For ppt: http://wepa-db.net/3rd/en/meeting/20170926/pdf/26_3-09_Philippines.

pdf
https://water.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NWQSR2006-2013.pdf

PHILIPPINE ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ON POLLUTION

Constitutional Provisions on Environmental Law

Article II
Declaration of Principles and State Policies

Section 15. The State shall protect and promote the right to health of the people and
instill health consciousness among them.

Section 16. The State shall protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced
and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.

Pollution in the Philippines

‘Pollution’, as defined by PD 984, means any alteration of the physical,

chemical, and biological properties of any water, air, and/or land resources of the
Philippines, or any discharge thereto of any liquid, gaseous, or solid wastes as will or
is likely to create or render such water, air, and land resources harmful, detrimental
or injurious to public health, safety, or welfare or which will adversely affect their
utilization for domestic, commercial, industrial, agricultural, recreational, or other
legitimate purposes.
The Philippines is plagued by worsening pollution of all types-- land, water,
air, and noise being the most problematic. In 2017, Greenpeace ranked the
Philippines as the “third-worst polluter” of the world’s oceans after China and
Indonesia.1Last May, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the Philippines
to be the third deadliest country in the Asia Pacific Region for outdoor air pollution
and the second deadliest country for indoor air pollution.2

+ Video

Presidential Decree No. 984

National Pollution Control Decree of 1976

1
https://www.philstar.com/headlines/2017/09/24/1742193/philippines-third-worst-polluter-oceans-
report-says
2
http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/05/02/PH-2nd-WHO-indoor-pollution-Asia-Pacific.html
Section 1. Statement of Policy. It is hereby declared a national policy to prevent,
abate, and control pollution of water, air, and land for the more effective utilization of
the resources of this country.

Among other things, this provided for the revision of Republic Act No. 3931,
commonly known as the Pollution Control Law. In response to the country’s
industrialization program, the the decree sought to make the National Pollution
Control Commission more effective and efficient in the discharge of its functions by
modifying its organizational structure.
The National Pollution Control Decree prohibited the disposal into any of the
water, air, and/or land resources of the Philippines any organic or inorganic matter
matter or any substance in gaseous or liquid form that shall cause pollution thereof.
It also disallowed the discharge of all industrial wastes and other wastes which could
cause pollution without first securing a permit from the Commission. 3

Land Pollution
Haphazard disposal of urban and industrial wastes, exploitation of minerals,
and improper use of soil by inadequate agricultural practices are a few of the
contributing factors.
Residents of Metro Manila generate so much garbage that they are responsible for
one-fourth of the country’s daily output of solid waste, according to the Department
of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Causes

The following are some of the major causes of land pollution:

1. Municipal waste. This refers to wastes produced from activities within local
government units which include a combination of domestic, commercial,
institutional, and industrial wastes and streets. Specifically, this includes non-
hazardous garbage, rubbish, and trash from homes, institutions, commercial
establishments, and industrial facilities.
2. Agricultural waste. This refers to waste generated from planting or harvesting
of crops, trimming or pruning of plants, and wastes or run-off materials from
farms or fields.
3. Mining waste.
4. Hazardous waste. This refers to solid waste or combination of solid waste,
which because of its quantity, concentration or physical, chemical or infectious
characteristics may present a potential hazard to human health or the
environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of.
This includes harmful and dangerous substances generated primarily as
liquids but also as solids, sludges, or gases by various chemical

3
PD No. 984, Section 8.
 manufacturing companies, petroleum refineries, paper mills, machine shops,
automobile repair shops, and many other industries or commercial facilities.
5.

Plastic Waste

*insert more causes of land pollution*

+ Video
+ Jurisprudence

Republic Act No. 9003

Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000

This was the State’s attempt to adopt a systematic, comprehensive, and

ecological solid waste management program for the protection of public health and
the environment. The law sets guidelines and targets for solid waste avoidance and
volume reduction and aims to ensure proper segregation, collection, transport,
storage, treatment, and disposal of solid waste.

