· , 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 11 B '9 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 provides: 
The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a 
balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of 
nature. 
The beaches and coastal recreation water of our country are valuable public 
resources that are used for recreation by millions of people annually. 
Unfortunately, increased population and urbanization of watershed areas have 
contributed to the decline in the environmental quality of coastal water. Unless concrete 
measures are taken, our beaches and coastal recreation water will continue to deteriorate. 
This bill seeks to improve the quality of beaches and coastal recreation water by 
adopting consistent criteria that would enhance public health and safety. 
MANNY VI LAR 
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FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 1189 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF BEACHES AND COASTAL RECREATION 
WATER 
Be it enacted by the Senate. and HOllse of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled. 
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SECTION 1. Short title- This Act shall be known as the "Beaches Environmental 
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Assessment, Closure, and Health Act". 
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SECTION 2. Purposes - The purpose of this Act is to require uniform criteria and 
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procedures for testing, monitoring, and notifying users of public coastal recreation water 
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and beaches 
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(1) To protect public safety; and 
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(2) To improve environmental quality. 
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SECTION 3. Definitions - In this Act --
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(1) COASTAL RECREATION WATER- The term 'coastal recreation water' 
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means water adjacent to public beaches and marine coastal water (including bays, 
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lagoon mouths, and coastal estuaries within the tidal zone) used by the public for 
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(A) swimming; 
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(B) bathing; 
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(C) surfing; or 
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(D) other similar body contact purposes. 
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(2) FLOATABLE MATERIALS- The term' floatable materials' means any foreign 
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matter that may float or remain suspended in water, including 
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(A) plastic; 
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(B) aluminum cans; 
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(C) wood; 
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(D) bottles; 
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(E) paper products; and 
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(F) fishing gear. 
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SECTION 4. Adoption of coastal recreational water quality criteria -
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(a) IN GENERAL- Not later than 3 years and 180 days after the date of 
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enactment of this Act, the secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural 
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Resources shall adopt water quality criteria for coastal recreation water 
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(b) DEVELOPMENT OF 'CRITERIA-
Water quality criteria described in 
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subsection (a) shall be developed and promulgated in accordance with existing 
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environmental laws and policies. 
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SECTION 5. Water quality criteria revision -
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. (a) STUDIES- Not later than 3 years after the date of enactment of this Act, and 
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after consultation with appropriate. officials (including local health officials) and other 
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interested persons, the secretary shall conduct studies to provide new information for 
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use in developing--
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(1) A more complete list of potential human health risks from inhalation, 
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ingestion, or body contact with coastal recreation water, including effects on the upper 
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respiratory system; 
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(2) Appropriate and effective indicators for improving direct detection of the 
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presence of pathogens found harmful to human health in coastal recreational water; 
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(3) Appropriate, accurate, arid expeditious methods (including predictive models) 
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for detecting the presence of pathogens in coastal recreation water that are harmful to 
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human health; and 
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(4) Guidance for the application of the criteria issued under subsection (b) to 
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account for the diversity of geographic and aquatic conditions throughout the country. 
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(b) REVISED CRITERIA- Not later than 5 years after the date of enactment of 
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this Act, based on the results of the studies conducted under subsection (a), the 
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secretary, after conSUltation with appropriate officials (including local health officials) 
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and other interested parties, shall--
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(1) Issue revised water quality criteria for pathogens in coastal recreation water 
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that are harmful to human health, including a revised list of indicators and testing 
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methods; and 
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(2) Not less than once every 5 years thereafter, review and revise the water 
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quality criteria. 
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SECTION 6. Coastal beach water quality monitoring 
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(a) MONITORING: 
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(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 1 year and 180 days after the date of enactment 
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of this Act, the Administrator shall promulgate regulations requiring monitoring by the 
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department of public coastal recreation water and beaches for 
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(A) Compliance with applicable water quality criteria; and 
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(8) Maintenance of public safety. 
