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QUESTION: AS LAW STUDENTS, HOW DO YOU ADDRESS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS?

A. LOCAL LEVEL
B. NATIONAL LEVEL
C. INTERNATIONAL LEVEL

A. Local Level
Davao City is a highly urbanized city in island of Mindanao. It is home to various breath
taking beaches, rainforests, wild animals, lakes, rivers, and mouth-watering fruits and vegetables.
But despite of its God given beauty, the city has also long been suffering from natural disasters
due to its geographic location and as well as human mismanagement. One of its most prominent
environmental problem is Climate Change. For many decades, the government had launched a
lot of projects to counter this challenge and as well as to help the citizens however, the problem
still is subsisting. As concerned citizens then, we hope to address this pressing national and local
concern by taking the initiative and by using our available resources in order to restore and
preserve its natural beauty and to ultimately help the people of the city and the country as well.
First, by influencing our community to a greener lifestyle. The road to a healthy
environment must start in our own backyard and to our own home. One cause of climate change
is actually the failure of the people to maintain the cleanliness of their surroundings. In the city,
the continuous rise to the population of Badjaos who have been living in the barangay for many
years now was the reason given by the local government behind the problem on disposal of
wastes. The mix of lack of education, discrimination, absence of feeling of belongingness lead to
a general feeling of not caring about the communities around. The local government would
always say that they have done their best to solve the problem in the barangay but the people
will still throw their garbage anywhere. We thought then here that perhaps the message was not
properly sent. There has to be other ways that was not delve into by the local officials and that
is why we suggest that they recollect or reflect upon from the start on the ways that they had
missed. We can start by cleaning our rooms, by putting our garbage to its proper place, and
segregating our garbage whether it may be non-biodegradable or biodegradable. Little things
produces great impact later on as long as the local officials will appreciate this more and will do
it more regularly. With this as well, we can actually influence our neighbours to do the same so
that they too will realize the importance of maintaining their surroundings.
Second, by lobbying to our legislators. With all that we’ve studied and understand about
the importance of protecting the environment and by keeping it safe from the hazards caused by
human carelessness, we can influence them to enact bills that will help not just to preserve the
environment but also the sustenance of these efforts because if there would only be laws or
ordinances for its protection but no continuous and sustainable action by the local government
itself, then all of their efforts will just be useless. That is why although there have been a lot of
solutions given to address these environmental challenges, a lot of issues are still subsisting.
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One example is the beautiful island of Boracay. We all know that the island is now under
renovation to address the problems that affected the natural state of the island and its people
and that the reason actually why it was closed is because after a thorough investigations, it was
discovered that there are a number of violations on environmental and local policies that was
committed by their local government unit. These violations such as the illegal sewer connections
to the drainage lines of the island had actually contributed to the deteriorating state of their
water quality. Authorities were blamed most because they constantly furthered and expanded
their businesses and admitted people in the island without strictly establishing environmental
policies or strictly adhering to these policies.
Another example is El Nido in Palawan. Some of its environmental problems stems as well
to lack of sewerage system or water system in the area. Also, some tourist who had an
experienced of misfortune especially to those exotic animals in the island testified that when a
person is bitten by one, the local government sometimes are not too responsive of the needs of
those individuals affected. Some officials will just passed by the matter without providing
solutions to prevent it from happening again.
In the local scene, we sight our very own Samal Island which must be protected at all costs
so that the environmental problems and conflicts with the local officials in the above tourist
destinations will not be experienced as well by the people of Davao or Mindanao. The island,
with its increasing popularity among tourists because of its white beaches is actually now one of
the target of environmental protection and preservation by the government so that the island
will not suffer the fate as Boracay. But in order to do this, the local government must really be
active and hands-on in this campaign and not just to actively participate in it only at the
beginning.
