Progress of Water Environment
Governance in the Philippines
Vicente B. Tuddao, Jr. Ph.DCareer Executive Service Officer IV
Assistant Regional Director for Technical Services/Director III
Department of Environment and Natural Resources
MIMAROPA Region, Philippines

The 14th WEPA Annual Meeting
22 February 2019
Tokyo1

THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES PROFILE•

It has an economy that is a newly industrializedcountry, transitioning from agriculture to one based
more on services and manufacturing. As of 2019, GDP(PPP) was estimated to be at US$1.041 trillion (WorldBank, September 2018), US$354 billion(nominal). The13th largest economy in asia.

•There are 820,253 establishments (based on 18 industrytype) throughout the country, wherein 60% arelocated within the Manila Bay Region (Metro Manila,Region 3, and Region 4A). Of these number 112,789
are manufacturing industries.

•Main manufacturing industries are pulp and paper mills,
sugar mills, alcohol distilleries, food processing, plastic
and consumer goods, copper smelter, glass plant, steelmills, cement plant, electronics assembly, aerospace,textiles, petroleum refining and shipbuilding.

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STATUS OF RIVERS IN THE PHILIPPINES
Out of the 421 Principal Rivers,
180 are relatively
polluted/degraded

The rapid increase in population, urbanization andindustrial development has led to the river basin
degradation and deterioration which is due mainly towater pollution.
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Source: Nat’l Water Quality Status Report, EMB (Based on BOD loadings)

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Results of Water Quality Monitoring of Priority Rivers** Does not include 4 rivers in National
Capital Region(NCR). A total of 19 rivers
nationwide are considered priority
principal rivers subject for regularmonitoring

Total
Area:
300,000
Sq km• DO, 5mg/l (standard for ambient):
6 rivers passed• BOD, 7 mg/l (standard): 7 riverspassed• Only 4 rivers passed both the DOand BOD standards

EMB Annual Report, 2016

5Bathing Beaches Monitoring Stations

Monitoring of Bathing
Beaches in Manila Bay••

Nineteen (19) Bathing
beaches weremonitored for fecal
coliform countfrom 2013 to 2017.
Out of the 19 stations
monitored only one (1)station passed the SB
Criteria for fecal coliformof 200MPN/100ml(Dalaroy’s Resort in2016)• Php7.0 billion project programmed for the massive
rehabilitation of Manila Bay in progress (2019 onward) underDENR leadership. This is also in compliance with the Supreme
court’s issued Writ of Mandamus to clean the bay.

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Php7.0 billion project programmed for the massive rehabilitationof Manila Bay in progress (2019 onward) under DENRleadership. This is also in compliance with the Supreme court’s
issued Writ of Mandamus to clean the bay.

Strategies:• Strengthen law enforcement• Strong political will
• Strong private sector participation (CSR)• Interagency cooperation and collaboration• Sufficient budget support from the government• Stakeholders participation andcooperation/change of attitude or behaviour

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Status of Wastewater Management in the Philippines• Only 10% of wastewater is treated;• Only 5% of the total population is connected to a sewer network. The vast
majority uses flush toilets connected to septic tanks;• 76.8 percent of families in the Philippines have sanitary toilet facilities(DOH, 2008).
•Less than 10 percent have access to piped sewerage systems. Those that are
not connected to a sewerage network rely on septic tanks, pit latrines, orpractice open defecation.

•In Metro Manila, 43 sewage treatment plants (STPs) and septage treatment
plants (SpTPs) service more than a million residents or around nine percentof the region’s entire population. An average of 9.4 million kilograms of
BOD was removed per year during this four-year period. The highest
pollution load reduction was attained in 2012 with 9.5 million kilograms ofBOD removed.

8• The estimated total annual volume of wastewater produced from both
municipal and major agricultural industries is about 7,465 million cubicmeters. This data may be considered inadequate because there are otherindustries that are producing wastewater but their data are not readily
available.

Sewage Treatment Plant inBalanga, Bataan, Philippines designed
to serve 180, 000 households in theprovince of Bataan.

