Regulatory Roles and Responsibilities - Philippines

Each country has its own set of policies and agencies that create and enforce them. This section specifies eight entities that have a role in the institutional arrangements for regulating septic tanks and septage policy in the Philippines.

A. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is the leading agency for water and wastewater regulation policy, enforcement, and institutional coordination. Some of the major roles and responsibilities of DENR include:

• Designing and constructing sewage treatment facilities. In 2005 the Secretary of the Environment issued a memorandum asking all regional directors of the Environment Management Bureau to require malls; restaurants; hotels; apartelles; and other residential buildings, subdivisions, hospitals and similar establishments to develop sewage treatment facilities as a condition for environmental compliance certificates and permits to operate. The memorandum also required all existing facilities and establishments to install sewage treatment facilities in order to renew their permits to operate.
• Establishing a National Water Quality Fund to help finance sewerage programs. This fund could support local government units as they develop treatment systems and could serve as an incentive to local governments as they move into the implementation stage.
• Establishing a wastewater charge system. This fee applied to all wastewater discharges in the country would be used to support the National Water Quality Fund.

B. The Department of Health (DOH) is primarily responsible for creating and enforcing standards for drinking water, septage and sludge disposal. DOH has a role in reviewing and issuing Environmental Compliance Certificates for both stationary (treatment) and mobile (collection and transportation) septage services.

In 2008, the DOH published its Operations Manual on the Rules and Regulations Governing Domestic Sludge and Septage which spells out the requirements for a comprehensive septage management program that should be adopted by local government units and water districts to include the following:

• Septage collection including recommended permitting programs for proper septic tank construction
• Septage transportation and manifesting
• Septage treatment
• The reuse and recycling of treated and stabilized septage

The manual also provides information on how to obtain an environmental sanitation clearance for both mobile and stationary septage service providers.

Visit the Department of Health on line at: doh.gov.ph.

C. The Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) is one of the three departments in the government carrying out major infrastructure projects.

The DPWH is mandated to undertake

• The planning of infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, flood control, water resources and wastewater projects, and other public works
• The design, construction, and maintenance of national roads and bridges, and major flood control systems

The Clean Water Act of 2004 assigns the DPWH to prepare a national sewerage and septage management plan (NSSMP) and instructs highly urbanized cities to provide sewerage and septage services to minimize the adverse impacts of domestic wastewater discharges on the quality of water resources. The NSSMP will include a framework plan to address various national issues on sanitation and treatment and disposal of wastewater. The Local Water utilities Administration heads an inter-agency steering committee and its technical working group that were created to develop the NSSMP.

For more information on the DPWH, visit them online at dpwh.gov.ph.

To learn more about the Local Water Utilities Administration, visit their website at lwua.gov.ph.

D. Water Districts also have a significant role in septage management as standalone agencies that may implement septage management programs or work in coordination with local government units. While Manila Water and Maynilad Water are two good examples of this, Cebu and Davao water districts are beginning to develop septage programs with assistance from the United States Agency for International Development. These may become models for future replication.

E. Local Government Units have an important role in the Clean Water Act. They are responsible for developing sewerage plans and have the authority to set fees and appropriate land for the purpose of wastewater treatment. Some local governments have implemented their own sanitary codes or septage management ordinances. Marikina and Dumaguete have promulgated ordinances that may serve as models for other local government units. These ordinances cover everything from proper septic tank design to permitting, inspection and routine desludging services. While these requirements are fully codified into law within these local jurisdictions, it is unclear how local government units will implement or enforce the regulations.

Additional responsibilities and abilities of local government units to develop septage management programs are stipulated in the Clean Water Act:

• Each local government unit shall appropriate the necessary land, including the required rights-of-way/road access to the land for the construction of sewage and/or septage treatment facilities. Each unit may raise funds through local property taxes and enforcement of a service fee system to subsidize necessary expenses for the operation and maintenance of the sewerage treatment or septage facility servicing their area of jurisdiction.
• Local government units shall sit on Water Quality Management Areas governing boards, which will set policy for septage management and perform water quality surveillance and monitoring.
• In non-highly urbanized cities, local governments shall work with DOH and DPWH to develop septage management or sewerage and septage management programs.

F. Water and Sewage Concessionaires work as standalone agencies or in conjunction with local government units in highly urbanized areas, such as Metro Manila. They are required to connect dischargers to sewer lines where they exist, or develop septage management programs in areas without access to sewer lines. As seen in Metro Manila with Manila Water, concessionaires can be a major driving force in developing effective septage management programs.

G. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is responsible for evaluation, verification and development of technologies for wastewater treatment.

The mission of the DOST is to spearhead the harnessing of science and technology for sustainable economic development and enhancement of the quality of life of the people and environment of the Philippines through

1. the provision of appropriate, timely and adequate science and technology services;
2. the development and strengthening of the regional science and technology infrastructure, manpower, institutions and culture;
3. the mobilization of different sectors in order to contribute to the fulfillment of the needs and aspirations of the regional community.

For more information about DOST and their various programs, visit them online at: dost.gov.ph.

H. The Department of Education takes a leading role in developing public information, education and communication campaigns as they relate to water and wastewater issues.