LINKAGES AMONG ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT, HEALTH, GENDER, AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Key Output and Outcomes Health Concerns in the
Environment Sector
Clean Air
Philippine Development ● Ambient (outdoor air
Plan 2017-2022 pollution) is a major cause of
death and disease globally.
Ensuring Ecological The health effects range from
Integrity, Clean and Healthy increased hospital admissions
Environment and emergency room visits, to
increased risk of premature
Subsector Outcome: death. Worldwide ambient air
Environmental quality
pollution accounts for:
improved
○ 29% of all deaths and
disease from lung cancer
Stricter implementation of
○ 17% of all deaths and
existing legal frameworks
disease from acute lower
will be pursued to promote a
respiratory infection
clean and healthy
○ 24% of all deaths from
environment. Strategies will
stroke
focus on:
○ 25% of all deaths and
1. Strengthening disease from ischemic
heart disease
enforcement of
environmental laws ○ 43% of all deaths and
disease from chronic
especially on air,
Gender Gaps in Gender “Entry Points” 1.5 degree Study
Environmental (Integrating gender Climate-Responsive Indicators
Management dimensions into efforts to Output Indicators Outcome Indicators
achieve environmental
management objectives)
1. Pollution affects 1. Air Quality Management Clean Air Program
everyone. But women face 1. Strengthened capacity 1. Decreased levels of
heightened risks due to a. Reduce the environmental
footprint of cities as entry of EMB Regional industrial emissions (e.g.
structural and biological
factors, including lower points to reduce pollution as Offices for permitting, PM, CO, NOx, Sox)
wages and lack of decent well as improve gender real time monitoring and 2. Improved ambient air
jobs, motherhood and outcomes. enforcement system/s quality that meets the
menstruation, traditional 2. Improved capacity of National Air Quality
gender roles and cultural Indicators:
Airshed Governing Guidelines Values
norms, which usually
*gender aspects of air Board to ascertain (NAAQGV)
mean that women are
responsible for cooking, pollution in environmental attainment/non- 3. Reduced/avoided
codes of cities and attainment areas and emissions of potent
fetching water and
urbanizing LGUs’ integrated
cleaning, due to which they formulate/implement greenhouse gases/SLCPs
end up right next to action plans and
From Clean Air Act
pollution sources. strategies which include
air pollution reduction
2. Main issues for gender a. Formulate a
comprehensive national programs
mainstreaming within air
quality management are: program of air pollution 3. Increased % in clinker
management that shall be
substitution in
implemented by the production of cement
 water, and land obstructive pulmonary
quality management; disease
● Annually, 18 million
Filipinos are exposed to air
pollution, making air
2. Promote sustainable pollution a major cause of
consumption and respiratory and
production such as cardiovascular disease in the
eco-friendly country. Air pollution is the
technologies, fifth leading global risk factor
systems, and
for premature death in the
practices.
Philippines, it is also
important to note that the top
These strategies will mitigate six leading causes of death in
the negative environment and the country are attributed to
health impact of economic poor air quality.
activities. ● Health effects of air pollution
range from acute symptoms
such as coughing and
respiratory infections, to
development of chronic
diseases and even mortality.
In children and adults, both
short- and long-term
exposure to ambient air
pollution can lead to reduced
lung function, respiratory
infections and aggravated
asthma. Maternal exposure to
ambient air pollution is
associated with adverse birth
outcomes, such as low birth
a. lack or limited government through with supplementary
information/aware proper delegation and cementitious materials
ness of linkages effective coordination of including but not limited
between exposure functions and activities
to fly ash, granulated
to harmful air
pollution and the Indicators: blast, furnace slag and
effects on human *GAD dimensions visible in natural pozzolan
health and the EMB PAPs: survey and 4. Increased % in the use
environment, and monitoring of of low global warming
gender differences
firms/establishments with air potential (GWP)
in risks and impact.
pollution source equipment refrigerants in the
Information gaps: (APSE) and air pollution refrigeration, the air-
• Do current development source facilities (APSFs) and conditioning and foam
plans and priorities for air support services; Airshed manufacturing (RAC-F)
pollution management
Governing Board, etc and fire suppressant and
address social, health, and solvent sectors
environmental
implications for the most *EMB personnel involved in
5. Phased out ozone-
vulnerable population? planning, monitoring/survey depleting substances
activities oriented on gender (ODS)
• With regard to lens and other GAD 6. Decreased levels of
assessment of hazards and principles ; knowledge and other short-lived climate
risks associated with air pollutants (SLCPs)
pollution, are the different skills improved and applied
health implications for such as black carbon,
women, men and children CH4 and HFCs
taken into consideration? b. Encourage cooperation
and self-regulation
• Are national/local social among citizens and
factors that influence industries through the
human exposure to air application of market-
based instrument
 weight, pre-term birth and
small gestational age births.
Emerging evidence also
suggests ambient air pollution
may affect diabetes and
neurological development in
children.
● In the Asia Pacific region,
Philippines also ranks second
in indoor air pollution. This is
primarily caused by cooking
with kerosene or solid fuels
such as wood or charcoal.
Open fire cooking stoves
produce heavy smoke
containing fine particles,
Carbon monoxide (CO), and
Polycyclic aromatic
hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Deaths among women and
kids have been linked to
indoor air pollution.
● Lack of access to clean
cooking amplifies the
vulnerability of women and
of communities at large.
Recent studies suggest that
people exposed to air
pollution are more likely to
die from COVID-19 than
people living in areas with
cleaner air. This makes
pollution identified? •
Have the health effects of c. Focus primarily on
air pollution exposure pollution prevention
been linked to biological rather than on control
differences between and provide for a
women, men and children? comprehensive
management program for
• Are the different social air pollution, such as the
and economic implications promotion of non-
of air pollution for women motorized transport,
and men recognised? emphasis on public
transport, and travel
b. need to promote a demand measures
participatory
approach to ensure d. Promote public
the participation of information and or
women and activity. This shall
vulnerable include the setting up of
populations in a funding or guarantee
policy and mechanism for clean-up
program and environmental
development and rehabilitation and
decision-making compensation for
processes. education and to
encourage the
participation of an
informed and active
public in air quality
planning and monitoring
e. Formulate and enforce a
system of accountability
communities (specifically
women) using inefficient
polluting cook stoves much
more vulnerable to COVID-
19.
There are concerns that the
current economic slowdown
could lead to a return to using
firewood or other polluting
cooking methods among
households that have earlier
already transitioned to using
cleaner cooking fuels, like
electricity, liquefied
petroleum gas or ethanol. In
turn, such return to the
unsustainable past in terms of
energy supply could mean
negative impacts on women’s
livelihoods and health.
Source:https://www.ctc-
n.org/sites/d8uat.ctc-
n.org/files/resources/empowe
r%20on%20gender%20and%
20climate%20in%20the%20
covid-
19%20context_final.pdf
*inventory (with profile) of
DENR personnel involved in
for short and long-term
adverse environmental
impact of a project,
program personal
damages
Indicators:
*IEC materials on
specific concerns (i.e use
of alternative fuels by
vehicle owners, etc;
encouragement for green
procurement/ practices
by firms) containing
benefits to women and
men developed and
distributed
*increased no. of firms
monitored/ surveyed/
issued with permit-to-
operate (PTOs), and
private emission testing
centers (PETCs) with
women and men
employees directly
exposed to air pollution,
profiled and oriented;
monitoring/surveying of
firms conducted and
database created

