage of this legislation is recommended. gestat 1 JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA
Hail :1 firep of the TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES First Regular Session ) AUG -6 A10:45 SENATE RECENSO SY S. No. 1014 Introduced by Senator Jinggoy Ejercito Estrada AN ACT DECLARING THE KAPARKAN FALLS LOCATED IN BARANGAY CAGANAYAN, MUNICIPALITY OF TINEG, PROVINCE OF ABRA AN ECOTOURISM SITE, AND ESTABLISHING THE KAPARKAN FALLS DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:
Section 1. Kaparkan Falls Ecotourism Site. - The Kaparkan Falls located in
2 Barangay Caganayan in the Municipality of Tineg, Province of Abra, is hereby 3 declared an ecotourism site. Pursuant thereto, its development shall be prioritized 4 and supported by the Department of Tourism (DOT), subject to the rules and 5 regulations governing the development of ecotourism sites.
Sec. 2. Technical Description. - The technical description of the area
7 encompassing the Kaparkan Falls is as follows: PARCEL I pertains to the area beginning at a point marked "1" on the Land 9 Classification Map, with Latitude 17°43'20.045", Longitude 120°49'23.406" situated 10 in Barangay Caganayan, Municipality of Tineg, Province of Abra: thence N 66°36'3" W 197.74 meters to corner 2; thence N 42°0'47" W 757.30 meters to corner 3; thence S 85°16'40" W 779.17 meters to corner 4; thence N 12°10'7" W 286.49 meters to corner 5; thence N 77°23'41" W 643.61 meters to corner 6; thence S 67°44'4" W 718.40 meters to corner 7;
thence N 24°40'5" E 422.70 meters to corner 8; N 13°15'39" W thence 309.23 meters to corner 9; thence N 13°15'39" W 796.43 meters to corner 10; thence N 66°47'45" W 487.84 meters to corner 11; thence S 40°6'0" W 300.02 meters to corner 12; thence N 67°42'56" W 377.03 meters to corner 13; thence N 28°49'58" W 1372.40 meters to corner 14; thence N 55°40'44" W 1405.10 meters to corner 15; thence N 16°5'33" W 802.84 meters to corner 16; thence N 37°22'38" E 1372.04 meters to corner 17; thence N 47°56'7" W 575.48 meters to corner 18; thence N 47°56'6" W 2987.39 meters to corner 19; thence N 43°56'28" W 3073.46 meters to corner 20; thence N 40°47'23" E 181.17 meters to corner 21; thence N 41°1'7" W 281.26 meters to corner 22; thence N 33°46'57" E 1109.68 meters to corner 23; thence N 88°56'9" E 661.69 meters to corner 24; thence N 44°36'46" E 667.95 meters to corner 25; thence S 59°49'30" E 351.17 meters to corner 26; thence N 24°39'42" E 435.90 meters to corner 27; thence S 75°5'23" E 578.87 meters to corner 28; thence N 49°41'30" E 441.90 meters to corner 29; thence S 85°18'52" E 916.37 meters to corner 30; thence S 63°41'21" E1 232.59 meters to corner 31; thence S 47044'2" E 1515.21 meters to corner 32; thence S 38°22'14" W 254.05 meters to corner 33; thence S 77°4'26" W 69.41 meters to corner 34; thence S 42°13'55" W 230.04 meters to corner 35; thence S 15°38'32" W 193.19 meters to corner 36; thence S 47°13'19" W 233.74 meters to corner 37; thence S 33°57'36" W 262.86 meters to corner 38; thence S 59°52'5" E 1447.06 meters to corner 39;
thence N 43°13'58" E 747.38 meters to corner 40; thence N 52°34'12" E 338.69 meters to corner 41; thence 5 43°56'23" E 632.71 meters to corner 42; thence N 65°28'46" E 612.02 meters to corner 43; thence S 79933'27" E 719.87 meters to corner 44; thence S 32°45'9" E 288.29 meters to corner 45; thence S 23°49'12" W 360.89 meters to corner 46; thence S 31°32'18" E 403.22 meters to corner 47; thence S 48°34'20" E 1138.30 meters to corner 48; thence S 72°34'53" E 240.80 meters to corner 49; thence S 39°6'26" E 283.88 meters to corner 50; thence S 37°6'50" W 529.58 meters to corner 51; thence 5 0°22'3" E 652.55 meters to corner 52; thence S 35°43'5" E 994.36 meters to corner 53; thence S 11°16'36" E 409.83 meters to corner 54; thence S 12°0'46" W 966.56 meters to corner 55; thence S 16°32'51" E 688.54 meters to corner 56; thence S 19°28'39" W 619.13 meters to corner 57; thence N 82°45'28" W 628.25 meters to corner 58; thence N 39°34'10" W 358.96 meters to corner 59; thence N 74°22'15" W 288.19 meters to corner 60; thence N 80°8'28" W 28.50 meters to corner 61; S 19°23'4" W thence 47.33 meters to corner 62; thence S 2°14'12" W 52.25 meters to corner 63; thence S 63°20'54" E 203.07 meters to corner 64; thence S 13°6'8" E 164.61 meters to corner 65; thence S 50°57'43" W 622.29 meters to corner 66; thence S 33°13'57" E 783.24 meters to corner 67; thence S 3°21'33" W 801.22 meters to corner 68; thence S 20°20'36" E 781.26 meters to corner 69; thence 56056'41" E 689.00 meters to corner 70; thence S 32°45'50" W 425.67 meters to corner 1,
