For context: Typhoon Odette survivors have filed a civil case before a UK court suing oil giant Shell. Plaintiffs demand compensation from Shell “for lives lost, injuries sustained, and homes destroyed, as well as injunctive relief to curb Shell’s destructive activities.”

Pangasinan sectoral groups which is led by Diocese of Alaminos takes stand against Nuclear Power Plant this January 4, 2026. The program was then followed by a motorcade and high mass in Labrador, Pangasinan.

In light of the tragic Binaliw landfill incident, the Philippine National Waste Workers Alliance urged Thursday, January 15, for the passage of a magna carta for waste workers.  

Waste workers are exposed to all kinds of weather conditions and health hazards. They usually have no safety equipment, no health benefits, and no minimum wage. In the magna carta that the alliance proposes, workers demand hazard pay, health insurance, just compensation, social protection, among others.

“Hangga’t wala ang Magna Carta, mananatiling vulnerable ang mga waste worker sa panganib, pagsasamantala, at trahedyang maiiwasan sana,” the alliance said in a statement Thursday. (Until there is a Magna Carta, waste workers will remain vulnerable to danger, exploitation, and tragedies that could have been prevented.) 

The Department of Energy says they will continue to work closely with the consortium led by Prime Energy to convert natural gas discovered at Malampaya East 1 to into “real, dependable supply for the grid when ready.” 

Energy Secretary Sharon Garin says natural gas will support “power reliability while we scale renewables, energy storage, and grid upgrades.” 

A regional trial court in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, orders the dismantling of the human barricade blocking Woggle Corporation’s access to the mining exploration site in Dupax del Norte.

“The formation of a human barricade after the removal of the physical obstruction is a clear circumvention of the Writ and a patent act of disobedience,” the order dated January 19 said. 

The court directed court sheriffs to implement the court injunction with the help of the Philippine National Police and to arrest those who will defy or resist. Protesters put up a human barricade after the physical removal of the gate they installed, according to the order. 

Antipolo Mayor Casimiro “Jun” Ynares III urged renewable energy developer Vena Group Philippines and DENR chief Raphael Lotilla to review the location of Vena's wind turbine installation in Rizal.

“[I]t has come to our attention that some of the proposed turbine locations may be situated in areas identified as having karst characteristics,” Ynares said in both letters dated January 13.

It further read: “Construction activities in such locations may present challenges that merit further review to ensure long-term environmental stability and project safety.”

Environmental groups sent a petition to the DENR last year to revoke Vena's endorsements and special permit application. They warned that the wind power project may harm the karst area in Rizal as well as portions of the Upper Marikina Watershed and the Sierra Madre.

HAPPENING NOW: In celebration of Zero Waste Month, the Mother Earth Foundation is holding a documentary screening titled “Plastic People” under its program “Reel Change: Screening Solutions to Plastic Pollution.” The event aims to tackle the plastic crisis from a global perspective down to local realities in the Philippines.
The screening is happening at Cinema World, Robinsons Galleria Ortigas, Quezon City, with participants from national government agencies, non-government organizations, waste workers, and youth groups.

In celebration of Zero Waste Month, Philippine National Waste Workers' Alliance (PNWWA) President Aloha Aguilar Santos highlighted the importance of recognizing and respecting waste workers as key partners in addressing the country’s waste and plastic crisis. She emphasized that those “above” must learn to truly see and value those “below,” especially waste workers who are often overlooked despite their essential contributions to society. Santos stressed that single-use plastics do not help waste workers, as these materials have little to no value for recovery and recycling, yet greatly add to their burden. She underscored that waste workers not only recover reusable and recyclable materials but also play a crucial role in cleaning the environment and protecting communities. Santos called for policies that reduce single-use plastics and promote zero waste solutions that uphold the dignity, rights, and livelihoods of waste workers across the Philippines.

UPDATE: The Department of Environment and Natural Resources' Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) orders mining firm Woggle Corporation to suspend its exploration activities in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya amid the community's "sustained" opposition. In a letter address to Woggle that was released by Senator Erwin Tulfo, the MGB wrote that the opposition has resulted in barricades and blockades along access roads leading to the exploration site.

Residents and indigenous groups have opposed Woggle's exploration activities, citing the lack of consultation and the environmental impact of these works.

UPDATE: Mining firm Woggle Corporation questions the Mines and Geosciences Bureau’s (MGB) temporary suspension of its exploration activities in Dupax del Norte, Nueva Vizcaya. 

Woggle noted that images of the MGB’s order were leaked to the public prior to its official receipt on Thursday, February 11. It also questioned whether the disruptions that brought about the suspension justified the suspension.

The MGB temporarily suspended Woggle’s exploration permit due to “force majeure,” citing the barricades and blockades of locals that supposedly blocked key access roads to the exploration site. Woggle argues that the MGB cannot invoke force majeure if the disruptive acts can be attributed to private groups and law enforcement remedies remain available.

Woggle urges the MGB to provide a clear legal basis for the suspension and clarify whether the bureau correctly invoked force majeure.

“The company is currently reviewing all legal remedies available to it, including administrative, contractual, and constitutional avenues to ensure that its rights are protected under Philippine law,” it wrote.