Section 9Sec./Art. 9

National Water Quality Management Fund. - A water quality management fund, to be administered by the Department, in coordination with other concerned agencies, as a special account in the National Treasury is hereby established. The fund shall be used to finance the following:

a) Finance containment and clean-up operations of the government in water pollution cases;

b) Guarantee restoration of ecosystems and rehabilitation of affected areas;

c) Support research, enforcement and monitoring activities;

d) Provide technical assistance to the implementing agencies;

e) Grant rewards and incentives;

f) Support information and educational campaign; and

g) Such other disbursements made solely for the prevention, control or abatement of water pollution and management and administration of the management areas in the amounts authorized by the Department.

The fines imposed and damages awarded to the government by the Pollution Adjudication Board (PAB), proceeds of permits issued by the Department under this Act, donations, endowments and grants in the form of contributions to the national government under this Act shall form part of the fund. Such donations, endowments and grants shall be exempt from donor's taxes and all other taxes, charges or fees imposed by the government and shall be deductible from the gross income of the donor for income tax purposes.

Disbursements from the fund shall be subject to the usual accounting and budgeting rules and regulations.