Legal petitions to mark Env’t Day today

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Legal petitions to mark Env’t Day today 6/5


By Ma. Bernadette Parco, Editorial Assistant



THE CELEBRATION of the United Nations’ World Environment Day today will be marked by the announcement of pro-environment legal petitions filed in different parts of the country.

An umbrella group of environmentalists, Global Legal Action against Climate Change (GLACC), aims to check the extent of the implementation of environmental laws by government agencies, local government units and public officials.

“This (kind of celebration) is an opportunity for communities suffering from environmental problems to stand up and do something. This is a commitment of Cebuanos in coordination with lawyers,” said Vince Cinches, executive director of the Central Visaysas Fisherfolk Development Center, a member of GLACC.

“We would like to start to put an end to environmental problems experienced by Cebuanos,” he added.

Cinches said that in Cebu, environmental issues include the rehabilitation of the Lagundi Reef in Talisay City, pollution caused by coal-fired power plants, reclamation projects in Cordova and Lapu-Lapu City, privatization of water bodies, off-shore mining and deforestation.

He also said there is an urgent need to curtail the effects of climate change by promoting an environment-friendly lifestyle among Cebuanos as well as ensure proper implementation of environmental laws.

Cinches said the inconsistent weather is one result of bad environmental care.

“In other parts of the country, people are experiencing the rainy season but in the Visayas it seems like it is still summer,” he said.

“We have classified the petitions under five areas of concern: land, air, water, energy and sea. These are our basic life support system that we are also destroying,” he said.