Home News Philippine Caritas network renews push for legal rights to nature

Philippine Caritas network renews push for legal rights to nature

Rights of Nature is a growing movement in the country spearheaded by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. and Caritas Philippines

The Catholic Church’s social action centers in the Philippine have banded together to again press for a legislative measure that gives trees, rivers, and ecosystems the legal right to exist and thrive.

Caritas Philippines and more than 60 diocesan social action centers in the country issued a statement on Thursday, March 23, following a three-day general assembly on the “Rights of Nature” bill.



Joining about 70 countries, the United Nations, environmental defenders, and faith organizations across the world in declaring a “climate emergency,” they appealed to the Philippine Congress “to pass the Rights of Nature bill now!”

“We commit to collectively defend the rights of nature by pushing for the RoN and alternative minerals management legislations,” read a statement released by the group.

“We make this declaration and commitment, as we demand our government to do the same,” it said.

Rights of Nature is a growing movement in the country spearheaded by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc. and Caritas Philippines.

The rights of nature legislation was first introduced to the Philippine Congress in 2019.

Church groups and pro-environment advocates call for the protection of the environment during a “Rights of Nature” caravan in 2018. (Photo by Maria Tan)
- Newsletter -

In July 2022, Sen. Risa Hontiveros reintroduced the measure by filing Senate Bill No. 143 or the “Rights of Nature Act of 2022”.

RoN bills were also filed at the Lower House last February by Oriental Mindoro 1st District Rep. Arnan Panaligan, Albay 2nd District Rep. Joey Salceda and Bohol 1st District Rep. Edgar Chatto.

In 2022, Quezon province’s Infanta local government made a historical mark by filing the country’s first rights of nature ordinance, which establishes the Agos River as a protected area.

Since the launching of the rights of nature movement in the country in 2018, PMPI said the RoN “is spreading and gaining traction as it continues to win over the upper and lower chamber of Congress”.

“It now moves towards engaging more local government units, agencies, lawmakers, academe, and civil society organizations in the advocacy to change the very anthropocentric and utilitarian relationship of humans with nature,” the PMPI added. – from a CBCP News report

© Copyright LiCAS.news. All rights reserved. Republication of this article without express permission from LiCAS.news is strictly prohibited. For republication rights, please contact us at: yourvoice@licas.news

Support Our Mission

We work tirelessly each day to tell the stories of those living on the fringe of society in Asia and how the Church in all its forms - be it lay, religious or priests - carries out its mission to support those in need, the neglected and the voiceless.
We need your help to continue our work each day. Make a difference and donate today.

Exit mobile version