Source:
https://air.emb.gov.ph/the-
philippine-clean-air-act/

From PDP:

Percentage of highly
urbanized and other major
urban centers within ambient
air quality guideline value
(PM10 and PM2.5) increased

Source:
http://www.neda.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2019/05/20-
Chapter-20-Ensuring-
Ecological-Integrity-Clean-
and-Healthy-Environment-
1.14.2019.pdf

a. Increase the number of

upgraded air quality
monitoring stations and
improve the procurement
process
b. Strengthen the
enforcement of the anti-
smoke belching
campaign and vehicle
 emission testing
c. Promote
environmentally-
sustainable transport,
including the mass
transport system, use of
cleaner fuels, and
conversion to fuel-
efficient engines
d. Enforce the creation of
airshed governing
boards and ensure that
they are functional
e. Strengthen the
enforcement of air
quality standards among
industry players

Indicators:

*number of ordinances on
anti-air pollution programs
of LGUs/cities reviewed as
to gender aspects,
revised/amended/drafted;
monitoring of
implementation
documented

*increased number of
women participants in
Airshed Governing Boards;
 *integration of gender
aspects in policies,
programs and projects,
including action plans,
proposed in Governing
Boards increased;
implementation increased;

*action on complaints of air

pollution accidents/
incidents in firms/industries
documented as prioritized;

Source:
http://pdp.neda.gov.ph/wp-
content/uploads/2017/01/PD
P-2017-2022-07-20-
2017.pdf

