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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES py.
Quezon City, Metro Manila :
RESISTRATION UNIT

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS BULLS AND 4 ‘SERVICE

First Regular Session

5
House Bit No,__ 827

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4™ DISTRICT, BULACAN

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

The State must protect and facilitate a balanced and healthful ecology for its people. It
must also be responsive to environmental issues affecting them.

Presently, however, there is no enabling law that prohibits this basic environmental
policy. The dumping of sewage sludge and industrial waste into Philippine seawaters must be
prohibited.

This proposed bill seeks to minimize if not eliminate the pollution and destruction of our
seawaters and marine resources which is a rich source of food for the survival of Fili

Support for the enactment of this measure is earnestly requested.

SiMe
REP. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City, Metro Manila

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House Bill No.__ 85’?

Introduced by HON. LINABELLE RUTH R. VILLARICA
4™ DISTRICT, BULACAN

AN ACT PENALIZING THE DUMPING OF SEWAGE SLUDGE AND INDUSTRIAL
WASTE INTO THE SEAWATERS

Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title. — This Act shall be known as the “Sea Dumping Ban Act”,

SEC. 2. Declaration of Policy. — It shall be the declared policy of the State to promote the
natural balance of the environment for the protection of human health and safety.

SEC. 3. Definition of Terms. ~ For purposes of this Act these terms are defined as follows:

(a) Alternative System is a method of managing sewage sludge or industrial waste which
does not require a permit under this Act;

(b) Excluded Materials are any dredged materials discharged by the Philippine Army Corps
of Engineers or discharged pursuant to a permit issued by the Secretary of Environment
and Natural Resources; and any waste from any industrial operation located in the
Philippines discharged pursuant to a permit issued by the Secretary of Environment and
‘Natural Resources;

(c) Industrial Waste is any solid, semi-solid, or liquid waste generated by a manufacturing or
processing plant other than an excluded material;

(d) Interim Measure is any short-term method for the management of sewage sludge or
industrial waste, which is used before the implementation of an alternative system; and
does not require a permit under this Act;

(e) Sewage Sludge is any solid, semi-solid, or liquid waste generated by a wastewater
treatment plant, other than an excluded material.


SEC. 4, Prohibited Acts. — No person shall dump into the seawaters or transport for the
purpose of dumping into the seawaters, sewage sludge or industrial waste, unless such person has
obtained a permit issued by the Secretary of Environment -and Natural Resources which
authorizes such dumping and transportation.

‘The Secretary of Transportation and Communication shall not issue any permit under this
Act which authorizes a person to dump into the seawaters, or to transport for the purpose of
dumping into the seawaters, sewage sludge or industrial waste, unless that person was authorized
by a permit issued by him or by a court order to dump into the seawaters or to transport for the
purpose of dumping into ocean waters, sewage sludge or industrial wastes,

SEC. 5. Penalties, — The penalty of imprisonment of not less than six (6) months or a fine in
the amount of not less than one hundred thousand pesos (Php 100,000.00) or both, at the
discretion of the court, shall be imposed on any person who dumps into the seawaters, or
transports for the purpose of dumping into seawaters, sewage sludge or industrial waste. If the
offense is committed by a corporation, trust, firm, partnership, association or other entity, the
penalty shall be imposed upon the guilty officer or officers of such corporation, trust, firm,
partnership or association or other entity.

SEC. 6. Enforcement Monitoring Report. ~ The Secretary of the Department of Environment
and Natural Resources, in consultation with the Secretary of the Department of Transportation
and Communications, shall submit a report to Congress. ‘The report shall contain an accounting
of discharges into the seawaters of the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, and the ocean
including:

(a) the total number of discharges;

(b) the location, source, volume, and potential environmental effects of each discharge;

(c) the date of original issuance, review, and reissuance of each discharge permit;

(d) the number of discharges including that which have been determined by the Secretary of
Environment and Natural Resources;

(c) a schedule for implementing this Act as expeditiously as practicable, and an estimate of
the resources required to meet such schedule; and

(f) recommendations for any additional legislative authorities needed to achieve compliance
with such guidelines.

SEC. 7, Separability Clause. — If, for any reason any provision of this Act is declared
unconstitutional or invalid, such parts or portions not affected thereby shall remain in full force
and effect.


SEC. 8. Repealing Clause. ~ All laws, executive orders, presidential decrees, issuances,
letters of instruction, administrative order, rules and regulations, or parts thereof, inconsistent
with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified or amended accordingly.

SEC. 9, Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication
in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,