National Coastal Greenbelt Act

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES ) JUL 14 A11:46 First Regular Session ) SENATE RECEIVED 5Y S. No._ Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL ARMEWORK FOR TINE BET ONES M, RESTORATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL GREENBELT ZONES TO STRENGTHEN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL COASTAL GREENBELT MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES EXPLANATORY NOTE Every ecosystem is an agreement between life and its surroundings—a quiet balancing act performed by nature itself. Nowhere is this more evident than in our mangrove forests, which rise precisely where land meets the force of the sea, absorbing the blows of storm surges, anchoring coastlines, nurturing fisheries, and reminding us that where the risks are greatest, nature places its strongest defenses. The Philippines faces an average of 20 typhoons per year, with increasing storm intensity due to climate change.! Fortunately, nature offers a first line of defense: coastal greenbelts-particularly mangroves-act as living buffers that absorb wave energy, reduce storm surges, and prevent coastal erosion. Mangrove forests, in particular, have been proven to save lives and reduce damage during extreme weather events. In India, for instance, villages shielded by wider mangrove belts during the 1999 super cyclone experienced significantly fewer deaths, even after accounting for socioeconomic and geographic differences. In India, for instance, villages shielded by wider mangrove belts during the 1999 super cyclone experienced 1 Retrieved on 08 July 2025, from https://www.pagasa.dost.gov.ph/climate/tropical-cyclone- information

significantly fewer deaths, even after accounting for socioeconomic and geographic differences.? The physical structure of mangroves-dense roots, stems, and leafy canopies- enables them to dissipate wave energy rapidly. According to Mazda et al. (2006), mangrove forests dominated by Sonneratia species were shown to reduce large wave forces during typhoons, serving as an effective natural barrier.3 Supporting this, McIvor et al. (2012) found that wave height can be reduced by 13 to 66 percent over just 100 meters of mangrove forest, with the highest attenuation occurring near the forest edge where waves begin to lose energy as they pass through the dense vegetation. The effectiveness of this natural wave buffer depends on factors such as root structure, tree density, water depth, and shoreline slope. The Philippine experience further affirms these findings. In Bais Bay, Negros Oriental, post-Typhoon Odette (Rai) assessments in 2021 showed that naturally growing mangroves such as Avicennia marina and Sonneratia alba demonstrated strong storm resilience and played a vital role in reducing the impacts of the storm surge. During the earlier Super Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) in 2013, coastal villages in the central Philippines with greater mangrove cover experienced significantly fewer deaths and less housing damage, with each additional hectare of mangroves reducing mortality by 2.6% and property loss by up to 0.7%. These local experiences highlight the critical role of mangroves in protecting coastal communities from extreme weather events. Yet, despite such clear evidence of their value, mangrove ecosystems in the Philippines continue to decline. While mangroves are widely acknowledged as vital nature-based solutions to climate change-prompting the adoption of various laws, policies, and programs aimed at their protection-this recognition has not been enough to reverse historical losses. In 2 Das, S. & Vincent, J.R. (2009). Mangroves protected villages and reduced death toll during Indian super cyclone. PNAS, 106(18), 7357-7360. Retrieved on 09 July 2025 from website https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2678660/ 3 Mazda, Y., Magi, M., Ikeda, Y., Kurokawa, T., & Asano, T. (2006). Wave reduction in a mangrove forest dominated by Sonneratia sp. Wetlands Ecology and Management, 14, 365-378. Retrieved on 09 July 2025 from website https://doi.org/10.1007/s11273-005-5388-0 4 McIvor, A., Möller, I., Spencer, T., & Spalding, M. (2012). Reduction of wind and swell waves by mangroves. Natural Coastal Protection Series: Report 1, Cambridge Coastal Research Unit Working Paper 40. Retrieved July 2025 from website https://www.conservationgateway.org/ConservationPractices/Marine/crr/library/Documents/wind-and- swell-wave-reduction-by-mangroves.pdf

