Environmental Laws and

Regulations in the Philippines

“Only when the last tree has died and the last river
been poisoned and the last fish been caught will
we realize we cannot eat money.”
– Cree Indian Proverb
Learning Outcome:

At the end of the lesson, the students should be

able to:

a) Identify all the environmental laws and

regulations and develop an in-depth
understanding in following its rules
 REPUBLIC ACT 9003 ECOLOGICAL SOLID WASTE
MANAGEMENT ACT OF 2000

• In partnership with stakeholders, the law aims

to adopt a systematic, comprehensive and
ecological solid waste management program
that shall ensure the protection of public
health and environment. The law ensures
proper segregation, collection, storage,
treatment and disposal of solid waste through
the formulation and adaptation of best eco-
waste products.
 Prohibited Acts and corresponding
penalties
(1) Littering, throwing, dumping of waste matters in
public
places, such as
roads, sidewalks,
canals, esteros or
parks, and
establishment,
or causing or
permitting the same.
Fine: P300 – P1,000, or Community service: 1-15
days in LGU where violation was made, or both.
(2) Undertaking activities or operating,
collecting or transporting equipment in
violation of sanitation operation and other
requirements or permits set forth in
established pursuant.

Penalty Fine: P300 – 1,000, or Imprisonment: 1-

15 days, or both
(3) The open burning of solid waste. Penalty
Fine: P300 – 1,000, or Imprisonment: 1-15
days, or both
(4) Causing or permitting the collection of non-
segregated or unsorted wastes.
Fine: P1,000 – P3,000, or Imprisonment: 1-15
days, or both.
(5) Squatting in open dumps and landfills.
Penalty Fine: P1,000 - 3,000, or Imprisonment:
15 days – 6 months, or both

(6) Open dumping, burying of biodegradable or

non-biodegradable materials in flood prone
areas. Penalty
Fine: P1,000 – 3,000, or Imprisonment: 15 days
– 6 months, or both
(7) Unauthorized removal of recyclable material
intended for collection by authorized persons;

Penalty Fine: P1,000 – 3,000, or Imprisonment: 15

days – 6 months, or both

(8) The mixing of source-separated recyclable

material with other solid waste in any vehicle,
box, container or receptacle used in solid waste
collection or disposal.

First Offense: Fine of P5,000 + 5-10% of net income

during the previous year
REPUBLIC ACT 9275 PHILIPPINE CLEAN
WATER ACT OF 2004
The law aims to protect the country's water
bodies from pollution from land-based
sources (industries and commercial
establishments, agriculture and
community/household activities). It provides
for comprehensive and integrated strategy to
prevent and minimize pollution through a
multi-sectoral and participatory approach
involving all the stakeholders.
 Prohibited Acts
• Discharging or depositing any water pollutant to the water
body, or such which will impede natural flow in the water
body
• Discharging, injecting or
allowing to enter into the soil,
anything that would pollute
groundwater
• Operating facilities that
discharge regulated water
pollutants without the valid
required permits
• Disposal of potentially infectious medical waste into sea
by vessels
• Unauthorized transport or dumping into waters of
sewage sludge or solid waste.
• Transport, dumping or discharge of prohibited
chemicals, substances or pollutants listed under Toxic
Chemicals, Hazardous and Nuclear
• Wastes Control Act (Republic.Act No. 6969)
• Discharging regulated water pollutants without the
valid required discharge permit pursuant to this Act
• Noncompliance of the LGU with the Water Quality
Framework and Management Area Action Plan
• Refusal to allow entry, inspection and monitoring as
well as access to reports and records by the DENR in
accordance with this Act
• Refusal or failure to submit reports and/or
designate pollution control officers whenever
required by the DENR in accordance with this Act
• Directly using booster pumps in the distribution
system or tampering with the water supply in
such a way to alter or impair the water quality
• Operate facilities that discharge or allow to seep,
willfully or through grave negligence, prohibited
chemicals, substances, or pollutants listed under
R.A. No. 6969, into water bodies.
• Undertake activities or development and
expansion of projects, or operating wastewater
treatment/sewerage facilities in violation of
P.D.1586 and its IRR.
REPUBLIC ACT 8749 PHILIPPINE CLEAN
AIR ACT OF 1999
• The law aims to achieve and maintain clean air
that meets the National Air Quality guideline
values for criteria pollutants, throughout the
Philippines, while minimizing the possible
associated impacts to the economy.
 Prohibited Acts

