DENR-6 welcomes probe on execs liable for Boracay mess

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Monday, March 19, 2018
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ILOILO City – The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in Western Visayas welcomes the pronouncement of DENR Undersecretary and Chief of Staff Rodolfo Garcia to investigate DENR officials tasked to protect Boracay Island but failed to do so.

“We welcome the move of the higher management to exact full accountability from the erring officials that contributed to the Boracay mess. Indeed, heads must roll and let the axe fall where it should fall,” said Jim O. Sampulna, DENR 6 regional director.

Director Sampulna further agrees to the call of many sectors to name names, with the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) also conducting an investigation among officials of the local government units of Aklan.

The DENR is on its third week in implementing the marching order of the president to clean-up the island of Boracay. Distribution of 842 Show Cause Orders to illegal forest occupants were already done while Notice of Violations to establishments that violated provisions of the Clean Water Act (expired or no discharge permits), the Clean Air Act (no permit to operate) and Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System (no Environmental Compliance Certificate) is still on-going. As of March 8, 352 NOVs had been issued by the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

“We will never let up in our efforts as there is a strong mandate from the president to clean up Boracay. The accountable ones will answer in proper forum but as long as we can we will continue with the clean-up as this is no time to let our guard down,” Director Sampulna added.

For the record, the DENR has two line bureaus – the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) – which has their own respective mandates and sets of environmental rules and regulations to implement and monitor. “Each of us play particular roles which are distinct from one another and they have their own regional directors who oversees the implementation of their mandates,” Sampulna added.

The MGB implements the Philippine Mining Act (R.A. 7942). The MGB has been distributing geohazard maps and educating communities on how to use it. Also, LGUs had been trained on how to use the geohazard maps especially in case of flooding, landslides and storms.

On the other hand, the EMB is the bureau that issues the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) that is required of establishments that falls within the category of the Environmentally Critical Projects. It also implements the following environmental laws: 1. Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Law (P.D. 1586); 2. Toxic Substances and Hazardous Waste Management Act (R.A. 6969); 3. Clean Air Act (R.A. 8749); 4. Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (R.A. 9003); 5. Clean Water Act (R.A. 9275); 6. Environmental Awareness and Education Act (R.A. 9512)./PN
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