9Total
Total
Area:
Area:
300,000
300,000
Sq
Sqkm
km

Balanga, Bataan

Balanga, Bataan

Location of Some of theSewage Treatment Plants
in Metro Manila andAdjacent Provinces10

On-going Construction of Php100 Million STP in Puerto Galera-Sabang
Beach Area Prime Tourist Destination to service both domestic andcommercial establishments along the beach area with a capacity of 1,750
cubic meters per day expected to be operational before the end of 201911

PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER ACT OF 2004
(Republic Act No. 9275)
To control wastewater discharges, DENR has enforced
the Wastewater Discharge Permitting System• All Owners Or Operators Of Facilities That Discharge
Regulated Effluents Shall Secure Wastewater Discharge
Permit (DP).
• DP is the legal authorization granted by the DENR todischarge wastewater into a water body.
• The DENR Implements Wastewater Charge System (WCS) in all
Management Areas and Regional Industrial Centers through theCollection of Wastewater Charges/Fees.
12PHILIPPINE CLEAN WATER ACT OF 2004
(Republic Act No. 9275)
Provides For A Comprehensive
And Integrated Strategy
To Prevent And Minimize Pollution
Through A Multi-Sectoral And
Participatory Approach
Involving All The Stakeholders.

The Clean Water Act Applies To:• Water quality management in all water bodies.
• Abatement and control of pollution fromland-based sources.
• Enforcement of water quality standards,regulations and penalties.
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Water Body Classification and Usage of Freshwaters(Rivers, Lakes)

ClassificationClass AAAAA

Intended Beneficial Use
Public Water Supply Class I – Intended
primarily for waters having watersheds, which
are uninhabited and otherwise protected, andwhich require only approved disinfection tomeet the Philippine National Standards forDrinking Water (PNSDW)
Public Water Supply Class II – For sources ofwater supply requiring conventional treatment(coagulation, sedimentation, filtration anddisinfection) to meet the latest PNSDW

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Water Body Classification and Usage of Freshwaters (Rivers, Lakes)
ClassificationBC

Beneficial Use

Recreational Water Class I – intended forprimary contact recreation (bathing, swimming,skin diving, etc.)• Fishery Water for the propagation andgrowth of fish and other aquatic resources• Recreational Water Class II (Boating, fishingor similar activities)• For agriculture, irrigation, and livestockwatering)
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DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO. 2016-08(An amendment of DAO 1990-35)

WATER QUALITY GUIDELINES AND GENERAL
EFFLUENT STANDARDS OF 2016

Discharges from any point source shall at all times meet theeffluent standards
The GES shall be used regardless of theindustry category and volume of discharge
Effluent used for agricultural purposes shall conform to the DA
Administrative Order No. 2007-26.
DAO 2016- 08 has also provision for the water classificationof water bodies for the purpose of maintaining thequality of water based on beneficial usage.
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Effluent Standards (DAO 2016-08)
Parameter

Class AClass B

Class CClass D

Ammonia as NH3-N,
mg/L

0.5

0.5

0.5

7.5

BOD5,mg/L

2030

50120

Boron, mg/L

22312Chloride, mg/L

350

350

450500

COD, mg/L

60

60100200Color, TCU

100

100

150300Cyanide as Free Cyanide,
mg/L

0.14

0.14

0.20.4

Fluoride, mg/L

222417Effluent Standards (DAO 2016-08)
Parameter

Class AClass BClass CClass D

14141430

6.0-9.0

6.0-9.0

6.0-9.5

5.5-9.5

Phosphate, mg/L

11110Selenium, mg/L

0.02

0.02

0.04

0.08

Sulfate, mg/L

500

500

550

1,000

Surfactants (MBAS), mg/L

231530Temperature(h) °C change

3333

Total Suspended Solids,mg/L

70

85

100

150

Nitrate as NO3-N, mg/L
pH (Range)18Effluent Standards (DAO 2016-08)
Parameter

Class AClass BClass CClass D

Arsenic, mg/L

0.02

0.02

0.04

0.08

Barium, mg/L

1.5

1.5

68Cadmium, mg/L

0.006

0.0060.010.02

Chromium as Hexavalent
Chromium (Cr6+)

