Prohibited Acts
Prohibited Acts
Prohibited Acts
Suspension of ECCs
ECCs may be suspended for violation of Proponents to comply with ECC conditions. It
is noted that ECC suspension does not necessarily mean the Proponent is absolved of
its responsibility in implementing its approved Environmental Management Plan (EMP).
PD 1586 does not preclude the fact that DENR may require the Proponent to institute
environmental safeguards/measures to prevent further threat or actual damage to the
environment.
Imposition of fines and penalties is vested on the Directors of the EMB Central Office or
Regional Office upon persons or entities found violating provisions of P.D. 1586 and its
Implementing Rules and Regulations.
The EMB Director or the EMB-RD may issue a Cease and Desist Order (CDO) based
on violations under the Philippine EIS System to prevent grave or irreparable damage to
the environment which cannot be attributed to specific environmental laws (e.g. RA
8749, RA 9275, RA 6969, etc). Such CDO shall be effective immediately. An appeal or
any motion seeking to lift the CDO shall not stay its effectivity. However, the DENR shall
act on such appeal or motion within ten (10) working days from filing.
Publication of Firms
The EMB may publish the identities of firms that are in violation of P.D. 1586 and its
Implementing Rules and Regulations despite repeated Notices of Violation.
Projects with or without ECCs which pose grave and/or irreparable danger to
environment, life and property;
Projects which are established and/or operating without an ECC: A project that has
commenced its implementation is deemed "operating without an ECC", whether or not it
is in actual operation. The phrase "operating without ECC" refers to all projects that
were implemented without ECC that should have been required by the P.D. 1586 IRR.
Operating with an ECC secured from agencies or entities other than DENR is also
considered "operating without an ECC". Projects operating without an ECC shall not be
issued EMB regional environmental permits by EMB-PCD/EQD until such projects have
complied with the PEISS in securing an ECC.
Projects violating ECC conditions and EMP Commitments and other procedural
requirements of the Philippine EIS System:
Violations in relation to ECC conditions are classified as minor and major offenses,
differentiated by schedule of fines based on seriousness and gravity of the offense:
MAJOR Offenses (violations of substantive conditions in the ECC and the EIS System
procedures, rules and regulations that will have significant impact on the environment
and which the Proponent is required to comply), such as: 1) non-implementation of
substantive conditions in the ECC on the EMP and EMoP and other related substantive
commitments in the EIA Report, including modifications during EIA Report Review, 2)
exceedance of project limits or area; 3) significant addition of project component or
product without prior DENR-EMB approval; 4) major change in project process or
technology resulting in unmitigated significant impacts not addressed by approved
EMP; 5) Other offenses deemed "major" at the discretion of the EMB CO/RO Director.
d.Misrepresentations, whether material or minor constitute violations on the theory that
full disclosure in the EIA Report is the key to the effective use of the EIS System as a
planning and management tool.
Failure to pay a fine imposed by the Secretary, EMB Director or the RD constitutes an
offense separate from the original offense that brought about the imposition of the
original fine and may warrant the imposition of another fine, and/or the issuance of a
CDO.
For projects operating without an ECC: The sum of P50,000.00 is set as the
maximum amount of fine. The amount of fine can be appropriately reduced at the
discretion of the Secretary, the EMB Director, or the RD, considering the circumstances
of each case, i.e. impact of the violation on the environment. The project may be
subjected to penalty following the mechanics of reduction as shown in Table 2-2.
Table 2-2. Schedule of Penalty Reduction in case of "Operating without ECC"
3. Project Cost
Note: A maximum of 80% reduction in penalty can only be imposed provided that the
project Proponent meets all of the above criteria.
In case of violation of ECC conditions, EMP, or EIS rules and regulations: The sum of
P50,000.00 is again set as the maximum amount of fine per violation. Violation of one
condition in the ECC is an offense separate and distinct from the violation of another
condition. It is possible that a respondent be subjected to a fine of more than P50,000.00 if
more than one ECC condition is violated. However, the amount of fine per violation may be
accordingly reduced, following the schedule of fines presented in Table 2-3.