The Philippine Clean

Air
Act of
199
9
Republic Act
8749
Salient Features of the Act
The
State
shall pursue a policy of
balancing development and environmental
protection
.
To achieve this end, the framework for sustainable development shall be
pursued.
As such, it
shall be the policy of the S
tate to
:
Formulate a holistic national program of
air pollution
that
shall be implemented by the
government through proper delegation and effective coordination of
function and
activities
;
En
courage cooperation an
d self
-
regulation among citizen and industries through the
application of
incentives
market
-
based instruments
;
Focus primarily on pollution prevention rather than on control and provide
for a
comprehensive management program on air pollution;
Promote public information and education to encourage the participation of
an
informed and active public in
air
quality
planning
and monitoring; and
Formulate and enforce a system of accountability for short and long term
adverse
environmental impact of a
project, program or activity.
This shall include setting up of a
funding or guarantee mechanism for clean
-
up and environmental rehabilitation and
compensation for personal damages.

PRIME - M4 Page 1 of 29
S. No. 1255
H. No. 6216
Republic of the Philippines
Congress of the Philippines
Metro Manila
Eleventh Congress
First Regular Session
Begun and held in Metro Manila, on Monday, the twenty-seventh day of July, nineteen hundred and
ninety eight.
_________________
REPUBLIC ACT
No. 8749
Subject:
AN ACT PROVIDING FOR A COMPREHENSIVE AIR
POLLUTION CONTROL POLICY AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress
assembled:
Chapter 1
General Provisions
Article 1
Basic Air Quality Policies
Section 1.
Short Title -
This Act shall be known as the "Philippine Clean Air Act
of 1999."
Section 2.

Declaration of Principles. -
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.
The State shall promote and protect the global environment to attain sustainable
development while recognizing the primary responsibility of local government units
to deal
with environmental problems.
The State recognizes that the responsibility of cleaning the habitat and
environment
is primarily area-based.
The State also recognizes the principle that "polluters must pay".
Finally, the State recognizes that a clean and healthy env

Water resources
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search


A graphical distribution of the locations of water on Earth.


A natural wetland
Water resources are sources of water that are useful or potentially useful. Uses of
water include agricultural, industrial, household, recreational and environmental
activities. The majority of human uses require fresh water.
97 percent of the water on the Earth is salt water. However, only three percent is
fresh water; slightly over two thirds of this is frozen in glaciers and polar ice
caps.
[1]
The remaining unfrozen freshwater is found mainly as groundwater, with
only a small fraction present above ground or in the air.
[2]

Fresh water is a renewable resource, yet the world's supply of groundwater is
steadily decreasing, with depletion occurring most prominently in Asia and North
America, although it is still unclear how much natural renewal balances this usage,
and whether ecosystems are threatened.
[3]
The framework for allocating water
resources to water users (where such a framework exists) is known as water rights.