Presidential Decree No. 825

Providing Penalty for Improper Disposal of Garbage and Other Forms of
Uncleanliness (1975)

This penalized any person who litters or throws garbage, filth, or other waste
matters in public places, such as roads, canals, or parks, with a fine or imprisonment
or both.

Water Pollution

The Philippines is endowed with 18 major river basins, 421 principal rivers, 79
natural lakes, and an extensive coastline of 36,298 kilometers.4 Unfortunately, most
of these bodies of water have been neglected and continue to be polluted.

Data from the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Philippines

showed that as of 2010, out of the 127 freshwater bodies that they sampled, 47%
percent were found to have good water quality. However, 40% of those sampled
were found to have only fair water quality, while 13% showed poor water quality. As
many as 50 of the 421 rivers in the Philippines are already considered “biologically

4
https://water.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NWQSR2006-2013.pdf
dead.” Biologically dead rivers no longer contain any oxygen and cannot support any
but the hardiest kinds of species. 5

Causes

The major sources of water pollution in the country are inadequately treated
domestic wastewater or sewage, agricultural wastewater, industrial wastewater, and
non-point sources such as rain- and groundwater runoff from solid waste or garbage
deposits.

1. Industrial waste. Industry’s unfettered disposal of toxic materials and

byproducts into our water supply plays a huge role in the growing water crisis.
In the Philippines alone, chemical pollution is quickly taking its toll on our
limited supply of fresh water. A lethal cocktail of hazardous chemicals are
being dumped daily into such major water sources as the Laguna Lake and
the Pasig River.

2. Agricultural waste. This can include organic wastes such as decayed plants,
livestock manure, and dead animals, soil runoff due to erosion, and pesticides
and fertilizer residues. The chemicals from fertilizers and pesticides make
their way into the groundwater that end up in drinking water, posing risks to
human health and the environment.

3. Domestic waste/ Sewage. This refers to waterborne human or animal

wastes removed from from residences, buildings, and industrial and
commercial establishments. In the Philippines, less than 10 percent have
access to piped sewerage systems.6 Those that are not connected to a
sewerage network rely on septic tanks, pit latrines, or practice open
defecation. The lack of proper sewage treatment greatly impacts the quality of
groundwater, surface waters, and coastal and marine waters. Improperly
treated sewage discharges can contaminate the receiving water bodies with
microorganisms that may give rise to waterborne diseases such as diarrhea,
cholera, and dysentery.

4. Mining waste. Excessive levels of mercury and cyanide, frequently used to

amalgamate and extract precious metals, have been detected in rivers
monitored near mining areas. Mine tailings and untreated wastewater are then
discharged into river systems and their tributaries, resulting in the
deterioration of their water quality.

5
http://www.greenpeace.org/seasia/ph/What-we-do/Toxics/Water-Patrol/The-problem/
6
https://water.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/NWQSR2006-2013.pdf
 5. Plastic waste. Among the top contributors of plastic waste in the world’s
oceans, the country produces 2.7 million metric tons of plastic waste every
year, with half a million metric tons believed to be exiting into the Pacific
Ocean and the rest comprising a huge chunk of improperly-disposed solid
waste that clog our lakes and rivers. According to Greenpeace, western
consumer giants such as Nestle, Unilever, and Procter & Gamble are some of
the main culprits in polluting our water resources by selling products
packaged in cheap, disposable plastic to Filipinos.

6. Oil and Chemical Spills. Due to maritime disasters, the Philippines is often a
victim of oil and chemical spills. These spills cause problems on three fronts,
as it contaminated seashores, the mangroves, and the seabed. In 2006, a
cargo ship chartered by Petron was carrying 2.4 million liters of oil to the
southern island of Mindanao when it went down off Guimaras Island. An
estimated 200,000 liters of oil leaked from the tanker, contaminating
approximately 24 sq km of area. In 2008, during the wake of Typhoon
Fengshen, another ship capsized near the shores of Sibuyan Island. The
incident threatened the surrounding marine waters with contamination from
the toxic substances aboard the ship’s cargo hold.The highly toxic substances
consisted of pesticides and electrical equipment containing environmentally
hazardous components such as heavy metals, antifouling compounds in
marine paint, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in transformers.

