Owners of establishments whose business impacts the environment are urged to secure environmental permits.
During a three-day event at the Capitol, officials of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources spearheaded an orientation for local traders who wish to secure permits and clearances from the DENR.
“Almost all of the environmental permits and clearances now can only be secured online. So, what we are doing now is we orient business people in Davao Oriental on how to secure all the permits and clearances online to help them navigate on the new process,” says Mira Blanco, chief of the environmental impact assessment section of the EMB.
“This is part of the government’s ease-of-doing-business program. They no longer have to go to our office in Davao City since they can get all those permits and clearances online,” Blanco adds.
Majority of those who attended the event are operators of tourism-related investments like hotels and beach resorts.
Leopoldo Imbang, a retired military general tasked by Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon as the province’s environmental law enforcer, said that amid the influx of big-ticket investments to the province, the governor does not want the province to go the way of other resorts whose unregulated business climate led to a huge destruction of their environment.
“We don’t want to go the way of other resorts. So, this early, we are guiding the local traders especially those who wish to operate in the province to comply with all the environmental laws so they would have smooth operation,” says Imbang.
“The law is already strict and we will not compromise. We don’t intend to bend the rules. So, they must comply with all the environmental laws,” Imbang adds.
During a three-day one-stop-shop event for environmental laws permitting requirements of all project proponents in Davao Oriental, local traders like owners of tourism-related investments, operators of fish cages, sand and gravel, agricultural processing plants and large commercial establishments were being oriented by officials of the EMB on environmental laws and a host of requirements before they can secure permits and certificates from the DENR, like the environmental compliance certificate, certificate of non-coverage, wastewater discharge permit, permit to operate air pollution sources, and hazardous waste generator ID. Contributed by Ferdz Zuasola | Photos by Mark Alvite