0.02

0.02

0.02

0.04

Copper as dissolved
Copper, mg/L

0.04

0.04

0.04

0.08

Iron, mg/L

557.5

35Lead, mg/L

0.02

0.02

0.1

0.2

Manganese, mg/L

2222019

National Government Agencies with Primary mandates
on Water Environment Governance
Executive Order No. 192 (1987)“The Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR) shall be the primary government agency responsible for the conservation,management, development, and proper use of the country’s environment and naturalresources.”

The Environmental Management Bureau is the primary
government agency under the DENR mandated‐ to formulate, integrate, coordinate, supervise, and implement all policies, plans,programs, projects and activities relative to the prevention and control of pollution as wellas management and enhancement of environment

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Other Government Agencies with related mandates on Water
Environment governance:• Laguna Lake Development Authority – to formulate, regulate andimplement all policies, plans, programs, projects and activities relative to theprevention and control of pollution as well as management and enhancement ofenvironment in Laguna Lake Region• Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission – Coordinate and integrate, andmonitor the implementation of all Government Agencies plans, and programs forthe rehabilitation of Pasig river• Department of Public Works and Highways –It is the primary agency
that implement the country’s national Sewerage and Septage Management• Metro Manila Development Authority – administer governance of MMarea development such as infrastructure development, law enforcement ofenvironmental laws- solid waste management, Clean Water Act, Water Code ofthe Philippines, Clean Air Act, etc.

21• Department of Health (DoH) – administer the compliance of the country’s
National Standard for Drinking Water Program• Metro Manila Sewage and Sewerage System (MWSS) – Governance ofthe water supply program of Metro Manila and other provinces, and directly
oversee the implementation of plans and programs of the two water
concessionaires, namely: Manila Water Company (MWC) and Maynilad Water
Services Co.(MWSC)• Local Government Units (LGUs) – administer/management of rivers
within the jurisdiction of the LGUs, and implement Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act within its area of political and jurisdictional responsibility.
• Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) – administer theimplementation of the country’s National Water Supply and Sanitation
Program, and mandated to oversee the attainment of the country’s SDG goal onaccess to safe drinking water by all.

22• Under the National Sewerage and Septage Management
Program, the LGUs shall share the responsibility in themanagement and improvement of water quality within theirterritorial jurisdictions.
• Local Government Units are the key players in the Water
Quality Management Areas designated by DENR inaccordance with Sec. 5 of the Clean Water Act and its IRR

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MONITORING OF THE INDUSTRIES
Level

Responsible
Person/OfficeReport Requirement

ProjectProponent/Company

Pollution Control Officer

Self-Monitoring Report(SMR) and/or (CMR)
Compliance Monitoring
ReportMulti-Partite
Monitoring (MMT) orThird PartyMonitoring

Team headed by the company Audit Report / CMR
composed of various
Stakeholders (LGU, Non
Government Organizations(NGOs) and other sectors)

Regulating body

EMB Central Office / EMBRegional Offices

Compliance Evaluation
Report24

METHODS OF MONITORING THE INDUSTRIES

Table Monitoring Documents submitted

o reports (Self-Monitoring Report)o planso required permits (discharge permit)
o other proof of compliance orimplementationField MonitoringSite Validation (actual plant inspectionand effluent sampling plus validation ofsubmitted reports)
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STATUS OF COMPLIANCE BY INDUSTRIAL / COMMERCIALESTABLISHMENTS TO THE CLEAN WATER ACT• Based on records of the DENR-EMB, of the total industries inthe Manila Bay Region that have been monitored from 20112015, only 45.41% are complying with the DENR Standards /or have been issued Wastewater Discharge Permit. At theNational level, about 50% are complying.
• This means that many have been issued Notices ofViolation (NOV) and are still implementing measures (suchas construction of wastewater treatment facility) so as totreat their wastewater. Or some still have pending case withPAB (payment of fines/penalties)

