FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
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SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 987 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
The burden of enforcing environmental laws has always been a pressing 
responsibility of the Government. While this is as it should be, vested and interest 
groups and those who benefit much from the exploitation and over-utilization of the 
environment have escaped responsibility. 
For years, cases of air, land and water pollution due to industrial wastes have 
been taking a great toll on man and nature. Chemicals and their by-products, metal 
and glass scraps, have increased environmental risks and endanger numerous 
communities. 
Many industries abuse natural resources such as land, water, plant and wildlife 
species for profit, in violation of law or without giving due consideration to the people 
dependent on these resources for survival. 
In communities where industries exist and in areas where there are economic 
and commercial activities, it is always the residents and their means of livelihood that 
are affected in cases of grave ecological disasters resulting from such activities. 
Rivers and other bodies of water, a source of daily income and sustenance to 
many of our people, are oftentimes polluted due to toxic wastes emitted by factories. 
There are cases where villages lose fertile land areas needed for food production 
because of the extractive methods of mines and quarries. Realization of these 
tragedies came too late to the great prejudice and suffering of the residents of the 
locality. 
It is therefore imperative that existing industries, companies, or any other firm 
engaged in any economic activity should assume a measure of responsibility 
concerning the exploitation of natural resources. 
The enactment of this bill is highly recommended. 
MANNY V LLAR 


FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE 
REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES 
First Regular Session 
SENATE 
Senate Bill No. 987 
INTRODUCED BY HON. MANNY VILLAR 
AN ACT TO REQUIRE INDUSTRIES, FACTORIES, COMPANIES, OR ANY 
INSTITUTION, FIRM OR ESTABLISHMENT USING CHEMICALS AND THEIR BY- 
PRODUCTS FOR PRODUCTION, TO DEVELOP AND PROMOTE A COMMUNITY 
ENVIRONMENT INFORMATION PROGRAM 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in 
Congress assembled: 
SEC. I. Title. - This Act shall be known and referred to as the "Community 
Environmental Information Program Act." 
SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. - It is hereby declared the policy of the State to 
maintain the ecological balance of nature by providing measures that will protect 
ecological systems necessary for the survival of humankind, and instill among groups of 
people deriving raw materials from natural resources the responsibility of protecting the 
environment. 
SEC. 3. Coverage. - This Act covers all industries, corporations, business firms 
and establishments that derive raw materials, whether solid, liquid or gas; from the 
communities or produce and discard their by-products n the community. 
SEC. 4. Purpose. - The Act intends to: 
(a) Require all corporations, government or private, to: 


(1) Take the responsibility of ensuring that all its activities or operations for 
production do not pollute water and land bodies within, near or adjacent to its 
immediate location and do not deplete existing natural resources bases for raw 
materials, and thus endanger the ecological balance of community ecosystems; 
(2) Orient the residents of communities of the possible risks of the chemicals 
being used for production as well as the type ad volume of the raw materials 
taken from the environment for use in it production; and 
(3) Educate the residents of communities on the safety measures being adopted 
by the industries or corporations in cases of accidents. 
(b) Enable community residents to protect the environment by being informed and 
taking part in monitoring the compliance of industries to this Act. 
SEC. 5. Implementation. - Implementation of this Act shall consider the following 
processes: 
(a) Information dissemination. - Through reading materials distribution in the form 
of one-page leaflets, preferably written in Filipino or the local dialect. 
(b) Format of Publication. - An industry, corporation, ration, and the like, shall 
publish a document providing the following information: 
(1) Name of the Industry or Corporation; 
(2) Address; 
(3) Owner or Operator; 
(4) Chemicals used - type, physical characteristics, form, characteristics, and the 
like; 
(5) Type and volume of raw materials or natural resources used -water bodies, 
land, plant and wildlife; 


(6) By-products and wastes generated, their volume and their manner of 
disposal; 
(7) Safety measures adopted by the company especially in cases of emergency. 
SEC. 6. Rules and Regulations. - The Department of Environment and Natural 
Resources, in consultation with the local government units, shall promulgate the rules 
and regulations to implement this Act and monitor their violations or compliance 
thereof. 
SEC. 7. Penalty. - Failure to comply with the provisions of this Act or the rules 
and regulations issued pursuant thereto shall be punishable by a suspension of the 
license to operate and an additional fine amounting to at least twenty-five percent 
(25%) of the monthly operating costs until remedial measures have been fulfilled. 
SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. - All laws and regulations inconsistent herewith are 
hereby suspended or modified accordingly. 
SEC. 9. Effectivity. - This Act shall take effect after fifteen (15) days following its 
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation. 
Approved,