If you think Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago only has the law and justice on her mind, think again.

The feisty lady lawmaker, who made international headlines last week on her appointment to the International Criminal Court, also has her heart set firmly on the environment.

And only rightly so because justice should also mean that everyone is given equal access to clean air and water which are vital to mankind’s health and survival.

With this in mind, we join environmental watchdog Greenpeace in  welcoming the filing of Senate Bill 3087, which establishes a Pollutant Release and Transfer Register in the Philippines.

This register, which Greenpeace has been actively recommending for the country to adopt, requires industries to report all hazardous chemicals that they use, manufacture, recycle, transfer, and dispose. Such a system allows for tracking of hazardous chemicals for easier and improved monitoring by government agencies in charge of managing industrial pollution. 

It also allows the public to exercise their right to know about pollution issues, especially for those hosting facilities in their communities.

The bill was filed by Sen. Defensor Santiago at the same time that she was accepted as a judge for the ICC.

“Pollution is not only a crime against the environment but also against humans. SB 3087 is a step in the right direction towards human and environmental rights.  Hopefully, this bill that Senator Santiago filed is the beginning of government and industry finally fully acknowledging the public’s right to know on what pollutants are discharged into our environment,” said Beau Baconguis, toxics campaigner of Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Greenpeace also points to benefits for local government units, including being better prepared and equipped to handle chemical spills, accidents or contamination following floods or fires.

Medical professionals would be better able to diagnose illnesses due to chemical exposures and treat them properly.  Workers would similarly be better protected in their workplaces because of the transparency required of companies when such a system is in place.

“In countries that have adopted a PRTR or similar system, pollution has been drastically reduced.  We laud Senator Santiago for taking action to finally institutionalize the publics’ right-to-know about hazardous releases. We encourage our other lawmakers to take this forward as soon as possible since this will definitely benefit all of us,” added Baconguis.

Greenpeace,  an independent global environmental crusader  that acts to change attitudes and behavior to protect and conserve the environment and to promote peace, is campaigning to stop industrial pollution of our water with hazardous, persistent, and hormone-disrupting chemicals by demanding that companies and governments take action to “detox” our future, an advocacy this paper has consistently supported.