Resources
Clean Water Act (Republic Act No. 9275)
This Act provides for the abatement and control of pollution from land based sources, and lays down water quality standards and regulations.The Act shall apply to water quality management in all water bodies: fresh, brackish and marine waters. It shall be the policy of the State to: prevent, control and abate pollution of the country‰Ûªs water resources; promote environmental strategies for the protection of water resources; formulate a national program of water quality management; promote commercial and industrial processes and products that are environment friendly and energy efficient; etc. The Act among other things shall provide for: the designation of water quality management areas by the Department, in coordination with the National Water Resources Board; the designation of water bodies where specific pollutants from either natural or man-made sources have already exceeded water quality guidelines as non-attainment areas for the exceeded pollutants; a national program on sewerage and septic management; domestic sewage collection, treatment and disposal; water pollution permits and charges; offences and penalties; etc.
Clean Air Act (Republic Act No. 8749
The Act provides for the creation of a national program of air pollution management focusing primarily on pollution prevention; for the promotion of mass media communication in order to create social awareness and active participation in air quality planning and monitoring. A Certificate of Conformity issued by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to vehicle manufacturer / assembler or importer shall certify that this new vehicle or vehicle type meets the mandatory requirements in terms of pollution prevention as per this Act. The provisions of this Act extend to the Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS), that significantly deplete or otherwise modify the ozone layer,and to Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs), organic compounds persisting in the environment, bioaccumulating, and resisting photolytic, chemical and biological degradation (including but not limited to dioxin, furan, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, such as aldrin, dieldrin, DDT, hexachlorobenzene, lindane, toxaphere and chlordane) and other tpoxic or poisounous substances potentially damaging human and animal health and the ecosystem.
Environmental Impact Assessment (Presidential Decree No. 1586
It is hereby declared the policy of the State to attain and maintain a rational and orderly balance between socio-economic growth and environmental protection. There is established an Environmental Impact Statement System based on the environmental impact statement, required under section 4 of Presidential Decree No. 1151 of all agencies of the national government, including government-owned or controlled corporations, as well as private corporations, firms and entities, for every proposed project and undertaking which significantly affect the quality of the environment. The President of the Philippines may, on his own initiative or upon recommendation of the National Environmental Protection Council, by proclamation declare certain projects, undertakings or areas in the country as environmentally critical. No person, partnership or corporation shall undertake or operate any such declared environmentally critical project or area without first securing an Environmental Compliance Certificate issued by the President. The National Environmental Protection Council shall issue the necessary rules and regulations to implement this Decree.
Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (Republic Act No. 9003)
This Act makes provision for the efficient solid waste management, for the volume reduction of the waste, its environment friendly disposal, composting, recycling, re-use, recovery, green charcoal process; for the collection, treatment and disposal in environmentally sound solid waste management facilities whereas it shall be possible to correctly dispose the proper segregation, collection, transport, storage, treatment and disposal of solid waste ;under this Act national research and development programs for improved solid waste management and resource conservation techniques shall be promoted and supported.
Forestry Reform Code (Presidential Decree No. 705 and 701)
It aims to mobilize barangay officials to help the Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine National Police personnel in protecting our forests.
Fisheries Code (Republic Act No. 8550)
The Code makes provision for the management and conservation of fisheries and aquaculture in the Philippines and the reconstitution or establishment of fisheries institutions both at the national and local level.The text consists of 133 sections which are divided into 8 Chapters: Chapter 1 declares the policy of the State with respect to fisheries and contains a large definitions section. It is a declared policy to limit access to the fishery and aquatic resources of the Philippines for the exclusive use and enjoyment of Filipino citizens. Another principle of policy is the protection of municipal fishermen. Fishery and aquatic resources shall be managed in a manner consistent with the concept of integrated coastal area management. Definitions listed in section 4 include: coastal area/zone; commercial fishing; municipal waters; foreshore land; maximum sustainable yield; post harvest facilities.
Environmental Adjudication in the Philippines: Jurisprudence, Access to Justice, Green Courts and Tribunals, and Judicial Specialization in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
This Chapter considers the role of the Philippine judiciary in enforcing its environmental laws. The judiciary enunciates principles of environmental law, provides normative interpretationsof legal and regulatory frameworks, issues rules and directions to lower courts which affect their priorities, and often plays a role in judicial education.
Director of Forestry, et al. v. Muñoz, et al.
One of the first cases to acknowledge that forests constitute a vital segment of any country's natural resources and that denudation would result in ill effects for the environment.
1987 Constitution of the Republic of the Philippines
The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines was enacted under President Corazon C. Aquino's administration. Previous Constitutions that governed the country were the 1986 Freedom Constitution, 1973 Constitution, 935 Commonwealth Constitution as well as Constitutions drafted and adopted under President Jose P Laurel in 1943 and President Emilio Aguinaldo in 1898.
Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) v. Court of Appeals
The Supreme Court affirmed the right of environmental government agencies to issue urgent reliefs to meet the laudable objective of giving vitality to the constitutional right to environment.