Effects

The following are only some of the public health and ecosystem concerns
brought about by the widespread water pollution in the country:

1. Water supply contamination. In November 2010, the Department of Health

(DOH) recommended the rehabilitation of Danao City’s water source after
water sampling results revealed fecal contamination. At least 210 residents
were diagnosed with diarrhea, resulting in four deaths. Among them were
patients aged between six and 10. However, most of the patients diagnosed
with diarrhea were found to be younger than five years old. It was confirmed
that water samples from a spring were contaminated with Escherichia coli (E.
coli) bacteria.
Recently, in 2017, a diarrhea outbreak at the New Bilibid Prison in
Muntinlupa City that downed 1,212 inmates was caused by contaminated
water supply, according to the DOH. Two of the 38 water samples collected
from the national penitentiary were contaminated based on laboratory tests.
 Some of the inmates tested positive for shigella, a bacteria that can be
acquired from contaminated water.7

2. Fish kills. In 2017, hundreds of dead sardines were found on the shore of a
coastal community in Cagayan de Oro. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic
Resources (BFAR) reported that the fish kill might have been the result of the
change of the quality of the water and the release of sewage of manufacturing
facilities into the sea. It noted that the village’s coastal area is the site of a
handful of factories, among them a corn processing factory and a dressed
chicken facility and that there have been reported fish kills in the past few
years.8
3. Red tide. This is a natural and seasonal phenomenon identified by the
presence of a reddish-brown discoloration of sea water. Harmful algal blooms,
in particular, are erratic instances of red tide which can cause damage. These
discolorations are the result of high concentrations of dinoflagellates and,
under high concentrations, can threaten the health of both marine organisms
and humans. Factors, such as anthropogenic activities, such as the use of
fertilizers on farms, waste disposal, coastal development, and the use of fossil
fuel, can contribute to or even cause these occurrences.
In the Philippines, red tide is most concentrated in the Island of
Mindanao, specifically in Zamboanga del Sur and Surigao del Sur.

7
https://www.philstar.com/metro/2017/06/03/1706476/doh-contaminated-water-caused-diarrhea-
outbreak-bilibid
8
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/927824/sardine-deaths-tamban-cagayan-de-oro-bfar
MANILA BAYWALK. A man collects recyclable materials amongst the floating
garbage at Manila baywalk, washed ashore after tropical storm Nida passed through
northern Philippines on August 1, 2016. Photo by Ted Aljibe/ AFP
Source: https://www.rappler.com/science-nature/environment/144698-millions-risk-
rising-water-pollution-un
Source: https://dmacalinga.wordpress.com/2016/09/29/blog-post-title/#jp-carousel-
57

Source: https://tallypress.squarespace.com/fun/a-walk-through-the-slums-of-manila-
philippines

+ Video
+ Jurisprudence

Presidential Decree No. 979

Marine Pollution Decree of 1976

This decree was issued in recognition of the vital importance of the marine
environment by penalizing certain acts that cause marine pollution, such as dumping
and discharging to rivers, brooks, and springs.

Presidential Decree No. 1067

Water Code of the Philippines (1976)
The Code prohibited any person, without prior permission from the National
Pollution Control Commission, from building any works that may produce dangerous
or noxious substances or performing any act which may result in the introduction of
sewage, industrial waste, or any pollutant into any source of water supply. It also
defined pollution as “the impairment of the quality of water beyond a certain
standard”, which varies according to the use of the water.
 Republic Act No. 9275
Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004

This act aims to preserve, and revive the quality of the country’s fresh,
brackish, and marine waters by promoting environmental strategies geared towards
the protection of water resources. It also formulates an integrated water quality
management framework for the utilization and development of the country’s water
supply and for the prevention of water pollution.

*insert specific projects implemented by the govt*

Republic Act No. 9483

Oil Pollution Compensation Act of 2007

This law recognizes the need to protect the country’s marine wealth in its
archipelagic waters, territorial sea, and exclusive economic zone. It adopts
internationally accepted measures which impose strict liability for oil pollution
damage and provides for a system of accessing an international fund which was
established to compensate those who suffer damage caused by a tanker spill of
cargo oil.