Another is the Pangi River which swelled to new heights in June 2011, causing loss of lives
and residents were forced to flee away from their residences to survive. Coastal regions of Asia
and the Pacific are among the most vulnerable to climate change due to sea level rise occurring
every now and then. The local officials pointed to the massive development of housing
subdivisions and other residential buildings which contributed flooding in Davao because the
natural waterways in the countryside have been eliminated during construction stage. We
thought in this then as a big challenge in the city and for us as concerned citizens, we suggest
that the local government must filter first and determine its business engagement or transactions
to investors coming in the city if they will be really helpful to the people not just the financial
aspect but in preserving as well the environment. It is because it was also pointed out that there
are increasing emissions of greenhouse gases and their concentrations in the atmosphere are
going up which makes the temperature of the earth rises. The government then if we can
convince them to change their ways and to actively do something about the matter, will surely
need primarily to evaluate these corporations they had connections with and secure the people
of Davao first before anything else.
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With this, we suggest as well that the effort towards a healthy environment must not only
come in one way only, it must be two-way or three-way. It means that although the government
is also responsible for the maintenance of the environment, they must also be responsible and
responsive to the needs of the people who are affected because of the effects of these faults due
to the negligence to preservation and conservation of the environment. Ordinances for the
maintenance of healthful ecology must not be taken for granted and must carry with it the direct
and active action and participation of the officials themselves who are tasked of alleviating these
problem in the country. There must also strict enforcement of policy and punishment to those
persons who are the cause of environmental depravation which in effect resulted to massive
societal anxiety adversely affected by the inaction of some government officials.
Third, by educating the people through social media outlets. The rise of technology must
not be taken for entertainment purposes only because we can also use this as a way in informing
the people about the hazards of disregarding the welfare of our environment in which we live.
For example, by posting informative texts about conservation of the environment or by sharing
stories of tourists who had good or bad experiences in a certain destination or island so that the
people and the local government officials will also be aware of the lapses on their part and the
strategies or actions that they will take in order for those incidents not to happen again and for
those tourists to be encourage to come back again. The efforts inserted then in the social media
must only just a start for the government to act and to do their part as the ones who are directly
liable to the people at large. State leaders shall ultimately promote the interest of the people
under the Latin maxim, ‘’Salus populi est suprema lex’’ which means, ‘’The welfare of the people
is the supreme law.’’
Finally, as what Pope Francis had stressed in his second encyclical entitled, ‘’Laudato si’
(‘’Praise Be to You’’), changes in the climate are largely man-made and that climate change is a
global problem with grave implications especially in the environment. The problem of
environmental destruction is truly due to the carelessness of the people and their neglect to the
importance of maintaining the nature for their own survival. Due to this neglect, the children of
the present and future suffers and will suffer if we don’t act and do something now to solve and
help our fellowmen overcome this climate change problem. Although we are now in a generation
of technology and gadgets where it might be considered as one of the most irresponsible in
history and yet as what Pope Francis stated, there is still faith and hope in humanity to shoulder
and address this responsibility. Just like in the case of Oposa, whereby there are minor children
who having been represented by their parents, fight for their claim that continued deforestation
have caused a disturbance of the ecological balance and environmental tragedies and that the
government then must act on this. The Court favoured the children in that case which to us shows
that indeed there is still hope in the future for our government to hear the sufferings of the
people and likewise for the people as well to refrain their bad habits of neglecting the
environment.
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That is why we as law students and particularly as concerned citizens of this country and
particularly as residents of Davao City, where some natural disasters took place because of its
unique geographical location are driven to influence the government and as well as the people
through our limited yet meaningful resources to help each other overcome this obstacles
together by disciplining ourselves and by respecting the environment. To have compassion and
particularly to impart that compassion to our leaders to refrain from engaging in some
modernization projects and engagements to other countries that will surely have a temporary
solution to the problem of poverty in the city or the country as a whole but will also produce
long-term deprivation of our natural resources which is likewise significant. And most
importantly, to teach and divest on the people of this country at large to love and care more on
the land where they grew up with, to the land where they learned a lot ,and to the land where
they will surely return wherever they are for it is what they considered to be home.

B. National Level

Nowadays, people don’t have time to take a step back and look at the world in its entirety
and in a bigger picture. We have been caught up in our own bubble, our own lifestyle and daily
routine that we have forgotten others. We’ve been so focused on ourselves and how we take
care of ourselves, but have we tried thinking of others? Normally, people are ego-centric. We
tend to prioritize ourselves first then the others. People find ways in order to improve one’s self
and satisfy his or her needs. However, have we thought how we could help take care of others,
especially the only planet where we live in?
