Written Report
The Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System (PEISS)
Presidential Decree 1586
Submitted to:
Dr. Ruben F. Amparado
By:
Genevie P. Pinton
Rosanillo Yagos
The Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System (PEISS)
[Presidential Decree 1586]
I. Introduction
The origin of Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) practice started in 1969 from the issuance of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by the United States.
This policy was the result of wide spread recognition in the 1960s that some major environmental problems were created by government projects like power stations, dams and reservoirs and industrial complexes.
This legislation made mandatory to assess the environmental consequences of all projects by federal agencies.
Three years later, during a United Nation Conference on Environment in Stockholm, countries were urged to integrate environmental considerations into socio-economic development and decision-making. In response, many countries worldwide adopted the EIA and the Philippines was among them.
So in 1977, the Philippine Environmental Policy (Presidential Decree 1151) was enacted.
This law mandates all national government agencies, including government-owned and controlled corporations, as well as private corporations, firms and entities to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for any project or activity that significantly affects the quality of the environment.
And in June 11, 1978, The Philippine EIS System (PEISS) was officially established under Presidential Decree 1586
The implementing agency that time was the National Environmental Protection Council (NEPC) under the Ministry of Human Settlements.
Executive Order 192 - merged NEPC and the National Pollution Control Commission (NPCC) into what is now the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and was put under the administrative jurisdiction of the then newly created Department of Environment and Natural Resources