Laguna Lake

Laguna de Bay is the Philippines’ largest lake, and supplies Metro Manila’s 16
million people with a third of their fish. It also supports agriculture, industry and
hydro-power generation. Millions more live around its 285-kilometre shoreline. But
the lake’s importance has placed it in peril from a host of problems, including
pollution from untreated sewage and industrial waste, overfishing and the
sedimentation and illegal reclamation that are eroding its capacity.

Republic Act No. 4850

Laguna Lake Development Authority Act

This created the LLDA, which was mandated to attain sustainable ecological
management within the Laguna de Bay Region. Several special projects of LLDA on
water quality management include the following:
1. Laguna De Bay Institutional Strengthening and Community Participation
(LISCOP) Project. With assistance from World Bank, LISCOP finances
construction of infrastructure by LGUs, including wastewater treatment
facilities, to address discharging of polluted wastewater into the lake and
tributary rivers. The project also enabled LLDA to expand the Environmental
 Users Fee, which is paid for the amount of pollution that is discharged into the
tributary rivers within the region.
2. River Rehabilitation Program. Organizes River Basin Councils all over the
lake. The “Environmental Army”, a group of community volunteers, helps
LLDA in various river clean-ups of clogged waterways and tributaries that
drain into the Laguna de Bay. They conduct clean-ups fifteen to twenty times
a year.
3. Shoreland Management Program. Designed to control pollution and
nuisance through the elimination of incompatible elements and uses of the
Laguna de Bay Shoreland Areas. LLDA issues Notices of Violation for illegal
backfilling and construction activities in shoreland areas. Majority of the illegal
activities discovered were due to informal settlers.

Pasig River

Back in the day, the Pasig River used to be a potable source of water. Since it
connects Manila Bay to Laguna de Bay, it was once an active traveling route for
residents. But after massive industrial development, it became heavily polluted.
Treated like a septic tank, sewage and garbage were disposed there. The Pasig
River has been considered dead with no more aquatic life since 1994.

Executive Order No. 54

Creating the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (1999)

This Order created the PRRC to spearhead the rehabilitation of Pasig River to
its historically pristine condition, conducive for the propagation of fishes and other
aquatic resources, transport, recreation, and tourism.
Since the full implementation of the Pasig River Rehabilitation Program, it
has made significant contributions. In particular, improvements in river water
quality is attributed to the program’s various efforts to reduce pollution at
source by involving companies in waste minimization projects which resulted in
the reduction of organic pollution. Notably, a reduction on domestic liquid waste
is the biggest challenge of the program which accounted for at least 60
percent of the river’s organic pollution due to inadequate sewerage system in
Metro Manila.
Just this year, to stop trash from flowing into the river, the PRRC placed "trash
traps" in areas traversed by this body of water, as it threatened to impose sanctions
against polluters of esteros. The trash traps, or nets, were installed in parts of the
San Juan River, which is now the most polluted waterway in Metro Manila, and along
the boundaries of Mandaluyong City, Manila, and Quezon City.
 Last year, the Pasig River was one of the finalists for the prestigious 2017
Thiess International Riverprize, an international award that gives the highest honors
in river restoration and protection.9

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2XJcb6znI_g

Manila Bay

The water from Laguna Lake flows into the Pasig river, and on to Manila Bay.

Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) vs. Concerned Residents of

Manila Bay

Manila Bay Rehabilitation Program

Boracay shut down?

Air Pollution

Air Pollution as defined by law

+ Causes

1. Burning of Fossil Fuels: Sulfur dioxide emitted from the combustion of fossil
fuels like coal, petroleum and other factory combustibles is one the major cause of air
pollution. Pollution emitting from vehicles including trucks, jeeps, cars, trains,
airplanes cause immense amount of pollution. We rely on them to fulfill our daily
basic needs of transportation. But, there overuse is killing our environment as
dangerous gases are polluting the environment. Carbon Monooxide caused by
improper or incomplete combustion and generally emitted from vehicles is another
major pollutant along with Nitrogen Oxides, that is produced from both natural and
man made processes.

