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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

4308,

HOUSE BILL NO...

Introduced by Representative Florida P. Robes

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Edward Abbey, a famous writer and essayist noted for his advocacy of
environmental issues, once said, “We need wilderness because we are wild animals.
Every man needs a place where he can go to go crazy in peace ... It is not enough to
understand the natural world; the point is to defend and preserve it ... We need the
possibility of escape as surely as we need hope: without it the life of the cities would
drive all men into crime or drugs or psychoanalysis.”

Inspired by these lines and being aware of the perils of exploitation of our
environment and natural resources as well as some of the adverse impact of
industrialization and modernization on the planet that we live in, this representation
believes that there is a need to protect those who devote their time and risk their lives in
protecting nature in all its forms. This proposed measure seeks to promote
environmental activism by fostering best practices in environmental management and
awareness campaign while protecting environmental activists or eco-warriors from
threat to their lives as they work towards the protection of environment through

different activities that create awareness.

The mission that many environmental activists undertake to pursue is arduous
and dangerous. As they commit to protect the environment by raising awareness about
the urgency and necessity to conserve and preserve the environment, they are putting
bullets to their heads because many of these individuals and corporations violating



environmental laws are moneyed and influential, In order to strike a balance between
economic growth and the negative impact on the environment, environmental activism
should be promoted by the State through the enactment into law of this proposed
legislation.

Indeed, our country, being a developing country, is faced with the challenge of
striking the right balance between ensuring maximum growth and inflicting minimum
impact on the environment such as controlling pollution, combating climate change,
conservation of its biodiversity and sustainable development. As earlier stated, the
adverse impact of industrialization on our planet is imminent. As such, it is about time
that we do our share by protecting those fighting against unchecked exploitation of our
environment and have taken positive actions towards the conservation and protection of
the flora and fauna of the country, and rewarding those corporation who ensure
sustainable development using clean technologies. We need to protect the Erin
Brockovich among us.

Hence, the passage of this proposal is highly recommended.

FLO! A P. ROBES


Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City
SEVENTEENTH CONGRESS

HOUSE BILL NO, 4308

Introduced by Representative Florida P. Robes

AN ACT PROTECTING AND PROMOTING THE RIGHTS OF ECO-
WARRIORS AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Title. This Act shall be known as “Eco-Warriors Act”.

SEC. 2. Declaration of State Policy. It is hereby a declared policy of the
State to protect and advance the right of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology
in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. The State is also duty-bound to
generate greater awareness and environmental consciousness amongst the citizens and
to ensure that environmental activists or eco-warriors, whether individuals, group or
organization, are afforded legal safeguards as they bring forth environmental issues and
challenges to the fold of society without discrimination or fear for their lives.

In striving to balance environmental protection and economic development, the
State must safeguard existing environmental laws from proposed amendments that will
only exacerbate environmental problems, genuinely enforce our progressive
environmental policies by intensifying sanctions and increasing penalties for violators,
and craft environmental regulations based on scientific reality, not political patronage.

SEC. 3. Policy Objective — The main objective of this Act is to promote
environmental activism, to encourage people to become “eco-warriors” or
environmentalists, to generate greater awareness and environmental consciousness


amongst the citizens in order to inspire and engage them to move towards a sustainable
future. In addition, this Act envisions to mainstream a right-based approach into
environmental protection in communities by drawing synergies of awareness on climate
change, mitigation and carbon emissions based on the promotion of social justice and
sustainable development.

Sec. 4. Definition of Terms. - As used in this Act, the following terms shall

mean:

(a) Eco-warrior- refers to individuals who are committed to work towards the
protection of environment by creating awareness about the need to conserve
the environment and participating in environmental protection activities;

(b) Environmental Activism — refers to the advocacy for or work toward the
natural environment from destruction or pollution.

(c) Environmentalism — refers to concerns for environmental protection and
improvement of the health of the environment and advocacy on lawful
preservation, restoration and/or improvement of the natural environment.

