DENR ADMINISTRATIVE ORDER NO.
2002-17
Series of 2002
July 24, 2002
SUBJECT: Defining the Organizational Structure and Major
Responsibilities of the Environmental Management
Bureau as a line Bureau by virtue of Section 34 of
the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 (RA 8749)
Pursuant to Section 34 of Republic Act No. 8749, otherwise
known as the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999, and Section 2, Rule
XLIV of DENR Administrative Order No. 2000-81, its Implementing
Rules and Regulations, the following organizational structure of the
Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) central, regional,
provincial and other pertinent offices as a line bureau is hereby
provided and defined.
Section 1. MANDATE
The EMB shall be primary government agency under the
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to
formulate, integrate, coordinate, supervise and implement all
policies, plans, programs, projects and activities relative to the
prevention and control of pollution as well as the management
and enhancement of environment.
Section 2. OBJECTIVES
To accomplish its mandate, the Bureau shall be guided by the
following objectives:
1.1 General Objective – To properly manage and protect the
environment in order to attain sustainable development while
recognizing the primary responsibility of local government units,
non-government agencies, private and business organizations
in dealing with environmental problems.
2.2 Specific Objectives
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2.2.1. To formulate, review and update environmental policies,
programs and projects on environmental management
and pollution control.
2.2.2 To establish and enforce environmental quality standards
such as the quality standards for water, air, land and
noise for the protection and sustainable use of natural
resources consistent with the national environmental
goals and enforceable at the local government units.
2.2.3 To strengthen enforcement capability to handle violations
of the laws, rules, regulations and policies for protection of
the environment and promote the sustainable use of
environmental resources.
2.2.4 Promote public information and education to encourage
participation of an informed citizenry in environmental
quality planning and monitoring.
2.2.5 To develop and implement Pollution Research and
Development Program in support of the following:
¾ environmental criteria and standards formulation
¾ environmental monitoring and compliance monitoring
¾ study of existing and potential environmental problems
and issues
2.2.6 To strengthen the enforcement and implementation of
major environment laws, among others:
Presidential Decree 984 – Pollution Control Law
Presidential Decree 1586 – The Environmental Impact
Assessment Law
Republic Act 6969 – Toxic Substances and Hazardous
and Nuclear Wastes Control Act
Republic Act 8749 – Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999
Republic Act 9003 – Ecological Solid Wastes
Management Act
Section 3. ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCURE
Consistent with its conversion from a staff to a line agency, the
Bureau’s organizational structure shall consist of the central and
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regional offices, as well as provincial and other pertinent offices
that may hereinafter be created.
The bureau, which shall directly be supervised by the DENR
Undersecretary for Operations, shall likewise exercise supervision
and control over its regional, provincial and other fields offices,
which shall, in turn, constitute the operating/implementing arms of
the Bureau of the direct implementation of plans and programs in
accordance with approved policies and standards.
The Chief Executive of the Bureau shall be the Executive
Director who has the primary authority to discharge its powers and
functions as well as the responsibility to carry out the mandates
vested by law to the Bureau.
The Regional Director, with the rank equivalent to that of a
Regional Technical Director, shall discharge the mandate of the
Bureau at the regional level and be directly responsible to the
Bureau Director.
The different organizational subdivisions and their major
functional responsibilities are as follows:
CENTRAL OFFICE
3.1 Office of the Director
The Director shall exercise supervision and control over all
services, divisions, sections and other units including the
regional offices of the Bureau; establish policies and standards
for the operation of the Bureau pursuant to DENR plans and
programs; promulgate rules and regulations necessary to carry
out the Bureau objective; and perform such other duties and
functions as may be assigned/provided by laws, DENR rules
and regulations.
The office of the Director shall take direct charge in the
implementation of policies, programs and projects for the
effective and efficient environmental management and pollution
control; recommend to the Secretary the adoption of policies
relating to enhancement of air and water quality, proper
disposition and management of solid wastes, toxic and
hazardous substances, appropriate penal sanctions against
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violators of environmental laws; and manage the overall
operations of the Bureau.
The Office of the Director shall exercise supervision over the
following environmental services/offices.
3.1.1 Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB)
Technical Secretariat
The PAB technical Secretariat shall provide support to
the Board in the adjudication of industrial pollution cases.
3.1.2 National Solid Waste Management
Commission (NSWMC) Secretariat
The NSWMC Secretariat shall provide support to the
NSWMC in the implementation of solid waste
management plans and the issuance of policies to
achieve the objectives of the Ecological Solid Waste
Management Act (RA 9003).
3.1.3 National Ecology Center (NEC)
The NEC shall handle information dissemination,
consultation, education and training of various local
government units on ecological waste management.
3.1.4 Administrative & Finance Services
The Administrative & Finance Service shall provide the
administrative and financial functions of the Bureau. This
shall be composed of the administrative and finance
divisions.
3.1.4.1 Administrative Division
The Administrative Division shall establish bureau-wide
policies on personnel management, general services,
communications, logistics, property, safety, records
management and documentation.
This Division shall be composed of the following
sections:
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3.1.4.1.1 Human Resources Management
3.1.4.1.2 Records
3.1.4.1.3 General and Property Services
3.1.4.2 Finance Division
The Finance Division shall develop, maintain and
improve a cost and financial accounting system for all
projects of the Bureau, formulate basic policies and
guidelines for the preparation of budget; and exercise
over-all supervision over the financial management
functions and activities of the Bureau and its Regional
Offices.
This Division shall be composed of the following
sections:
3.1.4.2.1 Budget
3.1.4.2.2 Accounting
3.1.4.2.3 Cashier
3.1.5 Environmental Planning & Policy Service
The Environmental Planning & policy Service shall be
composed of three (3) Divisions, namely:
3.1.5.1 Environmental Impact and Risk Assessment and
Management (EIRAM) Division
The EIRAM Division shall serve as the focal point to
achieve its mission to carry out the Philippine
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System Policy
(PD1586) to attain and maintain a rational and orderly
balance between socioeconomic growth and
environmental protection; and promote and strengthen
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
networking/linkages and coordination with the
government, non-government and private entities.
The EIRAM Division shall be composed of the following
sections:
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3.1.5.1.1 Review and Evaluation Section
The Section shall be in charge of screening of
projects for coverage under the EIS System, handling
EIS Scoping, Environmental Compliance Certificate
(ECC) applications review/evaluation and related
functions of the Division.
3.1.5.1.2 Monitoring and Validation Section
The Section shall be in charge of monitoring of
projects compliance to ECC conditions and
implementation of the Environmental Management
Program (EMP) and validation of the impacts as a
basis for evaluating environmental performance or the
effectiveness of the EMP.
The two previous Sections shall each have Infrastructure
Units, Heavy and Energy Industries Units and Resources
Extractive Industries Units.
3.1.5.1.3 System Coordination and Management Section
The Section in Coordination with the Environmental
Planning and Policy division is in charge of assuring that
the present internal policies in the review and evaluation
as well as the monitoring of project/programs are
consistent with the national policies and shall monitor and
document specific decisions on certain cases
encountered during day-to-day operations which has
policy implications. It shall also be responsible with the
integration of the voluminous environmental data gathered
from the implementation of the system into useful
information for input into the environmental planning and
policy formulation function of the EMB. It shall integrate
commitment made in various meeting which the other
government agencies in the Division’s internal policies.
The Section shall have two Units representing the system
and coordination level concerns, namely: Project Level
Systems Planning and Management Unit and Program
and Policy Level Systems Planning and Management
Unit.
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3.1.5.2 Planning and Policy Division
The Planning and Policy Division shall be responsible for
integrating the short, medium and long-term plans of the
Bureau; provide planning standards and guidelines for
integrating sectoral and regional plans in the preparation of
the Bureau’s budget; provide a mechanism for monitoring
and assessment of physical and financial accomplishments.
It shall also design and install a national and regional
development planning and management system;
develop/evaluate and monitor programs/local and foreign-
assisted projects of the Bureau, undertake policy studies for
effective, efficient, and economical operations of the Bureau.