2. Agricultural activities: Ammonia is a very common by product from agriculture

related activities and is one of the most hazardous gases in the atmosphere. Use of
insecticides, pesticides and fertilizers in agricultural activities has grown quite a lot.
They emit harmful chemicals into the air and can also cause water pollution.

9
https://www.rappler.com/nation/177357-philippines-pasig-river-finalist-international-award
 3. Exhaust from factories and industries: Manufacturing industries release large
amount of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into
the air thereby depleting the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at
every corner of the earth and there is no area that has not been affected by it.
Petroleum refineries also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that
pollute the air and also cause land pollution.

4. Mining operations: Mining is a process wherein minerals below the earth are
extracted using large equipments. During the process dust and chemicals are released
in the air causing massive air pollution. This is one of the reason which is responsible
for the deteriorating health conditions of workers and nearby residents.

5. Indoor air pollution: Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic
chemicals in the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint
walls of your house, it creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible
for you to breathe.

+ Effects

 Air pollution causes irritation in the throat, nose, lungs and eyes. It causes breathing
problems and aggravates existing health conditions such as emphysema and
asthma.
 Contaminated air reduces the body’s defenses and decreases the body’s capacity to
fight other infections in the respiratory system.
 Frequent exposure to polluted air increases the risk of cardiovascular
disease. Breathing air that is filled with fine particulate matter can induce hardening
of the arteries, triggering cardiac arrhythmia or even a heart attack.
 People who exercise outdoors are susceptible to the adverse effects of air pollution
because it involves deeper and faster breathing.
 Acid rain contains hydrogen ions, which can damage trees, crops, harm marine
animals and induce corrosion in metals.
 Smog causes harmful health effects in humans and animals. Studies have shown
signs of black lung disease in dolphins of due to high concentrations of carbon
particles in the air.
 People afflicted with heart disease, children and older people are more sensitive to
air pollution.

+ Then and now stats and pics

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/987262/ph-ranks-2nd-in-asia-pacific-in-deaths-due-to-
household-pollution
+ Video
+ Jurisprudence

Indoor Air Pollution

http://cnnphilippines.com/news/2018/05/02/PH-2nd-WHO-indoor-pollution-Asia-
Pacific.html

Insecticides and stuff

Mosquedo vs. Pilipino Banana Crop Growers and Exporters Association Inc.

Republic Act No. 8749

Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999

In recognition of the dangers of air pollution and the need for a clean habitat
and environment, the law provides for an integrated air quality improvement
framework designed to implement a management and control program to reduce
emissions and prevent air pollution. It also provides for an air quality control action
plan that shall be implemented to enforce appropriate devices, methods, systems,
and measures to ensure air quality control.

*insert Implementing Rules and Regulations*

AIR QUALITY INDICES – Sets standard levels for suspended particulates,

sulfur dioxide, photochemical oxidants or ozone, carbon monoxide, and
nitrogen dioxide anywhere in the Philippines. Levels above the standard, with
the exception of TSP (Total Suspended Particles), shall be considered
Emergency.

EMISSION TEST PROCEDURE FOR REGISTERED OR IN-USE MOTOR

VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES - The test procedure
is for the determination of the concentration of exhaust carbon monoxide (CO)
and hydrocarbon (HC) emissions from in-use motor vehicles equipped with
spark-ignition engines running at idle speed.

FREE ACCELERATION TEST FOR IN-USE COMPRESSION-IGNITION MOTOR

VEHICLES - The test is a smoke opacity measurement for in-use motor
vehicles equipped with compression-ignition (diesel) engines, using the free
acceleration from low idle speed method.

Anti-smoke belching???

Climate change???

RA 9729 (Philippine Climate Change Act) 2009???

