Presidential Decree No. 1067, s. 1976 | Official Gazette of the Republic o... https://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/1976/12/31/presidential-decree-no-10... 10 of 21 31.05.21, 19:45 CHAPTER V Control of Waters ARTICLE 53. To promote the best interest and the coordinated protection of Xood plain lands, the Secretary of Public Works, Transportation and Communications may declare Xood control areas and promulgate guidelines for governing Xood plain management plans in these areas. ARTICLE 54. In declared Xood control areas, rules and regulations may be promulgated to prohibit or control activities that may damage or cause deterioration of lakes and dikes, obstruct the Xow of water, change the natural Xow of the river, increase Xood losses or aggravate Xood problems. ARTICLE 55. The government may construct necessary Xood control structures in declared Xood control areas, and for this purpose it shall have a legal easement as wide as may be needed along and adjacent to the river bank and outside the bed or channel of the river. ARTICLE 56. River beds, sand bars and tidal Xats may not be cultivated except upon prior permission from the Secretary of the Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communication and such permission shall not be granted where such cultivation obstructs the Xow of water or increase Xood levels so as to cause damage to other areas. ARTICLE 57. Any person may erect levees or revetments to protect his property from Xood, encroachment by ARTICLE 52. The establishment, extent, form, and conditions of easements of water not expressly determined by the provisions of this Code shall be governed by the provisions of the Civil Code. ARTICLE 51. The banks of rivers and streams and the shores of the seas and lakes throughout their entire length and within a zone of three (3) meters in urban areas, twenty (20) meters in agricultural areas and forty (40) meters in forest areas, along their margins, are subject to the easement of public use in the interest of recreation, navigation, Xoatage, ashing and salvage. No person shall be allowed to stay in this zone longer than what is necessary for recreation, navigation, Xoatage, ashing or salvage or to build structures of any kind. The owner of the lower estate can not construct works which will impede this natural Xow, unless he provides an alternative method of drainage; neither can the owner of the higher estate make works which will increase this natural Xow. ARTICLE 50. Lower estates are obliged to receive the waters which naturally and without the intervention of man Xow from the higher estates, as well as the stone or earth which they carry with them. purpose of cleaning, repairing or replacing the aqueduct or the removal of obstructions therefrom.