Senator Loren Legarda has filed legislation seeking to dismantle the decades-old legal framework that allowed treasure hunting in the Philippines, arguing it undermines cultural heritage protection and contradicts national policy.
Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Culture and the Arts, introduced Senate Bill No. 1860 to repeal Presidential Decree No. 1726-A, a martial law–era measure that established government guidelines for treasure hunting.
The bill also removes a provision in Republic Act No. 10066 allowing the issuance of treasure hunting permits, effectively ending state-sanctioned treasure hunting activities.
If enacted, the measure would place all archaeological work—both on land and underwater—under stricter scientific oversight, requiring professional supervision and adherence to heritage protection standards.
“Our cultural heritage is not a commodity to be traded or exploited,” Legarda said in a statement on Wednesday.
“It is a shared legacy that defines who we are and gives tangible expression to the historical experiences, ideas, and exchanges that have shaped our communities. It demands our collective effort to protect, preserve, and pass on to future generations,” she added.
The senator noted that the current system has allowed destruction and commercial exploitation of archaeological sites rather than safeguarding them.
“When the very law meant to protect our heritage becomes an instrument for its exploitation, we must act decisively to repeal it,” she said.
Under the proposal, no excavation or digging would be allowed without the supervision of a certified archaeologist. All discoveries must be scientifically conducted, properly documented, and pursued for public benefit rather than private profit.
The bill also assigns the National Commission for Culture and the Arts the responsibility of creating comprehensive rules and regulations governing archaeological activities nationwide.
Legarda emphasized that the current treasure hunting framework contradicts the Philippines’ commitments under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and the UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, both of which require state parties to protect heritage from commercial exploitation.
“Every artifact, every historical site, every archaeological find tells the story of who we are as a people. When these are destroyed or taken for profit, we lose more than objects; we lose our identity, our history and our shared heritage,” she said.
“You cannot defend cultural heritage with one hand and sign off on treasure hunting permits with the other. This bill closes that contradiction and asserts that our laws stand firmly on the side of protection, not extraction for profit,” Legarda added.