MALACANANG Manila BY THE PRESIDE OF THE PHILIPPINES ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 4 RATIONALIZING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT (EIS) SYSTEM AND GIVING AUTHORITY, IN ADDITION. "TO THE SECRETARY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, TO THE DIRECTOR AND REGIONAL DIRECTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT BUREAU TO GRANT OR DENY ‘THE ISSUANCE OF ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES WHEREAS, the Environmental impact Statement (CIS) System was established by virtue of Presidential Decree No. 1596 (1978) to facilitate the allainment and maintenance of 2 rational and orderly balance between socio~ economic growth and environmentai protection; WHEREAS, the need to incorporate environmental conosms in the country’ efforts for national development should be done in the mast efficient manner’ s0 that neither the environment nor national davelapment bre compromised; . 4 1 WHEREAS, Section 4 of Presidential Decree No. 1686 establishing the Philiprine Environmental impact Statement System empowers the President or his duly authorized representative to grant or deny the issuance wf enviranmantal compiiince certficates (ECGs) for environmentally efiical projects. within envi mentally eicel ress; WHEREAS, Section 7 of Fxccutive Order No. 192 providing for the reorgé station of the Depariment of Envionment, Energy, and Natural Resouces (DEENR) and renaming it as the Depariment of Environment.and Natura! Resources (DENR) vests in tho Secretary of the DENR the authority and responsibilly to exercise tye mantlate of the DENR, accomplish its objectives and digcharge its powers arfd functions, WHEREAS, the Secretary. of DENR, as alter ego of the President, is deemed to have the power to grant or deny the issuance of ECGs on behalt of the President, WHEREAS, under Section 21, Chapter 4, Title XIV, Book IV of Executive Ofer No. 282, the Administrative Cove of 1987, the DENR Regional Offices are responsible for, infer aia, implementing laws, polices, plans, programs, projects, - rules and regulations of tha ENR to promote the sustalnabilty and productivity em,Litzation ana of natural resources, seclet equity in natural resour rvironmental protection in bel rapaclive regions WHEREAS, under Section 34, Chapter 4 ofthe provisions of Republic Act ‘Na. 8749 (Phiippine Clean Air Act of 1628), the Envitanmontal Mananeront Bureau was converted from a staff oureau, ino a line bumau with the eiportt Director in charge ofthe various reginnal ctioes, WHEREAS, the Envionmental Management Buren: (ENB), ogethor with the Environmental impact Assessment (EIA) Review Commits, throug) the years of implementation of the Philippine EIS. System, has tabled Competence in the review and evaluation of the environmental impact cf Eovelopment projects WHEREAS, the current procedures on the ECC applleation process now tobe streamined: WHEREAS, Section 4 of Executive Order No, 291 (1999) provides for tho continuous strengthening of the Enviocmantal Impact Assessment capabiity of the DENR, NOW, THEREFORE, 1, GLORIA MAGAPAGAL-ARROYO, President of the Philipines, by virtue ofthe powers vested in me by law and the Cranston in order to futher simpity the requirements and streaming the prosassing cf ECC applications do hersby authorize, In adalton to the Seselary of the Department oF Environment and Natural Rasouroes, the Directoy andl Resional Directors of the Environmental Management Bureau to grant O° deny te ‘ssuance of Environmental Compliance Certificates, SECTION 1. Decluration of Polioy. it Is the policy of the State thet eetmum economic’ development shal be achieved withost delay and thal ba pursued to ensure that the present generation mecio ils nesds wiheut Compromisng the nasi of fulure gensralions. Hence, a systenie-crisnod and Integrated approach in the analysis and solution to environmental concerns vie ‘is national development programs shall be implemented, SEC 2. Streamlining the ECC Application Processing and Approval Procedures.“ Consisient wth the sbovementoned policy. the folowing are hhoraby ordares: € A. Project proponsnis are nereby directed to simultaneously conduct the ‘environmental impact study (as required for ECC application) ard the feasibility study of the propaced projec. 5. The endorsing official, approving authority and proceesing tinetrames + BEER 0° ECC sppleations shal be as folows Sao 152y ~ Brasesing | Timeframe (not to age teed [FB wonking days af Tipe of Pigect Sproviig Oca i Can Environmentally iz cael projet” | Fee Dvector | Seeretar/EMB (Single Projoct) Bioctor Non 1 EIA Dien cio | EM EMiionmentaly | Regional Ofce "| DirectorRRegionat | Gea! Project | rector | located in Critical ‘reas [Projects Not | BIA Divi Covered bythe | EMB DirectorRegiona | Eis System GentralRegional | Director u "| tticee tno decision is made within the specified processing timeframe, the EGC application is deemed automatically approved and the eporoving uthorty shall issus {he ECC within five (6) working days after sve presoribed processing timeframe: ©. The DENREMB shall be fimiled to a maximum of two (2) ois requests Yor adtiona information (in wring) ftom the ECC apalcant, D. Projects that neve ne significant environmental impact shal not be required to secure an ECC. The EMB in coordination with the Deparment of Trade and industry (OTH) shall review and is hereby ‘authorized to undata/make. appropriate revisions on the tachnical {Guidelines on the EIS Systems Inipiementation including the technical Gots of “Environmentally Criieal Projects” and “Environmentally Critical Areas” a8 provided for tn Presidental Prociamation No. 2146 (1981), to take into consideration, among others, industral and technological innovations and trends; SEC. 3. Strengthening the Implementation of the Philippine EIS system. |A, The DENR-EME shall conduct reqular consultations with OTI, effected indusiry groups and pther stakeholders for the purpose of continually improving the procdssing of ECC applications 10 full the above- mentioned policy. The DENR Secretary shall accordingly eppraise the Presicent of the issues raised as well as the actions taken by the DENR to address these issues; see eu, :