PHILIPPINE

ENVIRONMENTAL
REGULATIONS
PREPARED BY:
KARLA CHARMAGNE B. SALIVA, ECE, ECT
 ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS
Environmental regulations are not simply a collection of
laws on environmental topics. They are an organized
system of statutes, regulations, and guidelines that
minimize, prevent, and punish the consequences of
damage to the environment.
Environmental regulations deal with the problems of
human activities and the environment, and the
REPUBLIC ACT 9003

Ecological Solid Waste

Management Act of
2000
REPUBLIC ACT 9003
The law aims to adopt a
systematic, comprehensive and
ecological solid waste
management program that shall
ensure the protection of public
health and environment. The law
ensures proper segregation,
collection, storage, treatment
and disposal of solid waste
REPUBLIC ACT 9275

Philippine Clean Water

Act of 2004
REPUBLIC ACT 9275
The law aims to protect the
country's water bodies from
pollution from land-based sources
(industries and commercial
establishments, agriculture and
community/household activities).
It provides for comprehensive and
integrated strategy to prevent and
minimize pollution through a
REPUBLIC ACT 8749

Philippine Clean Air

Act of 1999
REPUBLIC ACT 8749
The law aims to achieve
and maintain clean air
that meets the National
Air Quality guideline
values for criteria
pollutants, throughout
the Philippines, while
minimizing the possible
REPUBLIC ACT 6969

Toxic Substances, Hazardous and Nuclear

Waste Control Act of 1990
 REPUBLIC ACT 6969
The law aims to regulate, restrict or prohibit the
importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution,
use and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures
the present unreasonable risk to human health. It
likewise prohibits the entry, even in transit, of hazardous
and nuclear wastes and their disposal into the Philippine
territorial limits for whatever purpose; and to provide
advancement and facilitate research and studies on toxic
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1586

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS)

Statement of 1978
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1586
The Environment Impact Assessment System was
formally established in 1978 with the enactment of
Presidential Decree no. 1586 to facilitate the attainment
and maintenance of rational and orderly balance between
socio-economic development and environmental
protection. EIA is a planning and management tool that
will help government, decision makers, the proponents
and the affected community address the negative
consequences or risks on the environment. The process
What is Environmental
Impact Assessment?
 ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
ASSESSMENT
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is a process of
evaluating the likely environmental impacts of a proposed
project or development, taking into account inter-related
socio-economic, cultural and human-health impacts, both
beneficial and adverse.
Environmental assessment (EA) is the assessment of the
environmental consequences (positive negative) of a plan,
 BASIC EIA LAWS
PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY (1977)
Required Environmental Impact Statement for
undertakings with significant environmental impacts.
EIA LAW (1978)
Establishment of the Philippine Environmental Impact
Statement System
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1151

PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY

 PD 1151
• Took note of the conflicting demands of:
o The individual
o Population growth
o Industrial expansion
o Rapid natural resource utilization
o Increasing technological advances
• Recognized the right of the people to a healthy
environment
• Stressed the urgent need to formulate an intensive,
• Requires:
PD 1151
o ALL agencies & instrumentalities of the
national government
o Government-owned & controlled corporations
o Private corporations, firms, and entities

• To prepare, file, & include in EVERY action,

project or undertaking which SIGNIFICANTLY
AFFECTS the environment.
Requires:
PD 1151
• A detailed statement on the following:
oThe ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT of the
proposed action, project, or undertaking.
oAny ADVERSE ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECT
which cannot be avoided should the proposal be
implemented.
oALTERNATIVE to the proposed action
 PD 1151
Requires:
• A detailed statement on the following:
oA determination that the short-term use of the
resources of the environment are CONSISTENT
with the maintenance & enhancement of the
long-term productivity of the same; and
oWhenever a proposal involves the use of
depletable or non-renewable resources, a finding
must be made that such USE & COMMITMENT
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1586

PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

STATEMENT SYSTEM
 PD 1586
• Established to facilitate the attainment &
maintenance of a rational & orderly balance
between socio-economic growth & environmental
protection
• Introduced the concepts of Environmentally
Critical Projects (ECP) and projects within
Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) as projects
requiring the submission of an Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS)
 PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION
2146
PROCLAIMING CERTAIN AREAS AND TYPES OF
PROJECTS AS ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AND WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT
SYSTEM ESTABLISHED UNDER PD 1586
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
PROJECT
Environmentally Critical Project (ECP) is a project
or program that has high potential for significant
negative environmental impact as defined under
Presidential Proclamation 2146 (1981).
ENVIRONMENTALLY
CRITICAL PROJECT
FOUR MAIN CATEGORIES OF ECP
• heavy industries
• resource extractive industries
• infrastructure projects
• golf course projects
 HEAVY INDUSTRIES
NON-FERROUS METAL INDUSTRIES
“Non-ferrous metal industries” shall refer to the
organized and coordinated arrangement of
manufacturing processes designed to prepare, smelt,
process or recycle non-ferrous metals into
marketable products.
 HEAVY INDUSTRIES
IRON AND STEEL MILLS
“Iron and steel mill projects” shall refer to the
organized and coordinated arrangement of
manufacturing processes designed to prepare or
smelt or process iron ores, steel scraps or primary
iron and steel mill products into marketable products
except when process involves reheating or resizing
only.
 HEAVY INDUSTRIES
PETROLEUM AND PETROCHEMICAL
INDUSTRIES
“Petroleum and Petrochemical Industries” shall refer
to the organized and coordinated arrangement of
manufacturing processes designed to physically
and/or chemically transform petroleum and its
derivatives into marketable products.
 HEAVY INDUSTRIES
SMELTING PLANTS

