SLSU Conducts Writeshop on Environmental Impact Assessment Report for ECC Application of FY 2027 Infrastructure Projects

Southern Leyte State University (SLSU), through the Office of the University Planning and Development (UPDO), successfully conducted the “Writeshop on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report: Southern Leyte State University’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) Application” on March 13, 2026, at the RIES Building Function Room, SLSU – Sogod Campus.

The activity gathered Planning Officers, Project Development Officers, Campus Engineers, and Campus Architects from the University’s six campuses – Sogod, Maasin, Tomas Oppus, Bontoc, San Juan, and Hinunangan – to collaboratively prepare the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Reports required for the University’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) applications.

The writeshop forms part of the University’s preparation for the submission of its Fiscal Year 2027 Proposed Programs, Projects, and Activities (PPAs) to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) scheduled in April 2026. Southern Leyte State University is set to submit fourteen (14) programmatic Tier II proposals composed of fifty-two (52) sub-projects, of which forty-nine (49) are infrastructure projects aimed at strengthening the University’s instructional, research, extension, and student-support facilities across its six campuses.

To comply with the Implementation-Readiness (IR) requirements of the DBM for infrastructure proposals, projects must secure the appropriate environmental clearances from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB). During a coordination meeting held on March 10, 2026, DENR-EMB Region VIII clarified that the environmental compliance requirement is determined based on the total land area of the campus, rather than the footprint of individual projects. Since all six SLSU campuses exceed five hectares, each campus is required to prepare an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report in accordance with DENR Memorandum Circular No. 2010-14 as part of the process of securing an ECC.

In his opening message, University President Dr. Jude A. Duarte emphasized the importance of environmental responsibility in infrastructure development.

“There is massive environmental degradation brought about by the disregard and careless implementation of projects. Such practices will ruin our mountains and damage our seas. Hence, there is a need to secure an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC).

Environmental sustainability has become a key focus among organizations and individuals today. This reflects how deeply concerned we are at present about protecting our environment. As an institution, we will ensure that our processes conform with the rules and regulations pertaining to environmental sustainability.

Our plans and designs must be environmentally friendly. Moreover, we will practice environmental auditing within our institution to ensure that our initiatives and development projects remain responsible, sustainable, and compliant with environmental standards.”

The writeshop aimed to facilitate the coordinated preparation and consolidation of EIA Reports, ensure the completeness of documentary requirements, and strengthen technical collaboration among campus planning and engineering personnel. Participants engaged in an overview of EIA report preparation, followed by intensive writeshop sessions where the environmental documentation for each campus was drafted and reviewed.

The activity concluded with the presentation and co-critiquing of draft EIA Reports, reinforcing the collaborative approach of the University in ensuring that its infrastructure projects adhere to environmental regulations and sustainable development principles.

Through this initiative, SLSU aims to produce six completed EIA Reports – one for each campus – which will serve as the primary supporting documents for the University’s ECC applications. These reports will support the implementation-readiness of SLSU’s FY 2027 infrastructure proposals and further strengthen the University’s commitment to sustainable, resilient, and environmentally responsible campus development.