Senator Cynthia Villar asked her colleagues in the Senate on Tuesday to exclude the issuance of environmental permits in the coverage of the proposed grant of special powers for President Duterte to further expedite government processes and transactions.
(Senate of the Philippines / FILE PHOTO / MANILA BULLETIN)
Villar took exception to the inclusion of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) in Senate Bill No. 1844, which seeks to allow the President, during national emergencies, to streamline processes and also suspend or waive the need to secure permits and licenses.
At the hearing of the Senate Committee on Civil Service, Government Reorganization and Professional Regulation on the bill, Villar raised that the measure could be used to expedite reclamation projects.
"You know, the EMB of the DENR is in charge of releasing ECC (environment compliance certificates) to reclamation projects. I don't think the reclamation projects should be included in the facilitation of the Ease of Doing Business (EODB)," Villar said.
She particularly mentioned the reclamation plan along the coast of the Manila Bay, which she said would be harmful to the protected Las Piñas-Parañaque Wetland Park, and in turn, compromise the livelihood of over 300,000 fisherfolks and nearby cities in the Manila Bay.
She also recalled President Duterte vowing that no reclamation projects in Manila Bay will be allowed under his term.
Villar said that coming from a family of businessmen, she agrees that processes should be streamlined for businesses, but environment clearances "will require a lot of consultation and studies" and should not be a part of this effort.
"I really believe in the EODB in the Philippines because I come from a business family and we believe that we should be facilitated so we can employ people, we can pay taxes on our income, and so forth," she said.
"But if this bill will be passed into law without exception, eh 'di lalong mag-iisue ng ECC 'yong EMB (all the more that the EMB will issue ECCs), without consultation or without study."
Villar also doubted that the President will be able to screen every transaction that will be expedited in the executive branch.
"If you centralize it with the President, hindi naman lahat ng issues alam ng President (he is not aware of every issue). Hindi niya kayang gawin lahat 'yan (He cannot do all of it), so it will be delegated. I guess we have to make exceptions to this because there are issues that will affect the lives of so many people."
"Not all EODB is good for everybody, kasi yung iba, talagang it will require a lot of consultation and studies because it will destroy the lives of so many people," she added.
Senator Christopher Go agreed with Villar's sentiments and said destructive projects should not be allowed despite the move to curb red tape and corruption in government.
Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri, one of the authors of SB 1844, said they will consider Villar's request.