ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL PROJECTS & AREAS

Signed by: President Ferdinand E. Marcos

(December 14,1981)
PROCLAIMING CERTAIN AREAS AND TYPES OF PROJECTS AS
ENVIRONMENTALLY CRITICAL AND WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SYSTEM ESTABLISHED UNDER
PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 1586.

WHEREAS, it is the national policy to attain and maintain a rational and orderly
balance between socio-economic growth and environmental conservation and
protection;

WHEREAS, there is an urgent need to bring about an intensive, integrated

program of environmental protection through a requirement of environmental
impact assessments and statements;

WHEREAS, the environmental impact statement system established under

Presidential Decree No, 1586 calls for the proper management of
environmentally critical areas;

WHEREAS, the pursuit of a comprehensive and integrated environmental

protection program necessitates the establishment and institutionalization of a
system whereby the exigencies of socio-economic undertakings can be
reconciled with the requirements of environmental protection and conservation;

WHEREAS, the national leadership mandates the establishment of such a

system to regulate and minimize the environmental impacts of projects and
undertakings which may significantly affect the quality of the environment in
Presidential Decree No. 1586; and

WHEREAS, in the effective implementation of such a system, there arises the

need to identify and declare certain projects determined to be environmentally
critical;

ENVIRONMENTAL CRITICAL PROJECTS

are projects or industries that have critical environmental impacts and therefore
need to undergo environmental impact assessment and need to acquire
Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC) prior to implementation.

Even though the LGU may not play a significant role in the environment impact
assessment system, it is important to monitor these projects in order to plan for

the appropriate location of these projects vis--vis residential and other land
uses.
I.

Heavy Industries
A. Non-ferrous metal industries
A non-ferrous metal is any metal,
including alloys, that does not
contain iron in appreciable
amounts. Generally more
expensive than ferrous metals,
non-ferrous metals are used
because of desirable properties
such as low weight
(e.g., aluminum), higher
conductivity (e.g., copper), Nonmagnetic property or resistance to
corrosion (e.g. zinc). Some nonferrous materials are also used in
the iron and steel industries.
B. Iron and Steel Mills

M
Manufacture of iron and steel

C. Petroleum and petro-chemical industries including oil and gas

Petrochemicals are chemical

products derived from petroleum.
Some chemical compounds made
from petroleum are also obtained
from other fossil fuels, such as coal
or natural gas, or renewable sources
such as corn or sugar cane.

D. Smelting Plants

Smelting is a form of extractive

metallurgy; its main use is to
produce a metal from its ore. This
includes production of silver, iron,
copper and other base metals from
their ores.

A smelting plant is an industrial location where metal is

extracted from raw ore. Common examples of metal smelting
include tin, lead, copper, bronze, and iron.

II.

Resource Extractive Industries

A. Major Mining and Quarrying Projects

Mining on Sibuyan Island, Philippines

B. Forestry Projects
1. Logging
Logging is the cutting,
skidding, on-site
processing, and loading
trees or logs onto trucks
skeleton cars.
2. Major wood processing
projects

of
or

3. Introduction of fauna (exotic-animals) in public/private forests

Invasive alien species (IAS) includes exotic or non-native microand macro-species introduced, accidentally or deliberately, to a
place that is not part of their natural habitat or distributional range,
and have adverse ecological and economic impacts.
4. Forest occupancy

5. Extraction of mangrove products

6. Grazing

Grazing is a type of feeding, in which a herbivore feeds on plants

(such as grasses), and also on other multicellular autotrophs (such
as algae)
C. Fishery Projects
1. Dikes for Fishpond Development Projects

III. Infrastructure Projects

A. Major Dams

Magat Dam, Cagayan River

Ambuklao Hydroelectric Dam, Cordillera Region

B. Major Power Plants (fossil-fueled, nuclear fueled,hydroelectric or geothermal)

KEPCO's Malaya thermal power plant

Sarulla Geothermal Power Plants

C. Major Reclamation Projects

Land reclamation,
usually known as
reclamation, and also
known as land-fill (not
to be confused with a
landfill), is the process
of creating new land
from ocean, riverbeds,
or lake.

South Road Properties, Cebu

D. Major Roads and Bridges

Gumain River Bridge

San Juanico Bridge

ENVIRONMENTAL CRITICAL AREAS

Are those areas ranging from national parks to areas frequently exposed to
hazards or areas that are historically interesting
These areas are identified in Presidential Proclamation 2146

1. Areas declared by law as national parks, watershed reserves, wildlife preserves,

and sanctuaries

Areas declared as such under Republic Act No. 7586 or the National
Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act

Areas declared as such through other issuances from pertinent

government agencies including other similar proclamations, executive
orders, local ordinances and international commitments and declarations.

