Law studes tapped in envi’l compliance audit drive
Even young kids (from left) Markey Daquilanea and Justin Francis Bionat sign up in support of the environmental compliance audit (ECA) drive. Also shown in photo are (from right) Engr. Aurora Alerta Lim of the Responsible Ilonggos for Sustainable Energy; Atty. Antonio Oposa, Jr., president of Law of Nature Foundation; Atty. Pauline Alfuente, Dean of University of Iloilo-College of Law; and Atty. Marven Daquilanea, president of Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter.-EC GARCIA
To ensure compliance with the environmental laws in the barangay level a group of lawyers advocating environmental protection has tied up with the three law schools in Iloilo City for the conduct of an Environmental Compliance Audit (ECA).
A memorandum of cooperation (MOC) was signed yesterday by the Law of Nature Foundation led by its president Atty. Antonio Oposa Jr., Global Legal Action on Climate Change (GLACC), and the College of Law deans of the University of Iloilo-Phinma Education Network, University of San Agustin, and Central Philippine University relative to the project.
Oposa said they have tapped the law schools to provide manpower to assist in the conduct of ECA among the 180 barangays of the city and soon in other parts of the province.
Several teams composed of lawyers, law students and environmental advocates will be created to personally go to the barangays and conduct ocular inspection and interview with the people with regard to the compliance of the basic provisions of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA 9003), Philippine Fisheries Code (RA 8550), Clean Air Act (RA 8749) and Clean Water Act (RA 9275).
Oposa said the result of the ECA will be forwarded to the local government unit concerned for proper action.
“We are here to push things forward... nothing happens in this government unless you crack a whip,” said Oposa referring to the multitude of environmental laws in the country that are unenforced.
“We have to work fast... what we did to our environment has started to take a toll on us, look at what happened to typhoon Frank here in Iloilo, and to typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng in Manila and Luzon,” Oposa said.
Oposa, who is a recipient of 2009 Ramon Magsaysay Award, observed that most of the environmental laws in the country are merely ignored because it is not enforced by the government officials.
“We can’t rely on politicians anymore... they have become irrelevant... they are only concerned about the money and numbers,” Oposa lamented, adding “that is why we are doing this to shake up status quo”.
Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Iloilo Chapter president Atty. Marven Daquilanea expressed full support and cooperation to the program which aims to promote compliance with environmental laws.