The Earth is the only planet wherein human beings, animals and plants live, thrive and
survive. We live off of each other and become one with Mother Nature. All the resources that we
need are all found on Earth. Because of this, there is a great calling for each and one of us to
nurture and preserve our environment.
In Genesis, this was when God created Earth. Afterwards, He created Adam. One of
Adam’s purposes was to look after and tend His beautiful creation. In present times, global
warming has been one of the main distressing issues we are facing right now. The Earth is no
longer the clean and green planet as it was before. Machines and technology have taken over
this generation and has consumed a huge percentage of the world. We have been so caught up
with high technology, that these are one of the factors that affect global warming. Yet, the main
cause of why our home has been beaten down and is slowly deteriorating is because of us, human
beings.
It’s such a shame that God has appointed us to be stewards of His creation. However,
instead of taking care of the environment, we are destroying it. We have become careless and
selfish by the way we live our lives. Nowadays, people just think of ways in profiting one’s self
but with no regard to our environment. Just like illegal logging, it is shedding the forests all over
the world. Because of the absence of trees, places nearby experience landslides and flashfloods
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since there are less or almost no trees left to absorb the water. In addition to that, millions of
animals lose their habitat forcing them to look for a new one. Another example would be smoke
emitted by vehicles and factories. As smoke rises, it gets trapped within the O-Zone layer causing
the Earth to heat up even more. Smoke can also cause acid rain which could endanger those
areas affected by it. Oil spill caused by ships and people throwing their trash and waste into the
oceans are the main reasons why our marine life is slowly dying. We are slowly killing Mother
Earth because of pollution.
Even in the Philippines, these are some of the examples why our country is known to be
one of the dirtiest. The Pasig River is known to be a river full of garbage. Every time people would
pass by, they would be able to immediately smell the foul odor of the river. Moreover, the Manila
Bay is also congested with trash everywhere. Whenever a typhoon would hit the Philippines,
most especially Manila City, the Manila Bay would bring all the garbage being thrown there back
to the streets. Hence, the streets would not only be flooded but people could see garbage
floating.
Filipinos need to be more disciplined. This is trait that we lack and we need to develop.
Thus, Pope Francis introduced “Laudato Si” which teaches us about the alarming state where we
are in the present. He encourages the people to open up their eyes and make them realize that
we should start moving. We must stand up and act to save this Earth before it deteriorates and
it would be too late for the entire human race. When every person does his or her part, it would
create a huge impact in our environment. As Filipinos, we should be educated with how we can
lessen pollution. We must actively participate in environmental movements in order to help
spread awareness to our fellow countrymen.
Being students of law, we are taught to fight for what is right and give justice where justice
is due. We are trained to be excellent in our field, to obey the laws and to properly exercise our
profession. Applied in Laudato Si, there is no distinction to it. We must fight for what is right and
it is only right that we educate ourselves with what is going on with the environment and how
was can solve it. This is not only for our own benefit, but for the future generations as well.
Wouldn’t it be painful to allow this place to slowly deteriorate and let our children, our children’s
children and so on, suffer for the careless and reckless actions we have caused? Imagine seeing
in them live in a world where they could no longer enjoy fresh air because of pollution and the
absence of trees. Imagine seeing them walk the streets with garbage everywhere or where the
oceans are covered with trash and waste. If people are ignorant about Laudato Si, we must help
educate the Filipinos by creating laws or ordinances in order them to follow. Slowly, they will
adapt to it as their daily routine and discipline within themselves will be practiced. Finally, we
must obey God’s commandment when He said that we were appointed by Him to be good
stewards over His creations on Earth. His law is above any law in the entire universe and it is a
must to abide and live by it.
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C. International Level
The Paris Agreement as centered on fighting climate change acts closely with the Laudato
Si movement of the Catholic church, initiated by the Pope Francis. One question a person may
ask after reading articles on Laudato Si would be “What kind of world will I leave to my
successors?”, the same is the direction of the Paris Agreement.
An article by Soila Apparicio states that, “there are 197 signatories to the Paris
Agreement. But once Liberia makes it official, 18 nations will remain yet to ratify, including some
major emitters. In total, these countries account for around 11% of global greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions.”