Causes and Effects of Water Pollution




Image source: NASA
Water covers 70% of the Earths surface and makes up over 60% of the human
body. Water pollution affects marine ecosystems, wildlife health, and human well-
being. The answer to solving pollution is to make changes in our daily habits and
pay more attention to the types of products we consume. The following lists
display causes of water pollution and the effects it has on human health and the
environment.
Causes of Water Pollution
Sewage from domestic households, factories and commercial buildings Sewage
that is treated in water treatment plants is often disposed into the sea. Sewage
can be more problematic when people flush chemicals and pharmaceutical
substances down the toilet.
Dumping solid wastes and littering by humans in rivers, lakes and oceans.
Littering items include cardboard, Styrofoam, aluminum, plastic and glass.
Industrial waste from factories, which use freshwater to carry waste from the
plant into rivers, contaminates waters with pollutants such as asbestos, lead,
mercury and petrochemicals.
Oil Pollution caused by oil spills from tankers and oil from ship travel. Oil does
not dissolve in water and forms a thick sludge.
Burning fossil fuels into the air causes the formation of acidic particles in the
atmosphere. When these particles mix with water vapor, the result is acid rain.
An increase in water temperature is caused by global warming and thermal plants
that use lakes and rivers to cool down mechanical equipment.
Effects of Water Pollution
Groundwater contamination from pesticides causes reproductive damage within
wildlife in ecosystems.
Sewage, fertilizer, and agricultural run-off contain organic materials that when
discharged into waters, increase the growth of algae, which causes the depletion
of oxygen. The low oxygen levels are not able to support most indigenous
organisms in the area and therefore upset the natural ecological balance in rivers
and lakes.
Swimming in and drinking contaminated water can cause skin rashes, cancer,
reproductive problems, typhoid fever and stomach sickness in humans.
Industrial chemicals and agricultural pesticides that end up in aquatic
environments can accumulate in fish that are later eaten by humans. Fish are
easily poisoned with metals that are also later consumed by humans. Mercury is
particularly poisonous to small children and women. Mercury has been found to
interfere with the development of the nervous system in fetuses and young
children.
Ecosystems are destroyed by the rising temperature in the water, as coral reefs
are affected by the bleaching effect due to warmer temperatures. Additionally,
the warm water forces indigenous water species to seek cooler water in other
areas, causing an ecological damaging shift of the affected area.
Human-produced litter of items such as plastic bags and 6-pack rings can get
aquatic animals caught and killed from suffocation.
Water pollution causes flooding due to the accumulation of solid waste and soil
erosion in streams and rivers.
Oil spills in the water causes animal to die when they ingest it or encounter it. Oil
does not dissolve in water so it causes suffocation in fish and birds.
Water pollution has been extensively documented as a contributor to health
problems in humans and marine animal ecosystems. It has a huge impact on our
lives, and if we do our part by not throwing trash or chemicals into our water
supplies and drains, we can contribute to the improvement of aquatic life and of our
health in general.










Revolution in Cavite
By December, the Spanish authorities in Manila recognized three major centers of
rebellion: Cavite (under Emilio Aguinaldo and others), Bulacan (under Mariano
Llanera) and Morong (now part of Rizal, under Bonifacio). Bonifacio served as
tactician for the rebel guerillas though his prestige suffered when he lost battles he
personally led.
[2]

Meanwhile in Cavite, Katipuneros under Emilio Aguinaldo, mayor of Cavite El
Viejo (modern Kawit) and Mariano lvarez, Bonifacio's uncle by marriage, won
early victories. Aguinaldo commissioned Edilberto Evangelista, an engineer, to
plan the defense and logistics of the revolution in Cavite. His first victory was in
the Battle of Imus on September 1, 1896 with the aid of Jose Tagle defeating the
Spanish forces under General Ernesto Aguirre. The Cavite revolutionaries,
particularly Aguinaldo, won prestige in defeating Spanish troops in "set piece"
battles while other rebels like Bonifacio and Llanera were engaged in guerrilla
warfare. Aguinaldo, speaking for the Magdalo ruling council, issued a manifesto
proclaiming a provisional and revolutionary government after his early
successes despite the existence of Bonifacio's Katipunan government.
[52]

The Katipunan in Cavite was divided into two councils: the Magdiwang (led by
Alvarez) and the Magdalo (led by Baldomero Aguinaldo, Emilio's cousin). At first
these two Katipunan councils cooperated with each other in the battlefield, as in the
battles of Binakayan and Dalahican. However, rivalries between command and
territory soon developed and they refused to cooperate and aid each other in battle.
To unite the Katipunan in Cavite, the Magdiwang through Artemio Ricarte and Pio
Del Pilar invited Bonifacio, who was fighting in Morong (present-day Rizal)
province to mediate between the factions. Perhaps due to his kinship ties with their
leader, Bonifacio was seen as partial to the Magdiwang.
[53]

It was not long before the issue of leadership was debated. The Magdiwang faction
recognized Bonifacio as supreme leader, being the head of the Katipunan. The
Magdalo faction agitated for Emilio Aguinaldo to be the movement's head because
of his personal successes in the battlefield compared to Bonifacio's record of
personal defeats. Meanwhile the Spanish troops, now under the command of the
new Governor-General Camilo de Polavieja, steadily gained ground.