DENR Revises ECC Requirements for Developments on Reclaimed Lands

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has issued Administrative Order No. 2026-03, introducing revised Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) requirements for developments on reclaimed lands. 

The amendment establishes separate compliance requirements based on the nature of the project. Government development projects that have been approved by the Department of Economy, Planning, and Development Investment Coordination Committee–Cabinet Committee (DepDev ICC-CC) shall be governed by Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) Memorandum Circular No. 2014-05. All other developments within reclaimed areas, including private projects and those that do not fall within this category, are required to comply with the Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) requirements.

The amendment also requires that each ECC issued for Government Development Projects be reviewed and updated, as part of its ECC conditions, to reflect the outcome of the Programmatic EIS. It also mandates that all project proponents submit detailed development plans that are aligned with the approved master plan, including measures on infrastructure integration, environmental protection and climate adaptation objectives, and sustainable land use and zoning considerations.

Importantly, ECCs may be revoked upon the discontinuation of the Reclamation Project due to the loss of permits from the Philippine Reclamation Authority (PRA), or upon other legal grounds as may be determined by EMB. The DENR retains the authority to issue Cease and Desist Orders for violations of ECC conditions, reinforcing regulatory oversight of reclamation and development activities.

All other issuances inconsistent with this are hereby amended, repealed or modified accordingly. The Order shall take effect immediately after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation and upon acknowledgment of the receipt of the copy thereof by the Office of the National Administrative Register (ONAR).