2. Solid Waste Solid Waste Management 1. Improved sanitation

Solid Wastes, Toxic Chemicals and 2. Main issues for gender Management strategies that
Hazardous Wastes mainstreaming in solid reduce waste as well as Program 2. Reduced occurrence of
waste management are: reduce gender gaps 1. Decreased waste floods due to clogging of
● Pollutants deposited on land generated canals in urban areas
usually enter the human body a. Promote integrated 3. Improved safety of
2. 90% of drainage canals
 through the medium of
contaminated crops, animals,
food products or water.
Disposal sites create health
hazards. A wide range of
health problems, including
respiratory systems, irritation
of the skin, eyes and nose,
gastrointestinal problems,
psychological disorders, and
allergies, have been
discovered.
● Dumpsites are feeding places
too of dogs and cats and these
pets, together with rodents,
flies and mosquitoes, carry
diseases with them to
homesteads. Direct handling
of solid waste can result in
various types of infectious
and chronic diseases with the
waste workers and pickers
being the most vulnerable.
There are also specific risks
in handling wastes from
hospitals and clinics. For the
public, the main risks to
health are indirect and arise
from the breeding of disease
vectors, like flies and rats.
a. Social norms sustainable urban cleared of solid wastes communities
define different development and per municipality 4. Reduced methane
roles for women environmentally sound emissions from solid waste
3. Zero occurrence of
and men in the management of municipal
garbage landslides management facilities
different stages of solid waste which aims to
the waste cycle create job opportunities for 4. Number of LGUs
from waste women as well as men, while compliant with RA 9003
identification reducing and eliminating increased
(what is considered exposure risk to persistent
5. Increased % in
waste or of no organic pollutants, lead, and
value) and waste other toxics. municipal solid waste
generation up to digestion of organic
waste segregation, Indicators: wastes
collection, final 6. Increased number of
waste disposal, and *eco-friendly alternative households practicing
overall waste technologies on recycling/ composting
management composting for
b. Household waste 7. Increased % in the use
management is entrepreneurship developed of eco-efficient soil
treated as an and implemented; cover
extension of 8. Increased % in methane
women’s *no. of women and men
reproductive roles, recovery from sanitary
capacitated on solid waste
hardly landfills for electricity
management-related
acknowledged, entrepreneurship increased 9. Increased use of
which also extends methane flaring
to women’s 10. Coding system
b. Empowering women to
responsibility in
move up the hierarchy of for packaging materials
community waste
waste management, not just and products to facilitate
management.
mere collectors, but the waste recycling and
c. Community waste
management of waste
management roles reuse developed and
● Toxic chemicals and of women are often business opportunities etc. implemented
hazardous wastes are wastes voluntary, or 11. Buy-back
that are generated from uncompensated, Indicators:
centers with drop-off
manufacturing of chemicals, from street *database (with profile) of
petroleum and coal products, sweeping to locations to collect
existing women
iron and steel, agricultural cleaning up schools household hazardous
organizations created; wastes (i.e. dry cell
chemicals, and waste and riverbanks.
treatment and disposal. They Often, when these batteries, worn-out
can cause potential threats to responsibilities are *number of women trained cellphone, batteries and
public health and/or compensated or on leadership increased; chargers, etc)
environment because it is rewarded, or
established and
toxic, infectious, radioactive formalized, the role
*women organizations operationalized
or flammable. Electronic goes to men.
wastes (e-wastes) have high d. Due to their focused on entrepreneurship 12. Production and
recycling value but emit household and created; use of non-
toxins when burned. Open community waste environmentally
burning of these release large management roles, c. Integrating a gender acceptable packaging
amounts of dioxins and women are more perspective in assessment prohibited
furans to the environment. exposed to health studies, planning,
risks from waste. implementation and 13. Procedures,
● Exposure to hazardous waste These risks need to monitoring of waste standards and strategies
in dumpsites can lead to be understood management projects. This to market recyclable
diseases through chemical better and steps should include a gender- materials developed and
