(Eagle News)—-President Rodrigo Duterte has returned the power to approve land reclamation projects to the Philippine Reclamation Authority.
Under Executive Order 74, which was released on Monday, Feb. 4, the PRA, now under the Office of the President, will assume the authority from the National Economic Development Authority, which was designated as the approver during then–President Benigno Aquino III’s time.
Prior to this, it was the PRA that had the mandate to approve land reclamation projects.
The EO said that in doing so, the PRA would seek advisory opinions from the Neda, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and the Department of Finance.
It said no project should be approved without the environmental compliance certificate and from the clearance secured from the DENR.
“Such delegation, however, shall not be construed as diminishing the President’s authority to modify, amend, or nullify the action of the PRA Governing Board,” the EO said.