ENVIRONMENTAL

LAWS
and POLICIES

Environmental Laws and Policies

Environmental legislation includes all laws

pertaining to the management of natural
resources and the regulation of discharge of
materials into the environment
It plays a critical role in promoting
environmental protection through:
Sustainable use of natural resources
Pollution prevention
Integration of environment and development
objectives

Provides an important framework for

regulating social behavior and transforming
sustainable development policies into
enforceable norms of behavior

Environmental laws assist the government

in adhering to international protocols and
building national capacities to address
major global, national, regional and local
environmental issues and problems in the
context of sustainable development

I. Pollution Control Legislations

1.
.

2.
.

3.
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Republic Act No. 3931 (July 10, 1967)

An act creating the National Water and Air Pollution Control
Commission (NAPCC)

Presidential Decree No. 1251

Imposing a fee on Operating Mining Companies to be
known as Mine Wastes and Tailing Fee to compensate for
Damages to Private landowners and for other purposes

Presidential Decree No. 1151 (June 6, 1977)

Philippine Environmental Policy:
Defines the general policies on the pursuit of a better
quality of life for the present and future generations
It mandates the undertaking of EIA for all projects which
may significantly affect the environment
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4.

Presidential Decree No. 1152

Philippine Environmental Code:

It defined the objectives of the policy and

strategies for various aspect of environmental
management, such as air, water quality, natural
resource development, land and waste
management
It tells about how to implement /enforce PD 1151

5.

Presidential Decree No. 825

.
.

November 7, 1985
Providing penalty for improper disposal of
garbage and other forms of uncleanliness and for
other purposes

Presidential Decree No. 984 (August 8,

1976)
Pollution Control Law:

6.

It seeks to prevent , abate, and control pollution of

water, air, and land for a more effective utilization of
the resources of the country

7.

Presidential Decree No. 1181

Providing for the prevention, control and abatement of

air pollution from motor vehicles and other purposes
(installation of pollution control device)

8.

Presidential Decree No. 1160

Vesting authority in Barangay captains to enforce

pollution and environmental control laws and for other
purposes
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9.
.

10.
.

11.
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DENR Administrative Order No. 34

(DAO 34)
Revised water usage and classification / water
quality criteria

DENR Administrative Order No. 35

(DAO 35)
Revised effluent regulations

Republic Act No. 6969 (with IRR DAO

92-29)
An act to control toxic substances, hazardous, and
nuclear wastes

12.
.

DENR Administrative Order No. 14 ( series

of 1993)
Revised air quality standards

Republic Act 8749 Clean Air Act of 1999

(IRR DAO 2000 81)
13.

.
.

Provides for a comprehensive air pollution control policy

Stipulates the development of an integrated air quality
improvement framework, standards on ambient air
quality from mobile and stationary sources and
mitigation of all sources of air pollution

IRR DAO 2000 81 for RA 879

IRR DAO 47: Mandating for the phase out of leaded
gasoline

14.

Presidential Decree 856

Sanitation Code of the Philippines

15.

Republic Act 9003

Ecological Solid Waste Management Act

II. EIS (Environmental Impact

System) Regulations
1.
.
.

2.
.

Presidential Decree No. 1586

Environmental Impact Assessment Law
It declares the policy to ensure the attainment of
environmental quality that is conducive to a life
of dignity and recognizes the right of the people
to a healthy environment

DENR Administrative Order No. 08

(series of 1991)
Guidelines on the issuance of Environmental
Compliance Certificate (ECC) or
Environmental Clearance (EC) for the conversion of
agricultural lands to non-agricultural uses
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3.

4.

DENR Administrative Order No. 21

(series of 1992)
Amended the revised rules and regulations
implementing PD 1586 (EISS)

DENR Administrative Order No. 11

(series of 1992)
Supplementing DAO 21 series of 1992 and
providing for Programmatic Compliance
Procedures within the EIS

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III. Preservation of Natural Resources

1.
.

2.
.

3.
.

PD 705 : Amended Forestry Reform

Code
Codifies, updates and revises all forestry laws and
emphasizes sustainable utilization of forest
resources

PD 953 & 1153

Laws penalizing illegal cutting of trees
PD 331
Requires all public forests to be developed
on a sustainable yield basis
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4.
.

5.
.

6.
.

PD 1067: Water Code of the Philippines

Integrates all laws governing the ownership,
appropriation, use, exploitation development,
conservation and protection of the countrys water
resources

PD 1198
Reinforces restoration of mined-out areas to their
original condition to the extent possible

RA 8550: Fisheries Code of the

Philippines
Defines policies on the protection, conservation, and
effective management of fisheries stock as well as
identifying allowable fishing methods in the countrys
coastal waters.
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7.
.

8.
.

9.
.

10.
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RA 9275: Philippine Clean Water Act

of 2004 (PCWA)
An act providing for a comprehensive water
quality management and for other purposes

RA 9147
Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection
Act of 2001

DAO 15-90
Regulations governing the utilization,
development and management of mangrove
resources

DAO 2000 29
Guidelines regulating the harvesting and
utilization of forest products within communitybased forest management areas
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11.

.
.

12.
.
.

.
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RA 7586 National Integrated

Protected Areas System Act of 1992
(NIPAS)
DAO 25 IRR
Set forth in detail the processes by which DENR
and other concerned institutions and agencies will
establish and manage the NIPAS

RA 7942
Philippine Mining Act of 1995
An act instituting a new system of mineral
resources exploitation, development, utilization
and conservation
DAO Series of 1996
IRR of RA 7942
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13.
.

14.
.

RA 1219
Coral Resources Development and Conservation
Decree
A decree providing for the exploration,
exploitation, utilization and conservation of coral
resources

RA 9168 : Philippine Plant Variety

Protection Act of 2002
An act to provide protection to new plant
varieties, establishing a national plant variety
protection board

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IV. OTHERS
1.
.

2.
3.
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4.
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Executive Order No. 259

An act to rationalize the soap and detergent
surfactant industry and thereby promote and
expand the utilization of chemicals derived from
coconut oil and for other purposes

RA 9211: Tobacco Regulation Act

DAO 2000 -92
Chemical Control order for asbestos (CCO)
In accordance to RA 6969 and DAO 29 Series of
1992
DAO 97-38
CCO for cyanide and cyanide compounds
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5.
.

RA 8485 : Animal Welfare Act of 1998

An act to promote animal welfare in the
Philippines

6.

RA 8435: Agriculture and Fisheries

Modernization Act of 1997

7.

RA 3983

An act to protect wild flowers and plants in the

Philippines and
To prescribe conditions under which they may be
collected, kept , sold, exported and for other
purposes

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8.
.

9.
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RA 9792 : Climate Change At of 2009

An act mainstreaming climate change into
government policy formulations, establishing the
framework strategy and program on climate
change, creating for this purpose the Climate
Change Commission and for other purposes

RA 9367 Biofuel Act of 2006

A mandatory biofuels standard which requires a
5% ethanol blend for gasoline within two years,
increasing to 10% within 4 years under the
approval of a new National Biofuels Board
A 1% biodiesel blend for diesel is required within 3
months, to be increased to 2% within 2 years

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