FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE RE~UBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
SENt1f7 
S.No. 
4 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
EXPLANATORY NOTE 
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.. RlL 20 All :45 
\ \.; 
The Constitution, Article 2, Section 16 mandates that the State shaH protect and advance 
the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and 
• 
harmony of nature. In Section 13, the Constitution states that the State recognizes the vital role of 
the youth in nation-building and shall promote and protect their physical, moral, spiritual, 
intellectual and social well-being. It shall inculcate in the youth patriotism and nationalism and 
encourage their involvement in public and civic affairs. In Section 20 of the same article, the 
Constitution likewise mandates that the State recognizes the indispensable role of the private 
sector, encourages private enterprise and vrovides incentives to needed investments. 
Environmental justice education is essential for the following: 
A. Producing students who are prepared to address not only the imminent climate 
change issues that effect them locally, but to be the driving force behind global 
environmental solutions that will be the stimulus of an emerging eco-efficient 
economy; 
B. 
Addressing 
the 
global 
and 
local 
environmental 
issues 
that 
are 
disproportionately affecting the impoverished sector; and 
C. Fostering a critical understanding of the environment within the context of 
human political and social actions. 
Environmental justice education lends itself to the field of service learning with the call 
to move beyond the classroom and experience the earth in an experiential, embodied way which 
empowers students to confront global environmental justice. Environmental justice education 
uses multiple strategies including experiential learning, integrated core subject study, analytical 
research, and project based learning. 
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Local educational agencies should create an integrated curriculum in which 
environmental justice education is incorporated throughout subject areas such as math, science, 
history; language arts, and all other core subject areas. 
This bill seeks to promote the development of curricula which shall equip our youth with 
the knowledge, skills and opportunities to participate in the protection of the environment. ' 
~'- 4. ~.v<~ )v;t:~ 
• MIRIAM DEF~NSOR SANTIfJO 
# 
• This bill was originally filed in the Fourteenth Congress, Second Regular Session 


FIFTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE REPUBLIC 
) 
OF THE PHILIPPINES 
) 
First Regular Session 
) 
10 
JlJl 20 A1l :45 
SENATE 
S.No. 
1674 
P'f,(;I',vm fW: \ • ..::0.:....... .. _ 
\ 
Introduced by Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago 
\. I 
1 
AN ACT 
2 
TO ENHANCE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE EDUCATION IN HIGH SCHOOLS THAT 
3 
SERVE DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS 
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Be it enacted by the Senate and the House of representatives of the Philippines in 
5 
Congress assembled: 
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SECTION 1. Short Title. - This Act shall be known as the "Getting Youth Re-invested in 
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Environmental Education Now Act;" or GREEN Act 
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SECTION 2. Declaration of Policy. - It shall be the policy of the State to promote the 
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environmental education of our youth and their participation in protecting the environment. 
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SECTION 3. Grants Authorized. - The Secretary of the Education Shall, subject to the 
11 
availability of appropriations, make grants on a competitive basis under this Act to local 
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educational agencies that submit to the Secretary an application at such time and in such manner 
13 
as the Secretary may require. The purpose of the grants is to assist eligible recipients to develop 
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an environmental justice curriculum, and a co-op program, for students attending high schools 
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that are located in an urban community that may be disproportionately affected by climate 
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change, pollution, and other environmental issues. 
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SECTION 4. Curriculum Development. -
An environmental justice curriculum 
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developed with funds received under this Act shall satisfy the following objectives: 
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(1) Educating students, through experientialleaming and otherwise, about topics relating 
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to environmental justice, such as air pollution, lead paint poisoning, access to organic 
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foods, sustainable agriculture, proximity to landfills, toxic dumping, relative asthma 
2 
rates, and the historical patterns of environmental impacts. 
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(2) Empowering students actively to address environmental Issues III their local 
4 
neighborhoods while also considering global environmental problems. 
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(3) Allowing students to explore careers that involve solving environmental problems and 
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cultivating innovators to solve such problems. 
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(4) Enhancing life skills required for sound personal decision making, participation in 
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civic and cultural affairs, and economic productivity, such as problem solving, critical 
9 
thinking, and good stewardship. 
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(5) Establishing a nurturing environment that fosters democratic and socially just 
II 
relationships among schools, families, and surrounding communities. 
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SECTION 5. Co-op Program Development. - A co-op program developed with funds 
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received under this Act shall satisfy the following objectives: 
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(A) Linking students with carerr opportunities in the environmental field by building 
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partnerships with the public and private sector. 
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(B) Providing students with an opportunity to earn secondary school course credits or 
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credits towards the jurisdiction's service learning requirements during the summer 
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through experiential learning such as internships and other types of field experience. 
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(C) Assisting students in building skills necessary for workforce success, such as 
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development of a career path; resume, letter, and memoranda writing; and job 
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interviewing. 
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(D) Providing students with mentors recruited through the partnerships described in 
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paragraph (A) who are equipped to assist a mentee in the skill building described in 
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paragraph (C). 
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SECTION 6. Appropriations. - 'To carry out the provisions of this Act, such amount as 
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hereby necessary is hereby authorized to be appropriated from the National Treasury. Thereafter, 
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the amount necessary for the continuation of the program shall be included in the annual 
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appropriation of the Department of Energy. 


• 
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SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision or part hereof, is held invalid or 
2 
unconstitutional, the remainder of the law or the provision not otherwise affected shall remain 
3 
valid and subsisting. 
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SECTION 8. Repealing Clause. - Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive 
5 
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or is inconsistent 
6 
with the provision of this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly. 
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SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. - This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its 
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publication in at leas! two (2) newspapers of general circulation. 
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Approved, 
/apm061908