Behind the struggle to address global warming and climate change lies the increase in
greenhouse gases in our atmosphere. A greenhouse gas is any gaseous compound in the
atmosphere that is capable of absorbing infrared radiation, thereby trapping and holding heat in
the atmosphere. By increasing the heat in the atmosphere, greenhouse gases are responsible for
the greenhouse effect, which ultimately leads to global warming. (Marc Lallanilla, 2015)
Some greenhouse gases are produced through agricultural practices including livestock
manure management while others, like CO2, largely result from natural processes like respiration
and from the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas. Another cause of CO2 release is
deforestation, according to research published by Duke University. When trees are killed, they
release the carbon that is normally stored for photosynthesis. (Marc Lallanilla, 2015)
While it is a good start where several nations have come to an agreement in the
restoration, reparation and rehabilitation of our natural world, it is deemed ideal for all nations
to join the Paris Agreement for a global joint commitment. Afterall, we are of the same creation.
Or as stated by Pope Francis, Laudato Si is to “every person on the planet,” for we all share a
common home—the earth.
As students, we are thought to think for the common good. Just as in this case, it is
reported that major emitters of GHG are those that are yet to ratify the Paris Agreement, and
spirituality teaches us to be compassionate and understanding to our fellow human beings, and
so, rather discriminate it is better to invite these nations to consider these important themes
introduced in the Laudato Si movement.
A Moral and Spiritual Challenge. The ecological crisis, Pope Francis writes, is a summons
to profound interior conversion—to renew our relationships with God, one another, and the
created world.
Care for God’s Creation. God created the world and entrusted it to us as a gift. Now we
have the responsibility to care for and protect it and all people, who are part of creation.
Protecting human dignity is strongly linked to care for creation.
We are All Connected. We are connected to the rest of the human family, to the created
world, and to those who will come after us in future generations.
Impact on the Poor. People in poverty have contributed least to climate change, yet they
are disproportionately impacted by it. As a result of excessive use of natural resource by wealthy
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nations, those who are poor experience pollution, lack of access to clean water, hunger, and
more.
Called to Solidarity. We are one human family and have a shared responsibility for others
and for creation. Wealthy countries have a responsibility to reduce consumption of non-renewal
resources and should help poorer nations develop in sustainable ways.
Technological and economic development must serve human beings and enhance
human dignity, instead of creating an economy of exclusion, so that all people have access to
what is needed for authentic human development.
Supporting Life, Protecting Creation. Concern for nature is incompatible with failure to
protect vulnerable human beings, such as unborn children, people with disabilities, or victims of
human trafficking.
A Time to Act. Pope Francis calls for a change in lifestyle and consumption. We can make
important changes as individuals, families, and communities, and as civil and political leaders.
Hope and Joy. “Injustice is not invincible” and we act knowing that we seek to live out
God’s vision of renewed relationships with God, ourselves, one another, and creation. How You
Can Respond Each of us are called to take concrete steps – from reducing consumption to working
for political change – to better care for creation. (John Carrol University)
Taking part in the Paris Agreement is a challenge yet an opportunity to rehabilitate not
only our natural world, but also our valuation of things. For generations now, the human
mentality has been directed towards scientific innovation which usually utilizes our natural
resources and result to the degradation of our environment. It is important to awaken every
man’s consciousness on the condition and degradation of our world, for it is our basic duty to
take care of it, including every specie that live in it, may it be a plant or an animal and our natural
resources. As told by the Pope Francis, we can change our lifestyle, and make important changes
as individuals, families, and communities, and as civil and political leaders. If we try to observe
the condition of our world, it calls for rest from all the destruction caused upon it.
The world used to enjoy having numerous healthy and untouched forests where
numerous undiscovered specie enjoy life in peace, free to roam the lands and are not caged for
humans too look at for amusement. As time went by, we the suppliers and consumers of gadgets,
scientific researches, entertainment, and everything in between have been responsible for the
decreasing value of our being care takers of this world based on the progression of our natural
world. And so, as students, we will take the initiative to invite others in joining the collective
global effort to rehabilitate our natural world and our quality of human living through the Paris
Agreement and in contemplation of the Laudato Si of the Pope Francis.