With limited mass public transportation options during Metro Manila's shift to General Community Quarantine, many Filipino workers opted to use bicycles and scooters to reach their workplace. According to our bike traffic monitoring, the southbound lane of Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City was traveled on by 20 bikers per minute on June 1st, the first day of GCQ equivalent to 2,400 bikers in 2 hours. On June 2, the southbound lane served 16 bikers per minute or 1,920 bikers in 2 hours. During MECQ, the southbound lane served 14 bikers per minute on the average during the morning rush hour. These numbers cannot be ignored, and urgent solutions should be implemented with considerations on the following: 1. Safety of all road users: by having a dedicated, protected, and properly marked bike lanes, road accidents involving bikers can be mitigated. Bikers will have their own lane and would not have to pass in between cars, buses, and truck, and would prevent them from harming pedestrians on the side walks. It will be convenient, too, for other road users as it would initiate a mind shift of sharing the road with our bikers and respecting their rights to safely utilize public spaces. 2. Feasibility and sustainability of implementation: these needs are not temporary. Hence, solutions should also be permanent. Biking is now an integral part of our #BetterNormal lives, esp our workers. It should be taken as a good opportunity to promote alternatives to our inefficient mass public transportation by showing support and care to the bikers. Moving forward, bikers or biking lane should always be a part of city road planning and developments. These are needed most now more than ever. Thousand of bikers are vulnerable everyday, as long as no action is taken... The first two days of marshaling along Commonwealth Avenue showed that if you really want something to be done, you will make it happen, even if it means improvising equipment and dedicating your own time. What more with enough resources and manpower? So first things first, #ProtectedBikeLanes noooooooooow!!

In these trying times, recovery on a national scale should be our top priority. This includes everyones mental and physical capacity. We call on the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) and the PUP Administration to invoke an alternative education system that does not compromise quality and does not further create wider gap in achieving education for all.

Hon. Gov. Ramil L. Hernandez Provincial Governor Province of Laguna Dear Gov. Hernandez: Greetings of Health and Peace! This is to respectfully request to your good office, through the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist to formulate and issue a policy ordering all the Local Government Units (LGUs) of Laguna to prioritize purchase of crop and livestock produce from Lagunense Farmers, and incorporate these produce to local relief programs. As we all know, our local farmers are some of our most important frontliners amidst this COVID-19 pandemic; and among others, are very vulnerable in this trying times. Moreso, for the longest time, the sector of agriculture in the Philippines is 'crying' for concrete support and continuous improvement (modernization, human resource development, policy developments, etc.). I personally believe that the current administration is doing its very best to make Laguna farmers empowered, and to genuinely uplift themselves from impoverishment. Now, in this aggressive pandemic, our Lagunense brothers and sisters--the farmers need us more than ever. Honorable Governor, can we "utilize" of this crisis to show how we really care for our local agricultural sector, as well as our farmers? Let us formulate a mechanism to legally purchase their produce, help them sustain their livelihoods, and inspire them to continue their noble works, especially at present where we badly needed to ensure sustainable production of healthy, affordable and safe food. From my perspective, an Executive Order ordering all Laguna LGUs is a concrete stepping stone. If only your office can issue such order, it will now become a strong push factor for the province, alongside all the coordinating LGUs to once again support our local farmers. Through this, we can at least attempt to help lighten farmers entrepreneurial burden, and help in the distribution of food supply in the region. In addition, I strongly believe that the policy can even make way for Lagunenses households to maintain balanced diets, thus guarding each and everyone's nutrition. Finally, It is recognized that pursuing this mode of support for farmers is not the end-all and be-all of this pandemic. But then, as we advocate for better ecosystem in the local agricultural system, such petition will surely be of great help. I do hope that this petition will be heard. Above all, we must work hand in hand in proactively responding to this pandemic, and ensuring that no sector will be left behind. Thank you very much and more power! Respectfully yours, Justin Paolo Interno, a Lagunense and Licensed Agriculturist City of San Pedro, Laguna

