The Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and National Resources defers the implementation of the General Effluent Standards (GES) under DAO- 2016-08. Said standards applies to all point sources of pollution, regardless of volume, that discharge to receiving body of water or land and shall be used regardless of the industry category.

A Technical Committee, Sub-Committees, Core Group, and Secretariat were created for the review and assessment of the Water Quality Guidelines and General Effluent Standards of 2016 based on EMB’s special order.

With the ongoing review, implementation of Dissolved Copper, Sulfate, Boron, Phosphate, and Ammonia, under the GES of DAO 2016-08 is recommended to be postponed until the amended DAO-2016-08 is approved. This initiative will help exporters to cut additional penalty charges in compliance with the said GES policy. –MRJ