We are pleased to announce that the Environmental Defense Program is now open for proposals.
The EnDefense Program is a funding mechanism for litigation and related legal actions that seek to protect the country's environment and natural resources. The program is part of the agreement between the Foundation for the Philippine Environment (FPE) and the Forest Foundation Philippines (formerly known as the Philippine Tropical Forest Conservation Foundation) to facilitate collaboration between them and their partners in areas of mutual interest in the Philippines, and to make available resources for projects that they will co-finance. The Alternative Law Groups (ALG) acts as the Administrator of the EnDefense Program.
Now on its fifth phase, the EnDefense Program supports cases that have a direct link to, or impact on, environmental conservation and protection. The program supports cases that pursue legal sanctions against environmental law violators, and those that seek to question, or defend, the constitutionality or validity of laws and policy issuance that affect the rights of communities, or that have a significant impact on environmental protection.
WHO ARE ELIGIBLE?
- A Filipino legal-resource non-government organization (NGO) with a developmental legal program (whether or not a member of the Alternative Law Groups, Inc. [ALG]);
- A Filipino non-government organization or people’s organization (PO) working in partnership with a lawyer, law office or legal resource NGO (the EnDefense Program Administrator can help identify a lawyer or lawyers for organizations that are planning to submit proposals but have not yet engaged the services of a lawyer).
QUALIFICATIONS
- Has juridical personality, registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) or other government registration or accreditation body (if the organization is not registered with any government office, a duly registered organization may act as co-proponent of the project);
- Has been operating for at least three (3) years before the submission of the proposal (an organization that will not qualify because of the absence of the three-year track record may still submit a proposal, provided that another organization that meets the track record requirement will act as co-proponent of the project).
DISQUALIFICATIONS
Those with questionable track record or experience in implementing development projects;
Those with delinquent performance (as regards program and/or financial requirements) in another project under the EnDefense Program, or under any other program of FPE, Forest Foundation, or ALG;
Those that have already received the maximum amount of funding support under the EnDefense Program, unless there is a co-proponent that is still qualified to receive funding support under the program.
CASES/ACTIVITIES COVERED
The following cases shall be eligible for funding support:
- Community cases. These are legal interventions that seek to (i) assert a community’s environmental rights; (ii) pursue legal sanctions against environmental law violators; (iii) protect a community and its members, and government enforcers, from SLAPP suits or harassment suits; and (iv) remedy violations of human rights related to environmental protection.
- Policy Challenges. These are legal actions that seek to: (i) question, or defend, the constitutionality or validity of a law or ordinance, executive order, or any policy issuance that affects the rights of communities, or that has a significant impact on environmental protection; and (ii) compel government agencies to issue policy instruments that promote forest and natural resources conservation, and environmental rights.
These legal actions may be filed or pursued in courts, quasi-judicial bodies, administrative offices, or indigenous justice mechanisms.
FUNDING SUPPORT
1. Regular Grant - The funding support that can be given under a Regular Grant shall be based on actual projected costs for the eligible activity/ies, but not more than TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND pesos (P200,000.00) for every case (or set of consolidated cases, in the event that several cases or counts are consolidated as one case). Except for justified reasons, this amount shall be considered as the only funding support of the EnDefense Program for the case, until its final resolution.
As a general rule, cases at the trial court level may receive up to a maximum amount of TWO HUNDRED THOUSAND pesos (P200,000.00), while cases at the appellate level (on appeal) may receive up to a maximum amount of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY THOUSAND pesos (P150,000.00). Simple cases that are not expected to undergo full-blown trial or prolonged litigation (such as administrative cases) may be supported up to a maximum of ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND pesos (P100,000.00).
Proponents may receive support for more than one case, but in no case will a proponent organization receive more than FOUR HUNDRED THOUSAND Pesos (P400,000.00) within each EnDefense Program year. A legal-resource NGO may be the handling lawyer/counsel of two or more cases that are supported by the program regardless of the amount of funding support, but if a legal-resource NGO acts as the proponent organization, it shall be covered by the limitation on the maximum amount of grant funds that can be given to proponent organizations.
2. Emergency Small Grant - Emergency small grants up to a maximum amount of TWENTY THOUSAND pesos (P20,000.00) can be given to support urgent legal actions for cases that are not being supported by regular grants under the program, but which are qualified, based on the criteria for cases. This may include bail bonds, transportation and photocopying costs, and other litigation expenses.
3. Support for Case Build-up - Financial support up to a maximum amount of FIFTY THOUSAND pesos (P50,000.00) can be given to support activities for case development, i.e., preparatory activities that will help communities decide on the legal action to take concerning their issues. In this regard, the EnDefense program can serve as a facilitator that will link available legal support to communities that face issues concerning the environment. The support for case build-up activities is expected to help develop actual cases that can then be filed in court or in the proper tribunal, and may be the subject of a proposal for a regular grant.
DEADLINE
Proposals for Regular Grants may be submitted through e-mail or regular mail, and should be received by the Program Administrator on or before the 30th of September 2018. After this regular round of proposal processing, proposals may still be submitted, but the processing and approval of such proposals shall be subject to the remaining available funds.
Requests for Small Grants and Support for Case Build-up may be submitted at any time.
Proposals/requests should be sent through e-mail to endefense@alternativelawgroups.ph copy furnished to fmybordey@gmail.com or through regular mail to: Fae Marie Y. Bordey Litigation Coordinator Environmental Defense Program (EnDefense) Alternative Law Groups, Inc. (ALG) Room 216, Institute of Social Order, Ateneo de Manila University Loyola Heights, Quezon City.
FOR COMPLETE DETAILS AND INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSAL, PLEASE DOWNLOAD THESE DOCUMENTS:
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Date: July 3, 2020
