The Philippine Environmental Impact Assessment System

THE PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT SYSTEM

by Anton Antonio

April 17, 2015

“The EIS and the ECC shall be consistent with the principles of sustainable development (described as: ensuring a rational balance between socio-economic development and environmental protection for the benefit of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to avail of the same).”  (Antonio, 2015)  EIS and ECC are abbreviations of Environmental Impact Statement and Environmental Compliance Certificate respectively.

The following are the key systems-oriented operating principles in the implementation of the Philippine EIA System:

1. The EIS System is concerned primarily with assessing the direct and indirect impacts of a program or project on the biophysical and human environment and ensuring that these impacts are addressed by appropriate environmental protection and enhancement measures;
2. The EIS System aids proponents and stakeholders in incorporating environmental considerations in planning their project as well as determining the impacts on the environment of their project;
3. The project proponents and stakeholders are responsible for determining and disclosing all relevant information and data necessary for a methodical assessment of the environmental impacts of their project;
4. The review of EIA Reports by the DENR-EMB shall be guided by three general criteria: (a) that environmental considerations are integrated into the overall project planning, (b) that the assessment is technically sound and the proposed environmental mitigation measures are effective and doable, and (c) that the EIA process is based on a timely, informed and meaningful public and wide-ranged participation of potentially affected individuals, groups and communities;
5. Effective regulatory review of the EIA Reports depends largely on timely, complete and accurate disclosure or relevant information and data by the project proponents and other stakeholders in the EIA process; and,
6. The timeliness prescribed by the system within which a decision must be made or issued applies only to processes and actions within the DENR-EMB’s control and do not include actions and activities that are the responsibility of the proponent and stakeholders.

These are the unique features of the Philippine environmental impact assessment system.

Just my little thoughts…

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REFERENCES:

Antonio, A. C. (2015). “Environmental Impact Assessment.”  Retrieved on April 17, 2015 from http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/

Department of Environments and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau.  “Philippine Environmental Impact Assessment System (PEISS)”.  DENR-EMB, Quezon City, Philippines