QuestionsQuestions (Republic Act No. 9512)
Republic Act No. 9512 is the “Environmental Awareness and Education Act of 2008,” approved on December 12, 2008.
It declares that, consistent with the policy to protect the people’s right to a balanced and healthful ecology, the State shall promote national awareness on the role of natural resources in economic growth and the importance of environmental conservation and ecological balance for sustained national development, recognizing the vital role of youth and education in nation-building.
The Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in coordination with DENR, DOST, and other relevant agencies.
No. Section 3 explicitly covers both public and private schools, including barangay daycare, preschool, non-formal, technical vocational, professional-level, indigenous learning, and out-of-school youth courses or programs.
It must include environmental concepts and principles; environmental laws; the state of international and local environment; local best practices; threats of environmental degradation and impacts on human well-being; citizen responsibility; value of conservation/protection/rehabilitation of natural resources and the environment in sustainable development; and theoretical plus practicum modules.
Examples include tree planting; waste minimization, segregation, recycling and composting; freshwater and marine conservation; forest management and conservation; and relevant livelihood opportunities and economic benefits, among others.
Environmental education and awareness programs and activities must be included in the National Service Training Program (NSTP) under Republic Act No. 9163, as part of the Civic Welfare Training Service component for all baccalaureate degree courses and vocational courses with a curriculum of at least two (2) years.
Section 5 declares that November of every year shall be known as the “Environmental Awareness Month” throughout the Philippines.
The DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DENR, DOST, and other relevant agencies, in consultation with experts on the environment and the academe.
It requires that DepEd, CHED, TESDA, DENR, DOST, DSWD and barangay units ensure that the information is disseminated to the subject students.
DepEd, CHED, and TESDA, in coordination with DENR and other relevant agencies, must undertake nationwide capacity-building programs such as trainings, seminars, workshops on environmental education, development/production of environmental education materials, teacher-education courses, and related livelihood programs.
The text includes a “Separability Clause” section (Section 8), which states that all other inconsistent acts, laws, executive issuances, rules and regulations—or parts thereof—are repealed or modified accordingly (intended to preserve the enforceability of consistent provisions).
The Act takes effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.