November 19-21, 2025 | Citystate Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa City
The Palawan Council for Sustainable Development Staff (PCSDS) participated as a resource speaker during the “Paralegal Training on Forestry and Environmental Governance” organized by the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) on November 19–21, 2025, at the Citystate Asturias Hotel, Puerto Princesa City.
Day 1 featured a lecture delivered by Atty. Collen Pagaduan from the PCSDS Legal Services, who discussed the salient provisions of Republic Act (R.A.) 7611 or the Strategic Environmental Plan (SEP) for Palawan Act; R.A. 9175 or the Chainsaw Act of 2002 and its implementing PCSD Administrative Order No. 07; and R.A. 9147 or the Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act. Additionally, representatives from the DENR-CENRO provided insights into Presidential Decree No. 705, otherwise known as the Forestry Reform Code of the Philippines, while Senior Environmental Management Specialist (SEMS) Forester Zorina C. Arellano presented the Forest Management Initiatives of the City Government of Puerto Princesa.
On Day 2, Atty. Gerthie Mayo Anda, Executive Director of ELAC, delivered lectures on legal and meta-legal remedies, including Citizen’s Suit and Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation (SLAPP). Participants—composed of members of Indigenous Peoples (IP) communities from the Cleopatra’s Needle Critical Habitat, and barangay officials from Langogan, Binduyan, Concepcion, Tanabag, San Rafael, Mauyon, and Maruyugon—shared their respective experiences, success stories, and environmental protection challenges. ELAC also facilitated a petition writing workshop that allowed participants to apply their gained knowledge in drafting advocacy and protection tools for their communities.
Day 3 began with the continuation of participants’ community sharing of local environmental issues and initiatives. The training culminated in a Multi-Agency Dialogue, where representatives from the DENR-CENRO, City ENRO, and PCSDS addressed questions and concerns raised by the participants, fostering stronger collaboration, clarifying legal mandates, and promoting participatory governance in environmental management.
Through its participation, PCSDS helped advance local capacity-building efforts and reinforced its commitment to strengthening environmental stewardship, legal literacy, and community empowerment towards sustainable development and the protection of Palawan’s natural resources.