poisoning. It can also cause taken to protect specific analysis of how
low birthweight, cancer, implemented
women, including available waste and
congenital malformations, in times of disaster. 14. Increased % of
resources are valued and
neurological diseases, nausea e. Interventions and used. LGUs (3rd-5th income
and vomiting. Other than this, studies of waste, class) constructed and
mixing these wastes with especially those Indicators: operationalized sanitary
municipal wastes can expose addressing landfills
people to chemical and community safety *GAD dimensions visible in
radioactive hazards. and cleanliness are 15. 100% of LGUs
EMB PAPs (provision of
 Healthcare wastes and other
medical wastes disposed in
open dumpsites, mixed with
domestic wastes increase the
risk of infection with
Hepatitis B and HIV, and
other related diseases.
● Healthcare waste is
considered as a separate kind
of waste, and is not lumped
together with solid waste. An
estimated 0.2 kg of waste per
hospital bed per day is
generated in low-income
countries, such as the
Philippines. Majority of
healthcare wastes are actually
solid wastes, but about 15%
of total waste produced in
health facilities contain
hazardous material that can
be a source of infection
through the spread of
microorganisms. However,
most healthcare facilities are
unable to segregate between
the two.
● On top of the hazards directly
posed by coming into contact
often gender blind technical assistance in (barangays and
especially when it drafting and implementation municipalities)
comes to of SWM plans; survey and constructed and utilized
supportive inputs
monitoring of projects and Materials Recovery
and technologies,
and decision- support services) Facilities (MRFs)
making in waste
management. *EMB personnel involved in
f. Critical gap: planning and monitoring/
development of evaluation of solid waste
evidence-based
management projects
gender sensitive
policies is oriented on gender lens and
hampered by lack other GAD principles ;
of gender- knowledge and skills
disaggregated improved and applied
statistics and
information, *criteria with gender
seldom collected in
dimensions for monitoring
any systematic way
and evaluation of solid waste
3. Need for study of state management projects
of toxic chemical or developed and implemented;
biological waste
management in the *LGU officials guided in
country, identifying mainstreaming gender
● gender impact concerns in SWM plans;
especially risks and
threats posed to *increased number of
women and men women and men use
personal protective
 with waste, poor waste
management further adds to
the risks that come with it.
Poor and inefficient practices,
from collection to disposal,
can lead to pollution and the
spread of contamination and
disease. These can be
transmitted by air, water, and
soil.
● Air. Incineration of waste is a
common practice in ASEAN
countries, followed by
composting and open
dumping. All these practices
add to air pollution, with open
dumping having added
potential of spreading
disease. Over time, some
waste can lead to a build-up
of heat and flammable
material which cause of fires
or even explosions, further
adding to the pollution of air.
● Water. Poorly managed
facilities and landfills can
cause leakage into water
sources, both underground
and on the surface. This is
● men and women’s equipment (i.e. masks and
access to gloves) in handling solid
information and waste;
resources on
risks/threats they
*more women and men are
pose
● participation and into recycling/upcycling/
roles of men and composting as livelihood
women in their opportunities
management, and
in decision-making *research studies conducted
and results disseminated for
policy and program review
and amendments
d. Reviewing policies
particularly the involvement
of women in decision-
making bodies for solid
waste management:
Indicators:
* number of women
membership in barangay
solid waste management
committees and municipal
 dangerous especially if it and provincial solid waste
reaches a source of drinking management boards
water, and this can also increased;
enable water to become
contaminated with pathogens.
* number of policies creating
● Soil. Finally, contaminants and/or supporting activities
can easily seep through the on solid waste management
soil. Because of the common
sponsored by women
practice of open dumps and
landfill, this disrupts the increased;
ecosystem & puts the nearby
communities at high risk. * number of policies
Some even go to these implemented as crafted/
landfills to scavenge for
sponsored by women
salvageable materials without
any protective equipment. increased.
This exposes them to many
risks to health and injury,
potentially leading to deaths. From Republic Act 9003