Burning
• Municipal Waste
• Hazardous Substances
and Wastes
• Bio-Medical Waste.
Smoking in Public Places
• Any person who smokes inside a public
building or an enclosed public place, including
public utility vehicles or other means of public
transport or in any enclosed area outside of
his private residence, private place of work or
any duly designated smoking area shall be
punished with six (6) months and one (1) day
to one (1) year imprisonment or a fine of ten
thousand pesos (P 10,000.00)
• Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Offer for Sale,
Introduction into Commerce, Conveyance or
other Disposition of Leaded Gasoline.
• Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Offer for Sale,
Introduction into Commerce, Conveyance or
other Disposition of Engines and/or Engine
Components Requiring Leaded Gasoline.
• Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Offer for Sale,
Dispensation, Transportation or Introduction
into Commerce of Unleaded Gasoline Fuel which
do not Meet the Fuel Specifications.
• Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Offer for Sale,
Dispensation, Transportation or Introduction
into Commerce of Automotive Diesel Fuel which
do not Meet the Fuel Specifications.
• Manufacture, Importation, Sale, Offer for Sale,
Dispensation, Transportation or Introduction
into Commerce of Industrial Diesel Fuel which
do not Meet the Fuel Specifications.
• Manufacture, Processing, Trade of Fuel or Fuel
Additive Without Prior Registration of the Fuel
or Fuel Additive with the DOE.
• Misfuelling.
Misfuelling refers to the act of introducing or
causing or allowing the introduction of
leaded gasoline into any motor vehicle
equipped with a gasoline tank filler inlet and
labeled “unleaded gasoline only.
 REPUBLIC ACT 6969 TOXIC SUBSTANCES, HAZARDOUS
AND NUCLEAR WASTE CONTROL ACT OF 1990

The law aims to regulate restrict or prohibit the

importation, manufacture, processing, sale,
distribution, use and disposal of chemical
substances and mixtures the present
unreasonable risk to human health. It likewise
prohibits the entry, even in transit, of
hazardous and nuclear wastes and their
disposal into the Philippine territorial limits
for whatever purpose; and to provide
advancement and facilitate research and
studies on toxic chemicals.
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE 1586 ENVIRONMENTAL
IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) STATEMENT OF 1978
The Environment Impact Assessment System was
formally established in 1978 with the enactment
of Presidential Decree no. 1586 to facilitate the
attainment and maintenance of rational and
orderly balance between socio-economic
development and environmental protection. EIA
is a planning and management tool that will help
government, decision makers, the proponents
and the affected community address the negative
consequences or risks on the environment. The
process assures implementation of environment-
friendly projects.
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9147
Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act
• AN ACT PROVIDING FOR THE CONSERVATION
AND PROTECTION OF WILDLIFE RESOURCES
AND THEIR HABITATS, APPROPRIATING
FUNDS THEREFORE AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Objectives:
(a) to conserve and protect wildlife species and their
habitats to promote ecological balance and enhance
biological diversity.
(b) to regulate the collection and
trade of wildlife.
(c) to pursue, with due regard to the
national interest, the Philippine
commitment to international
conventions, protection of wildlife and their habitats; and
(d) to initiate or support scientific studies on the
conservation of biological diversity.
 Prohibited Acts
(a) killing and destroying wildlife species, except in the
following instances;

(i) when it is done as part of the religious rituals of

established tribal groups or indigenous cultural
communities
(ii) when the wildlife is afflicted with an incurable
communicable disease
(iii) when it is deemed necessary to put an end to the misery
suffered by the wildlife
(iv) when it is done to prevent an imminent danger to the life
or limb of a human being; and
(v) when the wildlife is killed or destroyed after it has been
used in authorized research or experiments
(b) inflicting injury which cripples and/or impairs the
reproductive system of wildlife species

(c) effecting any of the following acts in critical

habitat(s)

(i) dumping of waste products detrimental to wildlife

(ii) squatting or otherwise occupying any portion of the
critical habitat
(iii) mineral exploration and/or extraction
(iv) burning
(v) logging; and
(vi) quarrying
(d) introduction, reintroduction or restocking of
wildlife resources
(e) trading of wildlife
(f) collecting, hunting or possessing wildlife,
their by-products and derivatives
(g) gathering or destroying of active nests, nest
trees, host plants and the like
(h) maltreating and/or inflicting other injuries
not covered by the preceding paragraph; and
(i) transporting of wildlife.
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 9729
Climate Change Act of 2009

• AN ACT MAINSTREAMING CLIMATE CHANGE

INTO GOVERNMENT POLICY FORMULATIONS,
ESTABLISHING THE FRAMEWORK STRATEGY
AND PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE,
CREATING FOR THIS PURPOSE
THE CLIMATE CHANGE
COMMISSION, AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES