SP, brgy endorsements no longer required in ECC, CNC application
For all his efforts in successfully ousting Iloilo City councilor Perla Zulueta from her chairmanship of the Committee on Public Services, Environmental Protection and Ecology some two months ago, new chairperson Kagawad Eldrid Antiquiera could very well end up inheriting a committee that practically would do nothing.
This, after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, through then secretary Angelo Reyes, issued Memorandum Circular No. 2007-08 dated July 13, 2007 "Simplifying the Requirements for Environmental Compliance Certificate or Certificate of Non-Coverage Applications."
According to the circular, "the current practice of requiring the issuance of Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) or Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) is hereby streamlined."
The said memo circular was issued "pursuant to Malacañang Administrative Order No. 42, Rationalizing the Implementation of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System, and DENR Administrative Order No. 2003-30, Implementing Rules and Regulations for the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System, requiring the conduct and evaluation of the EIA at the earliest stage of the project cycle and preferably with the feasibility."
The new rules governing the matter, as streamlined by the memo circular, states that: "No permits, and/or clearances issued by other National Government Agencies and Local Government Units shall be required in the processing of ECC or CNC applications," and that "The issuance of an ECC or CNC for a project under the EIS System does not exempt the proponent from securing other government permits and clearances as required by other laws."
The simplification of the process was carried out, the circular continued, because "the current practice of requiring various permits, clearances and licenses only constrain the EIA evaluation process and negate the purpose and function of the EIA."
Reservations
With this, a proponent wishing to secure an ECC for a proposed project no longer needs to get endorsements for the project from the host barangay and the Sangguniang Panlungsod, as is the existing practice.
This is seen to greatly reduce the work of the Sanggunian environment committee, which studies and hears such applications prior to the city council's issuance of a favorable endorsement for the project. It was learned majority of the work of the said committee consists of projects seeking the SP's favorable endorsement, a requirement before an ECC is issued to the project.
During Wednesday's session, right after Zulueta brought to her colleagues' attention the said memo circular and providing copies to those particularly interested, Antiquiera stood to express his reservations, saying its content could run counter with provisions of the Local Government Code, which he said is "the general law" on the matter.
The lady councilor from Molo, meanwhile, said she favors the streamlining of the process, detailing how the old system had prevented her from taking advantage of an opportunity to backfill one of her properties at no expense on her part.