GMA should act in consistent with its corporate values, one of which is integrity and transparency. By employing Bong Revilla to star in one of its shows, it is countering its own values and beliefs by allowing and making itself an accomplice in laundering the image of a thieving senator/actor. Moreover, the show in itself is an affront to the Filipino taxpayers. Associating Bong Revilla, a plunderer extraordinaire, with the Philippine Eagle, a critically endangered species, is against everything the Eagle represents: Bravery, Strength, and most importantly, INTEGRITY. Adding further insult, Bong Revilla depicting the role of a forest ranger - one of the most dangerous yet most honorable and selfless public servants in the Philippines. The plundered money can fund the forest rangers and other projects protecting our environment. Instead of being complicit to laundering the image of plundered, GMA Nertwork should help uphold the policy of the state to promote a high standard of ethics in public service, and uphold public interest over personal interest as stipulated under RA 6713 otherwise known as The Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees. The media is a powerful tool for accountability and should not be complicit in laundering a plunderer’s image. #ParaSaPilipino

[There's a new tourism attraction in Lila, Bohol that's harmful to the whale sharks.] We, a coalition composed of Bol-anon environmental advocates, multi-sectoral non-government and civil society organizations, faith-based groups and concerned citizens, would like to express our deep concern and strong opposition to the sanctioning of the opening and operation of the Taug whale shark tourism. Apart from its many apparent legal shortcomings, this venture at its current form is exploitative and unethical. It is incongruent with Bohol’s environmental policy of ensuring the sustainable utilization, management, protection, and conservation of its rich ridge-to-reef natural biodiversity – and as fully espoused by the current provincial administration’s intersectional key programs of: caring for the weak, Bohol cultural renaissance, tourism expansion, while ensuring adherence to environmental conservation and sustainability principles. THE ISSUE A new tourism attraction, the “Taug Whale Shark Watching and Snorkeling” in Barangay Taug in the municipality of Lila, Bohol, which has accordingly begun soft operations in late November or early December, is set to be launched in the third week of December 2019. As recounted by early guests, the operation collects an individual fee of P500 for locals and P1,000 for non-local tourists, and features watching, close interaction via snorkeling, and the feeding of the whale sharks (locally known as balilan). Actual photos and videos of these have been shared online by early tourists, a tour operator and individuals promoting the site. This offering is reportedly an initiative of a private investor with the support of the barangay, and possibly the partnership of the municipal government. It has been gathered that a Memorandum of Agreement is set to be signed by the Mayor, who has already been authorized by the Sangguniang Bayan (Municipal Council) with an approved resolution to enter into said contract with the project proponent. Pending formal inking of the agreement with the municipality, it would appear that its operation is still without proper local permits, not to mention, consideration of relevant marina regulations, tourism conventions, environmental and animal welfare laws affecting protected and endangered marine wildlife. Whale sharks (Rhincodon typus) are protected marine wildlife governed by local and international protection laws. They are listed in both the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna under Appendix II (CITES) and the Convention of Migratory Species (CMS) The Philippines, as a champion in whale shark conservation, has committed to ensuring responsible tourism practices that will benefit and not harm the species. Feeding of wildlife is strictly prohibited in well-managed protected areas. The practice of feeding whale sharks and its consequences should not be encouraged and replicated. In a country where rules and regulations are difficult to implement, we do not want Bohol to be another example of what not to do and what not to be. Section 11 of Republic Act 8550, otherwise known as the 1998 Philippine Fisheries Code underlined among others, the protection of rare, threatened and endangered species in Section 11. Section 56 of the same provision further spelled out the law for non-obstruction to defined migration paths of migratory species. While Section 105 provided for the penalties in violation thereof. As of 2016, whale sharks are an endangered species according to the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature). Republic Act 9147 furthermore provided for the conservation and protection of wildlife resources and their habitats. It sealed the responsibility of the local government unit and dedicated national agencies to implement and monitor related policies thereof. Whale sharks swim and move widely across the Philippine waters year-round, following seasonal food pulse, moving further across between the waters in the region, as documented in Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and allowing for further nutrient exchange. Restricting their movements by creating an “ecological trap” through artificial provisioning or the act of feeding and luring alters their ecological roles and ecological needs. Monitoring of whale sharks in Donsol, Sorsogon and Sulu Sea through satellite tagging also shows that whale sharks spend more time in deep waters, with one of the deepest dives at over 1,400m recorded in the Bohol Sea. If the whale sharks do not move to their deep habitats or the next feeding area, which will provide the necessary nutrition to grow and develop and/or could possibly be mating and pupping grounds, they may be unable to perform their ecological roles in these ecosystems. As an endangered species, whale sharks require all the opportunities for reproduction. Conditioning whale sharks to approach boats can also make them more susceptible to injuries and poaching. The whale sharks’ positive association with boats may cause negative impacts when they swim to other areas where there are no guidelines and trained personnel for the conduct and monitoring of human interactions, as has been reported in other countries. Globally, businesses such as AirBnB, Instagram, and TripAdvisor have developed policies and regulations on animal welfare. Bohol, a leading tourism destination in the Philippines, should be at the forefront of sustainability. The feeding of whale sharks will impact Bohol as a key tourism destination, as the global importance of ensuring animal welfare in tourism is taking the center stage. Bohol and, we, the Bol-anons, must remain true to and continually pursue our eco-cultural identity and ideals. The feeding of the whale sharks in Brgy. Taug, Lila, Bohol and the illegal operation of the whale shark interaction tourism must be immediately suspended. Let us let the whale sharks swim freely in Bohol and elsewhere.

