๐๐ง๐ ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐ข๐ก๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐๐น๐ ๐ฎ๐ฐ, ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ฎ๐ญ
๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐ก๐ฎ๐๐๐ฟ๐ฒ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ป๐๐ถ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ป๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐, ๐ง๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ถ๐๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฒ๐ป๐ง๐ต๐๐บ๐ฏ ๐๐ผ๐ฎ๐น๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ผ๐ป ๐ฆ๐๐ฎ๐๐ฒ๐บ๐ฒ๐ป๐ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ฃ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฐ๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐๐๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ
As Duterte gives his final SONA on July 26, 2021, the environmental movement is enraged with his performance on protecting the environment and ensuring a safe and sound ecology for Filipinos.
Green Thumb Coalition (GTC) is revolted that Duterte has betrayed nature and betrayed the Filipino people, especially in relation to handling this pandemic. Claiming to be a green President during the campaign in 2016, his promises on regulating mining, land use, and protecting the rivers and forests have not been achieved. Promises that would have lessened the impacts of COVID19 to the rural poor and indigenous peoples, if they were delivered.
The annual Green Scorecard of GTC since 2017 has recorded a consistent deterioration of the governmentโs performance on the nine thematic areas of the Green Agenda. The Duterte regime gets a failing grade in all thematic areas for i) failing to properly implement our environmental laws, ii) regulate the industry to reduce environmental impacts (e.g. mining, plantations, dams, and reclamation projects), iii) push for the enactment in Congress of the Green Bills on mining, land-use, forestry, and indigenous conserved areas, and iv) prepare the country for the impacts of climate change and disasters.
Green groups are also sickened by the continuing harassment and killings of environmental defenders, particularly women and indigenous peoples. In 2020, the Philippines remain to be one of the most dangerous countries for environmental activists who face harassment, threats, and even murder for standing up for their rights to land, livelihoods, and culture.
Adding insult to injury, Duterte has totally reversed the gains and victories against irresponsible and destructive mining, with the issuance of EO 130, or the responsible mining policy of this administration. This after he reversed the mining suspension and closure orders by former DENR Sec. Gina Lopez.
Duterte greenwashed himself during the campaign and in the early years of his administration. But his hands remained bloodstained red with the killings of his various so-called wars against drugs, against poverty, and against the pandemic. It seems that he didnโt win in any of these.
To the dismal failure of the Duterte regime in protecting and promoting environmental protection, green groups say goodbye and good riddance to the Duterte regime.
We have learned the bitter lessons from the pandemic and the wrong choices we made in selecting incompetent and corrupt leaders. We will make sure that we wonโt make the same mistakes. We will inform and mobilize our communities and reach out to the general public especially the youth, to use their votes wisely in the 2022 elections.
We will work to prevent the continuation of a disastrous regime to lead the country. #
For details, pls. contact: Jaybee Garganera, GTC Co-Convenor โ (+63917) 5498218 / nc@alyansatigilmina.net
