Philippine E-Journals

IMPLEMENTING ENVIRONMENT LEGISLATION IN THE PHILIPPINES: OBSTACLES AND REMEDIES

Socorro Leyco-reyes

Discipline: Ecology

 

Abstract:

LIKE MOST other public policy areas, environmental protection is not wanting in good laws. In fact, if only these government rules could be systematically gathered and put together, they could constitute a Code on Environment. The UP College of Law has already come up with an Environmental Defense Primer that is used in the teaching of Environmental Law. This paper will start off with a quick survey of existing legislation on the promotion of ecological balance and follow up with an analysis of the obstacles to their implementation. On a positive note, it will seek to suggest some possible courses of action in pursuit of "the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature" (Section 16, Article II). It will be argued in this paper that the preservation and protection of our ecosystem rest not so much on the passage of new legislation or the issuance of administrative orders and memoranda as on the raising of public awareness on the imperatives of maintaining the ecological balance. This can be done through the introduction of courses on environmental education in the school curricula or, if they are already in existence, by consolidating and strengthening them further. It will further be stressed in this paper that people empowerment holds the key to the solution of environmental problems and a partnership must be forged between the public and non-governmental organizations committed to saving the environment from deterioration and destruction.