Environmental regulators have ordered the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) to immediately halt construction of the P704-Million cruise ship terminal project in Puerto Galera, Oriental Mindoro and pay a P50,000-peso fine for violating the country’s environmental protection laws.

The Environmental Management Bureau’s MIMAROPA region on Sept. 25, 2025 found the PPA liable for implementing the Puerto Galera cruise ship project without securing a valid Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC), as required under Presidential Decree 1586, the Philippine Environmental Impact Statement System.

The order follows a July 30 site inspection that discovered the project—covering approximately 13,000 square meters in Sitio Hondura, Barangay Poblacion—included infrastructure such as a rock causeway and concrete trestle, all constructed without the mandatory environmental permits.

Inspectors also observed that the PPA’s contractor had cleared coconut trees estimated at about 9,000 board feet.

Under the ruling, the PPA must pay the fine within 15 days and immediately suspend all activities and further development.

The contractor is barred from resuming construction until it secures a valid ECC and submits a comprehensive rehabilitation plan to EMB.

The penalty is based on Section 9 of P.D. 1586, which stipulates that violations can result in suspension or cancellation of environmental certificates and fines not exceeding 50,000 pesos per violation.

PPA had submitted a position paper on Sept. 12 requesting that penalties be set aside, claiming no construction, mobilization or site development activities had been initiated, and that no rock causeway, concrete trestle or other port-related development had been undertaken.

PPA pledged to comply with environmental regulations and said it would not proceed without the required certificate.

Environmental regulators rejected that defense, citing regulations that classify any project that has commenced implementation without an ECC as “operating without ECC,” regardless of whether the project is in actual operation.

EMB noted that project implementation begins with activities such as site clearing and demolition of informal settlers, or the construction or installation of project facilities.

The order also cited EMB Memorandum Circular No. 2014-005, which requires that port construction projects with reclamation components must first secure an ECC before implementation.

While the Philippine Reclamation Authority interposed no objection to the project’s ECC processing, regulators pointed out that PRA’s “no objection” clearance cannot be construed as approval for reclamation work.

The Chief of the Provincial Environmental Management Unit for Oriental Mindoro has been directed to serve the order within 72 hours and submit a report within 48 hours of execution.