Question & AnswerQ&A (PRESIDENTIAL DECREE NO. 602)
The title of Presidential Decree No. 602 is the National Oil Pollution Operations Center Decree.
The main purpose of Presidential Decree No. 602 is to establish a National Operations Center for Oil Pollution in the Philippine Coast Guard Headquarters to prevent, mitigate, or eliminate damages caused by oil pollution in marine resources.
The Philippine Coast Guard is tasked with the establishment of the National Operations Center for Oil Pollution.
The Center may call upon any department, bureau, office, agency, or instrumentality of the government for assistance in the form of personnel, facilities, and other resources.
Yes, the Philippine Coast Guard may negotiate directly with local companies that have oil containment and recovery facilities for use of such equipment in combating oil pollution.
The Center serves as the point of contact with similar national operations centers of ASEAN member countries and can coordinate immediate calls for assistance or respond to calls for help from these countries to contain oil pollution.
No, Presidential Decree No. 602 does not specify any penalties for non-compliance.
Presidential Decree No. 602 took effect immediately upon its signing on December 9, 1974.
Ferdinand E. Marcos was the President of the Philippines when Presidential Decree No. 602 was signed.
There was an urgent need due to the increasing environmental pollution and contamination, particularly the dangers posed by major oil spills from the growing size and number of oil tankers near Philippine waters, and the country’s lack of preparedness to handle such spills.