The Component 6: Environmental Protection, Management, and Engagement of the Compendium of Philippine Environment Statistics (CPES) compiles data pertaining to environmental protection and resource management expenditure. This includes a wide variety of programs and initiatives encompassing environmental information and education including the activities conducted for both private entities and local communities.

6.1 Environmental Protection and Resource Management Expenditure

This subcomponent monitors the level of environmental protection and resource management expenditure. Environmental protection activities are activities whose primary purpose is to prevent, reduce, and eliminate pollution and other forms of degradation of the environment (e.g., protection of ambient air and climate, wastewater management, waste management, etc.). Meanwhile, resource management activities are those activities whose primary purpose is to preserve and maintain the stock of natural resources, thereby safeguarding against depletion (e.g., reducing the withdrawals of natural resources, restoring natural resource stocks, etc.).

In 2023, the total government environmental protection expenditures reached PhP 21.89 billion, a decline by 8.1 percent from PhP 23.83 billion in 2022. The government spent 39.8 percent of its total environmental protection expenditures in 2023 for the protection of biodiversity and landscape, amounting to PhP 8.72 billion. Expenditures for environmental protection not elsewhere classified comprised the second largest expenditure of PhP 6.54 billion or 29.9 percent of the total expenditures. This was followed by waste management expenditure amounting to PhP 3.04 billion, which represents 13.9 percent of the total government environmental protection expenditures in 2023. (Figure 1 and Table 6.2)

6.2 Environmental Governance and Regulation

This subcomponent provides a holistic view of national responses and require institutional strength and regulatory capabilities. Policymakers use this as their basis to determine the current and desired levels of engagement and commitment from both the government and private sector.

Republic Act (RA) No. 8749, or the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999 sets a comprehensive air quality management policy and program aimed at achieving and maintaining healthy air in the Philippines. (Tables 6.4.3 to 6.4.10)

Aside from RA 8749, RA 9275 or the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 sets a policy that apply to water quality management in all water bodies. In support to this, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) issued administrative orders such as DAO No. 1994-26A – Philippine Standards for Drinking Water and DAO No. 2016-08 – Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards.  (Tables 6.4.22 to 6.4.28 and Tables 6.4.30 to 6.4.34).

The 2023 budget of the DENR amounted to PhP 18.10 billion with 19,805 number of staff. Meanwhile, its staff bureaus, the Biodiversity Management Bureau, Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau, Forest Management Bureau, and Land Management Bureau, have a total budget of PhP 1.04 billion with 809 number of staff.

The Environmental Management Bureau and Mines and Geosciences Bureau – DENR’s line agencies – have an annual budget amounting to PhP 1.08 billion with 1,363 number of staff and PhP 1.45 billion with 952 number of staff, respectively.

In 2023, the budget of the Laguna Lake Development Authority amounted to PhP 535.40 billion with 165 number of staff. Meanwhile, the budget of National Water Resources Board and National Mapping and Resource Management Authority reached PhP 129.42 million with 113 number of staff and PhP 1.42 million with 643 number of staff, respectively. The three agencies are the attached agencies of DENR. (Tables 6.3.1 to 6.3.3)

The DENR and its bureaus have a list of 21 multilateral environmental agreements (MEAs) and other international engagements of the Philippines. In addition, information on these MEAs, such as objectives and dates of entry, adoption, signature, and ratification, are also presented in the table. (Table 6.9)

6.3 Extreme Event Preparedness and Disaster Management

This subcomponent captures the existence and strength of the extreme event preparedness and disaster management agency’s facilities and infrastructure to minimize loss of life and economic losses. This refers to the expenditure of public or private assistance before, during, or after a disaster.

As of 2023, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) had four national disaster plans and programs, namely: (1) National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Plan 2020-2030, (2) National Disaster Response Plan (NDRP) for Hydro-Meteorological Hazards Version 2, (3) NDRP for Consequence Management for Terrorism-Related Incidents, and (4) NDRP for Earthquake and Tsunami. (Table 6.10)

The Emergency Alert and Warning Message and the OCD Text Blast System were among the list of early warning systems for all hazards. (Table 6.12)

As of 2023, 859 disaster volunteer organizations were recorded in the country, 83.1 percent of which was pending volunteer organizations while the remaining 16.9 percent were approved volunteer organizations. In addition, a total of 1,162 accredited community disaster volunteer members were registered as of 2023. (Table 6.11)

6.4 Environmental Information and Awareness

This subcomponent covers statistics related to the activities and processes that contribute to increasing social awareness of environmental issues. Policymakers use this to learn which information and education programs are in place. Moreover, as information and awareness increase in a society, individuals and groups expect more pro-environmental actions and choices.

In Academic Year (AY) 2022-2023, 31,183 students pursued environment-related degree programs, 17,959 or 57.6 percent of which were females while 13,224 or 42.4 percent were males.  Moreover, 26.1 percent and 18.7 percent of the total number of students were females who pursued degree programs on Environmental Science and Forestry, respectively. (Figure 2 and Table 6.16)

The degree program on Environmental Science recorded the highest number of enrolled students at 13,046 enrolled students or 41.8 percent of the total number of enrolled students. This was followed by Forestry with 10,582 number of students or 33.9 percent and Agro-Forestry with 3,790 number of students or 12.2 percent, respectively. On the other hand, Environmental Education recorded the lowest with only three number of students.

Among those who pursued Environmental Science, 62.4 percent were females and 37.6 percent were males. Students who enrolled in Forestry were females or 55.0 percent while 45.0 percent were males.