THE PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS

Executive Order No. 192 Designated the Department of

Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) is specifically tasked to
implement, recommend, and provide technical assistance for their
implementation and monitoring.

Different Environmental Laws

1. (RA 8748) Clean Air Act of 1999
Any alteration in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of
the
atmospheric
air.
Discharge or any liquid, gaseous, or solid substances that will likely to create
or render the air resources harmful, detrimental, or injurious to public health
and safety.
2. (RA 9275) Clean Water Act

DAO 90-34 water usage and classification / water quality

criteria
DAO 90-35 effluent regulations

3. (RA 6969) Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Waste Act
of 1990
To regulate, restrict, or prohibit the importation, manufacture,
processing, sale, distribution, use, and disposal of chemical substances and
mixtures that potentially pose unreasonable risk to public health, workplace
and the environment.
To prohibit the entry, even in transit, of hazardous and nuclear wastes
and their disposal into Philippine territorial limits for whatever purpose.
4. (RA 9003) Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000
5. (PD 1586) Environmental Impact Statement System

Provides permitting requirements.

Provides penalty provisions.
Provides Air and Water Standards.
Simplification of Requirements for Securing ECC.
Clarification on the Scope of the Philippine EIS System.
Strengthening the Implementation of the Philippine EIS.
Project / Undertaking
If covered issue ECC
If not covered issue CNC
Category A
- Environmental Critical Project
Category B
- Projects located in Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA)
Category C
- Projects enhancing environmental quality or address existing
environmental problems
Category D
- Project not falling under other categories or unlikely to cause adverse
environmental impacts
Amending an ECC
1. Major Amendment
2. Expansion of Land/Project area
3. Increase in production capacity
4. Major change/s in process flow or technology.
5. Minor Amendment
6. Typographical Error
7. Extension of deadlines for submission of post-ECC
requirement/s
8. Extension of ECC validity
9 Change in company name / ownership
10. Decrease in land / project area or production capacity.
11. Fees, Fines and Penalties

12. Upon submission of the application shall pay filing fees and
other fees in accordance with prescribed standard cost and fees.

Penalty of suspension or cancellation of ECC and/or fine of not

more than 50,000 per violation.
Projects established and / or operating without ECC.
Projects violating ECC conditions, EMP, rules and regulations.
Misrepresentation in the EIS/IEE or any other documents
submitted.

(RA 8749)
An act providing for a comprehensive air pollution control policy
and for other purposes.
Six Criteria Pollutants
Effects to Health and Environment
Efforts to reduce Air pollution (Clean air program)
Promotes Alternative fuel
-Bio-diesel, Bio-ethanol (E10)
-LPG (for Taxis), CNG (for buses)
Intensified anti smoke belching program
Intensified information and education campaign
Enhanced coordination with LGUs and other govt and private agencies
Intensified
compliance
monitoring
of
industrial
and
commercial
establishments

The state shall protect and advance the rights of people to a balanced and
healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
The state recognizes the principle that polluters must pay
The state recognizes that clean and healthy environment is for the good of
all and should therefore be the concern of all.

(RA 9275)
Clean Water Act of 2004
Objectives:

Classifies water bodies according to designated uses and the degree

of protection required to maintain the quality level according to the
uses.
The administrative order distinguishes fresh surface waters or
inland waters from coastal and marine waters
Water usage and classification

Prohibited Acts:

Discharging or depositing any water pollutant to the water body, or

such which will impede natural flow in the water body.
Discharging, injecting or allowing to enter into the soil, anything that
would pollute groundwater.
Operating facilities that discharges regulated water pollutants without
the required permits (Discharge Permit).
Disposal of potentially infectious medical waste into the sea by vessels.
Unauthorized transport or dumping into water of sewage or solid
waste.

Implementing Rules and Regulations

I.

DAO 90-34: Stream Standards or Ambient Water Quality Standards

(Class AA) Public Water Supply Class I

This class is intended primarily for waters having watersheds which

are uninhabited and otherwise protected and which require only
approved disinfection in order to meet the National Standards for
Drinking Water (NSDW) of the Philippines.

(Class A) Public Water Supply Class

For sources of water supply that will require complete treatment

(coagulation, sedimentation, filtration and disinfection) in order to
meet the NSDW.

(Class B) Recreational Water Class I

For primary contact recreation such as bathing, swimming, skin

diving, etc. (particularly those designated for tourism purposes).

(Class C)
1) Fishery Water - for the propagation and growth of fish and other
aquatic resources;
2) Recreational Water Class II - Boatings, etc.
3) Industrial Water SupplyClass I - For manufacturing processes after
treatment.
(Class D)
1) For agriculture, irrigation, livestock watering, etc.
2) Industrial Water Supply Class II (e.g. cooling, etc.)
3) Other inland waters, by their quality, belong to this
classification.
II.

