Description

In the face of continuing environmental degradation in the Philippines brought about by, among other causes, urbanization and industrialization, it is important to ask what has been done in terms of adopting a policy to address such degradation and assess how effective that policy has been in achieving its objectives.

In the Philippines, the approach adopted in its environmental management policy is reflected in the various legislation passed through the years, attempting to arrest the damage inflicted on the country’s environment and natural resources. Decrees such as the National Pollution Control Decree of 1976, Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and Philippine Clear Air Act of 1999 share a common characteristic. They are all based on the command-andcontrol principle in environmental management whereby standards are set or established to protect or improve environmental quality.