The Planning and Policy Division shall be composed of
the following sections:
3.1.5.2.1Planning and Programming
3.1.5.2.2 Program Monitoring and Evaluation
3.1.5.2.3 Policy Analysis and Legislative Liaison
3.1.5.2.4 Project Management of Foreign-Assisted and
Special Project
3.1.5.3 Information Technology & Statistics Division
The information Technology & Statistics Division shall
coordinate over-all activities of the Bureau on establishing
and maintaining management information system and
databases that will provide up-to-date information necessary
for management’s policy formulation and decision – making
functions. This Division shall be composed of the following
sections:
3.1.5.3.1 Environmental Statistics
3.1.5.3.2System Development and Maintenance
3.1.6 Standard Setting & Monitoring Service
The Standard Setting & Monitoring Service shall formulate
standards/ monitoring guidelines for acceptable quality of air
and water and management of chemicals and hazardous
wastes in the country. The service shall composed of the
following divisions, namely:
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3.1.6.1 Laboratory Services & Pollution Research Division
The laboratory Services & Pollution Research Division
shall formulate, develop, coordinate, and implement short-
term and long-term research programs on existing and
potential environmental issues; aim to provide the scientific
data to be used as basis for policy formulation,
environmental monitoring, and enforcement of rules and
regulations, and in dealing with potential environmental
issues and problems; focus on priority areas such as the
following: environmental quality standards and criteria, global
phenomena, environmental technology assessment and
application, coastal environment management, and special
areas of concern and laboratory support services.
The Laboratory Services and Pollution Research Division
shall composed of the following sections:
3.1.6.1.1 Research and Development Section
3.1.6.1.2 Laboratory Support Services Section
3.1.6.2 Air Quality Management Division
This Division shall undertake the implementation of a
holistic national program for air pollution management
including the establishment of supervision of airsheds
throughout the country; formulate air quality surveillance and
monitoring/ schemes for the implementation by the regional
offices; conduct emission source inventory for the entire
country in coordination with the regional offices; evaluate
plans, technologies/control facilities relevant to the issuance
of permits and clearance.
This Division shall be composed of the following sections:
3.1.6.2.1 Inspection and Monitoring
3.1.6.2.2 Emission Inventory
3.1.6.2.3 Standard Setting
3.1.6.3 Water Quality Management Division
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The Water Quality Management Division shall undertake
water quality surveillance and monitoring program for the
implementation by the regional offices; conduct water
pollution discharge inventory from point and non-point
sources; develop and validate dispersion model through
simulation and validation of available models for predicting
pollutant levels in coordination with the Pollution Research
Division; review, formulate and update the country’s water
quality and industrial effluent standards; monitor the activities
of the regional offices regarding the effective implementation
of pollution control law and oversee the river classification
program.
The Division shall be composed of the following sections:
3.1.6.3.1 Inspection and Monitoring
3.1.6.3.2 Water Quality Assessment
3.1.6.3.3 Standards Setting
3.1.6.4 Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management
Division
The Division shall undertake implementation of policies,
plans and programs to achieve the objectives of the Toxic
Substances and Hazardous And Nuclear Wastes Control Act
(R.A. 6969). It shall be composed of five (5) Sections,
namely:
3.1.6.4.1 Toxic Chemicals Monitoring and
Investigation Section
The Toxic Chemicals Monitoring Section shall conduct
regular industrial inspection and compliance monitoring of
the condition stipulated in issued permits and clearances to
maintain safe use and management of chemicals and
chemical substances; investigate complaints and other
related issues and concerns regarding the improper use
and management of chemicals and chemical substances
and recommend sanctions for Toxic Chemicals
Permit/Clearance Issuance Section
The Toxic Chemicals Permit/Clearances Issuance
Section shall review/evaluate environmental hazards and
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risks of industrial chemicals and issue permit to chemicals
and chemical substances under CCO and PCL;
review/evaluate chemicals and chemical substances
subject to PMPIN requirements and issue Importation
Clearance and/or Interim Status Permit; establish and
maintain database for chemical substances in PCL and
CCO; spearhead the review and updating of PICCS
together with MIID and PCTD.
3.1.6.4.2 Hazardous Wastes Monitoring/
Inspection Section
The Hazardous Wastes Monitoring/Inspection Section
shall conduct regular inspection and compliance monitoring
of facilities generating, recycling and treating hazardous
wastes including disposal facilities and survey of possible
sites contaminated by hazardous wastes; act on complaints
and information on illegal dumping and traffic of hazardous
waste and recommend/impose sanctions against violators
of RA 6969 and Basel Convention.
3.1.6.4.3 Hazardous Wastes Permits/ Clearances
Issuance Section
The hazardous Wastes Permits/Clearance Issuance
Section shall prepare checklist of information requirements
for the issuance of permits and clearances; review/evaluate
applications for transport, storage, and disposal of
hazardous wastes for treatment and disposal and
recommend issuance or denied permits and clearances. It
shall also implement the requirements and procedures of
the Basel Convention and DAOs 92-29, 94-28 and 97-27.
