Department Memorandum Order No. 2025-01: Updated Guidelines for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Process of Projects Applying for an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) within Protected Areas and/or Ramsar Sites, including the Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor (VIPMC), Amending Certain Provisions of DENR Memorandum Order Nos. 2023-01 and 2023-04

DMO-2025-01.pdf • J BACOHC PIUPINAS JUL 0 1 2025 Pursuant to the Republic Act No. 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business and Efficient Government Service Delivery Act of 2018 mandating government agencies to streamline procedures and expedite processes without compromising the environmental integrity, and in line with Memorandum Circular No. 2016-745 or the Integration of Biodiversity in the Planning, Implementation and Monitoring of Development Projects and Tenurial Instruments Issued by the DENR, Department Memorandum Order (DMO) Nos. 2023-01 and 2023-04 are hereby amended as follows: DENR MEMORANDUM ORDER No. 2025- 01 3. The EMB Central and Regional Office concerned shall ensure that all checklists approved during the technical scoping activities shall include the following: 1. All ECC online and/or manual applications shall be processed in accordance with Presidential Administrative Order No. 42, series of 2002 entitled “Rationalizing the Implementation of the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) System and Giving Authority, in Addition to the Secretary of the DENR, to the Director and Regional Directors of the EMB to Grant or Deny the Issuance of ECGs'', and DAO 2022-10 entitled “Revised Manual of Authorities on Technical Matters”. BMB Clearance shall no longer be required as a requisite for the approval of ECC applications. DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES KAGAWARAN NG KAPALIGIRAN AT LIKAS NA YAMAN Visayas Avenue, Diliman. Quezon City 1100. Philippines www.dcnr.gov.ph 2. In lieu of the clearance from the Office of the Secretary for the approval of the Technical Scoping Checklist for Projects within PAs and Ramsar sites, the Technical Scoping Checklist shall be reviewed and cleared by the EMB Director or the concerned Regional Director handling the ECC applications. a) A description of the proponent including its corporate and capital structure, registered and beneficial owners, officers, list of previous projects, and source of funding to complete the project and perform its commitments under the ECC; b) The proponent’s commitment to perform avoidance, mitigation, and rehabilitation as well as the corresponding mitigation and compensatory activities to be conducted for the natural and built environmental impact caused should the project be located within PAs, Ramsar Sites, or VIPMC; SUBJECT: UPDATED GUIDELINES FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) PROCESS OF PROJECTS APPLYING FOR AN ENVIRONMENTAL COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATE (ECC) WHICH ARE WITHIN PROTECTED AREAS (PAS) AND/OR RAMSAR SITES, INCLUDING THE VERDE ISLAND PASSAGE MARINE CORRIDOR (VIPMC), AMENDING CERTAIN PROVISIONS OF DENR MEMORANDUM ORDER NOS. 2023-01 AND 2023-04 http://www.dcnr.gov.ph Ift 4. 5. 6. This Order shall take effect immediately. All other orders and directives inconsistent herewith are superseded accordingly. For all ElS-based projects which are located outside Protected Areas but are within VIPMC and Ramsar sites, the proponent shall secure endorsement from the concerned DENR Regional Offices. Likewise, the DENR ROs shall forward the endorsement to the BMB for their concurrence. The BMB in turn shall, in the form of a memorandum, endorse the proposed project to proceed with EIA process to the EMB CO or concerned EMB RO where the ECC application is lodged. c) The incorporation of the protection of the PAs and/or Ramsar sites in the Social Development Plan (SDP)/ Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); and d) The source of water and power to be used by the project during its development and operational stages. Visayas Avenue, Dilimun, Quezon Cily 1100, Philippines www.dcnr.gov.ph The DENR Regional Executive Director shall review and evaluate the project proposal and formally endorse the PAMB Clearance to the EMB Central Office or the concerned EMB Regional Office, depending on where the ECC application is lodged. The endorsement shall include: a) a map overlay showing the project’s location relative to the management zones of the PA and b) a recommendation on the EIA report for submission to the ECC application. For all ElS-based projects as prescribed under EMB rules and regulations located within PAs, the EIA Review Committee shall include resource persons from the Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and/or Forest Management Bureau (FMB), as warranted. The Conservation and Development Division (CDD) and/or the concerned Protected Area Management Office (PAMO) shall be designated as alternate members for the FMB or BMB. REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES —DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT —ANO NATURAL RESOURCES llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SENR069129 RAPHAEL P.M. LOTILLA / Secretary http://www.dcnr.gov.ph