House of Representatives (Ellson Quismorio/ MANILA BULLETIN)

A measure seeking to institutionalize environmental assessments in all policies, plans, programs and projects, has been unanimously approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives. 

Garnering 203 "yes" votes during plenary session Tuesday, Dec. 17 was House Bill (HB) No. 11093, or the Philippine Environmental Assessment System Act. None of the congressmen entered "no" votes or abstained.

House Speaker Martin Romualdez, in a statement after the bill's final passage in the chamber, said the proposed statute is a necessary step in balancing progress with environmental stewardship. 

“This bill is a clear testament to our collective responsibility to protect our environment and ensure that development is done responsibly. It is a vital tool for balancing progress with sustainability,” Romualdez said.

The measure establishes a Philippine Environmental Assessment System (EAS), which mandates Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) for policies, plans and programs, and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) for projects. 

These processes aim to integrate environmental considerations into development strategies early on, ensuring that potential environmental, health and socio-economic impacts are thoroughly evaluated.

Under the EAS, critical projects such as heavy industrial activities, major infrastructure and resource extraction will be required to secure a Certificate of Proponent’s Environmental Commitment (CPEC) from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). 

This ensures adherence to environmental safeguards, including the implementation of preventive and mitigating measures.

“With the EAS in place, we are institutionalizing a process that ensures environmental risks are mitigated before projects are implemented. We cannot afford to sacrifice the environment for the sake of progress,” said Romualdez, Leyte's 1st district congressman.

The bill imposes severe penalties for violators, as project proponents who operate without the required CPEC will face fines ranging from P5 million to P20 million and may be subject to closure or suspension of operations. 

Similarly, those who violate environmental management plans could be fined up to P10 million per violation.

Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEA) will ensure that national and local development plans, sectoral programs and policies consider cumulative environmental impacts. This includes safeguarding biodiversity, mitigating risks to indigenous communities and protecting water, air and land resources.

To ensure accountability, public participation will play a crucial role in both the EIA and SEA processes. Multi-partite monitoring teams (MMTs) composed of government agencies, local government units, non-government organizations and affected communities will oversee compliance and implementation.

The bill also mandates the creation of a financial guarantee mechanism requiring project proponents to set aside funds for immediate cleanup or rehabilitation in case of environmental damage. 

Trust funds, environmental insurance or cash deposits may serve as assurance that remediation efforts can be swiftly executed.

Further strengthening transparency, the DENR will be tasked to establish a knowledge management system to consolidate all SEA and EIA-related reports. Summaries of these documents will be accessible to the public, allowing for independent monitoring and accountability.

The bill highlights the government’s intent to hold project proponents accountable while streamlining sustainable practices in development planning. Non-compliance will no longer be tolerated under the strict penalties set forth by the measure.