Department of Environment and Natural ResourcesAttorney III
Mar. 1997 - Mar. 1998Quezon City, PhilippinesI handled large-scale development projects and studies and verified claims of all stakeholders in connections with applications for Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECC), particularly those relating to mining; reviewed and made recommendations on free patent applications; presided over public hearings in connection with EIA law; assisted in and supervised projects involving protected areas, land conversion, indigenous peoples’ rights, mining applications and other activities involving the use, protection, preservation management of natural resources, as well as liability assessment and application of appropriate penalties; involved in the drafting of joint ventures or memorandum of understanding on important issues and policies; presided over administrative hearings in the pollution and adjudication board; trained in various environmental laws, and environmental issues such as sustainable development, biodiversity, CBFM, and ICM. In addition, I actively participated as:
*Lead Counsel/Chief Legal Expert, MARCOPPER case
*Senior Policy Adviser, Forest Securitization Law
*Officer, Pollution Adjudication Board
*Coordinator, Proposal for the Establishment of a Cement Factory in Camalig, Albay (EIA)
*Policy Adviser on matters involving mining laws, the Clean Air Act, water, forestry, community-based forest management, indigenous peoples’ rights, protected areas, environmental impact assessment and related matters
*DENR representative in the investigation conducted in Sultan Kudarat re: Plight of Lumads in Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur and Sultan Kudarat as victims of human rights violations, in aid of legislation *Delegate, Regional Workshop on Partnerships in the Application of Integrated Coastal Management, November 11-17, 1997 held at the Burapha University in Chon Buri, Thailand, sponsored by the UNDP and IMO, and presented a working paper entitled: Coastal Resource Damage Liability and Compensation in the Philippines: Boracay, Marinduque and Bolinao cases