The Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) has issued Memorandum Circular 2022-003, amending MC 2016-008 relative to the issuance of Permit to Operate (PTO) to all Standby Generator Sets (G.S) without requiring source emission testing in accordance with Section 1 of DAO 2004-26 and DAO 2000-81 of R.A. 8749, otherwise known as the Philippine Clean Air Act of 1999. This memorandum circular was signed by Engr. William P. Cuñado.

MC 2022-003 was created to amend Section 5 of MC 2016-008. The earlier memorandum circular provides uniform procedures in the conduct of stack emission testing by the DENR-EMB and its accredited third-party source emission testing firms (TPSETF).

The newly-signed memorandum circular states that Standby G.S. regardless of capacity, if operating not more than 200 hours annually, provided it operates not more than 3 hours per day nor more than three (3) days per week, for light commercial and industrial operation (hotels, malls, banks, buildings, schools, telecommunication towers, fuel dispensing facilities, manufacturing firms among others) shall not be required to conduct source emission testing for permitting and compliance monitoring purposes.

Also, Standby G.S. during conditions, such as (a) emergency hospital operations; (b) rescue and medical missions related to natural calamities; (c) conflict areas such as war, terrorist attacks, and the like; or (d) all activities affecting national security shall not be required to conduct source emission testing for permitting and compliance monitoring. “PTO is the permit given by the bureau to companies/organizations allowing them to operate sources of air pollution. Those Standby G.S. mentioned under the Section 2 of this memorandum circular shall not be required to conduct source emission testing for permitting and compliance monitoring, but there are still G.S. (Generator Sets) required to conduct source emission testing before the issuance of the PTO, those that are used in Peaking Power Plants and all G.S. using Bunker Fuel Oil (BFO), regardless of operating hours,” Engr. Cuñado said.

Those applicants covered under MC 2022-003 shall be required to submit to the respective EMB Regional Offices their updated Environmental Monitoring Plan (EMOP) within thirty (30) days from the effectivity of the memorandum circular.

To know more about this memorandum circular, you may visit www.emb.gov.ph.