Expressing her concern following the devastations in Northern Mindanao, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago filed a bill authorizing the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to provide grants and assist barangays in complying with environmental requirements and to authorize the use of penalty amounts collected under laws to finance the grants.
Santiago said that under Senate Bill 3086 or the Environmental Compliance Assistance Act, the DENR shall make grants for projects and activities to assist communities in complying with environmental requirements under laws administered by the DENR.
She said the massive floodings that devastated Cagayan de Oro City, Iligan City and other areas in Northern Mindanao and some parts of the Visayas opened the eyes of the world to the necessity of protecting our environment.
She stressed that she filed the bill since under the Constitution, the State shall protect and advance the rights of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.
She said that our country has enacted laws on the national and local levels, establishing a more proactive approach to protect the environment and mitigate the effects of human activities.
Santiago said that protecting the environment seems to take the backseat in the country’s struggle to fight corruption and alleviate poverty. As a result, compliance to existing laws is neglected due to the lack of funds, she added.
In her explanatory note, Santiago said, “there needs to be a bill that will provide for an alternative and/or complementary source of funding for compliance to environmental law to ensure that even though such efforts are given a small share in local government funding, the barangays will be empowered to be in the forefront of protecting the environment.”
The bill, she said, authorizes the DENR to dedicate the amounts collected from penalties due to failure to comply with environmental laws and give them to the barangays in the form of grants to assist them in complying with environmental laws.
Santiago sought the immediate passage of the proposed measure which she filed a few days after the devastation of Northern Mindanao by typhoon Sendong.
To be eligible to receive a grant under this Act, the DENR shall select among the applicants based on the urgency and necessity of their requests for grants.
She said the DENR shall formulate guidelines to determine the priority for receiving grants. The grant provided under this Act shall be made available from the Environmental Compliance Trust Fund established under this Act.