1920, the country had an estimated 450,000 hectares of mangrove forests. By 1990, this had fallen to 317,500 hectares, and the most recent data shows a further decrease to just 311,400 hectares, reflecting a persistent trend of degradation. 5 It is within this context-where the science is clear, the local experience is compelling, and degradation continues-that the proposed National Coastal Greenbelt Act finds both its urgency and purpose. This measure seeks to institutionalize a unified, science-based, and community-grounded framework for the protection, restoration, and sustainable management of coastal greenbelt zones throughout the Philippines. At its core is the formulation of a National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (NCGMAP), which will provide a spatially defined, operational roadmap for the designation, rehabilitation, and long-term maintenance of greenbelt areas, using geospatial tools, ecological assessments, and vulnerability mapping. The bill also addresses one of the long-standing drivers of mangrove loss: the widespread conversion of mangrove forests to aquaculture. Through a targeted operational plan, it mandates the reversion of abandoned, undeveloped, and underutilized fishponds back to mangroves, with clear timelines, enforcement mechanisms, and integration into local plans. Recognizing the central role of local governments and communities, the measure empowers coastal LGUs to develop Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plans (LCGMAPs), offers performance-based incentives through a Coastal Greenbelt Fund, and ensures technical and financial support for implementation, monitoring, and community participation. In doing so, the bill aims not only to reverse decades of degradation but to embed resilience, equity, and ecological integrity into the country's coastal governance system. In view of the foregoing, the urgent passage of this bill is sought. LOREN LEGARDA 5 Climate Change Commission. (n.d.). In the Philippines, mangroves are natural protectors against storm surges. Retrieved on 09 July 2025 from website https://climate.gov.ph/news/902#:~:text=In%20the%20Philippines%2C%20mangroves%20are,man grove%20sites%20in%20the%20Philippines

TWENTIETH CONGRESS OF THE ) REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 25 JUL 14 A11:46 First Regular Session RECEIED SY: SENATE S. No. 519 Introduced by Senator Loren Legarda AN ACT INSTITUTIONALIZING A NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR THE DESIGNATION, RESTORATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF COASTAL GREENBELT ZONES TO STRENGTHEN DISASTER RISK REDUCTION, CLIMATE ADAPTATION, AND COASTAL BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION, ESTABLISHING THE NATIONAL COASTAL GREENBELT MANAGEMENT ACTION PLAN, PROVIDING FUNDS THEREFOR, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress assembled:

Section. 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "National Coastal

2 Greenbelt Act".

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby the declared policy of the State:

(a) To uphold the people's constitutional right to a healthful and balanced ecology; (b) To recognize that climate change and disaster risk reduction and management are closely interrelated, and effective disaster risk reduction will enhance climate change adaptive capacity; (c) To mainstream the important contribution of Mangroves and beach forest species in reducing the impacts of climate change and mitigate the adverse impacts of natural coastal hazards on human lives and property; (d) To integrate, consolidate and institutionalize coastal greenbelt framework strategy and action plans into all development plans,

programs, and projects, and all actions and decisions of the national government, local government, business, non-government organizations, local communities, and the public in general; (e) To develop and implement a coherent, comprehensive, integrated, efficient National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan that aims to reduce our vulnerability to climate change and disaster risks, enhance adaptive capacity and build national and local resilience to climate change-related disasters; (f) To enjoin the participation of national and local governments, businesses, non-government organizations, local communities, and the public in the development, implementation, monitoring, and assessment of plans, programs, and activities to prevent and reduce the adverse impacts of climate change through the establishment of coastal greenbelt zones; and (g) To adopt the precautionary principle in the planning, conservation, rehabilitation, and management of coastal greenbelt zones.

Sec. 3. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms and

phrases shall mean as follows: (a) Coastal Greenbelt Zone refers to specific strips of natural or artificially created coastal vegetation, stretching at least one hundred (100) meters in width from the sea towards land, primarily of mangrove and beach forest species, designed to prevent coastal erosion, and mitigate the adverse impacts of natural coastal hazards on human lives and property; (b) Coastal Zone refers to a band of dry land and adjacent ocean space (water and submerged land) in which terrestrial processes and uses directly affect oceanic processes and uses, and vice versa. Its geographic extent may include areas within a landmark limit of one (1) kilometer from the shoreline at high tide to include mangrove swamps, brackish water ponds, nipa swamps, estuarine rivers, sandy beaches, and other areas within a sea ward limit of two hundred (200) meters

isobath to include coral reefs, algal flats, seagrass beds and other soft- bottom areas; (c) Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) refer to non-State actors whose aims are neither to generate profits nor to seek governing power, but to unite people to advance shared goals and interests. Their right to participate at all levels of decision-making is guaranteed by the Constitution and they have a significant role in public life, expressing the interests and values of their members or others, are based on ethical, cultural, scientific, environmental, human rights, religious or philanthropic considerations. CSOs may include nongovernment organizations (NGOs), professional associations, foundations, independent research institutes, community-based organizations, and social movements, whether local, national, or international; (d) Designated areas refer to site-specific stretches of vegetation in the coastal zone, defined in relation to risk factors and vulnerability to coastal hazards and reserved for protection and maintenance under the National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan. The area may undergo rehabilitation, reforestation, or afforestation with locally appropriate native species. Designated areas with abandoned fishponds require the reversion of these fishponds to Mangroves through natural regeneration or replanting with locally and ecologically appropriate species; (e) Fisherfolk Settlement Areas refer to certain areas of the public domain, specifically near the fishing grounds, granted to or reserved for the settlement of municipal fisherfolks; (f) Integrated Coastal Zone Management refers to an effective approach to sustainable coastal and marine development with demonstrated benefits in enhancing economic growth, ecosystem protection, promotion of social equity, and the quality of life of the people; (g) Mangroves refer to a community of intertidal plants in the tropics and subtropics including all species of trees, shrubs, vines and herbs growing along tidal mudflats and shallow water coastal areas extending inland

along rivers, streams and their tributaries where the water is generally brackish; (h) National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (NCGMAP) refers to the Operational Plan that shall serve as the guide for the Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan; and (i) Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (LGCMAP) refers to the local action plan of the coastal local governments that shall be based on the NCGMAP. It shall contain the specific goals and targets for the implementation of the program set in the NCGMAP.

Sec. 4. Establishment of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Coastal

Greenbelt Zones. - A National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Coastal Greenbelt Zones is hereby established, which shall be an attached agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The Committee shall be composed of seven (7) members, consisting of: (a) Secretary of the DENR, who shall act as the Chairperson; (b) Secretary of the Climate Change Commission (CCC), who shall act as the Secretariat; (c) Secretary of the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); (d) Director of the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR); (e) Executive Director or authorized representative of the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA); (f) Two (2) Executive Members, to be appointed by the Committee; and (g) One (1) Consultant, to be appointed by the Committee; The Executive Members shall be appointed from the ranks of the academe and the scientific community, at least one (1) of whom shall be a woman. An Executive Member shall have at least seven (7) years of relevant experience in the field of mangrove and beach forest ecosystems, oceanography, or other related disciplines, 29 among other criteria that may be set by the Committee. The Consultant must be a representative from a CSO that demonstrates capacity to promote the public interest, with identifiable leadership, membership, and

1 structure, and has been actively involved in mangrove research, among other criteria that may be set by the Committee. The Executive Members and Consultant shall serve the Committee without compensation but may be reimbursed for basic expenses to attend meetings and prepare technical reports. The NTAC shall convene within six (6) months from the effectivity of this Act.

Sec. 5. Powers and Functions of the National Technical Committee on Coastal

Greenbelt Zones, - The NTAC on Coastal Greenbelt Zones shall have the following powers and functions: 1) To review existing relevant policies and to conduct studies on mangrove forests and other coastal resources, and their preservation; 2) To prepare a comprehensive and integrated National Coastal Greenbelt Management Plan (NCGMAP) for the preservation, reforestation, afforestation, and sustainable development of coastal resources; 3) To establish the guidelines in identifying the areas to be declared as Coastal Greenbelt Zones; 4) To identify and delineate the boundaries of Coastal Zones, which shall form part of the Coastal Greenbelt Zones; 5) To exercise control and supervision over the development and implementation of the Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plans; 6) To provide Local Government Units (LGUs) with instructional training modules, technical assistance, and other capacity-building programs designed to enhance their competence and proficiency in coastal greenbelt protection and management and other nature-based solutions; 7) To utilize satellite-based remote sensing, geospatial mapping, and change detection tools provided by the Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) for the identification, delineation, monitoring, and evaluation of Coastal Greenbelt Zones; 8) To integrate geospatial data and spatial analysis into the National Coastal Greenbelt Management Plan (NCGMAP) and establish a

centralized, interoperable spatial database for real-time tracking of greenbelt restoration, fishpond reversion, and enforcement activities; and 9) To promulgate the rules and regulations necessary to carry out the provisions of this Act. The NTAC shall engage state universities and colleges (SUCS), marine science institutes, and accredited non-governmental organizations (NGOS) for technical assistance in training, applied research, ecological monitoring, and policy development in support of the National Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (NCGMAP).

