Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez underscored during a virtual hearing of the House Committee on Civil Service and Professional Regulation Tuesday the renewed significance of regulating the practice of environmental engineering in the Philippines.
"Environmental engineering is very close to my heart because this is for the environment. We all need (this) for our country especially with what happened recently in the calamities that befell our nation," Rodriguez said during the panel's deliberation on measures proposing the "Environmental Engineering Law of the Philippines."
He was referring to the destructive flashfloods triggered by strong typhoons earlier this month. The floods were said to have been aggravated by greatly reduced forest cover.
Discussed by the panel were House Bill (HB) Nos.2844, 5008, and 6636. Rodriguez, who authored and filed HB No.2844 way back on July 25, 2019, noted that the three bills on deck were quite similar with each other.
"To disregard (environmental sustainability) would allow man limitless access to the environment and natural resources tending to its abuse without being mindful of what may be left for those in the future," Rodriguez wrote in the explanatory note of his bill.
The particular measure defines environmental engineering "as a professional engineering work to protect or improve air, land, and water resources in order to provide a clean and healthful environment."
"The practice of environmental engineering is not a new venture in the field of engineering. Instead, it has been in existence for more than four decades and the Philippines is among the few countries which have not yet embraced the promise of professionalizing its practice," the Deputy Speaker noted.
"Thus, this bill seeks to professionalize the practice of environmental engineering in the Philippines to advance the cause of a balanced and healthful environment in the midst of industrial and economic growth. Its practice allows for capitalists and investors to explore avenues of economic growth without posing serious detrimental effects to the environment and thus harmonizing progress with environmental sustainability," he added.
The proposed environmental engineering law covers the examination, registration, and licensure of environmental engineering practitioners; regulation, supervision, and control of the practice of environmental engineering; development, upgrading, and updating of the curriculum of environmental engineering; and the development and improvement of the professional competence and practice of environmental engineering practitioners.
It also seeks to cover the creation of relevant positions for environmental engineers, environmental engineering technologists, environmental engineering technicians and other positions that require the knowledge and services of environmental engineering practitioners in the government bureaucracy as well as in the private sector.
Athough the bills were well-received by the panel members, committee chairman and Iligan Rep. Frederick Siao scheduled one more hearing on the subject later this month in order properly incorporate the amendments proposed by the attending resource persons.
Rodriguez himself requested this as he cited nuances between the different sectors under environmental engineering that must be addressed. "We are willing to hear them," he said.
Siao bared at the beginning of the hearing that a similar bill had been approved by the House of Representatives during the previous 17th Congress. However, the measure was not acted upon by the Senate.