Fidel, Michael Vincent M.

Natural Resources and Environmental Law – Atty. Espinas (Sat. 1:00pm-4:00pm)

The reporters provided a comprehensive overview of the laws that covers the management of

solid waste, the handling of toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear waste, the quality of our air, the

proper disposal of liquid waste and the ever present threat of climate change.

I’ve learned that proper solid waste disposal is important. The population of the Philippines is

about 106 million everyone contributes to the many solid waste that clutters our country. Ecological

Solid Waste Management Act of 2000 Republic Act No. 9003 states the proper solid waste disposal. Solid

waste includes garbage, food wastes, yard wastes, and demolition or construction debris. The separate

containers for compostable, recyclables, special wastes and residuals, Separate collection schedules /

separate trucks or haulers / compartmentalized collection vehicles, etc. This law also tackles the

different violations like throwing and dumping of waste matters in public places and water bodies, open

burning of solid waste, operation of dumpsite without permits, etc. the law also prohibited and closed

open dumpsite and mandated that all open dumpsite must be converted to controlled dumps within 3

years.

In Climate Change Act of 2009 Republic Act No. 9729 I’ve learned that climate change is not only

caused by natural causes but also by human activity. The main point of this law is to lessen the

greenhouse gases that cause the greenhouse effect which in turn causes climate change. “Greenhouse

effect ” refers to the process by which the absorption of infrared radiation by the atmosphere warms

the Earth, the example of this gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons,

perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride. Today the effect of climate change are visible, stronger
typhoons, floods, extreme heat, the rise in sea level caused by melting of the polar ice caps. If we don’t

change our ways of polluting the air, there will come a time that the earth will not be habitable

anymore, we only have one earth we have to start caring and protecting it.

Because of the disasters caused by the climate change the law makers crafted Philippine

Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 Republic Act No. 10121. The National Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Plan (NDRRMP) cover four thematic areas Disaster Prevention and

Mitigation; Disaster Preparedness; Disaster Response; and Disaster Rehabilitation and Recovery. This

law covers the actions to be taken in preparation, prevention, action, and rehabilitation in time of

disasters. With the joined effort of the national government, the local government and other

government agencies tasked to handle the different thematic areas.

Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act Republic Act No. 6969 provides

for the proper handling and disposal of toxic substances and hazardous and nuclear waste. Hazardous

and toxic substances and nuclear waste can harm not only human life and animal life but also the

environment. Just like what happened in Chernobyl and Fukushima disaster which claimed many lives

and left the place uninhabitable because of the radiation it left. The accident not only affected human

life but also destroyed the environment.

The Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 51 is a law that protects our right to clean air to breathe. Air

pollution is a reality we must face because we human beings are the number one contributor to the

pollution of the air. The smoke coming from our cars, the cigarette we smoke, the emission from
factories, etc. Air pollution is also the number one cause of climate change because of the pollutants in

the air, the sunlight that is suppose to escape to space are trapped which results to the heating of our

planet.

The Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 (Pollution Part) 62 Republic Act No. 9275 covers the

proper sewerage and septic waste disposal. This protects our waters from contaminants that are caused

by improper sewerage and septic waste disposal. The perfect example of this law being implemented is

in the recent case of the closure of Boracay Island. They found out that the establishments in the island

do not have proper sewerage and septic waste disposal and the waste ends up in the sea where the

tourists bathe and do other water activities, contaminating it placing them at risk. Pres. Duterte order

the Island to be closed for rehabilitation, the improper waste disposal in the island not only affected the

people and the environment but also affected the tourism of the Philippines.