In his column two days ago, Tony La Viña characterised the new rules as:
"... progressive, even revolutionary, in its protection of the environment and in ensuring effective access to environmental justice. The rules, which govern the procedure in all cases involving environmental and natural resources laws, are pro-environment, pro-poor and, if implemented well, can be an important step forward for environmental justice in the Philippines."
And its already been put to work. Today, invoking these new rules, a group of environmental lawyers led by Ramon Magsaysay awardee Antonio Oposa Jr. asked the Supreme Court to order the government to implement a 21-year-old law on flood control measures.
I believe this is a major step forward. Not only can this rule help in make the cities and their surroundings more habitable, it can also help protect the stunning natural beauty of this country.
1 comment:
Atty. Oposa is the lawyer in the celebrated Minors case which granted to minors, and the unborn standing on the basis of intergenerational responsibility.
Environmental cases are sui generis, and it is indeed a cause for celebration that not only have the SC promulgated a special set of rules but that it is now being tested.
Kudos to the SC, the committee who drafted, and the petitioners. Makes me so proud to be from UP where both Prof. La Vina and Prof Oposa teaches local government and environmental law, respectively. Good job! :)
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