ENVIRONMENTAL

LAWS
What is Environmental Law?

-a complex and interlocking body of statutes, common

law, treaties, conventions, regulations and policies.

-operates to regulate the interaction of humanity and the

rest of the biophysical or natural environment.

-purpose of reducing or minimizing the impacts of human

activity, both on the natural environment for its own
sake, and on humanity itself.
Principles influencing
Environmental Laws

• Environmentalism

• Ecology, conservation,
stewardship,
responsibility and
sustainability
 Areas of Concerns

-Air quality and

water quality -Pesticides and
-Global climate hazardous chemicals
change -Waste management
-Agriculture and remediation of
-Biodiversity and contaminated land
species protection -Management of
public lands and
natural resources
Environmental
Laws in the
Philippines
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1219
(As amended by Presidential Decree No. 1698, 1980)
[PROVIDING FOR THE EXPLORATION,
EXPLOITATION, UTILIZATION AND CONSERVATION  OF CORAL RESOURCES].
   
  

WHEREAS, coral resources are known to exist beneath territorial waters and in the
marine economic zone of the Philippines; 

WHEREAS, the exploitation of these resources, especially the precious coral

varieties, will bring revenue to the country and generate employment in the
processing and utilization of these resources; 

WHEREAS, it is necessary that the exploration, exploitation, utilization and

conservation of these resources be properly regulated to ensure the preservation of
the country’s marine environment; 

WHEREAS, conservation of ordinary corals is necessary for the preservation of the

natural breeding ground, habitat or abode of fishes and other marine organisms; 

WHEREAS, ordinary corals are natural protection of the shore and adjacent
infrastructures against destructive effects of wave erosion; 
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1067
December 31, 1976
THE WATER CODE OF THE PHILIPPINES
A DECREE INSTITUTING A WATER CODE, THEREBY REVISING AND
CONSOLIDATING THE LAWS GOVERNING THE OWNERSHIP,
APPROPRIATION, UTILIZATION, EXPLOITATION, DEVELOPMENT,
CONSERVATION AND PROTECTION OF WATER RESOURCES.

WHEREAS, Article XIV, Section 8 of the New Constitution of the Philippines

provides, inter alia, that all waters of the Philippines belong to the State;
WHEREAS, existing water legislations are piecemeal inadequate to cope
with increasing scarcity of water and changing patterns of water use;
WHEREAS, there is a need for a Water Code based on rational concepts of
integrated and multi-purpose management of water resources and
sufficiently flexible to adequately meet future developments:
WHEREAS, water is vital national development and it has become
increasingly necessary for government to intervene actively in improving the
management of water resources;
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 825
November 7, 1975
PROVIDING PENALTY FOR IMPROPER DISPOSAL OF
GARBAGE AND OTHER FORMS OF UNCLEANLINESS
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.
  

WHEREAS, one of the principal aims of the New Society is

to effect social, economic and political reform through
discipline and order;
WHEREAS, a healthy citizenry is a vital factor in bringing
about these reforms; and
WHEREAS, to attain these objectives it becomes the duty of
every citizen and resident of the Philippines to keep his
environment or surroundings clean and wholesome;
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 704
(As amended by P.D. No. 1015 dated September 22, 1976; further
amended by P.D. No. 1058; further amended by P.D. No. 1819 dated
January 16, 1981)
May 16, 1975
REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING ALL LAWS AND DECREES
AFFECTING FISHING AND FISHERIES
 
WHEREAS, fish is one of the major and cheapest sources of protein in the
diet of Filipino people;
WHEREAS, 2.2 million Filipinos depend directly on the fishery industry for
their livelihood;
WHEREAS, the Philippines continues to import fish and fishery products
in substantial quantities because of the insufficiency of domestic
production;
WHEREAS, there is a compelling need to increase the production of fish
to bring down its price to a level which will be within the reach of our
people, and at the same time insure the continuity of our fishery resources
in productive condition through wise utilization and proper conservation.
 PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1433
June 10, 1978
PROMULGATING THE PLANT QUARANTINE LAW
OF 1978, THEREBY REVISING AND CONSOLIDATING EXISTING PLANT
QUARANTINE LAWS TO FURTHER IMPROVE
AND STRENGTHEN THE PLANT QUARANTINE SERVICE OF THE BUREAU
OF PLANT INDUSTRY

WHEREAS, economic losses due to injury on agricultural crops brought about by

plant pests have become increasingly significant; 

WHEREAS, the prevention of introduction, incursion, establishment and

subsequent spread of plant pests by regulating the international and domestic
movements of plants and plant products, is considered more practical and
economical than any other method of plant pest control; 

WHEREAS, modern means of transportation and handling of imports and exports

have favored the expeditious and extensive movements of plants and plant
products, thereby, increasing the risk of plant pest introduction and/or incursion;
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 6969
[AN ACT TO CONTROL TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND HAZARDOUS
AND NUCLEAR WASTES PROVIDING PENALTIES FOR
VIOLATIONS THEREOF,
AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES]

Section 2
Declaration of Policy

It is the policy of the State to regulate, restrict or prohibit the

importation, manufacture, processing, sale, distribution, use
and disposal of chemical substances and mixtures that present
unreasonable risk and/or injury to health or the environment; to
prohibit 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. 
REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7076
 
 AN ACT CREATING A PEOPLE'S SMALL-SCALE
MINING PROGRAM AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES.

Section 1. Title. — This Act shall be known as

the "People's Small-scale Mining Act of 1991." 

Sec. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared of

the State to promote, develop, protect and rationalize
viable small-scale mining activities in order to generate
more employment opportunities and provide an equitable
sharing of the nation's wealth and natural resources,
giving due regard to existing rights as herein provided
 REPUBLIC ACT NO. 7308
AN ACT TO PROMOTE AND DEVELOP THE SEED INDUSTRY IN THE
PHILIPPINES AND CREATE A NATIONAL SEED INDUSTRY COUNCIL AND
FOR OTHER PURPOSES
  
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It is hereby declared the policy of the State to promote
and accelerate the development of the seed industry and, for this purpose, the
Government shall:
a.  conserve, preserve and develop the plant genetic resources of the nation; 
  
b.  encourage and hasten the organization of all sectors engaged in the industry,
integrate all their activities, and provide assistance to them; 
  
c.  consider the seed industry as a preferred area of investment; 
  
d.  encourage the private sector to engage in seed research and development and in
mass production and distribution of good quality seeds; and 
  
e.  provide the local seed industry protection against unfair competition from imported
seeds.