Sec. 6. Creation of National Coastal Greenbelt Management Plan. - The NTAC

shall prepare a consolidated and integrated National Coastal Greenbelt Management Plan (NCGMAP) not later than twelve (12) months from the effectivity of this Act. The NCGMAP shall, at the minimum, contain the following: (a) Spatial representation, or if feasible, quick/rapid inventory of the status of coastlines and foreshores, including the status of Mangroves, beach forests, settlements, structures, and fishponds within one hundred (100) meters therein; (b) Comprehensive geospatial baseline assessment of coastal greenbelt zones, with technical collaboration from the PhilSA, the NAMRIA, and the PAGASA. This assessment shall map coastal features and analyze vulnerability to sea-level rise, storm surges, and other climate- induced hazards using satellite imagery, remote sensing, and other scientific tools. (c) Assessment of priority areas to be designated as Coastal Greenbelt Zones for each coastal province, city, and municipality. The criteria for designation of a priority area shall be based on its vulnerability to storm surges, waves, tsunamis, and the like. This shall be completed within one (1) year from the adoption of the NCGMAP; (d) Designation as priority areas for Coastal Greenbelt Zones all those that are declared as a protected area under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (Republic Act No. 11038), a fish refuge or sanctuary under the Amended Fisheries Code (Republic Act

No. 10654), or as a local marine protected area as declared by municipalities and cities through ordinances. The designation shall be completed within six (6) months from the completion of the assessment. The designation shall be done through the proposal of the appropriate agency, municipality, or city as may be necessary. No structures shall be allowed in the designated area. Designation as a priority area, however, shall not require the immediate removal of existing structures within fisherfolk settlement areas reserved for municipal fisherfolks, or impair the validity of existing foreshore leases and similar agreements: Provided, that such structures and agreements shall be subject to the applicable provisions, plans, and conditions set forth in the NCGMAP and LCGMAP; (e) Development and maintenance of a centralized and regularly updated geospatial database for designated Coastal Greenbelt Zones, including the design and implementation of a spatial monitoring system for real-time change detection, baseline tracking, and visual representation of greenbelt restoration progress; (f) Mechanisms for meaningful participation of Indigenous Peoples (IPs) and Indigenous Cultural Communities (ICCs), particularly in areas overlapping with ancestral domains. Where appropriate, co- management or stewardship arrangements may be formalized through Community-Based Forest Management Agreements (CBFMAs) or other participatory mechanisms in accordance with existing laws and Indigenous Peoples' rights frameworks; and (g) Monitoring and evaluation plan, with quantitative and qualitative targets consistent with subparagraphs (d), (e), and (f) of this Section, appropriate indicators, and reasonable means of verification. The plan shall become an integrated part of the NCGMAP and Annual Report to Congress. The DENR, in coordination with PhilSA and other relevant agencies, shall establish a mechanism for long-term ecological and scientific monitoring of coastal greenbelt zones, covering a period of at least ten (10) years after the completion of

1 afforestation or reforestation. This shall include the use of satellite-based change 2 detection, time-series data, and field validation;

Sec. 7. Operational Components of the NCGMAP. — The National Coastal

Greenbelt Management Action Plan (NCGMAP) shall include the following three 5 operational components to guide the phased implementation of coastal greenbelt 6 establishment and restoration: 1. Operational Plan Part I, or the operational plan for the rehabilitation, reforestation, or afforestation of designated priority coastal greenbelts with ecologically appropriate mangrove and beach forest species, not less than one hundred (100) meters in width, existing forests or plantations greater than the minimum width shall not be reduced. The program for rehabilitation, reforestation, or afforestation shall be community-based, long-term, and implemented through the municipality or city government. The Operational Plan shall indicate that the program for rehabilitation, reforestation, and afforestation must cover a minimum target area of twenty percent (20%) of the designated priority areas in the first five (5) years for maximum protection of the most vulnerable communities in the city or municipality. The remaining priority areas must be completed within ten (10) years from the designation as priority areas; 2. Operational Plan Part II, or the operational plan for the reversion of all abandoned fishponds to Mangroves through natural regeneration or replanting with locally appropriate species. The NCGMAP shall indicate that the identification and recovery of possession from delinquent fishpond lease agreement holders shall be completed within twelve (12) months from the adoption thereof. All fishpond areas to be reverted to Mangroves shall form part of the minimum target for the first year of implementation of the NCGMAP; and 3. Operational Plan Part III, or the operational plan for the identification and removal of illegal structures-such as breakwaters, permanent residential or commercial buildings, and similar encroachments-within the designated priority coastal greenbelt zones. The NCGMAP shall

indicate that the declaration and issuance of notice to responsible persons shall be completed within twelve (12) months from the start of rehabilitation, reforestation, or afforestation. The removal of these structures shall form part of the minimum target for the first year of NCGMAP implementation.

