Letter of Instructions No. 422 Creation of Inter-Agency Committee to Formulate Policies and Programs Relevant to Environmental Protection

July 6, 1976

LETTER OF INSTRUCTIONS NO. 422

TO	:	The Department of Natural Resources
		The Department of Agriculture
		The Department of Health
		The Department of Local Government and Community Development
		The Department of Public Highways
		The Department of Public Works, Transportation and Communications
		The Department of Education and Culture
		The National Economic and Development Authority
		The Energy Development Board
		The National Pollution Control Commission
		The Philippine Atomic Energy Commission
		The Human Settlements Commission
		The Laguna Lake Development Authority
		The Philippine Council for Agricultural and Resources Research
		The National Housing Authority
		The National Irrigation Administration
		The U.P. Natural Science Research Center
		The Philippine Coast Guard
		The PAGASA

Pursuant to our desire to prevent the deterioration of environmental quality which induces stress on biological systems and destructions of natural ecosystems with accompanying impoverishment of flora and fauna, and considering that the most serious environmental problem in the country today is the destruction of our natural resources resulting in ecological backlashes, I hereby issue the following orders: aisa dc

1. The Department of Natural Resources is hereby directed to initiate the creation of an Inter-Agency Committee which shall be charged with the formulation, implementation and monitoring of policies and programs relevant to environmental protection. The Secretary of Natural Resources shall oversee and coordinate the activities of all participating government agencies and instrumentalities.

2. Agencies concerned with environmental protection shall report to the Inter-Agency Committee, within fifteen (15) days from the date of the creation of the Inter-Agency Committee, what they have done and are doing to implement the laws, rules and regulations on environmental protection.

3. The Committee shall prepare and submit within one (1) month from its organization the following:

(a) An assessment of the accomplishments and present activities of each concerned agency along the line of environmental protection;

(b) Capsule proposals of such agencies for further programs on environmental protection;

(d) Monitor to agencies concerned existing laws or regulations on environmental protection.

4. Agencies concerned shall each immediately prepare and submit to the Committee its own short-range program relevant to environmental protection and identify the portions thereof which may be immediately implemented. They shall also study, prepare and submit to the Committee their respective long-range programs on environmental protection.

5. All other agencies which are directly or indirectly involved in environmental protection are hereby directed to extend assistance to the Committee herein created. acd

All concerned are hereby enjoined to act accordingly.

This Letter of Instruction shall take effect immediately. acd

DONE in the City of Manila, this 6th day of July, in the year of Our Lord, Nineteen Hundred and Seventy-Six. cdt