Industries urged to be involved in crafting environmental laws

The Philippines is relatively in the infant stage in terms of adherence to sustainable development compared to other developing as well as industrialized nations. For a country to fully achieve sustainable development, its constituents, primarily the business sector, must be aware of environment laws. Unfortunately in the country, this is not the case yet.

In a study, Dr. Edgardo Alabastro of Technotrix Phils., found out that raising awareness and participation of the sectors concerned is a must for sustainable development. This is one of the study’s six-point agenda that identified the priority areas of advocacy for the business community.

The study was commissioned by the Philippine Exporters Confederation, Inc. (Philexport) through its USAID project called Trade Analysis and Advocacy Support (TAPS).

Since businesses and industries are called to strike a balance between environmental preservation and protection vis-à-vis economic growth, the study maintains that this guideline must be laid down in the law. The study endorses a threefold strategy towards this objective: knowing the law; understanding the law; and participation in law making.

The first of these threefold strategy maybe the most basic, although not as simple as it sounds. With a good number of environment-related laws, it is quite difficult for an SME or any business for that matter to adequately know which of the laws essentially affect their operations. The study proposes that a compendium of environmental laws be made and specifically developed for SMEs to facilitate their awareness on this subject.

Knowing the law is one thing, understanding it is another. This is why the second of the strategies urges industries to fully appreciate the relevant laws affecting their operations. This can be done by networking with various implementing agencies and constantly communicating with the legislators on issues. At the very least, assistance of environmental lawyers may be resorted to when the situation requires.

The third and most important of the threefold strategy is the active participation of SMEs in environmental law making. Knowedge and understanding of laws would be nothing if the business sector remains stagnant and does not take action at the earliest stage, that is at the lawmaking process. Thus, it is incumbent upon businesses to, as much as possible, attend actual deliberations, hearings and consultations and raise at the earliest opportunity concerns which may be vital for the achievements of sustainable development. – Romeo D. Garcia, Philexport News & Features