Environmental Champion

ENVIRONMENTAL CHAMPION

By Anton Antonio

August 16, 2015

In the last few days, I have been publishing on my blogsite and posting on my Facebook page a series of articles on the perceived presidential and vice-presidential aspirants in the general elections schedule on May 9, 2016.  These are declared and/or perceived presidential candidates Vice President Jojo Binay, Secretary Mar Roxas, Senator Grace Poe, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Senator Bongbong Marcos; and perceived vice presidential aspirants Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, Senator Chiz Escudero, Representative Leni Robredo and Senator Sonny Trillanes.  (To read these articles, please check on these links: http://antonantonio.blogspot.com/ and https://www.facebook.com/antonio.c.antonio.)

In this series of articles, I researched on the qualification and governance competencies of these perceived candidates.  Unfortunately, I could not find a clear and strong pronouncement or advocacy from them with regards to the environment.  Perhaps there is one, but it is not highlighted enough for people to become aware of it.  I should say, however, that all of them have made very strong pitches when it comes to socio-political and economic issues and are building their respective platforms of government around these concerns.  Sadly, on environmental issues, matters and concerns, they all do not quite make the grade (yet).  Perhaps, their advisers and consultants think that environmental matters are not popular anyway… so why bother making public statements about it.

These advisers and consultants, and perhaps the declared and/or perceived candidates themselves, are dead wrong about this.  If they are thinking that environmental issues don’t matter, they should start reviewing their history.  In the post-EDSA Revolution elections up to 2013, global warming and climate change were not part of the Filipino consciousness.  Today, however, after surviving Typhoon Yolanda and other stronger-than-usual tropical typhoons, the frequent flooding and landslides, the unbearably hot summer, and other climate change-related phenomena and indicators, the Filipino now has a higher level of awareness on the impacts of climate change on their lives.  Although the candidates’ economic reform agenda is still the primary interest of the Philippine electorate, we could safely say that we would also like to hear about any candidate’s stance when it comes to the environment.

As of today, none of the eight perceived presidential and vice presidential aspirants have made a definitive position when it comes to the environment.  Are they no better than Donald Trump, a presidential candidate in the United States, who thinks climate change does not exist?  Who among them could be our environmental champion?

Thoughts to promote positive action…

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