Oposa v. Factoran

In 1993 a group of schoolchildren filed a class action seeking to invalidate licenses for timber harvests in the Philippines. As the licenses would have resulted in the harvest of virtually all forests in the country, the children brought the suit on behalf of themselves and future generations claiming a right to a healthy environment and intergenerational equity.

In a landmark decision, the Filipino Supreme Court established that the public trust doctrine exists within the constitutional right to a healthy environment. It also established that schoolchildren could bring a class action suit on behalf of their generation and future generations to secure protection of the environment.

Background
In 1993, a group of schoolchildren challenged the issuance of timber licenses by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. The class action was brought on behalf of children and future generations claiming that the licenses, by allowing the harvest of virtually all of the trees in the country, would violate their right to a healthy environment and intergenerational equity.

Relevant Law and Principles

 * Public Trust Doctrine
 * Right to a Healthy Environment

Rulings
After the case was initially dismissed by a lower court, the Supreme Court ruled that the constitutional right to a healthy environment included a protection of those rights for future generations. The court found that the children had standing to bring the class action on behalf of themselves and future generations.

Despite the Court’s sweeping ruling, the case turned out to have remarkably little effect on timber harvesting in the Philippines. The Court did not cancel the timber licenses or enjoin the issuance of new licenses as the children requested; instead, it ruled only that lower court improperly dismissed the case for failing to state a cause of action.

Takeaways
The case established that the public trust doctrine exists within the constitutional right to a healthy environment. It also established that schoolchildren could bring a class action suit on behalf of their generation and future generations to secure protection of the environment.