a. institute measures to
promote a more acceptable
system which corresponds to
the vision of sustainable
development

Indicator:

*scheme for waste

minimization, volume
reduction, resource recovery
developed and implemented

From PDP 2017-2022

b. Improve management of
solid, toxic. and hazardous
wastes including electronic
wastes; enforce compliance

Indicator:

*number of women involved

in the operation of MRFs
increased

c. Promote strategic
clustering of sanitary landfills
and SWM technologies to
address their large capital
requirement, and allow low-
income LGUs to pool their
resources to finance such
facilities

Indicator:

*memorandum issued to
mandate the membership of a
staff/official of the provincial
GAD technical committee at
the planning stage, issued and
implemented.

d. Provide alternative
livelihood activities for waste
pickers in the remaining
dumpsites identified for
closure

Indicator:

*association of waste pickers

organized and accredited

3. Toxic Chemicals and

Hazardous Waste
Management

a. Promote gender-
responsive chemical and
waste management planning,
through social and economic
impact assessments and
analysis of exposure, needs
and capacities of men and
women.

Indicators:

*inventory and profile of

women and men directly and
indirectly exposed to toxic
chemicals and hazardous
materials from firms/
establishments being
monitored/surveyed,
conducted and database on
these created;

*inventory and profile of

EMB women and men
personnel directly and
indirectly exposed to toxic
chemicals and hazardous
materials from firms being
monitored/surveyed,
conducted and database on
these created;

*research/studies on the
health impacts of fertilizers
and pesticides to women and
men farmers and their
children developed and
conducted; recommendations
implemented

From PDP 2017-2022

*Improve the management

and disposal of electronic,
hospital and toxic chemical
wastes
Indicators:

*GAD dimensions visible in

EMB PAPs (survey and
monitoring of
firms/industries; )

*Number of EMB personnel

involved in planning and
monitoring/ evaluation of
toxic substances and
hazardous waste
management projects
oriented on gender lens and
other GAD principles ;
knowledge and skills
improved and applied

*IEC materials on toxic

substances and hazardous
wastes management with
gender lens developed and
disseminated

*increased level of
awareness of women and
men in firms
monitored/surveyed on
health and environmental
impacts/effects of improper

