Boac, Marinduque, Philippines — Marinduque Council for Environmental Concerns (MACEC) with Philippine Misreor Partnership Inc. (PMPI) conducted exploratory talks with Marinduque State University (MarSU) about Rights of Nature and Ecoforensics on July 29, 2026 at the MarSU Admin lounge.

MACEC has recently celebrated its 30th anniversary that same year with the Marcopper mine tailings disaster last July 27. While PMPI has been recognized by an outstanding member of the Global Alliance for Rights of Nature (GARN). MarSU represented by no less than its agency head, Prof. Diosdado P. Zulueta with research director and concurrent dean of College of Environmental Studies Dr. Evangeline Mandia with Dr. Doreen Mascareñas and Assist. Prof. Harvey Dulay of the extension department of the university.

PMPI facilitated the reimagining and revisioning of Marinduque as Rights of Nature (RoN) community last February this year with MACEC. With a RoN-based Environmental Code inlaced in the island, there is a need to strategize several ways moving forward such as implanting rules and regulation with other support functions. MarSU plays a pivotal role in ensuring the gains of the path to social and environmental justice through environmental education, trainers training, imbedding RoN framework in the curriculum and with the help of College of Education, College of Governance and College of Environmental Studies.

PMPI Rights of Nature national coordination Yolly Esquerra has sought the help and commitment of MarSU and continuous partnership of MACEC head secretary Beth Manggol. Hopefully there would be material and concrete steps in establishing Ecoforensics in Marinduque as a model for other islands as a RoN community by 2046 and 2076.

[R. Nobleza]

#EmpoweringMindsTransformingLives #MarinduqueStateUniversity #empower2achieve