Pursuant to Section 68 of DENR AO 34 Revised Water Usage and Classification, Series of 1990, and in order to maintain the minimum conditions necessary to assure the suitability of water for its designated use, upgrading and reclassification of water bodies shall be adopted provided that:

- the proposed reclassification will establish the present and future most beneficial use of the rivers;

- such reclassification is clearly in the interest of the public; and

- the proposed designated use is attainable upon consideration of the environmental, technological, social, economic and institutional factors.

Henceforth, all establishments, business, commercial and agricultural firms, political subdivisions, government-owned or controlled corporations and other similar entities and instrumentalities, including persons discharging liquid wastes into the upgraded and reclassified water bodies shall be given a period of three years within which to comply with this regulation.  In the interim, all wastewater dischargers shall comply with the existing standards prior to reclassification.

This Memorandum Circular shall take effect 30 days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation.

Adopted: 31 August 2004


(SGD.) ELISEA G. GOZUN
Secretary