Sec. 8. Roles of Key Implementing Agencies. - The following agencies shall

7 take the lead in implementing components of the NCGMAP that are relevant to their mandates: (a) The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) shall be responsible for convening the NTAC, facilitating public participation in the crafting of the NCGMAP and the integration of the NCGMAP into the Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (LCGMAP), and preparing the integrated report to Congress, especially with regard to the expenditure of the appropriation and other pertinent matters under

Section 9 of this Act;

(b) DENR shall likewise be responsible for Sections 6 (a), (b), (c), (d), (e), and (f) of this Act in line with existing laws and mandates, and it shall provide the NTAC with all the relevant information to aid in the monitoring and evaluation of the NCGMAP. In particular, the DENR shall identify the Designated areas that must be expropriated by the government and recommend the expropriation plan to the Committee; (c) The Climate Change Commission (CCC) shall assist DENR as Secretariat in convening the NTAC and preparing the integrated report to Congress. In line with its mandate to facilitate capacity building for local adaptation planning, implementation, and monitoring of climate change initiatives in vulnerable communities and areas, CCC shall also develop and deliver instructional training modules, technical assistance, and other capacity- building programs designed to enhance the competence and proficiency of national and local policymakers and planners on coastal greenbelt protection and management and other nature-based solutions, particularly in the policy development, planning, programming, budgeting and implementation thereof;

(d) The Department of Agriculture, through the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), shall coordinate with the NTAC for Section 6(e) above or Operational Plan Part II which provides for the reversion of all abandoned fishponds to Mangroves through natural regeneration, replanting with locally appropriate species, and implementation of fisherfolk settlement program in line with existing laws and mandate, and it shall provide the Committee with all relevant information to aid in the monitoring and evaluation of the NCGMPA; (e) The Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) through its relevant offices, shall, in coordination with CCC, provide technical guidance and supervision for provinces, cities, and municipalities to establish their local Coastal Greenbelt Zones and develop appropriate LCGMAPS, design and implement community-based and ecologically appropriate rehabilitation, reforestation, and afforestation programs, and monitor and evaluate the implementation of programs and action plans by LGUs; and (f) The Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD), in coordination with concerned LGUs, shall provide for the relocation of the families or individuals who will be affected by the Designated areas; and (g) The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) shall provide satellite-based spatial data, geospatial technologies, and technical support for mapping, change detection, and real-time monitoring of greenbelt zones, and assist in the integration of remote sensing data into the NCGMAP and LCGMAP. It shall coordinate with the DENR, CCC, and DOST to enhance spatial planning and risk-informed decision-making at the national and local levels. Other implementing agencies that participated in the preparation of the NCGMAP shall implement their commitments as provided therein within a period of six (6) months. The actions required of implementing agencies are immediately executable, based on the agreed NCGMAP, and on their existing mandates, programs,

1 and budgets that are aligned with the NCGMAP, without the need of formulating 2 implementing guidelines, rules, and regulations for this Act.

Sec. 9. National Mangrove Nursery Network - The DENR and the Bureau of

Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) shall jointly establish and maintain a national network of nurseries for mangrove and beach forest species. These nurseries shall 6 prioritize native, ecologically appropriate, and site-specific species and serve as the 7 foundation for sustained reforestation and afforestation efforts under the NCGMAP.

Sec. 10. Establishment of Local Technical Advisory Committee on Coastal

9 Greenbelt Zones and Creation of Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan. - 10 A Local Technical Advisory Committee (LTAC) on Coastal Greenbelt Zones shall be 11 established in each coastal city and municipality identified as designated Coastal 12 Greenbelt Zones in the NCGMAP. The LGUs, through their respective LTACs, shall be the frontline agencies in the formulation, planning, and implementation of Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plans in their respective areas, consistent with the provisions of the Local Government Code and the NCGMAP. Each LTAC on Coastal Greenbelt Zones shall be chaired by the Regional Executive Director of the DENR, under whose jurisdiction the reservation area is located, with the following members: (1) A representative of the Municipal Government concerned; (2) A representative from each Barangay under whose territory the reservation area is located; (3) A representative from a CSO; and (2) A representative from either the academe or the scientific community. The LTAC shall have the following powers and functions: 1) To implement and enforce all programs and policies laid down by the NTAC; 2) To prepare a Local Coastal Greenbelt Management Action Plan (LCGMAP) that shall facilitate the following, among others: (a) Implementation of the mandated actions in the NCGMAP; (b) Implementation of the mandates of the Key Implementing Agencies under Section 7, by providing local data and other supporting measures; and (c) Implementation of complementary programs to assist local communities and local businesses affected by the actions under

