The People’s Verdict: Beyond Courtesy Resignations, We Demand Environmental Justice and Reform!
A NATIONAL CALL FROM SIERRA MADRE AND THE FILIPINO PEOPLE – President Bongbong Marcos’s recent call for courtesy resignations across the government is, for many, a welcome if overdue acknowledgment of the urgent need for reform. But as the Filipino people, we must seize this moment to demand more than just a changing of the guard. We demand fundamental, systemic change, especially in the realm of environmental protection, management, and conservation – sectors where the rot of inaction and compromise has led to the literal destruction of our very future.
For too long, we have watched in horror as our natural resources are plundered, our biodiversity vanishes, and our communities bear the brunt of a worsening climate crisis. From the relentless deforestation of our vital mountain ranges to the overfishing and pollution of our precious marine ecosystems, the evidence is undeniable: the existing framework, and the agencies operating within it, are failing us. Their fortunes are being built on our annihilation.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), despite the dedication of many within its ranks, is clearly overwhelmed and, at times, seemingly compromised. Its vast mandate, encompassing everything from pollution control (via the Environmental Management Bureau – EMB) to biodiversity conservation (via the Biodiversity Management Bureau – BMB) and mineral resource administration (via the Mines and Geosciences Bureau – MGB), is too broad for its limited resources and often conflicting internal directives. The MGB, in particular, continues to be a point of contention, as its role in promoting mining often overshadows its responsibility to regulate it, creating an inherent conflict of interest that benefits exploiters over the environment.
We see environmental crimes rampant, yet accountability remains elusive. Where are the swift prosecutions from the Department of Justice (DOJ)? Where is the consistent and powerful action from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) against large-scale environmental offenders? Local Government Units (LGUs) often feel powerless or are easily swayed.
THIS IS A NATIONAL CRISIS. AND WE, THE FILIPINO PEOPLE, ARE ISSUING OUR OWN CALL FOR ACTION, A NON-NEGOTIABLE SET OF DEMANDS FOR GENUINE ENVIRONMENTAL REFORM:
Our Demands for a Stronger Environmental Shield and a Sustainable Future:
1. ABOLISH CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. ESTABLISH A NATIONAL ENVIRONMENTAL LAW ENFORCEMENT BUREAU (NELEB) NOW!
The very notion that a single agency can both promote and police an industry is a recipe for disaster. We demand a clear separation of powers and the immediate creation of a truly independent and powerful enforcement body:
Dismantle Conflicting Mandates: Strip the MGB of its promotional functions. Its sole purpose must be strict, impartial regulation and monitoring, period. Any agency involved in issuing permits for resource extraction must be separate from those tasked with enforcement.
Create a Dedicated, Empowered Force: We demand the establishment of a National Environmental Law Enforcement Bureau (NELEB). This will be a highly specialized, independent, and well-funded bureau, free from political influence and industry pressure. It must be equipped with:
Elite Environmental Investigators: Dedicated personnel trained in environmental forensics, intelligence gathering, and complex investigations, capable of tackling large-scale environmental crimes and sophisticated criminal networks.
Advanced Surveillance and Rapid Response: Access to cutting-edge technology including satellite monitoring, drone surveillance, and rapid deployment units to ensure swift action against illegal logging, illegal mining, wildlife trafficking, and all forms of environmental plunder, even in remote areas.
Direct Access to Prosecution: NELEB must have a streamlined, unhindered pathway for direct coordination with the Department of Justice to ensure swift and impartial prosecution of environmental criminals, regardless of their economic or political connections.
Full Transparency: The operations, arrests, and prosecutions undertaken by NELEB must be transparent, with clear public reporting mechanisms to foster trust and hold all parties accountable.
2. ELEVATE OUR OCEANS AND WATERS. ESTABLISH A DEPARTMENT OF FISHERIES AND AQUATIC RESOURCES DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT AND PROTECTION (DFARDMP)!
As an archipelagic nation, our marine and aquatic resources are the very lifeblood of our culture, economy, and food security. The current system, where the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) is subsumed under the Department of Agriculture, is simply insufficient to address the monumental threats of overfishing, illegal fishing, habitat destruction, and climate change impacts. We demand:
A Cabinet-Level Priority: Elevate BFAR to a full, independent, cabinet-level Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Development and Management and Protection (DFARDMP). This will signal a clear national commitment to the health of our oceans, rivers, and lakes.
Comprehensive Mandate: DFARDMP must encompass a holistic approach: robust fisheries management (stock assessment, sustainable quotas), aggressive protection of marine and freshwater ecosystems, promotion of responsible aquaculture, and empowerment of fisherfolk communities.
Strengthened Maritime Law Enforcement: This new Department must have its own highly capable and dedicated maritime enforcement units, distinct from other law enforcement bodies. Their sole focus will be to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, protect marine protected areas, and prevent coastal degradation through effective patrols, surveillance, and apprehension.
Direct Support to Fisherfolk: Ensure that all government programs, aid, and initiatives related to fisheries and aquatic resources directly benefit small-scale fisherfolk with absolute transparency, free from any political interference, “percentages,” or corruption.
The courtesy resignations are a moment for reflection, a chance to clean house. But we, the Filipino people, demand that this clean-up extends to the very foundation of how we protect our environment.
We are no longer content with band-aid solutions. We are demanding the creation of independent, and powerful institutions that will finally put our environmental well-being and our future above short-term profits. Our paradise, our dreams, and our lives depend on it. This is our non-negotiable call.
#EnvironmentalJusticeNow#FilipinoVoice#BeyondResignations#SaveOurFuture#ProtectOurResources