IN the United States celebrities and prominent personalities lend their names and provide financial assistance to support public-interest service or alternative lawyering—a project that aims to protect the environment while mitigating the impact of climate change.
Golden Gate University School of Law professor and director for environmental law and justice clinic Attorney Helen Kang said prominent personalities have sent contributions to an organization called Natural Resource Defense Council to support alternative energy, clean water, clean soil, waste disposal and food security.
Kang was recently brought to the country by the US Embassy for a three-week stint to assist law schools in Mindanao and Palawan to organize their own legal aid clinic, which will be managed by student volunteers and professors.
Kang volunteered for the project to impart that public-interest lawyering and public-interest advocacy is important in environmental protection.
The focus of the program is improving the capability of local institutions, such as the Liceo Cagayan de Oro and Palawan State University to provide legal aid in their communities.
Since 2012, the Embassy has helped nine law schools in Mindanao and Palawan, and to date, six law schools have promising legal aid clinics, run and administered by law-student volunteers and professors.
“We do incredible things like advice communities on how to prevent pollution, how to bring renewable energy to California, how to advocate safety drinking water. And if companies do not cooperate we also sue them and make them compel,” Kang said.
Kang, who also run the Environmental Law and Justice Clinic, said the Philippines has a pool of internationally recognized lawyers, but lacking in the country is enforcement, monitoring, reporting and record keeping—critical aspects in ensuring the law is being followed.
Kang said people in areas prone to disasters, like Mindanao and Palawan, are aware of the importance of protecting the environment. Kang said in other countries there is more support for public interest groups so they can step up and protect the environment.
She surmised that because the Philippines is a developing country there might be an inadequate presence of public-interest groups and public-interest lawyering. Kang said the US is working to ensure that the Philippines can have environmental protection for future generations to enjoy.
“You know, I sometimes feel like this a desperate cause but we must not give up. Everyone can contribute, even in reducing water consumption. Do not throw away trash in the dump. Do not burn your garbage. There are laws against it,” Kang said.
She added that there are many laws in the Philippines, such as banning the use of plastic bags, which is similar to California law, but people do not respect it.
“I carry my own water bottle. There is a lot of garbage in Manila Bay. Everybody has a responsibility and they can do their part,” Kang said.
According to Kang, the country also needs environmental laws to monitor violations, like those committed by mining companies polluting the environment. She said the way to strengthen them is by teaching lawyers the intricacies of alternative lawyering.
During the time she spent in the country, Kang saw the disparity in wealth, which she finds “really disturbing” and suggested the rich should bear responsibility in contributing to the welfare and well-being of the country. Kang added that this is a big concern in Mindanao, and thinks that the rich and privileged have an incredible obligation. She said that since the Philippines is a predominantly Catholic country, Filipinos, especially the rich, must read and understand the pope’s latest encyclical.
Pope Francis has warned of an “unprecedented destruction of ecosystems” and “serious consequences for all of us” if humanity fails to act on climate change.
“I’m surprised that this is a predominantly Catholic country and some denominations practice tithing. Why not ask them to give 10 percent of their income to environmental groups and other public-interest groups if they are true Christians,” Kang said.
Kang was a trial attorney with the US Department of Justice, Environment and Natural Resources Division, Environmental Enforcement Section. She represented federal agencies in the enforcement of major federal environmental statutes, including the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, cleanup and hazardous waste laws, and right-to-know laws.