Laguna Lake Development Authority

Board Resolution No. 336, Series of 2007

Whereas, the Laguna Lake Development Authority is mandated by  R.A. 4850, as amended and other subsequent laws and orders, to institute and adopt measures to protect the Laguna de Bay, ensure that its water quality conforms with nationally-sets standards, and sustain its productivity for the greater benefit of the lake's stakeholders; 

Whereas, to enable LLDA to accomplish its mandates, it has adopted several policies and programs like the Integrated Water Resources Management, Shoreland Management, Zoning Management, and Environmental User Fee System, among others, all with the goal of achieving sustainable development and management of the lake; 

Whereas, the LLDA continues to develop mechanisms to strengthen its capacity for effective environmental management of the Lake and its watersheds;

Whereas, the USAID Regional Development Mission/Asia, thru its Asian Environmental Compliance and Enforcement Network Program (AECEN), has chosen the Philippines as one of the pilot countries where assistance is being extended to improve compliance to environmental laws, regulations and standards by regulated establishments thru measures other than enforcement and legal actions;

Whereas, one approach that has been identified to encourage compliance by establishments is the creation and operation of Compliance Assistance Centers (CAC) for specific sectors, patterned after the US EPA-sponsored Compliance Assistance Centers that are currently operational in the United States, and which provide technical and informational assistance to various sectors that enable them to comply with environmental laws, regulations and standards;

Whereas, the experiences of the US EPA and regulated establishments on the effectiveness of the CAC as assistance mechanism to motivate increased compliance among establishments has been very satisfactory;

Whereas, the AECEN has selected the Laguna Lake Development Authority to implement a Compliance Assistance Center Program in the Philippines;

Whereas, the LLDA welcomes the assistance of AECEN as a measure to raise the capacity of regulated establishments to comply with environmental laws, regulations and standards, improve the over-all environmental management in the Lake Region and increase the LLDA's capability to facilitate good environmental governance within its jurisdiction;

Now, Therefore, foregoing premises considered, Be it Resolved, as it is hereby Resolved, to establish Compliance Assistance Centers in the LLDA jurisdiction as mechanism to improve compliance among industrial, commercial and service establishments and thereby contribute to the sustainable development of the Laguna de Bay, without relaxing or compromising LLDA's authority and responsibility to enforce environmental laws, regulations and standards;

Resolved, Further, that the General Manager of the LLDA is hereby authorized to enter into agreements with Compliance Assistance Centers to be organized under this Resolution and establish the necessary policies and regulations vis-a-vis the operations of the CAC, and that the Assistant General Manager of LLDA is hereby tasked to provide direction for the establishment of the Compliance Assistance Centers, mobilize the concerned divisions and units for the purpose, formulate and adopt procedures for their establishment, operation and monitoring, and coordinate with AECEN on the technical assistance needed;

Resolved, Furthermore, that the LLDA Management is hereby authorized to provide counterpart resources for the successful implementation of the Compliance Assistance Center, subject to pertinent accounting and auditing regulations;

Resolved, Finally, that for the efficient implementation of the CAC, two sectors, namely, the hog farms and slaughterhouses, which are significant pollution generators in the Lake Region, be the initial pilot sectors for the implementation of the Compliance Assistance Centers while plans for CACs for other sectors are to be formulated for implementation in the future.

Approved:  27 September 2007.

ATTESTED BY:

(SGD) ATTY JOAQUIN G. MENDOZA

               Board Secretary