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GMA Network
24-07-2025
- Politics
- GMA Network
Why the World Court's advisory opinion on climate is important for countries like the PH
The International Court of Justice just issue a landmark advisory opinion on climate, saying governments must stop climate pollution and pay vulnerable nations and communities for the harm they have cased. Grounded in binding international law, the advisory opinion gives vulnerable nations like the Philippines legal grounds to demand accountability and reparation. In a statement, Representative Renee Louise Co of the Kabataan party-list said the ICJ advisory opinion "gives Filipino coastal communities legal backing to demand action and accountability." Pointing to "typhoon-vulnerable areas like Rizal and Eastern Samar," Co said "survivors and youth leaders now have firmer ground to demand support and reparations." "Women and girls, who make up around 80% of those displaced during storms and face heightened risks in evacuation centers, can push for protections rooted in international law," she added. Atty. Grizelda Mayo-Anda, an environmental lawyer and executive director of the Environmental Legal Assistance Center first acknowledged the advisory opinion is not legally binding but said it is still "very significant" to country like the Philippines, "which deals with typhoons, extreme weather events and ocean acidification." Meanwhile, World's Youth for Climate Justice Global Advocacy Lead Nicole Ponce said "this moment shows how youth and Global South communities have the power to shape international law and seek reparation for damage done." Charles Zander Deluna, campaigner for the Philippine front of the World's Youth for Climate Justice said the ruling "affirmed what we've long known from the frontlines: that climate inaction is not just negligence. It's a violation of international law. This opinion puts states on notice that protecting the climate is no longer optional. It is an obligation." For YB Charles Santiago, co-chairperson at the ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, the advisory opinion "lays down a firm legal marker" for countries across Southeast Asia. "Major emitters aren't just urged to cut greenhouse gases, they are bound under international law to do so, and to stop inflicting harm through state enforcement." The ruling comes at a time when most of the Philippines is reeling from the effects of simultaneous storms while enduring non-stop Habagat-induced rains. In an advisory Thursday morning, PAGASA said Tropical Cyclone Emong has already intensified into a typhoon with the northern portion of Pangasinan and the western portion of La Union under Signal No. 3. Meanwhile Tropical Storm Dante is maintaining its strength as it moves toward Ryukyu Islands, as the LPA outside of the Philippine Area of Responsibility that PAGASA has been monitoring all week has become a tropical depression. Amid the weather extreme, 40 areas in the Philippines have been declared under the state of calamity. A total of 2,733,646 people or 765,869 families have been affected by the bad weather in all regions except Eastern Visayas. According to legal experts, ICJ's advisory opinion offers stronger grounds to push for enforcement of climate laws, align national targets with international obligations and ultimately, project communities. The initiative to seek the ICJ's opinion on the climate crisis was launched by 27 students from the Pacific region who succeeded in convincing the government of Vanuatu to bring the case before the UN General Assembly. In 2023, the UN General Assembly unanimously voted in favor of the resolution referring the issue to the International Court of Justice and a year later, countries and international organizations had the opportunity to explain to ICJ judges what they thought international law demands of nations to prevent harm to the climate system and what the consequences are for polluters who are causing harm. — RSJ, GMA Integrated News


South China Morning Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippine lawmakers revive divorce bill, but will it be passed this time?
Philippine lawmakers have refiled a long-delayed bill legalising divorce in the country just a few days into the new Congress after its passage fell short in the previous term, with divorce advocates hopeful that the legislation will finally see the light of day. Advertisement Lawmakers have been trying to pass a divorce law since 2005, but continue to face resistance in the Catholic-majority country. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic and the Philippines and the Vatican are the only countries in the world that do not have divorce laws. Annulment exists but is a tedious and often expensive process. Muslims are currently the only Filipinos able to legally divorce under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. As the 20th Congress opened on Monday, three representatives filed two measures that aim to revive the absolute divorce bill that the House of Representatives passed earlier but ultimately languished in the Senate as conservative legislators and religious leaders vowed to fight the bill. Representatives Antonio Tinio and Renee Louise Co of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Kabataan partylists filed House Bill 210, while Jonathan Clement Abalos of the 4Ps partylist filed House Bill 108. Both versions establish the grounds for granting absolute divorce. These include physical violence, drug addiction, homosexuality and other factors related to the annulment of marriage under the country's Family Code. Filipino Catholic devotees jostle to touch the carriage carrying the statue of the Black Nazarene during the annual procession on its feast day in Manila on January 9. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Photo: Reuters Divorce advocates said lawmakers had neglected the divorce bill in favour of other issues, such as the crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), despite divorce being 'a national issue'.


South China Morning Post
04-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Philippine lawmakers revive divorce bill, but will it be passed this time?
Philippine lawmakers have refiled a long-delayed bill legalising divorce in the country just a few days into the new Congress after its passage fell short in the previous term, with divorce advocates hopeful that the legislation will finally see the light of day. Lawmakers have been trying to pass a divorce law since 2005, but continue to face resistance in the Catholic-majority country. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic and the Philippines and the Vatican are the only countries in the world that do not have divorce laws. Annulment exists but is a tedious and often expensive process. Muslims are currently the only Filipinos able to legally divorce under the Code of Muslim Personal Laws. As the 20th Congress opened on Monday, three representatives filed two measures that aim to revive the absolute divorce bill that the House of Representatives passed earlier but ultimately languished in the Senate as conservative legislators and religious leaders vowed to fight the bill. Representatives Antonio Tinio and Renee Louise Co of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers and Kabataan partylists filed House Bill 210, while Jonathan Clement Abalos of the 4Ps partylist filed House Bill 108. Both versions establish the grounds for granting absolute divorce. These include physical violence, drug addiction, homosexuality and other factors related to the annulment of marriage under the country's Family Code. Filipino Catholic devotees jostle to touch the carriage carrying the statue of the Black Nazarene during the annual procession on its feast day in Manila on January 9. Nearly 79 per cent of Filipinos are Roman Catholic. Photo: Reuters Divorce advocates said lawmakers had neglected the divorce bill in favour of other issues, such as the crimes linked to Philippine offshore gaming operators (Pogos), despite divorce being 'a national issue'.