Clean Water
● Both climate change and
pollution have accordingly
intensified not only the stress
on water sources but also the
risks to human health. For
instance, the United States
Environmental Protection
Agency (2017) enumerated
how risk of illnesses can be
magnified by climate change
as follows:
○ Climate impacts can
affect exposure to
waterborne pathogens
(bacteria, viruses, and
management of toxic
substances and hazardous
wastes
4. Water Quality
Management
Indcators:
*GAD dimensions visible in
EMB PAPs: survey and
monitoring of
firms/establishments with or
without discharge permits;
WQMA Governing Board,
etc Clean Water Program 1. Improved water quality of
4. Water quality is 1. Reduced percentage in water bodies e.g. rivers,
intrinsically linked to *EMB personnel involved in
Biochemical Oxygen esteros, wetlands and lakes
women’s socially planning, monitoring/survey
determined roles: in Demand (BOD) and in terms of DENR Water
activities oriented on gender increased Dissolved Quality Guidelines
human health, food
security, livelihoods and lens and other GAD Oxygen (DO) 2. Reduced methane
the preservation of principles ; knowledge and concentration per year emissions from wastewater
ecosystems skills improved and applied from priority water
bodies
Gender issues to take into
account and to study : a. Operationalizing water 2. Number of firms with
a. Gender impact quality management areas reduced BOD per year
especially risks with gender-responsive from point sources
and threats to governance 3. Increased % in
women and men
population connected to
 parasites); toxins
produced by harmful
algal and
cyanobacterial
blooms in the water;
and chemicals that
end up in water from
human activities;
○ Changing water
temperatures mean
that waterborne
Vibrio bacteria and
harmful algal toxins
will be present in the
water or in seafood at
different times of the
year, or in places b. Projects and
where they were not
previously threats;
○ Run-off and flooding
resulting from
increases in extreme
precipitation,
hurricane rainfall, and
storm surge will
increasingly
contaminate water
bodies used for
recreation (such as
lakes and beaches),
shellfish harvesting
given their Gender gap: Less sewage treatment
different gender representation of women in facilities
roles. At water governance and
household level, decision-making process
women are often
responsible for Indicators:
ensuring domestic ● Multi-sectoral group
water supply is for monitoring and
adequate and safe surveillance created
for consumption, and mobilized
as well as for ● Increased
providing care to membership of
family members women in decision-
sickened by making process
waterborne ● Inclusion of gender
contaminants. perspectives in data
evaluation
programs
addressing wider *number of ordinances on
problems related to anti-water pollution
water, from programs of LGUs/cities
availability to reviewed as to gender
worsening aspects; monitoring of
pollution of implementation
freshwater documented
resources, and
their management *increased number of
and development women participants in
need to take into WQMA Governing Boards,
account gender technical working groups,
roles in the technical secretariat, and
situation, gendered multi-sectoral groups for
 waters, and sources of impact and men monitoring and
drinking water; and women’s surveillance;
○ Extreme weather potential
events and storm contribution and *integration of gender
surges can damage or participation in the aspects in policies,
exceed the capacity of solutions, in the programs and projects,
water infrastructure light of emergent including action plans,
(such as drinking risks and threats to proposed in WQMA
water or wastewater ecosystems and
treatment plants), human survival Governing Boards
increasing the risk coming from the increased; implementation
that people will be changing climate, increased;
exposed to health emergencies
contaminants. and disasters. *action on complaints of
● Deterioration of water quality c. Addressing the water pollution accidents/
affects poor people most, growing problem incidents in firms/industries
especially those without of marine plastic documented as prioritized
access to water, sanitation pollution in
and hygiene (WASH). Out of particular, and as
105 million Filipinos, nearly example, needs to b. Protecting water quality
seven million rely on take into account for sustainable livelihoods
unimproved, unsafe and for instance that and poverty reduction.
unsustainable water sources women living in
and more than 24 million lack fishing This aims to strengthen and
access to improved communities are develop the scientific
sanitation. This lack of water primarily involved knowledge based on the
and sanitation has far- in near-shore quality of surface and
reaching health fishing-related groundwaters to attenuate
consequences. activities, handle contamination of water
● According to the Sustainable the coastal litter sources and to protect the
Development Goals (SDG) and are exposed to quality of current and future
Progress 2019 Report, plastic additives water supplies for all their
uses. It also aims to facilitate
inadequate and unsafe
drinking water, sanitation and
hygiene is linked to 60% of
the disease burden from
diarrhea, 100% of the burden
from infections with soil-
transmitted helminths
(parasitic worms) and 16% of
the burden of protein-energy
malnutrition, which
collectively resulted to a total
of 870,000 deaths in 2016. In
the Philippines, an average of
15,000 deaths per year are
attributed to water-borne
diseases resulting from poor
water, sanitation, and hygiene
risk factors.
and endocrine the sharing and exchange of
disruptors. The effective solutions and best
problem directly practices on access to safe
impacts women’s drinking water and
health and sanitation.
livelihood,
affecting both their ● Improved waste
productive and disposal management
reproductive roles and hygiene practices
and while they along
may have a part in waterways/esteros
the pollution, they
are also in a A gender approach helps to
position to identify who the real
participate in decision makers are with
solutions. regard to waste disposal and
which factors influence
women’s and men’s
sanitation-related decisions.
Evidence shows that women
rather than men, decide what
will be thrown away and
where, making it more
important to inform women
when changing sanitation
and hygiene practices to
manage waste properly,
thereby reducing pollution of
water resources.
Campaigns to reduce water
pollution and campaigns to
improve health and combat
water-borne diseases will
increase their effectiveness if
men and women are targeted
equally.