3.1.6.4.4 Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes
Standard Setting Section
The Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Wastes Standard
Setting Section shall develop guidelines and standards/
procedures of the proper storage, transport and disposal of
toxic chemicals and hazardous wastes. It shall establish a
national system to link existing sources of information on
chemicals and hazardous wastes; develop standard criteria
for risk assessment and other related toxic chemicals and
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hazardous wastes management standards. It shall
coordinate within the Department, other government
agencies and private institutions for effective
implementation of rules and regulations under RA 6969.
3.1.7 Legal and Environmental Education Services
The Legal and Environmental Education Service shall
provide counsel/advise/comments and reports on certain issues
pertaining to legal matters for appropriate action of the Director.
It shall also provide support to the intensive information and
environmental campaign in the country. It shall be composed of
two (2) Divisions, namely:
3.1.7.1 Legal Division
The Legal Division shall direct the Bureau’s legal
operations. It shall provide legal counsel/advise; review
issuance of licenses, permits, notices of violations,
Orders/Resolutions, contracts involving EMB’s mandates; file
indictment cases against violators and assists in the
formulation of policies, programs, guidelines, memorandum
circulars, standards and rules and regulations. Likewise it shall
render comments on certain issues that touched on legal
matters, conduct continuing legal studies and researches,
draft decisions, orders and reports and appropriate action of
the Executive Director.
The Division shall be composed of the following Sections,
namely:
3.1.7.1.1 Litigation and Prosecution, Evaluation &
Enforcement Section.
3.1.7.1.2 Investigation, Research & Legislative Liaison
Section.
3.1.7.2 Environmental Education & Information Division
The Division shall be composed of the following Sections:
3.1.7.2.1 Information and Public Advocacy Section
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The Information and Public Advocacy Section shall
undertake activities that will create public awareness through
the use of print and broadcast media, conduct of seminars,
symposia, lectures, briefings and other related information
activities; prepares environmental quality report; conduct in-
house training needs analysis; and conduct regular carrier
orientation seminars and environment and conduct capability
training to Regional Offices.
3.1.7.2.2 Environmental Education & Capability Building
Section
This Section shall undertake program that will strategically
inculcate awareness, understanding, as well as promote
skills, positive attitudes, commitments and active
participation for the protection of the environment, through
the integration of environmental concerns in the school,
government and private sectors. It shall also conduct training
needs analysis and actual training programs for the afore-
cited sectors.
3.1.7.2.3 Global Environment Commitment
Coordination Section
The Global Environment Commitment Coordination
Section shall set as a priority the coordination of the
development, negotiation and ratification of international
environmental conventions, agreement/protocols to deal
effectively with environmental degradation and protection
shared global resources; promote awareness among
stakeholders/general public on international conventions its
status and impacts on the country’s programs/project.
REGIONAL OFFICE
3.2 Office of the Regional Director
The Regional Director shall implement the pertinent laws,
policies, rules and regulation; implement the Bureau’s programs in
the region; exercise the management functions of planning,
organizing, directing and controlling; and performs other duties and
functions that may be provided by laws or further delegated by the
Director.
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The office of the Regional Director shall take charge of
environmental management and pollution control functions in the
region and render staff and technical support to Environmental
Regional Offices and other Boards created for Environmental
Management.
This Office shall exercise supervision over the following
Divisions:
3.2.1 Administrative and Finance Division
The Administrative and Finance Division shall provide
general administrative services pertaining to human resources
management, records, property and other forms of support to
operations; and render budgeting, cashiering and accounting
services.
This Division shall be composed of the following Sections:
3.2.1.1 Administrative
3.2.1.2Finance
3.2.2 Pollution Control Division
The Pollution Control Division shall be tasked to implement
all programs and activities in accordance to PD 984, RA 8749,
and RA 6969. It shall take regular monitoring of sampling
stations to determine the air and water quality of the regions;
conduct compliance monitoring of firms to environmental laws;
survey of air pollution sources and hazardous wastes
generators; evaluate the process applications for permits and
pursuant to PD 984, RA 8749 and RA 6969.
This Division shall be composed of the following sections:
3.2.2.1 Toxic Chemicals and Hazardous Waste Management
Section
3.2.2.2 Air Quality Management Section
3.2.2.3 Water Quality Management Section
3.2.2.4 Laboratory Section
3.2.3 Environmental Impact and Monitoring Division
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The Environmental Impact and Monitoring Division shall
undertake all the activities relative to the implementation of the
Environmental Impact Statement System (PD 1586). It shall
take charge of the review and processing of applications for
Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC’s) for project
under Environmentally Critical Areas, conduct compliance
monitoring of projects to PD 1586, and provide assistance to
local government units for vigorous and coordinated solid waste
management.