DAO 90-35 Revised Effluent Regulations of 1990

Effluent Standards

These are the maximum allowable limits of water quality parameters

for discharges to water bodies. Like the ambient water quality standards, the
effluent standards also depend on the classification of the receiving body of
water.
Scope

These rules and regulations shall apply to all industrial and

commercial wastewater effluents.
To protect the countrys water-bodies from pollution from land-based
resources.

To provide comprehensive and integrated strategy to prevent and

minimize pollution through multi-sectoral and participatory
approach involving all stakeholders.

(RA6969)
Transport, dumping or discharge of prohibited chemicals,
substances or pollutants listed under RA 6969.
Chemical Management
PICCS (Philippine Inventory of Chemicals and Chemical SubstancesIt is a list of chemicals and chemical substances that are stored,
imported/exported, processed, manufatured, used or transported in the
Philippines.
PCL (Priority Chemical List)
- It is a list of chemical that DENR has determined to potentially pose
unreasonable risk to public health, workplace and the environment.
CC0 (Chemical Control Order)
- DAO to regulate the import/export, manufacture, use, transport,
storage, transport and waste disposal of priority chemicals.
PMPIN (Pre-manufacture and Pre-Imprtation Notification)
- Scree new chemical substance to assess their risk posed to public
health and to the environment.
Criteria for PCL
Persistence
Refers to the property of substance whose half life in water,
sediment, soil, or air exceeds a duration of 50 days.
Toxicity
Refers to the quality of a substance which meets any of the
following criteria:
Acute lethality, chronic or sub-chronic toxicity, teratogenicity and

carcinogenicity
Bio-Accumulation Potential
The measure of a substances ability to bio-accumulate in the
food chain.
Chemicals Issued with CCO
Chemicals
IRR
Mercury and Mercury Compounds DAO 38s1997
Cyanide and Cyanide Compounds DAO 39s1997
Asbestos DAO 02
Polychlorinated Biphenyls(PCBS) DAO 01s2004
Ozone Depleting Substances DAO 08s2004
Coverage of CCO
Importers and distributors
Manufacturers, processors, and industrial users
Transporters
Treaters/waste service providers
Common Control Measures
Registration / Permitting, requirements, gradual phase out, limitation of
use, substitution
Institute measures to promote a more acceptable system which
corresponds to the vision of sustainable development. Generally, it
aims to merge environmental protection with economic pursuits,
recognizing the reorientation of the communitys view on solid waste,
thereby providing schemes for waste minimization, volume reduction,
resource recovery and utilization.

RA 9003 Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000

Solid Waste

Discarded household
Non hazardous institutional / industrial waste
Street sweepings
Construction debris
Agricultural waste
Other non-hazardous / non-toxic wastes
Classification of Waste
Composites
Recyclables
Special wastes
Non-recyclables

Salient features of RA 9003

Creation of the National Solid Waste Management Commission,
National Ecological Center and LGU Solid Waste Management Boards
Creation of Multi-purpose Environmental Cooperatives or Associations
in every LGU
Waste segregation, waste reduction and recycling programs.
Construction of Material Recovery Facilities / systems
Conversion of open dumpsites to sanitary landfills
Integration of ecological waste management concepts in academic
curricula for formal and non-formal education
Administrative and enforcement procedures
Ecological Solid Waste Management
Systematic administration of activities that provide for segregation at
source, segregated transport, storage, transfer, processing, treatment
and disposal of solid waste and all other waste management activities
that do not harm the environment
Functional Elements / mechanics of the solid waste
management

Waste Generation
On- Site Storage
Collection
Transfer and Transport
Processing/Treatment
Requirements for segregation and volume reduction
Separate containers for compostables, recyclables, special wastes and
residuals
Separate collection schedules / separate trucks or haulers /
compartmentalized collection vehicles
MRFs for recyclables and biodegradables
Inventory of markets for composts and recyclables
Management of residuals and final disposal sites
Closure of all open dumpsites
Conversion of all open dumpsites to controlled dumpsites within 3
years
Minimum requirement in siting, designing and operation of disposal
sites
Sanitary landfills
Prohibited Acts
Littering, throwing and dumping of waste matters in public areas and
water
Open burning of solid wastes
Collection and transport of non-segregated or unsorted wastes
Squatting in open dumpsites and landfills
Open dumping, burying or biodegradable and non-biodegradable
materials in flood prone areas
Unauthorized removal of recyclable materials for collection by
authorized persons
Operation of open dumpsites
Manufacture, distribution or use of non-environmentally acceptable
packaging materials
Importation of consumer products packaged in non-environmentally
accepted materials.

Importation of toxic wastes misrepresented as recyclable and with

recyclable content.
Transportation and dumping in bulk of collected domestic, industrial,
commercial and institutional wastes in areas other than centers in
facilities prescribed by law.
Construction, expansion or operation of waste management facilities
without an environmental compliance certificate.