Sections 6 and 7, such as, but not limited to, relocations sites with basic services like livelihood and transportation programs, zoning, or re-zoning of the priority coastal greenbelt areas, as appropriate, and the like; 3) To provide an actual inventory of affected families in Designated areas to ensure that a legal, just, fair, and humane process of relocation is carried out; 4) To lead in the actual implementation of rehabilitation, reforestation, and afforestation, through the coastal barangays; 5) To integrate the identified Coastal Greenbelt Zones in the Comprehensive Land-Use Plan; 6) To provide data and qualitative feedback to the NTAC as may be relevant; 7) To secure the Coastal Greenbelt Zones from illegal and destructive activities which would endanger the successful implementation and viability of the program; and 8) To perform such other powers and functions as may be designated by the NTAC. LGUs with coastal areas which are uninhabited or are not generating resources for the LGUs shall, instead of formulating a separate LCGMAP, incorporate their plans in their respective Comprehensive Land Use Plans and Annual Investment Programs. These Coastal Greenbelt Zones shall be conserved at its natural state. The Provincial Government shall provide technical and budgetary support to its component coastal cities and municipalities and ensure consistency across contiguous cities and municipalities sharing common priority coastal greenbelt areas. Highly urbanized cities shall likewise provide support to component barangays under their jurisdiction.

Sec. 11. Integration with Local Climate and Disaster Risk Plans. -All LCGMAPs

shall be integrated into the LGU's Local Climate Change Action Plans (LCCAPs) and Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plans (LDRRMPs), in accordance with Republic Act No. 10121 and other applicable national frameworks on resilience and adaptation.

Sec. 12. Tenurial Rights and Relocation Safeguards. - Where relocation or

2 expropriation is necessary in designated coastal greenbelt zones, the government shall 3 uphold the rights of bonafide occupants and coordinate with the Department of 4 Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) to ensure the provision of just 5 relocation and, where applicable, socialized housing. Legal safeguards shall be 6 established to resolve land and foreshore disputes, and just compensation shall be provided in accordance with applicable laws and procedures.

Sec. 13. Incentives. - Local government units (LGUs) whose LCGMAP have

9 been submitted and/or approved to DILG and DENR, or those LGUs that have been 10 recognized by the DILG and DENR for their effective establishment and/or management efforts for coastal greenbelts, may be entitled to receive grants and incentives for the purpose of building technical capacities in implementing the LCGMAP and supporting programs which are in line with the objectives of this Act. The LGUs shall also be entitled to receive instructional training modules, technical assistance, and other capacity-building programs designed to enhance their competence and proficiency in coastal greenbelt protection and management and other nature-based solutions. The incentive program, which shall encourage the participation of LGUs in the implementation of this Act, shall be included in the NCGMAP.

Sec. 14. Coastal Greenbelt Incentive Fund. - There is hereby created a special

account under the General Appropriations Act (GAA) called "Coastal Greenbelt Fund" (CGIF). The fund shall be utilized to pay out the incentives granted to LGUs which qualify for the CGIF.

Sec. 15. Enforcement Actions. -

(a) In addition to the penalties provided under existing laws, any person who obstructs the LGU, DENR, or any other authorized agency or officer in the removal of illegal structures, or BFAR in the process of reversion of abandoned fishponds, shall be liable to that agency for an administrative fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) per day that the agency is prevented from performing its function. (b) No structures shall be built within the identified coastal greenbelt zones without permits from the LGU, DENR, or BFAR, consistent with their mandates. Any person who violates this prohibition shall be liable for an

administrative fine of Fifty Thousand Pesos (Php 50,000.00) per day from the time the structure was built until its removal. (c) Proceeds from administrative fines under this Section shall be retained by the agency imposing such fines and used exclusively for the implementation of its mandate under this Act. (d) Legal actions filed in the exercise of rights and enforcement of obligations under this Act shall also be covered by the Fisheries Code, as amended by R.A. No. 10654, and the 2010 Supreme Court Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases.

