Question & AnswerQ&A (Commonwealth Act No. 491)
It is unlawful to hunt, wound, take, or kill, or have in possession (living or dead), purchase, sell, transport, ship, or export any protected bird or mammal or any part thereof. It is also unlawful to destroy nests or eggs of protected birds except as provided in the Act.
Protected birds include insect-eating birds, songbirds, game birds, and generally all wild birds. However, certain species like eagles, hawks, crows, and house sparrows may be destroyed by property owners when they become injurious to property.
Mammals are protected only during the closed seasons established for them by the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce.
The Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce, subject to the approval of the President of the Philippines, may establish closed seasons for specified game birds and mammals.
Areas such as national parks, botanical gardens, public parks, government experiment and breeding stations, communal forests, cemeteries, and public lands within one kilometer radius of government rest houses are all declared as game refuges and bird sanctuaries.
No, it is unlawful to hunt, take, wound, kill, disturb, or drive away wild birds or animals, or to destroy their nests or eggs in such areas.
A person must have previously procured an appropriate hunting license, with fees ranging from two to twenty pesos.
No, wild pigs may be taken or killed in any manner at any season and without a license as stated in Section 14.
Members of Non-Christian tribes in specified provinces may be authorized by special license to hunt game birds and mammals for subsistence under conditions prescribed by the Secretary of Agriculture and Commerce.
Failure to pay hunting license fees within sixty days after they become due results in a surcharge of 25% of the unpaid fees. Fees are payable to the Collector of Internal Revenue or deputies.
Yes, the Secretary may issue special licenses to take surplus game or destroy predatory or dangerous animals in game refuges under regulated terms.
This fund is used for the protection, conservation, propagation of game birds and mammals; establishment and maintenance of game refuges, bird sanctuaries, game farms; payment of personnel; purchase of supplies; and other necessary expenditures related to this Act.