Purple Hearts Philippines in partnership with Widener University-Delaware Law School sponsored by the US Embassy to the Philippines join forces into a mission of a unique program, “In Defense of an Independent Judiciary: A Colloquium on the Rule of Law & Climate Change” that aims to combat issues on climate change.
After the months and months of discussions under the said program, an event was made to gather and honor their partners and stakeholders.
Malaybalay, Bukidnon Judge Ma. Theresa Aban-Camannong, founder of the Purple Hearts, said that the very mission of this project is to call for law students, practicing lawyers being the future litigators to join hands with environmentalists and be environment champions.
Aban-Camannong hopes that the private practitioners who are now in litigation will litigate for the environment and not against the environment.
Their recently concluded program too wishes to empower litigators to realize the importance of the environment. “Kahit gaano na tayo kayaman pero kung mawawala din ang environment, mawawala din ang world, everything wala, wala din tayo”, said Aban-Camannong.
The organization believed that one should act now in the midst of environment crisis, reason why they formed their group to lead the call. Accordingly, each and every one should be involved in any way to do its part to help in protecting the environment. “If we do not do anything to reverse the environmental crisis, we do not know what will happen in 2030. Perhaps ngayon free pa ang air, baka by 2030 may bayad na kasi mag-o oxygen na tayo”, Aban-Camannong added.
Among the partners of the said program are Climate Reality Philippines, Tanggol Kalikasan and Network Empowering Transformative Societies.
While the US Embassy to the Philippines is the sponsor of the program, both the participants and organizers were expressed their gratitude for their unwavering support. The said embassy is also known to have a very good relationship with the country and its people. They had given a lot of grants to different areas of concern, exchange students programs, on health, community among others since its presence in the country.
Purple Hearts is composed of judges, prosecutors and private practitioners, law professors and one of their advocacies is to strengthen the call for protecting the environment. | Princess Habiba Sarip-Paudac
