RATIONALE

“Kapag naputol na ang huling puno…Kapag nalason na ang huling ilog…kapag nahuli na ang huling isda…saka lang natin malalaman na hindi nakakain ang pera.”

- cree indian prophesy –

According to Swedish Space Corporation Study, in 1900 the 70.56% forest cover of Luzon total land area of 13,302,486 hectares has dramatically decreased to only 25.59% in 1987. when the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ) conducted a study they discovered that only 500 individuals or corporations were responsible for the drastic decline in forest area all over the country. The study also revealed that they along with their cohorts benefited from the exploitation.

Our present national political situation alienated our appreciation of what is happening now to our environment. One may not immediately connect the water shortage in cites and towns with deforestation in the uplands, but in fact they do have a very close connection. Forest degradation gravely affects all other ecosystems. Increased surface runoff from denuded hillsides results in flash floods and silted rivers. Coastal areas are degraded and coral reefs are affected by siltation. Increased flooding during the rainy season and decreased stream flow during dry season are other results of deforestation. The environment is interconnected-what happens in the uplands has implications for the lowlands and the coastal areas.

The present environmental crisis is a clear indicator that our past and present government together with it’s constituents including our selves and our ancestors, failed to strategically manage our resources. The situation today is a direct result of the lack of environmental policy implementation and lack of meaningful community based people’s participation in the resources administration and protection.

As a consequence, more than half of the fifty seven (57) major watersheds are now critically denuded. Manila, Cebu, Davao, and Baguio among many cities constantly face water shortages and new major health risks. Tragic flash-flood in 1991 hit the city of Ormoc, Leyte killed over 4,000 people, after a year in 1999 a landslide hit Antipolo that destroyed the Chery Hills subdivision that killed dozens of people…last year December 29, 2004 tragic flash-floods also hit Real, Infanta and Gen. Nakar in Quezon province and Dingalan in Aurora province that also claims more than 1,000 lives.



However many communities realized the need to help in the enforcement of laws. This is the reason why for more than a decade now, Tanggol Kalikasan and other NGO’s struggled to capacitate this volunteer enforcers. Later we realized that even government implementers lack the capacity and institutional support to perform their mandated task to implement their respective mandates in the conservation and protection of environment. This is the reason why TK launch several programs designed to assist both the implementers as well as local community law enforcers.



As of the moment we have no concrete assessment of the effectiveness of these programs as well as the present needs, issues confronting law enforcers on the ground. Therefore the 1st Luzon wide Paralegal Conference and Workshop shall be conducted to document and consolidate learning's and experiences in law enforcement and facilitate the assessment of present needs and issues.

Objectives

The Conference and workshop aims to document and consolidate the experience of both the volunteer and regular law enforcement in environmental law enforcement. Identify the problems and issues related to the same. The workshop will also highlight past and present challenges hurled against law enforcers, including harassment cases, physical violence, demotion, transfer, marginalization and the like.

The conference will also become a venue to review or update the environmental law enforcers / paralegals of new legislations, legal remedies and procedures. It is envisioned that in the end, the paralegals/enforcers will be able to list factors that can facilitate law enforcement and come up with a plan of action that will enhance information exchange and collaborative support system for the volunteer and regular law enforcers from the various sites.