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By Ira Karen Apanay, Reporter
ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources Secretary Lito
Atienza on Wednesday recalled the power of the Laguna Lake
Development Authority (LLDA) to oversee the implementation of the
environmental impact statement (EIS) system and issuance of all
environmental compliance certificates (ECC) for development projects
within the Laguna de Bay region after receiving complaints of
inefficiency.
Atienza issued an administrative order (No.
2008-11) transferring the authority to issue ECCs from LLDA to the
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB). This means the regional
offices of the EMB will now be processing the EIS and the ECC.
“I am delegating to the EMB regional offices
the mandate to grant or deny ECCs covering development projects
within the Laguna de Bay region,” Atienza said.
The administrative order states that the action
is part of the continuing effort of the department “to rationalize
and streamline the implementation of the Philippine environmental
impact system.”
The environment secretary said that it is also
in response “to complaints of inefficiency and to end all horror
stories on the issuance of environmental permits” by affected
industry groups and other stakeholders.
Under the AO, Atienza designated OIC Assistant
Secretary for Legal Juan Miguel Cuna to supervise and examine the
process of issuing ECCs.
He directed Cuna to cut any red tape, end all
inefficiencies and ensure the smooth flow of ECC issuances.
The DENR chief also said that after this move
“the LLDA could concentrate on efforts that will hasten the clean
up and rehabilitation of the Laguna de Bay.”
Atienza explained that the clean up of Laguna de
Bay, particularly of fish pens, is very critical not only to the
lake’s rehabilitation but also to other water bodies in the
metropolis like the Pasig River.
Besides the ECC, Atienza also transferred to the
EMB regional offices the authority to process and issue certificates
of non-coverage to projects that are exempted from coverage of the
EIS System.
In order to facilitate the attainment and
maintenance of a rational and orderly balance between socioeconomic
growth and environmental protection, the EIS system was established.
Under the system, the ECC is required for all
environmentally critical projects and projects within
environmentally critical areas.
The DENR said, prior to the issuance of the ECC,
project proponents are required to undertake an environmental impact
assessment to determine possible adverse environmental impacts of
their proposed projects or activities and to come up with measures
or strategies to reduce such impacts on the environment.
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