Section 5Sec./Art. 5

Functions. - The ATC, acting as national authority, shall:

(a) Ensure proper elucidation and representation of the country's policy on the non-proliferation of chemical weapons in coordination with the Philippine Permanent Representative to the OPCW;

(b) Develop rules and regulations and formulate policies in cooperation with appropriate government agencies, concerning the production, processing, consumption, importation, exportation, in-country transfer, use, and proper disposal of scheduled chemicals and facilities, and production facilities of other chemicals not included in the scheduled chemicals of the Convention's Annex on Chemicals;

(c) Create committees, sub-committees, and advisory boards, as may be necessary, to carry out specific functions for the attainment of the objectives under this Act;

(d) Designate local inspectors and specify their required qualifications, trainings, and functions, and in coordination with the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and other appropriate government agencies, spearhead inspections of facilities involving scheduled chemicals;

(e) Identify local laboratories to become an OPCW Designated Laboratory which should be able to perform off-site analysis of samples collected by inspectors from chemical production facilities, storage depots, and other installations, or from the site of an alleged use of chemical weapons;

(f) Cause or direct the investigation of violations of laws concerning chemical weapons, or the handling of toxic chemicals in violation of this Act;

(g) Support capacity-building initiatives and information campaigns on chemical safety and security; and

(h) Perform such other functions to effectively implement the provisions of this Act and the Convention.

The ATC may require the assistance and support of all departments, bureaus, offices, agencies, or instrumentalities of the government, including government-owned or -controlled corporations to effectively perform its duties and functions under this Act.

The ATC shall periodically update the list of scheduled chemicals in Schedules 1, 2 and 3 of the Convention's Annex on Chemicals upon the request or advice of the OPCW. Such updates shall be in the form of formal resolutions of the ATC to be published in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of general circulation before they become effective.

CHAPTER II

PROHIBITIONS