Indicators:

● Percentages of
men/women in
charge of waste and
wastewater
management known

● Increased awareness
in women and men of
the links between
waste disposal,
hygiene practices,
water quality, and
health

c. Improving wastewater
management that is
responsive to the needs of
both women and men

Gender sensitive
participation and gender-
targeted information will
improve infrastructure
selection and community
commitment to sustainable
solutions that include
hygiene-related behavior.

Indicators:
● Increased collection
and availability of
detailed gender-
disaggregated data
that can inform
sanitation design
● Percentage of
households
connected to
sewerage or
alternative means of
water treatment
increased
● Percentages of
reported health-
incidents/ impacts
disaggregated by sex
known

c. Reducing Nutrient
Inputs and Pollution

d. Promoting innovative
solutions to improve water
quality such as
technologies for pollution
prevention and control,
water purification and
advanced water and
wastewater treatment and
management.

Since most women are

responsible for cleaning,
they are usually the first to
detect and solve problems
linked to water use. As a
result, women acquire
considerable knowledge
about maintenance and the
advantages and
disadvantages of different
technologies.

Indicators:
● Increased women
involvement in
maintenance and
management of
technologies

*increased number of
EMB women and men
employees involved in
surveying/monitoring
oriented/trained/
capacitated on new
technologies
 *review/revision of
modules on integration
of gender concerns for
Pollution Control
Officers training,
conducted; integration
effected;

e. Addressing water quality

and pollution issues within
an Integrated Water
Resources Management
(IWRM) framework –
improving legal, policy,
institutional and human
capacity.

This aims at improving the

understanding, knowledge
and institutional and
regulatory frameworks on
water quality for the
sustainable use of water
resources.

Effective water quality

management in the context
of IWRM requires an
enabling environment in the
form of policy, legal and
institutional frameworks..
This involves strengthening
human and institutional
capacities to improve water
quality management and
pollution control with the
following components:

I. Improve the
understanding and
knowledge base on
the quality of water
resources for human
well-being and
ecosystems.

Indicator:
● Increased
dissemination of
scientific knowledge
on water quality
● Increased awareness
on critical water
quality issue

II. Promote state-of-the-

art scientific,
technological and
policy solutions to
support science-
based decision-
 making and establish
management
priorities for
improving water
quality and
preventing, reducing
and controlling water
pollution.

Indicator:
● Sharing and
exchange of best
practices facilitated

III. Promote integrated

water quality-
quantity management
through approaches
such as safe
wastewater reuse and
‘fit-for-purpose’
water quality
management.

IV. Enhance legal, policy

and institutional
frameworks for water
quality management
by improving water
pollution licensing
and enforcement
systems for
 sustainability,
including water
quality regulations,
guidelines and
standards, and
promoting their
implementation,
enforcement and
compliance.

