The leadership of the House of Representatives expressed hope that the Senate will prioritize the enactment of a House-approved measure aimed at institutionalizing environmental assessments in all policies, plans, programs, and projects.
This move is geared towards promoting sustainable development and environmental protection.
Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez emphasized that House Bill (HB) 11093, also known as the Philippine Environmental Assessment System Act, is 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,” said Romualdez, the bill’s principal author.
The House approved the bill—before going on a holiday break—by an overwhelming vote of 203.
The proposed measure establishes a Philippine Environmental Assessment System (EAS) that mandates Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for policies, plans, and programs, as well as Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for projects.
These processes aim to integrate environmental considerations into development strategies early on, ensuring that potential environmental, health, and socio-economic impacts are thoroughly evaluated.
Under the EAS, critical projects such as heavy industrial activities, major infrastructure developments, 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 requirement ensures adherence to environmental safeguards, including the implementation of preventive and mitigating measures.
“With the EAS in place, we are institutionalizing a process that ensures environmental risks are mitigated before projects are implemented. We cannot afford to sacrifice the environment for the sake of progress,” Romualdez stated.
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 national and local development plans, sectoral programs, and policies take cumulative environmental impacts into account.
Multi-partite monitoring teams (MMTs), composed of government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations, and affected communities, will oversee compliance and implementation.
Noncompliance will no longer be tolerated under the strict penalties set forth in this measure.
