20 April 2010

'Elect green officials'- groups urged through art and music parade

'Vote for the environment, vote for the people' was the rallying call that green and sectoral groups aimed to deliver through artistic and creative means in the Earth Day Parade held at Quezon City Circle Park Memorial Shrine this morning.

Environmental groups, Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) and Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines, EnviVote Alliance with Philippine Legislators' Committee on Population and Development (PLCPD) and other sectoral groups collaborated with visual and music groups to produce this activity as part of the weeklong Earth Day Celebration.

"The parade aims to maximize every possible medium to enjoin voters to be critical and smart in choosing their leaders. It is very crucial to elect officials that genuinely represent the interest of our environment and our people, unlike those currently seated in Malacanang whose policies have costed our people and the future generations," said Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of Kalikasan PNE and convenor of Envivote Alliance.

20 April 2010

Environmental watchdogs give pointers on how to identify green candidates

As we celebrate Earth Day 2010, let us remember that our state of environment is so intricately bound with the political and economic aspects of our society. This proposition is crucial as we unravel the reason why in spite of our country's rich natural resources, we have remained underdeveloped, people sinking deeper in poverty and has become more vulnerable to the backlash of a destroyed environment.

Much of our environmental problems stem largely from neoliberal economic policies of the government. These national polices and practices that undermine our national patrimony and genuine development can be reversed if we institute officials this 2010 National Elections who genuinely has the interest of the people and environment to heart.

To aid the voters in being critical and in choosing true environment-friendly, progressive and patriotic leaders Envi Vote 2010 Alliance, an environmental coalition pushing for ecological reforms in the coming elections, have set up pointers and suggestions to gauge if the electoral candidates are up to the task of protecting and rehabilitating our environment after they have sworn into office.

19 April 2010

Groups revealed Arroyo's top environmental crimes,bestowed ‘kalabasa ecology award' for dismal performance

At the start of week-long Earth Day activities, environmental activists and indigenous people dubbed Gloria Macapagal Arroyo as the most anti-environment and anti-people president ever as revealed by the group's study of Arroyo's nine-year track record. With this, groups headed by Kalikasan People's Network for the Environment presented Mrs. Arroyo with a fitting ‘Kalabasa Ecology Award' and warned future leaders not to heed her foots.

"Degraded environment and natural disasters are the worst legacy of this administration. President Arroyo implemented policies that opened up our forests, mountains and seas for foreign and private corporations for the reckless extraction and plunder of our mineral, timber, oil and marine resources. These policies have brought so much environmental devastation," said Clemente Bautista, national coordinator of green activist group Kalikasan PNE.

The fact that the people are poor and inequality between the upper and lower classes have widened is indicative of Arroyo's misappropriation and mismanagement of the country's natural resources according to the group. Arroyo is an epic failure in serving and protecting the Filipino people and have demonstrated utter disregard for basic human rights such as the right to life, health, and balanced ecology.

17 April 2010

Arroyo's baffling environmental award

Recently the International Caucus on Conservation Foundation (ICCF) gave an environmental award to President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo for her dubious conservation effort on the marine biodiversity of Coral Triangle. But behind this baffling recognition is the continuing massive degradation of Philippine marine biodiversity and the fast depletion of our marine resources.

While the Philippines is regarded as the center of marine biodiversity in the world, only 5% of our coral reef remains in excellent condition. Even government records show a fast declining marine productivity and depletion of marine resources. In fact, all of the fishing areas in the Philippines are included in the ban on tuna fishing in the Pacific. Overfishing by both big private and foreign commercial fishers has been the culprit for the depletion of our tuna resources.

In spite of these, the Arroyo government continues to put in great peril our marine biodiversity and resource through policies and programs like Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) and free-for all issuance petroleum service-contract. These policies have assured the continuing and unabated extraction of our marine resources and control of our patrimony by foreign and private corporations.