containing an area of 6,827 hectares, more or less. PARCEL II pertains to the area beginning at a point marked "1" on the Land Classification Map, with Latitude 17°46'34.257", Longitude 120°46'52.307" situated in Barangay Caganayan, Municipality of Tineg, Province of Abra: thence N 47°52'37" W 109.32 meters to corner 2; thence N 1°53'12" W 180.48 meters to corner 3; thence N 29°54'10" W 210.51 meters to corner 4; thence N 8°20'28" W 184.31 meters to corner 5; thence S 8807'44" E 124.15 meters to corner 6; thence N 53°31'33" E 96.36 meters to corner 7; thence S 19°16'52" E 134.16 meters to corner 8; thence S 11°49'12" E 171.94 meters to corner 9; thence N 39°3'16" E 251.05 meters to corner 10; thence S 2°4'4" W 383.32 meters to corner 11; thence S 23°31'52" W 156.74 meters to corner 12; thence S 72°39'18" W 151.01 meters to corner 1. containing an area of seventeen (17) hectares, more or less.
Sec. 3. Kaparkan Falls Development Council. - The Kaparkan Falls
Development Council, hereinafter referred to as the Council, is hereby created. It shall be composed of the following members: a) Representative from the Office of the Mayor of the Municipality of Tineg, as Chairperson; b) Head of the Tineg Municipal Tourism Office; c) Head of the Tineg Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office; d) Representative from the DOT; e) Representative from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR); f) Two (2) representatives from the indigenous peoples sector in the Municipality of Tineg; and g) Two (2) representatives from the private sector in the Province of Abra.
The term of office of the members of the Council shall be coterminous with the incumbent Municipal Mayor of Tineg. The Provincial Government of Abra shall provide a Secretariat for the Council including the funding necessary to cover expenses for the performance of its official functions and activities.
Sec. 4. Functions and Responsibilities of the Council. - The Council shall have
6 the following functions: a) Formulate and implement the Kaparkan Falls Development Plan, in consultation with concerned agencies of the government, local residents, businesses and other stakeholders; b) Assess and evaluate the potential impact of the development to the environmental safety and well-being of the ecotourism site, communities and enterprises; C) Provide technical and financial assistance to the communities within the ecotourism site; d) Formulate rules and regulations in relation to the maintenance and security of the ecotourism site; and e) Perform other functions as may be necessary to carry out the objectives of this Act.
Sec. 5. Role of the DOT. - The DOT shall assist the municipal government of
Tineg in the implementation of the Kaparkan Falls Development Plan by providing technical assistance in tourism capacity building. It shall also include the Kaparkan Falls in its national and regional promotion programs.
Sec. 6. Appropriations. - The funding for the implementation of this Act shall
be included in the annual budget of the municipal government of Tineg. The DOT may augment such allocation with internally-generated funds.
Sec. 7. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from
the effectivity of this Act, the Council shall, in consultation with the DOT, DENR and concerned agencies of the government, promulgate rules and regulations to implement this Act.
Sec. 8. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act shall be declared
unconstitutional or invalid, the other provisions not affected thereby shall remain in full force and effect.
Sec. 9. Repealing Clause. - All laws, rules, regulations, executive orders,
proclamations, presidential decrees and other issuances inconsistent with any of the provisions of this Act are hereby deemed repealed or amended accordingly.
Sec. 10. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in a national newspaper of general circulation. Approved,
Reproduced from the Senate document. The official PDF is the authoritative version.