2. Areas set aside as aesthetic, potential tourist

spots

Aesthetic potential tourist spots declared and reserved by the Department

of Tourism (DOT) or other appropriate authorities for tourism development.

3. Areas which constitute the habitat for any endangered or threatened species of
indigenous Philippine Wildlife (flora and fauna)

Areas declared as such under Republic Act No. 7586 or the National
Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act,

Areas declared as such through other issuances from pertinent

government agencies including other similar proclamations, executive
orders, local ordinances and international commitments and declarations.

4. Areas of unique historic, archeological, geological, or scientific interests

Areas which are more than 100 years old and declared as Historic
Sites/Structures by the National Historical Institute

Archeological, Paleontological and Anthropological Sites/Reservations as

recognized by the National Museum,

Areas of cultural and scientific significance to the nation as recognized

through national or local laws or ordinances (e.g. declared geological
monuments and scientific research areas and areas with cultural heritage
significance as declared by the Local Government Units or the National
Commission for Culture and the Arts)

5. Areas which are traditionally occupied by cultural communities or tribes

Areas issued Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) by National

Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP)

Areas issued Certificate of Ancestral Domain Claim (CADC) by the NCIP

Areas that are historically/traditionally occupied as ancestral lands or

ancestral domains by indigenous communities as documented in
reputable publications or certified by competent authorities

6. Areas frequently visited and or hard-hit by natural calamities The area shall be so
characterized if any of the following conditions exist:
6.1 Geologic hazard areas:
Areas classified by the Mines Geosciences Bureau as low, moderate
and high landslide susceptibility:18 - 35 degree slope gradient; with
indicative and/or old landslides and with small tension cracks
Areas prone to land subsidence and ground settling; areas with
sinkholes and sags as determined by the Mines Geosciences
Bureau or certified by competent authorities
6.2 Flood-prone areas:
Areas with greater than 1 meter flood height. These areas are
immediately flooded during heavy rains of several hours; include

landforms of topographic lows such as active river channels,

abandoned river channels and areas along river banks; also prone
to flashfloods.
6.3 Areas frequently visited or hard-hit by typhoons:
This shall refer to all areas where typhoon signal no. 4 was hoisted
for at least twice (2x) a year during the last five (5) years prior to the
year of reckoning. For example, a determination made in 2007 will
consider the weather records from 2002 to 2006
6.4 Areas prone to volcanic activities/earthquakes:
This refers to all areas around active volcanoes identified as
permanent danger zones by Philippine Institute of Volcanology and
Seismology (PHIVOLCS)
Areas within 5 meters from both sides of active fault lines as
determined by PHILVOCS.
7. Areas with critical slope

This shall refer to all lands with slope of 50% or more as determined from
the latest official topographic map from NAMRIA
NAMRIA
-

or Philippines National Mapping and Resource Information

Authority

is an agency of the Philippine government under

the Department of Environment and Natural
Resources responsible for providing the public with mapmaking
services and acting as the central mapping agency, depository,
and distribution facility of natural resources data in the form of
maps, charts, texts, and statistics.

8. Areas classified as prime agricultural lands

Prime Agricultural lands shall refer to lands that can be used for various or
specific agricultural activities and can provide optimum sustainable yield
with a minimum of inputs and developments costs as determined by
Department of Agriculture or concerned LGU.

9. Recharge areas of aquifers

Recharge areas of aquifers shall refer to sources of water replenishment

where rainwater or seepage actually enters the aquifers.

Areas under this classification shall be limited to all local or non-national

watersheds and geothermal reservations.
AQUIFER
"

"

An aquifer is an underground layer of waterbearing permeable rock, rock fractures or unconsolidated

materials (gravel, sand, or silt) from which groundwater can
be extracted using a water well.
is a body of saturated rock through which water can easily
move.

10. Water bodies

Waters that are tapped for domestic purposes (Class A , AA, SA) or within
controlled and/or protected areas declared under Republic Act No. 7586 or
the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, and other
issuances from pertinent government agencies including other similar
proclamations, executive orders, local ordinances and international
commitments and declarations

Those which support wildlife and fishery activities (Class B, SB, C & SC)

11. Mangrove Areas

Characterized by one or any combination of the following conditions as

certified by the government authorities indicated:
a. with primary pristine and dense young growth
b. adjoining mouth or major river
c. near or adjacent to traditional productive fry or fishing grounds
d. which act as natural buffers against shore erosion, strong winds
and storm floods

12. Coral Reefs

Characterized by one or any combination of the following conditions:

a. With 50% and above live coralline cover

b. Spawning and nursery grounds for fish
c. Which act as a natural breakwater of coastlines