Environment coalition names 10 ‘green’ candidates

MANILA, Philippines — A coalition of environment groups released on Earth Day the results of its scorecard that identified 10 “green” candidates in the May elections. 

According to the Green Thumb Coalition, the “green” candidates are the following:

Presidential aspirants

• Vice President Leni Robredo
• Labor leader Leody de Guzman

Vice presidential bet

• Sen. Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan

Senatorial candidates

• Teddy Baguilat
• Neri Colmenares
• David D’Angelo
• Leila de Lima
• Chel Diokno
• Luke Espiritu
• Risa Hontiveros

The green scorecard based its results on the responses of top candidates running for national positions to the questionnaire they received that focused on climate justice, sustainable agriculture, waste management, mining extractives and mineral resource management, biodiversity preservation and ecosystem integrity, energy transformation and democracy, natural resources and land use management and governance, and people-centered sustainable development.

According to GTC, 15 candidates initially confirmed they would respond to the questionnaires. Only 10 submitted their answers.

“The participation of only a handful of national candidates in our survey speaks volumes as to why our environment is in the sorry state that it is in. Very few of them genuinely care for our environment,” said Paeng Lopez, co-convenor of GTC and program director of Health Care Without Harm.

“They offer themselves as leaders at this very crucial time of COVID-19 pandemic, climate crisis and continuing environmental degradation, yet they cannot even generously bare their positions on critical issues. Worse, it might indicate the absolute absence of environmental conservation and environmental justice in their campaign platforms,” Angelica Dacanay of Bantay Kita said.

Candidates were assessed through their response to the scorecard, academic credentials, track record, policy pronouncements, and linkages to major players.

The Philippines is one of the most vulnerable countries to the impacts of human-induced climate change.

The country’s rich biodiversity is also under threat due to deforestation, illicit wildlife trade, illegal fishing, and ecologically destructive projects.