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| Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines | |
|---|---|
| Name | Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines |
| Formation | 1987 |
| Type | Non-governmental organization |
| Purpose | Environmental advocacy and community development |
| Headquarters | Quezon City, Philippines |
| Region served | Philippines |
| Leader title | Executive Director |
Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines is a Philippine non-governmental organization engaged in environmental advocacy, research, and community organizing. Founded in the late 20th century, it operates in urban and rural contexts across Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao, engaging with civil society, indigenous peoples, and grassroots networks. The organization participates in policy debates at national and international fora and collaborates with academic institutions and faith-based groups.
The organization traces its origin to post-Marcos civil society mobilizations influenced by activists linked to the People Power Revolution, networks of the Ecumenical Movement in the Philippines, and environmental concerns emerging after the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant controversy and the Marcopper mining disaster. Early partners included NGOs such as Haribon Foundation, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, and faith-based actors from Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches initiatives. During the 1990s it engaged in campaigns related to the Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004 debates and worked alongside coalitions formed after the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption recovery efforts. In the 2000s the group participated in national processes around the National Integrated Protected Areas System Act, collaborated with research centers at University of the Philippines Diliman and Ateneo de Manila University, and joined international civil society delegations to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and Convention on Biological Diversity meetings.
The organization states aims aligned with environmental protection, social justice, and sustainable resource management. Its objectives include promoting community-based resource governance in areas affected by extractive projects such as those involved in controversies around Placer Dome, Philex Mining Corporation, and the legacy of Marcopper. It seeks to influence policy instruments including the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997, the Local Government Code of 1991 implementation, and multilateral instruments like the Kyoto Protocol. It pursues public education through partnerships with universities such as University of the Philippines Los Baños and research institutions like the Asian Development Bank-affiliated programs, and engages legislative advocacy in the House of Representatives of the Philippines and consultative processes with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Programs span community organizing, litigation support, research, and capacity-building. Grassroots initiatives have worked with indigenous communities in the Cordillera Administrative Region and fisherfolk in the Visayas, addressing conflicts tied to projects by corporations such as Philex Mining Corporation and energy ventures linked to Napocor legacy debates. Research collaborations have produced studies cited by academic centers at De La Salle University and Silliman University and informed policy dialogues at Senate of the Philippines hearings. The organization runs training programs with partners like Ateneo School of Government and Asian NGO Coalition for Agrarian Reform and Rural Development to strengthen local governance under frameworks influenced by the Local Government Code of 1991 and the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.
Advocacy work includes anti-mining campaigns, anti-dam mobilizations, and climate justice actions. Campaigns have opposed large-scale projects associated with multinational firms and domestic corporations implicated in disputes, connecting with movements such as Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment and Philippine Movement for Climate Justice. They have engaged in public demonstrations alongside labor groups like Kilusang Mayo Uno and peasant organizations such as Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas. International advocacy saw participation in events organized by Friends of the Earth International, delegation exchanges with Greenpeace campaigns, and submissions to United Nations Human Rights Council mechanisms on environmental defenders.
The organization operates with an executive leadership supported by program coordinators, regional organizers, and an elected board drawn from allied civil society organizations and academic partners. Governance practices have included membership assemblies with representatives from networks like Bayan, Aksyon Demokratiko-aligned civil society groups, and faith-based constituencies such as Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines-linked environmental ministries. Financial oversight has involved audits and grant reporting required by donors including international funders like Oxfam, Ford Foundation, and bilateral agencies such as European Union development instruments. The group emphasizes participatory decision-making influenced by community protocols recognized under the Indigenous Peoples' Rights Act of 1997.
Collaborative work extends to non-governmental partners, academic institutions, and international networks. Key local partners have included Haribon Foundation, Kalikasan-PNE, and university research centers at University of the Philippines campuses. International linkages include cooperation with Friends of the Earth International, Asian Development Bank-linked programs, and exchanges with advocacy networks such as WWF and Conservation International on biodiversity policy. The organization has also coordinated with legal advocacy groups like Ecumenical Legal Assistance Center and engaged faith-based environmental programs associated with the World Council of Churches.
Impact claims include contributions to community victories in stopping environmentally risky projects, influencing policy deliberations at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and capacity-building in indigenous communities in regions such as the Cordillera and Mindanao. Publications and briefings have informed legislative hearings at the Senate of the Philippines and been referenced in studies by institutions like Ateneo de Manila University and University of the Philippines. Criticism has come from industry actors, some local government units, and commentators citing tension with development agendas advocated by entities such as the National Economic and Development Authority and proponents of large infrastructure (e.g., projects supported by the Asian Development Bank). Some stakeholders have questioned the organization’s positions on mining and energy policy, prompting debates involving NGOs like Kalikasan-PNE and academic analysts from University of Santo Tomas.
Category:Environmental organizations based in the Philippines