FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
) 
) 
First Regular Session 
SENp:.,T,E 
S. No. 
.1"130 
Introduced by Sehator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
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 serious ground level, ozone, noise, water pollution, and solid waste disposal 
problems attendant to airport operations require a thorough evaluation of all significant sources 
of pollution. 
In the United States, a study of air pollution problems has determined that airports are 
significant sources of air pollution and has led to the creation of an airport bubble concept. The 
airport bubble concept is an approach that treats an airport and the area within a specific radius 
around the airport as a single source of pollution that emits a range of pollutants, including air, 
noise, water, and solid waste and seeks, by implementation of specific programs or regulations, 
to reduce the pollution from each source within the bubble and the overall pollution in that area. 
Hence, this bill seeks to require the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to 
conduct a feasibility study for applying airport bubbles as a method for identifying, assessing, 
and reducing the adverse environmental impacts of airport ground and flight operations and 
improving the overall quality of the environment.' 
This bill was re-filed during the Thitteenth Congress, First Regular Session. 


3P; _"-11'1 
FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
O:tl~iC& (,F ";'i":'; !:Er J·lE Tt\fi'v 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
il) 
,Jill 21 
SEN1730 
S. No. ___ 
-=:. 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
) 
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AN ACT 
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REQUIRING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES TO 
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CONDUCT A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR APPLYING AIRPORT BUBBLES AS A 
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METHOD OF IDENTIFYING, ASSESSING, AND REDUCING THE ADVERSE 
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF THE AIRPORT GROUND AND FLIGHT OPERATIONS 
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AND IMPROVING THE OVERALL QUALITY OF THE ENVIRONMENT 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in Congress 
assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Right to Know About Airport 
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Pollution Act." 
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SECTION 2. Purpose. - The purpose of this Act is to require the Secretary of the 
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Department of Environment and Natural Resources to conduct-
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(A) A feasibility study for applying airport bubbles to airports as a method of assessing 
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and reducing, where appropriate, air, noise, water, and solid waste pollution in and 
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around airports and improving overall environmental quality; and 
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(B) 
A study of pollutant emission standards for airplane engines to determine whether it 
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is feasible and desirable to strengthen the standards. 
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SECTION 3. Definitions. - For the purposes ofthis Act, the term: 
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(A) "Secretary" means the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural 
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Resources. 
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(B) 
"Airport bubble" means an area-
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(1) In and around an airport, or other facility using aircraft, within which sources 
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of pollution and levels of pollution from those sources are to be identified and 
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reduced; 
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(2) Containing a variety of types of air, noise, water, and solid waste sources of 
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pollution in which th(l aggregate of each type of pollutant from the respective 
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sources is regulated as if the various sources were a single source. 
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SECTION 4. Study of Using Airport Bubbles.-
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(A) In General. - The Secretary shall conduct a study to determine the feasibility of 
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regulating air, noise, water, and solid waste pollution from all sources in and around airports 
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using airport bubbles. 
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(8) Working Group. - In conducting the study, the Secretary shall establish and consult 
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with a working group comprised of-
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(1) The Administrator of the Airport Transportation Office (or a designee); 
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(2) The Secretary of National Defense (or a designee); 
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(3) The Secretary of Transportation and Communication (or a designee); 
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(4) A representative of environmental research groups; 
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(5) An airport manager; 
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(6) A representative of the bus lines that serve airports who is familiar with the 
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emissions testing and .repair records of those buses, the schedule of those 
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lines, and any problems with delays in service caused by traffic congestion; 
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(7) A representative ofthe taxis and limousines that serve airports who is familiar 
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the with the emissions testing and repair records of the taxis and limousines 
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and the volume of business generated by the taxis and limousines; 
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(8) A representative of law enforcement agencies or other entities responsible for 
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traffic conditions in and around airports; 
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(9) A representative of environmental specialists from airport authorities; and 
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(10) A representative from an aviation union representing ground crews. 
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(C) Required Elements. - In conducting the study, the Secretary shall-
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(1) 
Collect, analyze, and consider information on the variety of stationary and 
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mobile sources of air, noise, water, and solid waste pollution within airport 
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bubbles around airports in the country, including -
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(a) Aircraft, vehicles, and equipment that service aircraft, including main 
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and auxiliary e~gines; and 
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(b) Buses, taxis, and limousines that serve airports; 
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(2) 
Study a statistically significant nwnber of airports serving commercial 
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aviation in a manner designed to obtain a representative sampling of such 
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airports; 
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(3) 
Consider all relevant information that is available; 
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(4) 
Consider the air quality implications of airport and gronnd and in-flight 
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aircraft operations, such as routing and delays; 
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(5) 
Assess the role of airports in domestic and international travel and 
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commerce and the environmental and economic impact of regulating 
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airports as significant sources of air, noise, water, and solid waste pollution; 
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(6) 
Propose boundaries of the areas to be included within airport bubbles; 
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(7) 
Propose a definition of air pollutant emissions for airport bubbles that 
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includes hydrocarbons, volatile organic compounds, and other ozone 
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precursors targeted for reduction under existing air pollution law; 
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(8) 
Develop an inventory of each source of air, noise, water, and solid waste 
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pollution to be regulated within airport bubbles and the level of reduction 
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for each source; 
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(9) 
List and evaluate programs that might be implemented to reduce air, noise, 
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water and solid waste pollution within airport bubbles and the 
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environmental and economic impact of each of the programs, including any 
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changes to relevant laws (including regulations) that would be required for 
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implementation of each ofthe programs; 
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(10) Evaluate the feasibility of regulating air, nOlse, water, and solid waste 
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pollutants in and around airports using airport bubbles and make 
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recommendations regarding which programs should be included III an 
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effective implementation of airport bubble methodology; and 
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(11) Address the issues of air and noise pollution source identification and 
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regulations that are unique to military air bases and stations. 
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(D) Report. - Not later than three (3) years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
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Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results and recommendations of the 
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study required by this section. 
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SECTION 5. Study of Emission Standards for Airplane Engines. -
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(A) In General. - The Secretary shall conduct a study of air pollutant emission standards 
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for airplane engines to determine whether it is feasible and desirable to strengthen the standards. 
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(B) Report. - Not later than two (2) years after the date of enactment of this Act, the 
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Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing the results and recommendations of the 
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study required by this section. 
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SECTION 6. Progress Reports. - Not later than one (1) year after the date of enactment 
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of this Act, and ammally thereafter until the reports under Sections (4) and (5) are submitted, the 
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Secretary shall submit to Congress a report that details the progress being made by the Secretary 
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in carrying out Sections (4) and (5). 
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SECTION 7. Reporting of Toxic Chemical Releases. - Not later than one hundred eighty 
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(180) days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall promulgate regulations 
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requiring each airport that regularly serves commercial or military jet aircraft to report releases 
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and other waste management activities associated with the manufacturing, processing, or other 
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use of toxic chemicals, including toxic chemicals manufactured, processed, or otherwise used -
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(A) During operation and maintenance of aircraft and other motor vehicles at the 
airport; and 
(B) In the course of other airport and airline activities. 
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SECTION 8. Funding. - The Secretary shall carry out this Act using existing funds 
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available to the Secretary. 
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SECTION 9. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
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unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
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valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 10. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
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order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent 
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with, the provisions of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly . 
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SECTION 11. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
Approved, 
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