Sec. 16. Annual Report to Congress. - The Key Implementing Agencies

11 enumerated in Section 7 of this Act shall report to NTAC on their progress in meeting the quantitative and qualitative targets under the NCGMAP for each year. The reports shall be consolidated by DENR and CCC, as Chairperson and Secretariat of the Committee, respectively, for presentation to the appropriate Committee in Congress 15 at a meeting called for that purpose. The consolidated report shall include geospatial change detection updates and spatial analytics data provided by PhilSA to assess the physical progress and spatial integrity of designated greenbelt zones.

Sec. 17. Transparency and Public Access to Plans and Data. - All spatial data,

monitoring reports, and management plans generated under this Act shall be made publicly accessible through the Philippine Open Government Portal and the Climate Change Data Dashboard. The DENR, CCC, PhilSA, and concerned LGUs shall ensure timely publication of the NCGMAP and LCGMAPs through official agency websites, local postings, and open data platforms to enable transparency and public engagement.

Sec. 18. Implementing Rules and Regulations. - Within sixty (60) days from

the effectivity of this Act, the NTAC shall promulgate the necessary rules and regulations for the effective implementation of this Act.

Sec. 19. Appropriations. - The relevant government agencies and LGUs shall

29 draw from their existing programs and budgets to implement their responsibilities 30 under the NCGMAP, and through the People's Survival Fund under R.A. No. 10174, where appropriate, subject to additional funding in the annual national appropriations, to meet the targets agreed in the NCGMAP.

Sec. 20. Climate Finance Integration. - LGUs implementing the LCGMAPs shall

2 integrate climate adaptation tagging into their investment programs. Coastal greenbelt 3 strategies shall be aligned with the National Adaptation Plan and the country's 4 Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under Republic Act No. 9729, otherwise 5 known as the "Climate Change Act of 2009," and may be supported through financing 6 from the People's Survival Fund (PSF) and other applicable climate finance 7 mechanisms.

Sec. 21. Monitoring and Evaluation Framework. - To ensure effective

9 implementation, transparency, and accountability, a dedicated Monitoring and 10 Evaluation (M&E) framework shall be institutionalized under the NCGMAP. The NTAC shall exercise policy oversight over the M&E framework, including the review of annual and biennial evaluation reports, validation of performance targets, and formulation of recommendations for improved program delivery. The NTAC shall likewise provide strategic guidance to align M&E activities with the 15 objectives of this Act. The DENR shall lead the implementation and coordination of the M&E framework, including the development of performance indicators, consolidation of monitoring data, conduct of field validation activities, operation of the centralized M&E system, and preparation of periodic M&E and Evaluation Reports. The DENR shall also serve as the primary liaison with LGUs and implementing agencies for the collection and integration of spatial and field-based monitoring data. The M&E framework shall include measurable indicators and targets to assess ecological effectiveness, area coverage, fishpond reversion, illegal structure removal, community participation, biodiversity status, and LGU compliance with LCGMAP integration. Baseline data shall be collected before implementation, with annual follow-up assessments for a minimum of ten (10) years post-rehabilitation. Monitoring data shall include satellite-based change detection, field validation, and LGU submissions, and shall be integrated into a centralized online M&E system maintained by the DENR. The framework shall promote participatory and third-party monitoring by accredited CSOs, Indigenous Peoples, fisherfolk, and academic institutions. All M&E outputs shall be submitted to the NTAC for validation and consolidated into biennial Evaluation Reports for submission to Congress.

Sec. 22. Monitoring and Evaluation Funding. - To operationalize the M&E

2 framework, the DENR shall allocate a dedicated portion of its annual appropriations 3 for the establishment and maintenance of the M&E system, conduct of field 4 validations, engagement of third-party monitors and local communities, and the 5 production of M&E reports. This allocation shall be reflected as a distinct line item in 6 the DENR's Annual Work and Financial Plan and may be supplemented by funds from 7 the PSF, Official Development Assistance (ODA), and other climate finance mechanisms, as appropriate.

Sec. 23. Separability Clause. - Should any provision of this Act be declared

10 invalid or unconstitutional, the same shall not affect the validity of the other provisions 11 of this act.

Sec. 24. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, orders, rules, and regulations or

other issuances or parts inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed, amended, or modified accordingly.

Sec. 25. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. Approved,