V. Build institutional
and human capacities
in water quality
management and
water pollution
control through
strengthening
scientific and
technical cooperation

Indicators:
● Increased
opportunities for
women to participate
in decisions about
environmental
policies and
programs

● Capacity building
conducted to increase
the understanding of
 gender implications
for water
management as part
of an effort to
empower women so
that they can
participate
meaningfully in
water management
issues

Manila Bay Gender issues in the f. Manila Bay

Manila Bay Clean Up
Manila Bay Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Program
● Human health risks arise project:
from fecal coliform Water Pollution – this covers -Increased % in sewerage 1. Reduced number of
contamination of the water The project is dealing with the cleaning up of all major coverage in Metro Manila and flooded areas due to
column and in seafood compounded and river systems and tributaries, other coastal cities and clogged waterways
tissues. The high bacterial individually complex waterways, upgrading of municipalities c/o MWSS 2. Reduced BOD,
load is attributed mainly to social and environmental sewerage/septage systems
-Increased % in the coverage of phosphates, and Fecal
sewage generated from issues that directly affects and sanitation facilities, and
sewerage and septage treatment Coliform in major
households and commercial, a variety of communities waste water treatment
agricultural, institutional and with different relations and facilities of commercial facilities – in line with the tributaries and in Manila
industrial establishments that situations relative to their establishments to improve implementation of the National Bay
discharge directly to the bay environment and the bay’s water quality. Sewerage and Septage 3. Improved Manila Bay
or to the drainage and river environmental resources. Solid Waste Pollution – This Management Program Water Quality to Class SB
systems, which eventually focuses on waste segregation
(NSSMP)
enter the bay. Among the Gender issues: and minimization,
establishment of materials 4. Reduced tCO2e from water
water-borne diseases that
1. The Vulnerabilities recovery facility, installation and solid waste pollution
may be acquired while
swimming at the Manila Bay Assessment of the of trash traps and provision -Increased % in solid waste 5. Reduced sedimentation
are diarrhea, cholera, typhoid, MBA is intended to of push carts. diversion rate rate from the entire Manila
inform planning Bay Region
dysentery, skin diseases, and
eye infections.
2. Sex-disaggregated
and decision- Resettlement/Relocation of -Number of relocated Informal
making. The focus ISFs – Activities include Settler Families (ISF) [c/o of 6. Reduced number of ISFs in
of this assessment demarcation and delineation DILG] in areas delineated by areas along waterways and
however are of legal easements and ISFs
DENR easement as delineated by
selected recording/mapping and
environmental relocation DENR
vulnerabilities. It
should be
complemented by 6. Promoting innovative
gendered analysis tools for safety of water
of the supplies and controlling
vulnerabilities and pollution
capacities to raise
gender a. This aims to develop and
responsiveness of promote new innovative
plans and decision- tools for water quality
making. management and pollution
control for sustainable
data to inform a livelihoods as well as
gender study at the promoting joint research on
scope and particular water quality
complexity level of issues and challenges
MBA, as is often through an integrated water
the case, is hard to pollution management
come. It is possible framework.
to employ
community-based b. It also aims to facilitate
participatory the sharing and exchange of
processes focused scientific information on
on the selected water quality challenges.
types of priority Meeting water quality
communities challenges in a holistic way
 covered by MBA requires an integrated water
(coastal, riverine, pollution control framework
agricultural, to respond to complex
forested, upland or issues, including pollution
lowland) or prevention at source, lack of
focused on authority to enforce and
communities that difficulty of monitoring.
the different c. Components are:
interventions will
impact. For • Develop and promote
example, planned innovative tools for
infrastructures water quality
such as floodways management and
can benefit from a pollution control.
gender analysis of • Promote scientific
vulnerabilities and cooperation and joint
capacities of the research on specific
communities that water quality issues
will be affected by and challenges such as
the floodway. improved
3. The need for and understanding and
lack of sex- scientific knowledge
disaggregated data on new and emerging
should alert the pollutants, water
project to quality monitoring, risk
strengthen the assessment and
practice of sex- regulations, and
disaggregated pollution control and
monitoring data attenuation.
collection to allow • Promote integrated
for informing water pollution
better assessments management through
of project prevention, reduction
progress, and and restoration of
evaluation. polluted water,
improved wastewater
management and
effective management
of impacts of land-use
changes.
• Disseminate scientific
knowledge and share
research findings,
facilitate the exchange
of best practices and
successful experiences
in reducing pollution
and restoring water
quality.