“Smelting plant projects” shall refer to the organized

and coordinated arrangement of manufacturing
processes designed to smelt metals or alloys and cast
the same into some special form.
 RESOURCE EXTRACTIVE
INDUSTRIES
MINING AND QUARRYING PROJECTS
Mining and quarrying projects shall refer to projects
involving the extraction and processing of metals,
metalliferous ores, fuel, precious stones, clays,
fertilizers and other earth-based materials on a
commercial scale.
 RESOURCE EXTRACTIVE
INDUSTRIES
FORESTRY PROJECTS
Forestry projects shall refer to projects involving the
extraction, harvesting and/or processing of timber
and other forest products on a commercial scale.
 RESOURCE EXTRACTIVE
INDUSTRIES
DIKES FOR/AND FISHPOND DEVELOPMENT
PROJECTS
This refers to natural or artificial water impoundment
involving construction of dikes, establishment of fish
cages and similar undertakings for aquaculture
purposes or salt production.
 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
DAMS
This shall refer to impoundment structures and
appurtenances.
POWER PLANTS
This refers to power generating plants, transmission
and distribution systems (substations) utilizing, or
run by, fossil fuels, geothermal resources, natural
 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
RECLAMATION PROJECTS
This refers to projects which involve the filling or
draining of areas (foreshore, marshes, swamps, lakes,
rivers, etc.) and restoration/backfilling projects.
 INFRASTRUCTURE PROJECTS
ROADS AND BRIDGES
This refers to the construction, significant extension,
expansion, widening or improvement of national
roads, railroads/railways, expressways, tunnels, and
bridges.
 GOLF COURSE PROJECTS
A golf course comprises a series of holes, each
consisting of a teeing ground, a fairway, the rough
and other hazards, and a green with a flagstick
("pin") and hole ("cup"), all designed for the game of
golf.
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
Environmentally Critical Area (ECA) - area
delineated through Presidential Proclamation 2146
(1981) as environmentally sensitive such that
significant environmental impacts are expected if
certain types of proposed projects or programs are
located, developed or implemented in it.
 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
1. All areas declared by law as national parks, watershed
reserves, wildlife preserves and sanctuaries;
2. Areas set aside as aesthetic potential tourist spots;
3. Areas which constitute the habitat for any endangered
or threatened species of indigenous Philippine Wildlife
(flora and fauna);
4. Areas of unique historic, archaeological, or scientific
interests;
 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
6. Areas frequently visited and/or hard-hit by natural
calamities (geologic hazards, floods, typhoons, volcanic
activity, etc.);
7. Areas with critical slopes;
8. Areas classified as prime agricultural lands;
9. Recharged areas of aquifers;
 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
10. Water bodies characterized by one or any
combination of the following conditions;
a. tapped for domestic purposes
b. within the controlled and/or protected areas declared
by appropriate authorities
c. which support wildlife and fishery activities
 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
11. Mangrove areas characterized by one or any
combination of the following conditions:
a. with primary pristine and dense young growth;
b. adjoining mouth of major river systems;
c. near or adjacent to traditional productive fry or
fishing grounds;
d. which act as natural buffers against shore erosion,
strong winds and storm floods;
 ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL
AREA
12. Coral reefs characterized by one or any
combinations of the following conditions:
a. With 50% and above live coralline cover;
b. Spawning and nursery grounds for fish;
c. which act as natural breakwater of coastlines.
CATEGORIZATION OF
PROJECTS
 CATEGORY A
Category A - projects or undertakings which are
classified as environmentally critical projects (ECPs)
under Presidential Proclamation No. 2146 (1981),
Proclamation No. 803 (1996), and any other projects
that may later be declared as such by the President of
the Philippines.
 CATEGORY B
Category B – projects or undertakings which are not
classified as ECP under Category A, but which are
likewise deemed to significantly affect the quality of
the environment by virtue of being located in
Environmentally Critical Area (ECA) as declared under
Proclamation 2146 and according to the parameters set
forth in the succeeding sections.
 CATEGORY C
Category C – projects or undertakings not falling under
Category A or B which are intended to directly enhance
the quality of the environment or directly address
existing environmental problems.
 CATEGORY D
Category D – projects or undertakings that are deemed
unlikely to cause significant adverse impact on the
quality of the environment according to the parameters
set forth in the Screening Guidelines. These projects
are not covered by the Philippine EIS system and are
not required to secure an ECC.
QUESTIONS?
WHEN WE HEAL THE EARTH, WE
HEAL OURSELVES.
-DAVID ORR
THANK YOU!