This unsustainable practice has been going on for decades, unaddressed. Since 1950s, corporations have produced 800 billion tons of plastic waste. Only 9% of the world’s plastic gets recycled. The rest ends up in our dumpsites, landfills, water wastes and oceans. Continuing our dependence on it means wasting our lands to more dumpsites and landfills. To increase the recycling means building facilities for it. Recycling plastic not only requires large amounts of energy but also uses large quantities of water. Unfortunately, we do not have these facilities. We do not have these infrastructures in place to carry out this energy-intensive process to process a plastic waste we only used ONCE. Based on the data collected thru the brand audit headed by Waste 360, 30% of the wastes audited were plastic bags. A total of 4,703 pieces of plastic bags were audited. It is important to contextualize the scale each of corporations’ contribution with reference to plastic bags. On its own, plastic bags is 30% of all wastes. This can be addressed locally through implementing effective ordinances that ends the use of plastic bags in Tacloban City, and hopefully, the rest of the country. We stand for drastic reduction of plastic production. We are asking for these corporations to do the same and provide alternative delivery systems. The plastic pollution is not just a scrape, it is a poison that is slowly killing our home. We do not need a band aid; we need a cure. The ordinance banning the use of plastic bags and styrofoam on food products is the first step!

The coastline of Manila Bay stretches along Cavite, Parañaque, Pasay, Manila, Malabon, Navotas up to the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga and Bataan. It holds a prominent place in glorious stories of the past as it witnessed battles that changed the course of our history. Now, it is facing an environmental war against ecologically destructive dump-and-fill projects, also known as reclamation, which is described by United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization as “an irreversible form of environmental degradation.” Reclamation projects pose grave threats to our natural life support systems as these destroy our mangroves, seagrass beds, wetlands and other marine habitats which are sources of life to humans and non-humans alike. The sites of these projects are vulnerable to ground shaking and liquefaction that raise red flags to people’s safety when earthquake and flooding occur. Dumping and filling of critical marine support systems in Manila Bay are not only violating our environmental laws—these deprive our artisanal fisherfolk of their livelihood and sustenance. We enjoin you to strengthen our efforts to defend and protect our country's natural resources. Stop dump and fill projects that threaten life both in land and sea! Sign this petition and let our voices be heard. Stop reclamation! Save Manila Bay! #BuhayAngManilaBay #ManilaBayIsAlive #StopReclamation #SaveManilaBay

Our community deserves a healthy and peaceful environment. We do not want noise pollution, security and sanitation problems from the Cockpit Arena. Help us send this message to Mayor Wilfredo and hope for his positive response.

