Environmental advocate Senate President Pro Tempore Loren Legarda pushed for cooperation between the community and the government in implementing ecological laws to attain a sustainable life.
As the author of several fundamental environmental laws, including the Renewable Energy Act (RA9513), Climate Change Act (RA9729), Ecological Solid Waste Management Act (RA9003), and People’s Survival Fund Act (RA10174), Legarda is urging government agencies to prioritize the enforcement of these laws not only to protect the environment but also to promote sustainable development.
“Let’s make our laws work because these laws are meant to help us live a sustainable life on our planet,” Legarda said.
In 2012, with the legislation of the People’s Survival Fund Act, every local government unit (LGU) and accredited local community organization became entitled to the one billion pesos annual funding allotted for climate change adaptation projects.
The law aims to ensure that vulnerable communities are equipped to deal with the impacts of climate change.
On the other hand, Legarda reminds the people of their roles in contributing towards the country’s sustainable development.
With the RA 9003 that she authored in 1998 and passed into law in July 2000, the growing problem of waste management in the country was addressed. The measure promotes proper handling, segregation, treatment, and disposal of solid waste to protect public health and the environment.
However, Legarda stressed that the law’s success depends highly on the active participation of communities at the household level.
Responsible waste management in every household, such as segregation and recycling, she said, can help reduce the amount of waste in landfills and contribute to a more sustainable future.
“I authored these environmental laws to protect our country’s natural resources, preserve biodiversity, and promote sustainability. These laws provide a framework for regulating people’s activities that impact the environment and ensure that individuals and organizations are held accountable for their actions,” Legarda stated.
The challenge now, as she furthered, is for the government agencies to implement the mandates of these laws strictly and for the community to play their part in practicing energy conservation, and waste segregation, among other ways of protecting the environment.
“By enforcing these laws, we can reduce the negative impacts of pollution, climate change, and resource depletion and work towards a more resilient and sustainable future,” Legarda stressed.