Cebu City - For the very first time, the Philippines hosted Public Interest Environmental Law Conference (PIELC) 2023 last June 30 to July 1 at Parklane International Hotel, Cebu City with the theme “Advocacy and action: Advancing environmental justice in the Philippines”. This was attended by different environmental law groups and organizations from the country and different parts of the world.
Atty. Jose Manuel Diokno, Chairperson of Free Legal Assistance Group (FLAG) opened the activity. The said conference was attended by different groups and organizations such as Environmental Law Allied Worldwide (ELAW), United Nation Environment Programme (UNEP), Tanggol Kalikasan, Forest Foundation Philippine (FFP), Oceana, Philippine Movement for Climate Change (PMCJ), Philippine Earth Justice Center (PEJC), Asian Research Institute for Environmental Law (ARIEL), Upholding Life and Nature (ULAN), and many other organizations that advocate in protecting the environment. Topics which were discussed heatedly were: the State of Public Interest Environmental Litigation in the Philippines and in Asia Pacific, Ocean, Coastal and Marine Protection, Forestry, Biodiversity and Wildlife Protection, Plastic, Green Courts and Procedure – Insights on Successes, Challenges or Gaps, Energy, Climate Change Litigation, Defending the Defenders and Environmental Rights, Regional Environmental Rights Framework, Role of Public Interest Litigation to Advance Environmental Rights, State of Environment Defenders in the Philippines, and ELAW Defending the Defenders Program.
On the second day, Hon. Justice Marvic M.V.P. Leonen, Senior Associate Justice Supreme Court of the Philippines, gave an introductory message as a guest speaker, while Senator Loren Legarda gave her closing remarks through recorded video as a thank you and encouraging message to everyone. For the next step of the conference, Atty. Genee Mislang, PIELC organizer said that they are hoping for more conferences and events such as PIELC to be conducted here in the Philippines in the future.
The conference was ended by distribution of certificates and group photos of the participants. Tanggol Kalikasan Inc., posted as the technical organizer of the event.
