EMB Memorandum Circular No.

2014-005 July 7, 2014

GUIDELINES FOR COVERAGE SCREENING AND STANDARDIZED REQUIREMENTS

UNDER THE PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STATEMENT SYSTEM (PEISS)
AMENDING RELEVANT PORTIONS OF MC 2007-002

Adopted: 07 July 2014

Date Filed: 09 September 2014

WHEREAS, Article III of Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Administrative Order No. 30, series of 2003, provides for “strengthening the implementation of
the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) system” under Presidential Decree No.
1586;
WHEREAS, DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2010-14 provides for “standardization of
requirements in the implementation of the EIS system”;
WHEREAS, Section 2.1 and Annex 2-1a to Annex 2-1c of the Revised Procedural Manual
for DAO 2003-30 covered by EMB Memorandum Circular No. 2007-002 provides guidelines on
“Screening for coverage and other application requirements under the Philippine EIS system”;
WHEREAS, there is a need to amend/update the aforementioned guidelines to cover
activities or undertakings, which based on EMB’s experience need to be included,
NOW, THEREFORE, this Office with the end in view of achieving the foregoing
objectives hereby issues this Memorandum Circular and adopts the accompanying Guidelines
for Coverage Screening and Standardized Requirements under the PEISS*.

Section 1. Screening to determine coverage under the Philippine EIS System

(amending

Section 2.1 of the Revised Procedural Manual for DAO 2003-30). Every proposed
project or undertaking which is projected to have significant adverse impact to the
quality of the environment is covered by the Philippine EIS system. This includes
proposed major expansion, rehabilitation, and/or modification of existing projects as
well as resumption of projects that have stopped operations for a prolonged period.

1.1 To determine coverage, proposed projects or undertakings shall be screened

according to the following categories:

1.1.1 Category A - projects or undertakings which are classified as

environmentally critical projects (ECPs) under Presidential Proclamation No.
2146 (1981), Proclamation No. 803 (1996), and any other projects that may later be
declared as such by the President of the Philippines. Proponents of these projects
implemented from 1982 onwards are required to secure an Environmental
Compliance Certificate (ECC).
1.1.2 Category B - projects or undertakings which are not classified as ECP
under Category A, but which are likewise deemed to significantly affect the
quality of the environment by virtue of being located in an Environmentally
 Critical Area (ECA) as declared under Proclamation No. 2146 and according to
the parameters set forth in the attached guidelines. Proponents of these projects
implemented from 1982 onwards are likewise required to secure an ECC.
1.1.3 Category C - projects or undertakings not falling under Category
A or B which are intended to directly enhance the quality of the environment or
directly address existing environmental problems.
1.1.4 Category D - projects or undertakings that are deemed unlikely to cause
significant adverse impact on the quality of the environment according to the
parameters set forth in the Screening Guidelines. These projects are not covered
by the Philippine EIS system and are not required to secure an ECC. However,
such non-coverage shall not be construed as an exemption from compliance with
other environmental laws and government permitting requirements.
1.2 To expediently screen proposed projects/undertakings that may be covered by the
EIS system, thus required to secure ECC, a ready matrix for determining the category in
which proposed projects fall is attached as Annex A of the PEISS Coverage Screening
Guidelines, revising Annex 2-1b of the 2007 Revised Procedural Manual for DAO 2003-
30 and the thresholds as specified in pages 18-20 of the EIA DRR/CCA Technical
Guidelines implemented under MC 2011-005.

1.3 Proposed major expansion, rehabilitation, and /or modification of existing projects,
including proposed resumption of projects that have stopped operations for more than
five (5) years, shall be categorized according to the parameters set forth in Annex B of
the Screening Guidelines.

1.4 Projects which may be classified in different categories shall be considered under the
category with the most stringent requirements.

1.5 The EMB shall implement a web-based system for increased transparency in
screening project for coverage under the Philippine EIS System.

Section 2. Standardized Requirements

2.1 All ECC applications shall be accompanied by an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
Report in the form of an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), an Initial Environmental
Examination (IEE) Checklist Report, an Environmental Performance Report and Management
Plan (EPRMP), Programmatic EIS or Programmatic EPRMP.

2.2 Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC) applications shall be accompanied by a pro-forma

project description as prescribed in Annex C of the attached guidelines.

2.3 The following is a summary of the documentary requirements for proponents as well as the
processing and deciding authority based on the category, type and status of implementation of
the project.

DOCUMENTS REQUIRED Office to

APPLIED
CATEGORY FOR ECC/CNC Process and
TO
APPLICATION decide
A. A-1: New Co-located Programmatic EIS* EMB Central
 projects Office
Environmentally
EMB Central
Critical Projects Single Project EIS
Office
A-2: Existing Co-located Programmatic EMB Central
and to be projects EPRMP* Office
expanded, EPRMP in case monitoring
modified data are available
and/or EIS if no monitoring data are
rehabilitated available EMB Central
A-3: Single Project
Office
Operating
without ECC

Co-located Programmatic EIS EMB Regional

projects Office in the
B-1: New region where the
EIS
Single Project proposed project
IEE Checklist
is located
B-2: Existing EMB Regional
and to be Office in the
B: Non- EPRMP
expanded, Single Project region where the
Environmentally EPRMP Checklist
modified proposed project
Critical Projects
and/or is located
rehabilitated
EMB Regional
PEPRMP (in case Office in the
B-3: Co-located
programmatic monitoring data region where the
Operating projects
are available)* proposed project
without ECC
is located
C: EMB Regional
Project Description (Parts 1
Environmental Co-located or Office in the
and II) (to confirm
Enhancement or Single region where the
noncoverage or further classify
Direct Projetcs proposed project
as either Category A or B)
Mitigation is located
Project Description (Part I
only)

Project prior to 1982 – Project EMB Regional

Description (Part I only) and Office in the
D: Not Covered Proof of Project region where the
Implementation prior to 1982 proposed project
without expansion/ alteration/ is located
modification (if applying for
CNC)
2.4 Proponents of Category D projects shall not be required to submit any document to the
EMB. Proponents of these projects may, however, still opt to secure a Certificate of Non-
Coverage (CNC) from the EMB. A pro-forma project description as prescribed in Annex C of
the attached guidelines shall be accomplished and submitted for the CNC application.
2.5 Proponents of projects which are intended to directly enhance the quality of the
environment or directly address existing environmental problems shall submit a Project
Description (PD) to the EMB Regional Office having jurisdiction over the area where the
proposed project will be located following the format attached as Annex C of the attached
Guidelines to confirm that it falls within Category C.
2.6 The issuance of an ECC or CNC shall not, in any manner, exempt the proponent from
securing other government permits and clearances required by other laws, nor shall it be
construed as resolving issues within the mandate of other government agencies.

2.7 ECC applications for the proposed expansion, rehabilitation, or modification of an existing
project/undertaking, including proposed resumption of projects that have stopped operations
for a prolonged period, shall be reviewed in the Office that originally issued the ECC. Provided
that, for projects originally classified as Category B but are re-classified as Category A based on
the total/revised capacity shall be reviewed at the EMB Central Office.
Section 3. Repealing Clause. All provisions in the MC 2007-002 or the Revised Procedural
Manual of DAO 2003-30 and other issuances inconsistent herewith are deemed repealed,
superseded and/ or modified accordingly.
If any provision of this Memorandum Circular is declared unconstitutional or invalid by a
competent court, other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby shall
continue to be in full force and in effect as if the provisions/sections so cancelled had never
been incorporated herein.

(SGD) ATTY. JUAN MIGUEL T. CUNA, CESO IV

Director