SEC. J.R. NEREUS O. ACOSTA, Ph.D
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
CONCURRENT GENERAL MANAGER OF LLDA
Presentation of
Philippine Clean
Water Act of
2004
as Principal
Author
SEC. J.R. NEREUS O. ACOSTA, Ph.D
PRESIDENTIAL ADVISER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
CONCURRENT GENERAL MANAGER OF LLDA
65,000 hectares
Metro Manila
95,000 hectares
Laguna Lake
CORY AQUINO
NOYNOY AQUINO
Why the need for the Clean Water Act?

Low sewerage coverage

Degradation of water quality from domestic wastes

Spread of waterborne diseases

Decline in fish production
Low Sewerage Coverage in 2004
Vientiane
Jakarta
Manila
Ho Chi Minh City
Kathmandu
Dhaka
Colombo
Phnom Penh
Ulaanbaatar
Karachi
Delhi
Shanghai
Kuala Lumpur
Tashkent
Chengdu
Seoul
Osaka
Hong Kong
4%
0
20
40
60
80

Only about 4% of
the population
had access to
sewerage in 2000

Outside Metro
Manila, access to
sewerage
network almost
non-existent
100
Source: Asian Development Bank. 2004. Water in Asian Cities: Utilities Performance and Society Views. Manila.
Indiscriminate disposal of wastewater is one of
the main reasons for degradation of water quality
Domestic Wastes
80% of biochemical oxygen
demand (BOD) loading in the lake
is from domestic sources
- Phil-WAVES report, 2015
*Manggahan Floodway, Pasig River
Spread of Waterborne Diseases in 2000s
In 1996-2000, 31% of illnesses were from waterborne diseases;
gastroenteritis, diarrhea, typhoid, cholera, dysentery, and hepatitis
Decline in Fish Production
Fish kills as a result of increase in
BOD levels, sedimentation and
silt pollution
70% of bangus sold in Metro Manila
is from Laguna Lake
Philippine Clean Water Act
R.A. 9275
“An Act Providing for a Comprehensive
Water Quality Management and for
Other Purposes”
March 2004
*Laguna de Bay
Philippine Clean Water Act
R.A. 9275
The State shall pursue a policy of economic growth in a manner
Consistent with the protection, preservation and revival of the quality
Of our fresh, brackish and marine waters.
-Declaration of Policy, Section 2 of Philippine Clean Water Act
*Angat Dam, Norzagaray, Bulacan
Philippine Clean Water Act
R.A. 9275
This Act shall apply to water quality management in all water bodies,
That it shall primarily apply to the abatement and control of pollution
From land based sources, that the water quality standards and
Regulations under this Act shall be enforced irrespective of sources
Of pollution
-Coverage of the Act, Section 3 of Philippine Clean Water Act
*La Mesa Dam
Key Definitions
Effluent - discharge which is
passed into bodies of water
Wastewater - wastes in liquid form
containing pollutants
Key Definitions
Septage : sludge from septic tanks,
cesspools (pozo negro)
Key Definitions
Sewage : wastewater from domestic,
commercial, industrial sources
Sewerage : system or network of
pipelines for collection and treatment
of sewage
Sewage Collection, Treatment & Disposal

Section 8 requires residential, commercial and industrial establishments
to connect to a sewage line provided by concessionaires
Discharge Permits

Section 14 regulates effluent discharge to bodies of water

LLDA as regulatory agency monitoring discharges to Laguna Lake
Prohibited Acts

Section 27 prohibits the ff:

Discharging directly or indirectly
into water bodies causing water
pollution

Discharging without valid
discharge permits

Dumping or transporting into
water bodies sewage sludge or
solid waste

Disposing of infectious medical
wastes
Penalties & Enforcement

Fine of not less then Php 10,000 to Php 200,000 per day of violation

Issuance of an ex parte order for closure, suspension or cessation of
operations of violators
Oil Spill in Pandacan, Manila June 2013
Around 1,500 liters of fuel from an oil depot spilled and polluted Pasig River
Oil Spill in Pandacan, Manila June 2013
“The parameters for the Clean Water
Act have been violated by Larraine’s
Marketing.”
Sec. Neric Acosta on the oil spill, June
2013
Cement plant oil spill, Antipolo September 2015
2,000 liters of bunker fuel spilled into Tagbak
River, Antipolo.
Cement plant oil spill, Antipolo September 2013
“Anything that compromises water
safety, such as sources of hazardous and
toxic substances like oil depots, should
be removed from our rivers and major
bodies of water,”
- Sec. Acosta, Presidential Adviser for
Environmental Protection
Sept. 15, 2015, issuance of Ex-Parte Order
to stop operations of Solid Cement
International Coastal Cleanup
September 19, 2015 International Coastal Cleanup in Las Pinas
L.A.H.A.T.
LUPA
TUBIG
TAO
AT
HANGIN
ARAW
L.A.W.S.
LAND
AIR
WATER
AND
SUN
Understand
Value
Protect
Ecosystems. Life.