Oposa v Factoran (Environmental Law)

Oposa v Factoran 

GR No. 101083

July 30, 1993   

FACTS:

Petitioners herein are  all  minors  duly  represented  and  joined  by  their  respective  parents contesting the granting of the Timber License Agreement (TLAs), which  they claim was done with  grave  abuse  of  discretion, violated  their  right  to  a  balanced  and  healthful  ecology. 

ISSUES:

(1) WON the right to a balanced and healthful ecology is a substantive right  

(2) WON timber licenses are contracts; 

WON the cancellation of which would constitute non- impairment clause which is prohibited under the Constitution 

APPLICABLE LAWS:

Art II, Sec.  16.  The  State  shall  protect  and  advance  the  right  of  the  people  to  a  balanced  and  healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature. 

Art. II, Sec.  15.  The  State  shall  protect  and  promote  the  right  to  health  of  the  people  and  instill  health consciousness among them. 

E.O. No.  192, Section 4.  of  which  expressly  mandates  that  the  Department  of  Environment  and  Natural  Resources  "shall  be  the primary  government  agency  responsible  for  the  conservation,  management,  development  and  proper  use  of  the country' s  environment  and  natural  resources,  specifically  forest  and  grazing  lands,  mineral,  resources,  including those  in reservation  and watershed  areas, and  lands of  the  public domain,  as w ell  as the  licensing and  regulation of all  natural resources  as may be  provided for  by law  in  order to  ensure equitable sharing  of the  benefits derived therefrom for  the welfare of the  present and future  generations of Filipinos.” 

Art. III, Sec.   10.  No law impairing the obligation of contracts shall be passed  

RULING:

(1) Yes, it is a substantive right. Right  of  Filipinos  to  a  balanced  and  healthful  ecology  which  the petitioners  dramatically  associate  with  the  twin  concepts  of  "inter-generational  responsibility"  and  "intergenerational justice."  

Needless  to  say,  every  generation  has  a  responsibility  to  the  next  to  preserve  that  rhythm  and harmony  for the  full enjoyment  of a  balanced and  healthful ecology.  Put a  little differently,  the minors'   assertion of their  right to  a sound  environment constitutes,  at the  same  time, the  performance of  their obligation  to ensure  the protection of that right for the generations to come.  (2) Since timber licenses are not contracts, the non-impairment clause, cannot be invoked.