By Tony Chavez
With an overwhelming 203 votes, the House of Representatives on Tuesday approved, on the third and final reading, a measure institutionalizing environmental assessments in all policies, plans, programs, and projects. This is a significant move towards sustainable development and environmental protection.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez hailed the passage of House Bill (HB) No. 11093, or the Philippine Environmental Assessment System Act, as a necessary step in balancing progress with environmental stewardship.
“This bill is a clear testament to our collective responsibility to protect our environment and ensure that development is done responsibly. It is a vital tool for balancing progress with sustainability,” Speaker Romualdez said.
The proposed measure establishes a Philippine Environmental Assessment System (EAS) that mandates Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for policies, plans, and programs and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for projects.
These processes aim to integrate environmental considerations into development strategies early, thoroughly evaluating potential environmental, health, and socio-economic impacts.
Under the EAS, critical projects such as heavy industrial activities, major infrastructure and resource extraction will be required to secure a Certificate of Proponent’s Environmental Commitment (CPEC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).
This ensures adherence to environmental safeguards, including implementing preventive and mitigating measures.
“With the EAS in place, we are institutionalizing a process that mitigates environmental risks before projects are implemented. We cannot afford to sacrifice the environment for progress,” Speaker Romualdez said.
The bill imposes severe penalties for violators. Project proponents who operate without the required CPEC will face fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million and may be subject to closure or suspension of operations.
Similarly, those who violate environmental management plans could be fined up to P10 million per violation.
Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) will ensure that cumulative environmental impacts are considered in national and local development plans, sectoral programs, and policies. This includes safeguarding biodiversity, mitigating risks to indigenous communities, and protecting water, air, and land resources.
Public participation will play a crucial role in both the EIA and SEA processes to ensure accountability. Multi-partite monitoring teams (MMTs) composed of government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, and affected communities will oversee compliance and implementation.
The measure also mandates the creation of a financial guarantee mechanism requiring project proponents to set aside funds for immediate cleanup or rehabilitation in case of environmental damage.
Trust funds, environmental insurance, or cash deposits may serve as an assurance that remediation efforts can be swiftly executed.
To strengthen transparency further, the DENR will establish a knowledge management system to consolidate all SEA and EIA-related reports. Summaries of these documents will be accessible to the public, allowing for independent monitoring and accountability.
The bill highlights the government’s intent to hold project proponents accountable while streamlining sustainable practices in development planning. Under the strict penalties set forth in this measure, noncompliance will no longer be tolerated.
