By Jonathan L. Mayuga
PROENVIRONMENT groups on Wednesday vowed to mainstream the issue of environment in the 2016 national election and vowed to unmask candidates with bad environmental track record.
Clemente Bautista of the Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE) said most candidates set aside the issue of environment during the campaign.
Likewise, Bautista said voters are more concerned on other issues such as employment, food security, education, health and other issues, which indicate that the low level of awareness about environmental issues.
“We are tracking the platforms of national candidates. Right now, puro motherhood statement,” he added.
He said green groups will weigh the candidates based on their track record and stance on at least 10 major environmental issues.
“Si Roxas, definitely pangit na ang record sa amin. His pronouncements so far has no critique of the track of the current administration, which is not pro-environment,” he said, referring to Liberal Party standard bearer Manuel Araneta Roxas II.
United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) standard bearer Vice President Jejomar C. Binay, on the other hand, appears to be promising and even vowed to support large-scale miners, which the environmental groups say would lead to massive destruction of ecosystems, Bautista said.
Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, on the other hand, has a good policy when it comes to mining, Bautista said, but added that the tough-talking mayor is pro-coal-fired power plants.
On Tuesday along with other environmental groups, Kalikasan-PNE launched the “Green Vote Campaign 2016,” which aims to scrutinize the current crop of electoral candidates from the presidential to the senatorial levels.
Bautista said they will conduct a background research on the track records and enjoin candidates to take a survey.
“We want to know who among the candidates have proenvironment platforms. We want to know their position on critical environmental issues,” Bautista added.
The 10 major environmental concerns that they will challenge candidates to take on as their platforms are big mining; large-scale logging; solid waste and air pollution; free trade and transboundary waste; GMO crops; land-use conversion, such as reclamation projects and plantations; climate change and extreme weather events; coal and other destructive energy; rights of environmental defenders; and corruption in environmental governance.
Bautista said they will also shame candidates who continue to harm the environment even during the campaign, such as the excessive use of plastic campaign paraphernalia; nailing posters on trees; and receiving campaign funds from environmentally pollutive and destructive corporations.
Aside from Kalikasan-PNE, the Green Vote 2016 Campaign was initiated by the Agham—Advocates of Science & Technology for the People—party-list group, Agham Youth, Ban Toxics, Center for Environmental Concerns—Philippines, Defend Ilocos, Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap, Kalikasan-PNE, Kalikasan Youth, Katribu, Kilusang Mayo Uno, PoliSEA, Protect Sierra Madre, Religious of the Good Shepherd-JPIC, Save Freedom Island Movement, University of the Philippines Saribuhay and 350.org Pilipinas.