It is an insult when the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Jim Sampulna resorted to "legalize" the illegal structures inside the Northern Negros Natural Park (NNNP) when they have decided they can't do anything because the structures are already cemented. By allowing these illegal structures (resorts, businesses, and commercial establishments) to "legally" operate will only disrupt and destroy further the natural ecosystems and rich biodiversity of the protected area. Such a decision will only serve as a precedent for other environmental offenders to do the same in other parts of the country. If DENR were to be serious in their sworn oath to protect the rights of the people to a balanced and healthful ecology, they would stop the increasing illegal structures and penalize these environmental violators who have no location clearances nor business permits in the natural park. The Northern Negros Naturall Park is also home to endemic and endangered species of plants and animals. With the current onset of the Climate Crisis, let us not cause more harm to one of our natural solutions to this rapidly changing climate - our forests.

Our nature is important and it is our duty to protect our nature including our endagered species. While infrastructures can be a sign of development, these should be planned and designed carefully to avoid harming our beloved Mother Earth.

The massive pollution and environmental effects of plastics need to be addressed in ALL the local government units in the Philippines. With our population of over 100M, the everyday use of plastics and styrofoam have led to devastating effects as they accumulate, clog and choke our waterways, cause deadly floodings, kill our marine animals, and pollute our rivers, lakes and seas. Because of these negative effects, hundreds of measures around the world have been taken since 2002— the year when the first national ban on plastic bags was enacted in Bangladesh— to reduce or regulate their use. So many other cities in Metro Manila and towns across the Philippines have progressed towards this movement. However the City of Taguig, still has not done anything and it is already 2019. (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_lightweight_plastic_bags) To date, these are the Metro Manila cities with bans or restrictions on plastics: Muntinlupa (Jan. 1, 2011) Las Piñas (Jan. 2, 2012) Pasig (Jan. 1, 2012) Quezon City (Sept. 1, 2012, P2.00 per bag) Pasay (Sept. 1, 2012, Bags for a fee) Makati (June 30, 2013) (https://hubpages.com/politics/List-of-Philippine-Cities-Where-Plastic-Ban-is-Implemented) We call on Mayor Lino Cayetano to address this issue and finally bring Taguig at par with all the other cities and towns that have implemented banning plastics, to play its role in protecting the environment by banning single-use plastics and styrofoam.

Election season can be one of the dirtiest season in the Philippines. Alongside with the dirty politics play and toxicity of people around, it is most especially the dirties for the environment. But this time, we won't let candidates / party-lists get away with them! 1. The campaign materials used, if not all, are mostly plastic-made. If properly disposed and collected, it will end up as waste in landfills (still not totally a good news), and if not, it will end up in other areas which will harm wildlife, marine and terrestrial ecosystems and even clog sewage systems, among others. However, there is another path for these wastes... Should there be groups or individuals that could turn these wastes into useful things, candidates and party-lists must deliver it to them. 2. Undeniably, there are much more campaign materials on public spaces than the assigned posting areas -- Public spaces such as community parks, empty houses and lots, electricity posts, (and even electric wires!) etc. Cleaning it up entails additional work load for our local communities, and a mountain top of wastes! It is not their job to clean up your wastes! 3. Every Filipino has the equal right to a pleasant, healthy, and safe surrounding and living space. And this does not include sight of candidate's face and name at every street! (With the threat of causing floods and what not..) Again, It should not be our responsibility to clean up their campaign materials! It should be theirs! In simplest words, "Mukha Mo, Linis Mo!" #MukhaMoLinisMo