The Division shall composed of the following sections:
3.2.3.1 Environmental Impact Assessment Section
3.2.3.2 Field Monitoring Section
3.2.3.3 Solid Waste Management Section
3.2.4 Legal and Environmental Education Division
The Legal and Environmental Education and Division shall
provide counsel/advise/comments and reports on certain issues
pertaining to legal matters for appropriate action of the Regional
Director. It shall review and evaluate pollution cases prior to its
evaluation to Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB). It shall also
provide support to the intensive information and environmental
campaign in the regions.
This Division shall be composed of the following sections:
3.2.4.1 Legal Section
3.2.4.2 Education and information Section
3.2.5 Planning & programming, MIS and Statistic Division
The Division shall undertake planning and programming
monitoring and assessment of programs/activities of the region.
It shall also coordinate over-all activities of the region on
establishing and maintaining management information system
and databases that will provide up-to-date information; provide
updated and timely statistics and information for planning
purposes and information dissemination.
3.2.5.1 Planning and Programming Section
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3.2.5.2 MIS Section
3.2.5.3 Statistics Section
3.3 Provincial and other Pertinent Offices
Provincial and other field offices as may be hereinafter created
by the Secretary upon recommendation by the Director and the
Undersecretary for Operations shall be extension of the Regional
Office, particularly in the IEC Campaign and provision of
monitoring services.
Other pertinent Offices as may be likewise hereinafter created
shall be responsible for other specific functions as may be
warranted later on.
The Environmental Management Provincial Offices shall be
composed of the following units:
3.3.1 Environmental Monitoring Unit
3.3.2 Environmental Information and Education Unit
The Bureau Regional Director shall exercise control over
environmental management and pollution activities and shall
perform technical coordination with the Regional Executive
Director (RED) in all aspects of environmental management. In
case of differences/conflicts of interpretation, opinion and/or
perception, the issue shall be elevated by the RED to the
Undersecretary for Operations for resolution. Regarding the
issuance of permits under PD 984 and PD 1586, specifically
ECC and other permits will be the responsibility of the Regional
Director.
Section 4. Geographical Jurisdiction of the Regional Office
With the conversion of the EMB as a Line Bureau, there shall
be 16 Regional Offices, each for Regions 1to 13, NCR, Cordillera
Administrative Region (CAR) and Region IV-B. Further, the
Provincial Environmental Offices will be created in all provinces
except those under the jurisdiction of ARMM.
Section 5. Staffing
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The EMB Central Offices shall initially be complemented with
the additional one hundred forty-six (146) positions to be created
on top of its existing plantilla positions.
The sixteen (16) EMB Regional Offices shall initially be
complemented with a total additional eight hundred thirty-seven
(837) positions to be created on top of their existing plantilla
positions, which shall be allocated in accordance with their
respective staffing patterns.
The appropriate staffing pattern, positions classifications and
organizational structure in accordance with the preceding premises
are shown in Annexes A and B and shall be approved by the
DENR Secretary for implementation. The positions shall be filled in
accordance with the Civil Service Rules and Regulations.
Section 6. Transitory Provision
Pending the approval of the new staffing pattern and position
classification, all permanent and casual employees of the Bureau
shall continue to perform their respective duties and
responsibilities and receive the corresponding salaries and
benefits due them, unless otherwise separated from the service.
The Bureau shall internally adopt the new organization in the
interim. In this regard, the Undersecretary for Operations is hereby
authorized to reassign Bureau/Regional personnel, subject to
existing rules and regulations, through an appropriate Office Order.
The new positions items for the above structure shall be created
out of the vacant position items in the concerned offices of the
DENR, upon approval of the Department of Budget and
Management (reclassification of positions items).
Meantime, the support services staff of the Regional Offices
(ROs) shall be provided by the DENR ROs as designated by the
Regional Executive Director.
Section 7. Repealing Clause
All Orders, Circulars, or Instructions of the DENR inconsistent
herewith are hereby repealed or amended accordingly.
Section 8. Effectivity
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This Order shall take effect immediately.
(Sgd.) HEHERSON T. ALVAREZ
Secretary
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