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

SECTION 1.   Amendments to Section 16 of Republic Act No. 7586.   – Section 16 of Republic Act No. 7586, otherwise known as the “National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992? is hereby amended to read as follows:

“SEC. 16.   Integrated Protected Areas Fund.   – There is hereby established a trust fund to be known as Integrated Protected Areas Fund (IPAF) for purposes of financing projects of the System. The IPAF may solicit and receive donations, endowments, and grants in the form of contributions, and such endowments shall be exempted from income or gift taxes and all other taxes, charges or fees imposed by the Government or any political subdivision or instrumentality thereof.

“All incomes generated from the operation of the System or management of wild flora and fauna shall accrue to the Fund subject to the retention by the Board of each protected area, of seventy-five percent (75%) of all the revenue raised therefrom. These incomes shall be derived from:

“(a) Taxes from the permitted sale and export of flora and fauna and other resources from protected areas;

“(b) Proceeds from lease of multiple-use areas;

“(c) Contributions from industries and facilities directly benefiting from the protected area; and

“(d) Such other fees and incomes derived from the operation of the protected area.

“The Fund, including all donations, grants, endowments from various sources and other contributions shall be deposited in any government bank within the locality where each protected area is located:   Provided,   That if there is no government bank available in the locality, an account shall be opened in a government bank nearest to the locality.

“Disbursements from the Fund shall be made solely for the protection, maintenance, administration, and management of the System, and duly approved projects endorsed by the PAMBs, in the amounts authorized by the DENR in accordance with existing accounting, budgeting and auditing rules and regulations:   Provided, further,   That the Fund shall not be used to cover personal services expenditures.”

SEC. 2.   Separability Clause.   – If any part of this Act is declared invalid or unconstitutional, such declaration shall not affect the other parts of this Act.

SEC. 3.   Repealing Clause.   – All laws, acts, presidential decrees, executive orders, administrative orders, rules and regulations inconsistent herewith or contrary to the provisions of this Act are deemed amended, modified or repealed accordingly.

SEC. 4.   Effectivity Clause.   – This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the   Official Gazette   or in two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Approved,

(Sgd.)   JINGGOY EJERCITO ESTRADA Acting Senate President

(Sgd.)   FELICIANO BELMONTE JR. Speaker of the House of Representatives

This Act which originated in the House of Representatives was finally passed by the House of Representatives and the Senate on May 21, 2012 and June 5, 2013, respectively.

(Sgd.)   EMMA LIRIO-REYES Secretary of the Senate

(Sgd.)   MARILYN B BARUA-YAP Secretary General House of Representatives

Approved: SEPT 26 2013

(Sgd.) BENIGNO S. AQUINO III
President of the Philippines