Minors Oposa v. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Supreme Court of the Republic of the Philippines, 30 July 1993, 33 I.L.M. 174 1994, p. 185
The case you are referring to is commonly known as the “Minors Oposa” case or the “Oposa vs. Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources” case. It was a landmark decision by the Supreme Court of the Philippines handed down on July 30, 1993. The citation you provided, “33 I.L.M. 174 1994, p. 185,” refers to the International Legal Materials (ILM) publication where the case was reported.
In the Minors Oposa case, several minors, represented by their parents, filed a class-action lawsuit against the Secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other government agencies. The case centered around the issue of intergenerational responsibility and the duty of the government to protect and preserve the environment for the benefit of present and future generations.
The Supreme Court, in its decision, recognized the legal standing of the minors to file the lawsuit on behalf of themselves and future generations. It held that the minors had a substantive right to a balanced and healthful ecology, and that this right was directly affected by the actions or inaction of the government in protecting the environment.
The court ruled that the government had a duty to protect and preserve the environment for the present and future generations. It emphasized the concept of “intergenerational responsibility,” stating that the right to a balanced and healthful ecology includes the right to a healthy environment not just for the current generation, but also for succeeding generations.
Furthermore, the court declared that the government has an obligation to protect the environment through the principle of “intergenerational justice.” It stated that the State must act as a trustee of the environment for the benefit of both present and future generations.
The Minors Oposa case is significant because it established the legal standing of minors to sue on behalf of future generations and recognized the intergenerational responsibility of the government to protect the environment. It has been cited as an important precedent in environmental law and has influenced similar cases in other jurisdictions.
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