SEA Towards SD: Putting ENR

into the Agenda of Planner’s &

Decisionmaker’s
For. Jose Regunay, PhD
Assistant Professor, UP-SURP
10 March 2016

SCURP 2016
A BASIC COURSE IN URBAN AND REGIONAL PLANNING (ABC in URP)
Training and Extension Services Division
3/F Cariño Hall, School of Urban and Regional Planning
University of the Philippines - Diliman, Quezon City
7-11 March 2016
 OUTLINE
• EA (EIA & SEA) defined
• EA in planning & decision making
• SEA process
• Institutionalizing SEA
• Some lessons on SEA
• Phil potentials on SEA
• The way forward
 ENVIRONMENTAL
ASSESSMENT DEFINED
Environmental Assessment

A procedure/tool that ensures that the

environmental implications of decisions
are taken into account before the
decisions are made. Environmental
assessment can be undertaken for
projects, programs, plans and policies.
EIA for Projects
 EIA is the process of identifying, predicting,
evaluating and mitigating the biophysical, social,
and other relevant effects of development
proposals prior to major decisions being taken
and commitments made.
IAIA Principles, nd (www.iaia.org)
IN SHORT:
 Analyzing, monitoring and managing the
development consequences of a project
QUESTION

After 33 years of EIA for Projects,

does the ENR of the Philippines
changed for the better?
SEA for Policies, Plans & Programs
It is a tool to:
 Structure the public and government debate in the
preparation of policies, plans & programs;
 Feed this debate through a robust assessment of the
environmental consequences and their interrelationships
with social and economic aspects;
 Ensure that the results of assessment and debate are
taken into account during the planning, decisionmaking
and implementation.
(Slootweg, 2009)
IN SHORT:
 Analyzing, monitoring and managing the development
consequences of a policy, plan or program
Tiering of SEA & EIA
Differences between SEA & EIA
EA in Planning &
Decision Making
SEA & EIA as an Integral Component of the
Planning & Decision Making Process
SEA & Local Planning Process
SEA PROCESS
Comparison of the SEA Process
1.0 Screening
2.0 Links to other polices, plans and
programs
3.0 Scoping
4.0 Setting objectives, targets
and indicators
5.0 Describing the baseline
6.0 Identifying options and
alternatives
7.0 Impact identification,
prediction and evaluation
8.0 Mitigation
9.0 Consultation and
decision-making
10.0 Monitoring and Evaluation
Summary of SEA Process
Institutionalizing Phil SEA
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA

• NGAs (e.g., DENR) shall issue a Memorandum

Circular for Manual of Procedure on SEA, later
DAO or Executive Order
• Inter-Department Steering Committee on SEA
(IDSCS) will be formed and oversee the
undertaking of SEA as per MC/DAO
• For DENR, BMB will take the lead because of
its mandate for biodiversity conservation
• For DA and DILG, the lead will be the
Environmental Unit of the said Department
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA

• The planning unit of each department NGAs

should be represented in the IDSCS
• Lead unit will select the other members of the
IDSCS as appropriate and per approval of the
unit head and the secretary of the department
• It may secure the assistance of academe and
research insti, NGOs, private sector and other
relevant environment professionals in
undertaking its responsibilities under the DAO
on SEA.
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA

• For this purpose, lead unit shall be established

and strengthened in each of the concerned
NGA
• It shall be the responsibility of the concerned
NGAs and its units to share information or data
necessary to effectively evaluate reports
required pursuant to the DAO
• Concerned agencies shall establish appropriate
organizational structures and systems to
address the requirements of SEA.
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA
IDSCS mandate and functions
• Ensure the mainstreaming of SEA into policies,
plans and programs
• Exercise policy coordination to ensure the
attainment of goals and objectives set in MC/DAO
• Recommend legislation, policies, strategies,
programs on and appropriations for SEA and
other related activities
• Create an enabling environment that shall
promote broader multi-stakeholder participation
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA
IDSCS mandate and functions

• Formulate and update guidelines or MOPs

for determining and facilitating the
provision of technical assistance for their
implementation and monitoring
• Facilitate capacity building for SEA
preparation, implementation and monitoring
• Oversee the dissemination of information
on SEA
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA
Capacity Building

• NGAs shall lead in the development

and implementation of the CapB
program
• This will be from the preparation stage
to implementation and monitoring of
the SEA
Institutionalizing the Phil SEA
Database Management System
• Lead unit of the dept shall establish a DBMS for
purposes of gathering, keeping, disseminating
and updating info relative to the implementation
of the SEA
• All documents generated as part of the SEA
should be accessible to the public upon request
except info protected under RA 8293, (IPC)
provided that the Executive Summary of SEA be
disclosed to the public through the internet.
SOME LESSONS ON SEA
Obstacles to implementing SEA
(Gachechiladze-Bozhesku and Fischer, 2012)

• Lack of resources
• Lack of legal requirements and
formal provisions
• Lack of institutional commitment
• Lack of clear guidelines and
methods
 Addressing the institutional
dimensions of SEA
• Enact legislation for SEA
• Strengthen NGAs and LGUs for SEA
• Create incentive mechanisms
• Institute mechanisms for
accountability
• Identify CapB needs
• Establish DBMS
Usefulness of SEA as a tool
• SEA process provided a helpful structure
and road map for assessing the
environmental impacts of the PPPs
• It justified in spending time on several
steps, which were essential to achieve the
objectives of the work
• SEA is a generic tool; it is hoped and
expected that it would prove applicable
and useful
Adaptation of SEA to the Phil
context
 Pilot-testing raised impt points about emphasis
and application, which should be reflected in
future use of SEA
 Should consider commissioning guidance on
applying SEA in specific circumstances of the
country
 SEA work should include firm recommendations
about provisions of follow-thru
 Finally, Phil should promote SEA as valuable tool
for sustainable envt’l policy dev’t in the country
Phil SEA Potentials

Source: WB (2006)
Legend: ✓Positive; X: Negative; N: Neutral
The Way Forward
 Approval of the MC on BDSEA
 Refinements of the SEA Guidelines/Tool and
Implementation Plan based on experiences;
 Pilot-test the SEA Guidelines/Tool to Policies,
Plans and Programs at sectoral level (NGAs) to
gain experiences;
 Pilot-test the SEA Guidelines/Tool to LGUs CLUP
and CDP to gain experiences at local level;
 Develop and prepare Executive Order for
institutionalization of the tool in NGAs and LGUs
 Finally, CapB program & establish DBMS on SEA.
Thank you for your
attention!