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PENALTIES AND LIABILITIES FOR NON-COMPLIANCE

Anyone who commits violation of of the General
Effluent Standards (GES), case shall be elevated to thePollution Adjudication Board (PAB) for issuance of a
“Cease and Desist Order” (CDO).
Violation

Penalty/Civil Liability

Anyone who commits any ofthe prohibited acts or violates
any of the provisions of thisAct & its IRR

Upon recommendation of the PAB,
Fine of not less than PhP10,000 but
not more than P200,000 for every dayof violation

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Violation
Failure to undertake
clean‐up
operations– wilfully or
through gross negligence
Failure or refusal toclean‐up
which results in serious injury
orloss of life or lead toirreversible
water contamination

Penalty/Civil Liability
Imprisonment not less than 2yrs but
not more than 4 yrs.; A fine of notless than PhP50,000 but not morethan PhP100,000 per day of violation

Imprisonment of not less than 6 yrs.
and 1 day and not more than 12 yrs.
and fine of PhP500,000 per day foreach violation

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Violation

Penalty/Civil Liability

Gross violation of the Act,
-Deliberate discharge of toxic
pollutants-Five (5) or more violations within aperiod of 2years-Blatant disregard of the orders of
the PAB, such as non-payment offines, breaking of seals or operating
despite the existence of an order for
closure, discontinuance or cessationof operation.

PAB shall issue resolution
recommending that proper
gov’t agencies file criminal
charges against violator

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On-Going Major Environmental Law Enforcement• Clean Up Drive of Boracay Beach Area- Issued Notice ofViolation (NOVs) and Cease and Desist Order (CDOs)to various
commercial establishments in Boracay Beach Areas (Prime Tourist
Destination), Province of Aklan, in violation of Clean Water Act;
Demolished various establishments in violation of the easement
rule under the Water Code of the Philippines.
• Rehabilitation of Manila Bay- on-going massive groundinspection and issued Notice of violation (NOVs) and CDOs ofviolating commercial establishments/hotels for failure to establish
STPs/wastewater treatment plants. A total of Php7.0 billion wasallocated by the government for this major program of theDENR starting 2019 (5 year program);30

• Clean Up Drive of other major Beach Areas of prime Tourist
destination in MIMAROPA region namely: Coron, El Nido andSan Vicente, in Palawan, and Puerto Galera in Oriental Mindoro.
Issued Notice of Violation (NOVs) and Cease and Desist Orders(CDO)to various commercial establishments in violation ofClean Water Act; Demolished various establishments in violationof the easement rule under the Water Code of the Philippines.
• Clean Up drive and rehabilitation of selected major/principal
rivers in the country.

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Targets Metro Manila and for Areas Outside Metro Manila• By 2037, 100 percent of all households (with projected population of15 million ) and commercial establishments within Metro Manila
should have connected to sewer lines for the wastewater treatment
facilities/plants to be put up and operated by the Manila Water Companyand Maynilad Water Services Co. in line with the 25 year contracts signed
between said companies and the government through the MWSS;• By 2020, all LGUs have developed septage management systems and the 17
highly urbanized cities have developed sewerage systems.
• By 2020, approximately 43.6 million people have access to SpTPs and about
3.2 million will have access to STPs.
• By 2020, PhP 26.3 billion has been invested in sanitation improvement projects.
• By 2020, about 346 million kg of BOD is diverted from the environment peryear as a result of the sewerage and septage management projects

32Issues and challenges needed to be addressed to Improve Water
Environment Governance• Increase access to the new knowledge and technologies generated
from international R&D standards for the effective and efficientmanagement of domestic wastewater through WEPA
• Participation to the global or regional network for the access to
information on improved approaches/strategies, and access tofinancial and technical assistance in the development of thecountry’s comprehensive domestic wastewater treatment systems andfacilities; and• With the foundation for sustainable water quality management
already laid out, the main challenge now lies in the continuation ofexisting water quality management policies and programs torehabilitate and preserve the quality of the country’s water bodies,and ultimately, achieve and sustain quality life for future generations

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