PH judiciary participates in International Environmental Law Conference in Norway


SC Justice Filomena D. Singh addresses participants in the 2022 3rd International Environmental Law Conference in Oslow, Norway.

Another Supreme Court (SC) justice is abroad and represents the Philippines’ judiciary in the 2022 3rd International Environmental Law Conference in Oslow, Norway.

Justice Maria Filomena D. Singh addressed the participants last Tuesday, Oct. 4, during the second day of the conference with theme “The Transformative Power of Law: Addressing Global Environmental Challenges.”

The SC’s public information office (PIO) said Justice Singh told the conference participants of the “proactive role of the Philippine Judiciary in adapting to the changing needs of the society for the protection of the Filipino’s environmental rights.

On top of the list of actions taken by the Philippine Judiciary on environment protection is the recognition of the right of the “generations yet unborn” to a balanced and healthful ecology in Oposa v. Factoran, Justice Singh said.

She said the Oposa case was followed by the application of the concepts of the Writ of Continuing Mandamus, the Writ of Kalikasan, and the precautionary principle, all of which are included in the 2010 Rules of Procedure for Environmental Cases, as further discussed by the Court in Metropolitan Manila Development Authority vs Concerned Citizens of Manila Bay in 2008, International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-Biotech Applications, Inc. vs Greenpeace Southeast Asia (Philippines), and Paje vs Casiño.

Also, Justice Singh shared the SC’s Strategic Plan for Judicial Innovations 2022-2027, which highlights the transformative power of the judiciary in advancing environmental conservation and protection not only through the traditional way of adjudication but also through the proper use and application of technology in court procedure.

The PIO said Justice Singh spoke before a panel in Parallel Session 12 on the “Role of the Judiciary in Bringing About Transformative Change: The Asian and Pacific Experience, particularly, Harnessing Technology and Procedure in Delivering Environmental Justice and Reflections on Judicial Needs for Building Excellence in Environmental Law.”

It said: “The panel promotes Asian and Pacific environmental law jurisprudence by highlighting important regional decisions. It explores what makes Asian and Pacific litigation unique and noteworthy for its power of transformative change.”

Justice Singh took part in the conference on invitation by the Office of the General Counsel of the Asia Development Bank of the Philippines.

Three other SC justices – Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, Jhosep Y. Lopez and Antonio T. Kho Jr. – are in Bali, Indonesia until Friday, Oct. 7, for the 5th Congress of the World Conference on Constitutional Justice (WCCJ) where representatives of 119 constitutional courts and councils, and Supreme Courts in Africa, the Americas, Asia, Australia/Oceania and Europe are in attendance.

TAGS: # SC #WCCJ #ENVIRONMENT