In the Philippines, environmental justice is regarded as a mechanism, process, or system by which people and communities enjoy their rights to a balanced and healthful ecology and equitable access to the benefits of natural wealth and resources of the country. This is made clear in the Philippine Constitution and in various national laws, rules, and regulations.  A direct way to work toward environmental justice is through the implementation of effective environmental governance. In the Philippines, the offices with environmental protection mandates include local government units ranging from the village, municipal, city, and provincial levels.

Local Government Units (LGUs) suffer from a lack of personnel and logistical resources. However, the LGUs can seek the assistance of national government agencies to augment their manpower and resources. Additionally, the recent Supreme Court Decision in Mandanas Garcia v. Executive Secretary will likely make more funds available for LGUs. 

Developing the technical competence of the LGUs is an area of significant need in the Philippines. Most of the LGUs have yet to fully embrace their roles in environmental protection, and they require further support to build their technical competence to fulfill their mandate. The devolution of power that occurred under the Local Government Code (LGC), where LGUs are mandated to share in the management of the resources and protection of the environment within their areas of jurisdiction, did not automatically translate into actual transfer of capacity or corresponding responsible governance. Additionally, capacity building activities to enhance the technical competence of the LGUs must be conducted on a regular basis, as elections are held in the Philippines every three years and associated turnover of some personnel is inevitable.