Annex

Examples of the roles that environment ministries are expected to play in policy making Box. III. D.2

Philippines: Environmental Management Bureau in Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)

Responsibilities

Technical assistance: providing assistance to regional offices on policy implementation and environmental research
Policy making: formulation of environmental quality standards for air, water, land, noise and radiation, formulation of legislation, policies and programmes for environmental management and pollution control, preparation of National Conservation Strategy
Implementation: management of EIA system, management of chemicals toxic substances and hazardous wastes being imported or generated locally
Administration: participation in various international treaties such as the Basel Convention, Montreal Protocol, UN Convention on Climate Change
Information: preparation of the Philippine Environmental Quality Report

Weakness of DENR

Lack of financial/human resources
Lack of manpower and equipment for monitoring environmental status (measures taken to tackle the issue; number of parameters to be monitored has been reduced)
No clear definition of functions within the regional offices of DENR
Confusion between officials responsible for issuing permits and those checking compliance