(d) Environmental Justice — is the fair treatment and meaningful involvement of
all people regardless of race, color, national origin, or income with respect to
the development, implementation, and enforcement of environmental laws,
regulations, and policies.

(©) Environmental Organization - is an organization coming out of the
conservation or environmental movements that seek to protect, analyze or
monitor the environment against misuse or degradation from human forces.

Sec.5. The Rights of Eco-Warriors and Environmental Organizations—
As duty bearers of the environment, eco-warriors and environmental organizations shall
be accorded the following rights:


(a) Right to fight for environmental justice with safeguard and protection of the
law;

(b) Right to educate, advocate and empower communities at the local and
national level;

(c) Right to access to information on environmental matters;

(d)Right to help establish accountability mechanisms to hold perpetrators
accountable for ecocide;

(e) Right to empower the community by helping create environmental
committees in the grassroots to hold both state and non-state actors to
account using the local and regional mechanisms available;

(6) Right to lobby for the enforcement of environmental laws and the passage of
more stringent laws to protect the environment and allow for accountability;

(g) Right to participate in information dissemination and environmental
campaigns;

(h) Right to participate in policy formulations regarding the environment; and

(i) Such other rights that may be necessary in protecting the environment.

Sec. 6. Teaching of Environmental Awareness - The Department of
Education and the Commission on Higher and Technical Education shall include or
integrate in the curriculum of both basic and tertiary education a subject on
environmental protection to instill among students and young people the love for the
environment. This is to further encourage the youth to be active in reporting
environmental abuses or violations relevant to them via social media and other
mediums.

Sec. 7. Recognition of Eco-Warriors and Environmental
Organization.- The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), in
coordination with concerned stakeholders and entities, shall recognize outstanding
individuals, environmental leaders, and organizations that have exemplified inspiration,
vision, innovation, leadership and action for the environment.


Sec. 8. Participatory Governance and Citizen Engagement. — Citizens
shall participate in a society’s decision-making processes, being a fundamental human
right, in order to help deepen their awareness on environmental issues by promoting
initiatives on environment equity and social justice through citizen reporting and
regular public consultations to provide transparency and opportunities for them to be
consulted in the policymaking process in relation to the environment.

Sec. 9. Legal Protection. — In order to provide legal protection and safeguard
to eco-warriors and environmental organizations and encourage citizen engagement, an
Eco-Warrior Legal Defense Fund shall be instituted, through DENR, to support and
assist individuals and organizations who are taking extraordinary action to defend the
environment from degradation and annihilation. Such fund shall also serve as a safety
net for communities protecting the eco-system and an incentive for putting their lives at
risk in defending their environmental habitat.

In addition to legal remedies accorded to individuals or organization in the
exercise of their constitutional right to a healthy environment as provided by alll existing
environmental laws, the Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases duly promulgated
by the Supreme Court shall be strengthened and other remedies to be determined by the
Department of Justice shall be made available to eco-warriors and environmental
organizations whose lives are threatened due to their environmental advocacies.

Sec. 10. Non- Discrimination. Eco-warriors shall not be discriminated
against on the grounds of their beliefs on climate change and the environment or those
who espouse environmentalism.

Sec. 11. Implementing Rules and Regulations. The Department of
Environment and Natural Resources, in coordination with the Department of Justice,
Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education as well as public and


private organizations working for environmental protection, shall formulate and issue
the implementing rules and regulations ninety (90) days after the effectivity of this Act.

SEC. 12. Separability Clause. — If any provision of this Act is found to be
unconstitutional, the remainder of this Act shall remain valid and subsisting,

SEC. 13. Repealing Clause. - All laws, decrees, executive orders, and rules and
regulations inconsistent with this Act are hereby repealed or modified accordingly.

SEC. 14. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its
publication in the Official Gazette or in any newspaper of general circulation.

Approved,