Section 7Sec./Art. 7

Specific Functions of National Government on PENCAS. - The following agencies shall have the following specific roles and responsibilities in the implementation of this Act:

(a) The PSA shall have the overall responsibility for the institutionalization and progressive implementation of PENCAS following the SEEA framework. It shall develop and maintain the compilation of natural capital accounts as well as the environmental and ecosystem accounts at the national and, as necessary, at the sub-national levels. It shall coordinate with and provide technical support to interagency committees, task forces, technical working groups, national government agencies, and local government units (LGUs) in the generation, compilation, and use of environmental accounts, statistics, and indicators. In coordination with concerned agencies, it shall designate the required environment and economic statistics in agencies and bureaus responsible for generating data.

The PSA shall create a service to be referred to as Environment, Natural Resources and Ecosystem Account Service (ENREAS), under the Sectoral Statistics Office, necessary for the implementation of this Act, subject to the evaluation and approval of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), and in compliance with the civil service laws, rules, regulations, and guidelines.

(b) The DENR shall be responsible for providing NCA data to PSA. The DENR shall ensure the participation of its concerned offices, bureaus, and attached agencies. It shall spearhead the establishment of site-specific ecosystem accounts.

In the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) System, the DENR shall ensure that the natural environment, ecosystem services, and natural capital are framed as opportunities, benefits, or assets that may be put at risk. The DENR shall ensure the wide availability of frameworks, tools, methods, and skills including, but not limited to, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), and use of available temporal and spatial NCA data in the conduct of EIA.

To perform the foregoing functions, the DENR shall be strengthened through the creation of new plantilla positions, subject to existing laws, rules, and regulations.

(c) The NEDA, including its regional offices, shall ensure that NCA is included in the national and regional development priorities based on the usefulness of the accounts in policy analysis, development planning, and investment programming. It shall provide strategic guidance on improving uptake on policy use and application, enhancing institutional capacity, and raising awareness and transparency of NCA work.

(d) The DA shall assist the PSA in the generation and provision of the NCA information relative to agricultural areas, and fisheries and aquatic resources, and closely coordinate on associated ecosystem NCA with the DENR. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), in line with its information on fisheries valuation and accounting. The National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (NFRDI) shall continue to conduct research and development activities and studies to support the assessment, including the profiling of the status of fish stocks of the country. The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) shall ensure that NCA is considered to ensure soil fertility and hydrological stocks and services.

Further, the DA, BFAR, BSWM, and NFRDI shall create national capital units through additional plantilla positions, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations, and approval of the DBM.

(e) The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) shall consolidate and submit NCA-related data and statistics from local governments to PSA and DENR. Further, the DILG shall ensure that LGUs utilize and mainstream NCA into their local policies, plans, and programs.

(f) The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Educational and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and state universities and colleges (SUCs) shall craft modules in all levels and modalities of basic, technical, vocational, and higher education to capacitate the citizenry to avail of participatory mechanisms in relation to PENCAS.

(g) The Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) shall incorporate NCA concepts in the continuing professional education programs and develop the understanding of the impact of different professions on the environment.

(h) The Department of Finance (DOF) shall integrate NCA considerations into fiscal policies and regulations, and develop incentive mechanisms that will drive NCA investments.

(j) The Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) shall integrate NCA considerations into the performance of their mandate, and ensure that its planning and decision-making consider natural capital.