During martial law under Ferdinand Marcos, Factoran and other human rights lawyers, including Jejomar Binay, formed the Movement of Attorneys for Brotherhood, Integrity, and Nationalism (MABINI) which opposed President Marcos' dictatorship.[2]
Government service
In the aftermath of the 1986 People Power Revolution which ousted Marcos, Factoran was appointed as deputy executive secretary to President Corazon Aquino from March 1986 to 1987.[2][3]
He then served as Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (Philippines) (DENR) in President Aquino's Cabinet from 1987 until 1992.[2] During his tenure as DENR Secretary, Factoran revoked many of the logging concessions that had been awarded during Marcos' rule.[3] He created new programs to promote reforestation efforts and reverse the extensive deforestation in the Philippines.[3] He also transferred stewardship of forests to local residents and communities.[3] Factoran opened the DENR archives to journalists, including Marites Vitug for her 1993 book "Power from the Forest: The Politics of Logging" to expose the abuses of the country's natural resources during the Marcos regime.[3]
Jun Factoran died from a longtime illness on April 5, 2020, at the age of 76.[1] He was predeceased by his wife, Kaye Mesina, and survived by their four children, Yazmin, Gertrude Anne, Fulgencio III, and Roberto Carlo.[1]