PENCAS bill gets Senate nod on final reading

SENATE PASSES PENCAS BILL ON THIRD AND FINAL READING: Senate President Pro Tempore thanks her colleagues for their help in passing her measure, the proposed Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act on third and final hearing during Wednesday’s plenary session, November 22, 2023. Legarda admitted passing the PENCAS bill had been challenging given the technical nature of the measure. Senate PRIB photo / Bibo Nueva España

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate on Wednesday unanimously approved Senate Bill No. (SBN) 2439, otherwise known as the Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Capital Accounting System (PENCAS) Act.

With 23 affirmative, zero negative votes, and zero abstention, the measure was approved by the upper chamber on third and final reading.

Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda, author and sponsor of the bill, admitted that passing the measure had been challenging given the technicality of it.

“I hope to have the support of my colleagues in the coming years to also give it flesh, meaning to give them resources so that they can incorporate this in the mainstream budgetary process,” Legarda said.

The measure seeks to develop a comprehensive information system and accounting framework that will take into consideration the role of the country’s natural capital, consisting of both environmental and natural resources including ecosystem services, and its impact on the economy.

Its objectives are as follows:

• Support economic, environmental, and health policy development and decision-making
• Provide a system for the collection, compilation, and development of physical and natural capital accounts in the government as a tool for physical and development planning and programming, policy analysis, and decision-making
• Serve as a comprehensive data framework in the generation of natural capital statistics and accounts towards their progressive integration in macroeconomic indicators
• Provide tools and measures that contribute to the protection, conservation, and restoration of ecosystems
• Provide valuation of ecosystem services such as provisioning, regulating and maintenance, and cultural services

READ: House approves 2 Ledac priority bills, more to follow

Local bills approved

Apart from the PENCAS bill, several local measures were likewise approved by the upper chamber in the same plenary session.

READ: Gov’t agencies prodded: Be proactive in improving PENCAS, Blue Economy bills

The local bills approved on third and final reading on Wednesday are as follows:

• House Bill No. (HBN) 1028, an act converting the Sawang Macalas Road in Romblon into a national road
• HBN 1029, an act converting the road stretching from Barangay Tuguis in the Municipality of Odiongan to Barangay Tugdan, Municipality of Alcantara, all in the province of Romblon, into a national road
• HBN 1030, an act converting the road stretching from Sitio Boliganay, Barangay Panique, Municipality of Odiongan to Sitio Kabaliwan, Barangay Bachawan, Municipality of San Agustin, all in the province of Romblon, into a national road
• HBN 1031, an act converting the Sablayan-Agpanabat-Bagacay Road, a section of the Romblon circumferential road into a national road
• HBN 7234, an act renumbering the Cebu First, Second, Third, and Fourth District Engineering offices  to conform and correspond, respectively with the numbering of the legislative districts in the province of Cebu, thereby repealing Republic Act Nos. 9043 and 9218
• HBN 7508, an act creating a District Engineering Office in the Second Legislative District of the Province of Southern Leyte