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(2) CONTENTS OF REQlJIREMENTS- Monitoring requirements established 
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under this section shall specify, at a minimum 
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(A) Available monitoring methods to be used; 
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(8) The frequency and location of monitoring based on 
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(i) The periods of recreational use of coastal recreation water and beaches; 
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(ii) The extent and degree of recreational use during the periods described in clause (i); 
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(iii) The proximity of coastal recreation water to known or identified point and non-point 
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sources of pollution; and 
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(iv) The relationship between the use of public recreation water and beaches to storm 
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events; 
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(C) Methods for 
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(i) Detecting levels of pathogens that are harmful to human health; and 
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(ii) Identifying short-term increases' in pathogens that are harmful to human health in 
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coastal recreation water, including the relationship of short-term increases in pathogens 
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to storm events; and 
, 
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(D) Conditions and procedures under which discrete areas of coastal recreation 
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water maybe exempted by the secretary from the monitoring requirements under this 
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subsection, if the Secretary determiries that an exemption will not--
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(i) Impair compliance with the applicable water quality criteria for that water; and 
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(ii) Compromise public safety. 
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(b) NOTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS 
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(1) IN GENERAL- Regulations promulgated under subsection (a) shall require 
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provinces to provide prompt notification of a failure or the likelihood of a failure to meet 
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applicable water quality criteria for provincial coastal recreation water, to 
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(A) Local governments; 
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(8) The public; and 
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(C) The secretary: 
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(2). INFORMATION INCLUDED IN NOTIFICATION- Notification under this 
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subsection shall require, at a minimum-
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(A) The prompt communication of the occurrence, nature, extent, and location of, 
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and substances (including pathogens) involved in, a failure or immediate likelihood of a 
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failure to meet water quality criteria, to a designated official of a local government 
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having jurisdiction over land adjoining the coastal recreation water for which the failure 
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or imminent failure to meet water quality criteria is identified; and 
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(8) The posting of signs, during the period in which water quality criteria are not 
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met continues, that are sufficient to give notice to the public 
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(i) Of a failure to meet applicable water quality criteria for the water; and 
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(ii) The potential risks associated with water contact activities in the water. 
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(c) REVIEW AND REVISION OF REGULATIONS- Periodically, but not less than 
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once every 5 years, the secretary shall review and make any necessary revisions to 
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regulations promulgated under this section. 
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(d) IMPLEMENTATION 
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(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 3' years and 180 days after the date of enactment of 
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this Act, each province shall implement a monitoring and notification program that 
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conforms to the regulations promulgated under subsections (a) and (b), 
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(2) REVISION OF PROGRAM- Not later than 2 years after the date of publicati0':l 
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of any revisions by the secretary under subsection (c), each province shall revise the 
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program established under paragraph (1) to incorporate the revisions. 
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(e) GUIDANCE; DELEGATION OF RESPONSI81L1TY-
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(1) IN GENERAL- Not later than 1 year and 180 days after the date of enactment 
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of this title, the secretary shall issue guidance establishing--
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(A) Core performance measures for testing, monitoring, and notification 
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programs under this section; and 
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(8) The delegation of testing, monitoring, and notification programs under this 
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section to local government authorities. 
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(2) DELEGATION OF RESPONSIBILITY TO LOCAL GOVERNMENTS- If a 
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responsibility described in paragraph (1)(B) is delegated by a province to a local 
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government authority, or is delegated to a local government authority before the date of 
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enactment of this section, resources, including grants made, shall be made available to 
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the delegated authority for the purpose of implementing the delegated program in a 
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manner that is consistent with the guidance issued by the secretary. 
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(f) FLOATABLE MATERIALS MONITORING; TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE Not 
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later than 1 year and 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the secretary 
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shall--
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(1) Provide technical assistance for uniform assessment and monitoring 
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procedures for floatable materials in coastal recreation water; and 
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(2) Specify the conditions under which the presence of floatable material shall 
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constitute a threat to public health and safety. 
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(g) OCCURRENCE DATABASE- The secretary shall establish, maintain, and 
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make available to the public by electronic and other means--
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(1) A national coastal recreation water pollution occurrence database using 
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reliable information, including the ir)formation reported under subsection (b); and 
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(2) A listing of communities conforming to the regulations promulgated under 
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subsections (a) and (b). 
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SECTION 7. Report to Congress- Not later than 4 years after the date of the 
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enactment of th is title and periodically thereafter, the secretary shall submit to Congress 
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a report that contains-
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(1) Recommendations concerning the need for additional water quality criteria 
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and other actions that are necessary to improve the quality of coastal recreation water; 
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and 
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(2) An evaluation of efforts to implement this Act. 
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SECTION 8. Separability Clause - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid 
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or unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall 
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remain valid and subsisting. 
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;SECTION 9. Repealing Clause - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, 
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executive order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to 
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or inconsistent with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified or amended 
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accordingly. 
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SECTION 10. Effectivity Clause- This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after 
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its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
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