Noise Pollution

Noise pollution is an environmental hazard that is often ignored and

unfortunately, Philippine laws that address this problem are only in their early stages
of inception.
Noise, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), is an unwanted or
objectionable sound.10 According to a report of the organization, environmental noise
exposure or noise pollution is responsible for a range of health effects, including
increased risk of ischaemic heart disease as well as sleep disturbance, cognitive
impairment among children, annoyance, stress-related mental health risks, and
tinnitus, which is a perception of noise or ringing in the ears.11
The main culprit for the growing noise pollution in cities, according to a study
by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) are motorcycles.12 Based on the Land
Transportation Office (LTO) figures, 5.3 million motorcycles and tricycles were
registered in the year 2016 alone in the Philippines.13 The same ADB study showed
that the muffler or tailpipe noise emitted by tricycles produced noise levels as high as
97 decibels, way above 80 decibels, prolonged exposure to which has been
medically proven to cause permanent hearing loss.14

Presidential Decree No. 1152

10
http://www.who.int/ceh/capacity/noise.pdf
11
http://www.who.int/sustainable-development/transport/health-risks/noise/en/
12
Asian Development Bank. Air and Noise Pollution Reduction from Tricycles: A Strategic Plan for
Quezon CIty and Puerto Princesa City, Philippines. 2005. Page viii.
13
http://www.lto.gov.ph/transparency-seal/annual-reports.html
14
http://www.who.int/ceh/capacity/noise.pdf
 Philippine Environmental Code

The Code requires the establishment of community noise standards as well

as standards for noise-producing equipment such as those used in construction and
transportation for the protection of public health and welfare.15

Republic Act No. 8749

Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999

This required the regulation and control of emissions, defined as “any air
contaminant, pollutant, gas stream or unwanted sound from a known source which is
passed into the atmosphere.”16 It authorized the Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) to prescribe the implementing rules on and penalize
violations of noise emission standards, whether for stationary sources like buildings,
factories, facilities, or installations or for motor vehicles. It also empowered the
Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) not only to test motor
vehicles for compliance with noise emission standards but also to apprehend and
penalize violators.

INTERNATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ON POLLUTION

*international problems*
Ozone depletion
Water contamination = no drinking water in some parts of the world

Section 2, Article II of the Constitution provides that “the Philippines…adopts

the generally accepted principles of international law as part of the law of the land.”
By virtue of this provision, customary international environmental laws are deemed
incorporated into our domestic laws.

International environmental law is adopted by sovereign states to define

standards at the international level. It prescribes obligations and regulates behavior
in international relations in matters affecting the environment. The Philippines is
party to various multilateral environmental agreements on pollution, some of which
are as follows:

15
PD No. 1152, Sections 5-6.
16
RA No. 8749, Section 5, h.
 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

This was ratified by the Philippines on May 8, 1984 and became effective on
September 22, 1988. Article 194 thereof obliges parties to take measures to prevent
pollution of the marine environment from any source, including “land based sources”
and “installations and devices used in exploration of the natural resources of the
seabed and subsoil”.

1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer

The 1985 Vienna Convention for the Protection of the Ozone Layer and its
1987 Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer which came
into force on January 1, 1989 were both ratified by the Philippines on July 17, 1991.
These international instruments oblige parties to phase out substances that deplete
the ozone layer such as chlorofluorocarbons (CFC’s) and hydro-chlorofluorocarbons
(HCFC’s) which are used in the air-conditioning units of many old cars, offices, and
houses.

1989 Basel Convention on the Control of Transboundary Movements of

Hazardous Wastes and their Disposal

This came into force on May 5, 1992 and was ratified by the Philippines on
October 21, 1993. It declared illegal the transboundary shipment and disposal of
hazardous wastes, such as used cellphone batteries and old computer units, except
for recycling. However, in 1995, it was amended with the Basel Ban Amendment
which was a total ban on the transboundary movement of hazardous waste from
developed countries to developing countries. Unfortunately, the Basel Ban
Amendment has yet to be ratified by the Philippines.
*insert issue on nonratification, canada continues to dump waste on philippine
territory*
2001 Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants

This came into force on May 17, 2004 and was ratified by the Philippines on
February 27, 2004. It bound the parties to immediately ban the production and use of
certain pesticides such as aldrin and to eventually phase out other pesticides such
as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) as these has adverse effects on human
health and the environment and are easily transportable by wind and water.

These aforementioned multilateral environmental agreements as well as the

generally accepted principles of environmental protection can be applied in
Philippine courts, which have jurisdiction over cases involving enforcement or
violation of international environmental laws committed within the country’s territorial
boundaries.
+ Then and now stats/pics
+ Video

Geneva convention