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!

Pagbati mula sa Candelaria, Zambales. Ang Candelaria, Zambales ay isang maliit at tahimik na bayan sa hilagang Zambales. Nang mga nakaraang taon ay nababasag ang katahimikan at kapayapaan sa aming lugar dahil sa pagmimina sa aming kabundukan. Sa karatig bayan ng Sta Cruz kasi ay may apat na malalaking minahan ng nickel, at ang mga latak mula sa mga minahang ito ay umaagos at sumisira sa aming mga ilog, dagat at mga palayan. Pinasara ang mga minahang ito noong 2016 ng DENR sa pangununa ni Gina Lopez dahil sa mga pagsira sa kalikasan (gaya ng pagputol ng mga puno at paninira sa watersheds at walang mga safety measures kaya umaagos ang mga latak sa ilog) ngunit isa-isa silang nakabalik sa operasyong taong 2018-2019. Ngayon po ay higit kaming nangangamba sa Candelaria dahil sa panukalang pagbukas ng minahan at planta ng WestChinamin sa aming bayan. Ang WestChinamin ay may dalawang panukala: una ay magmina ng 3,500,000,000 kilo ng lupa kada taon mula sa aming kabundukan at ikalawa ay magtayo ng planta ng Ferro Nickel na mag proproseso ng mga mininang ore sa Candelaria, Zambales. Karamihan sa mga mamamayan ng Candelaria ay tutol sa panukalang ito ng WestChinamin sa kadahilanang ayaw namin masira ang aming kapaligiran. Ang pangunahing hanapbuhay sa aming bayan ay agrikultura kaya mapeperwisyo ang kabuhayan ng marami kapag natuloy ang panukalang mina at planta ng WestChinamin. Sa katunayan noon Oktubre 2018 ay nagpasa ng resolusyon ang Sanggunian Bayan ng Candelaria na gawing mining free ang Candelaria at ipabasura ang panukala ng WestChinamin na magtayo ng Ferro Nickel Plant. Maliban sa ordinansa, ang mga mamamayan mismo ay lumalagda sa mga petition papers na tumatanggi sa pagmimina sa aming lugar at sa pagtatayo ng planta. Malinaw na ayaw ng nakararami sa Candelaria ang pagmimina sa aming lugar. Sa kasamaang palad, ngayong taon ng 2019, ay muli na namang binubuhay ang panukalang ito. Hindi po kami pumapayag na itayo ang Ferro Nickel Plant. Gagamit sila ng strip contour mining sa pagmimina. Puputulin ang mga puno sa kagubatan upang mahukay at matuklap sa pagmimina ang lupa at aagos ang mga putik sa mga palayan at kabahayan. Mawawalan ang mga magsasaka ng kabuhayan dahil kapag wala nang puno ay mawawala ang tubig, at pwede ring matabunan ng putik mula sa mga minahan ang mga palayan. Magkakaroon ng baha at magiging maalikabok ang paligid. Aagos din ang putik sa dagat at lalayo ang mga isda, mawawalan ng kabuhayan ang mga mangingisda. Ang mga kemikal na gagamitin ng planta gaya ng coal at sulphuric acid ay aagos at magiging sanhi ng pagkasira ng mga ilog at tubig-inumin. Maraming isda at maiilap na hayop ang mawawalan ng tirahan. Mawawalan ng malinis na tubig pang-inom at magkakasakit ang mga tao mula sa mga kemikal. Lumalapit po kami sa inyong tanggapan upang idaing ang mga sumusunod: 1) Mapilit po ang WestChinamin na magmina at itayo ang kanilang Ferro Nickel Plant sa Candelaria. Nagpameeting po ang WestChinamin kasama ang Mayor at mga miyembro ng sangguniang bayang sa bawat barangay ng Candelaria mula noon Okt 9-18 upang ipapanood sa mga mamamayan ang video tungkol sa mina at nagsalita ang mga managers ng WestChinamin. Si Mayor din po ay nagsalita at sinabing mahusay ang plantang ito. Wala pong open forum at di pinayagan ang mga mamamayan na magtanong sa mga taga WestChinamin at sa mga namumuno ng bayan. Sa pagkakaalam po namin ay bawal ito, ang may panukala ng proyekto ang dapat tumatawag ng meeting at hindi dapat i-endorso ng mga nasa gobyerno ang isang proyekto bago pa ito makakuha ng mga permit mula sa DENR. 2) Bago at habang nagpapameeting sa mga barangay ang WesChinamin ay namigay sila sa mga dumalo ng limang kilong bigas, asukal at kape, at iba pang regalo. May pa –raffle pa sila upang mas marami ang dumalo sa kanilang mga pa-meeting. Pinasulat ang pangalan at pinapirma ang mga mamamayan kapalit ng bigas at raffle ticket. Ngayon po ay pinangangambahan ng mga mamamayan na ang pagpirma nila sa attendance sheet ng meeting ay gagamitin ng WestChinamin na pruweba na sang-ayon ang mga mamamayan ng Candelaria sa panukala nila. Isa itong malinaw na panlilinlang sa mga tao. 3) Pinipilit po ng WestChinamin at ng Sangguniang Bayan ang mga Sangguniang Barangay na magpasa ng resolusyon upang iendorso ang proyekto ng WestChinamin. May mga usap-usapang tinakot, pinagbantaan at sinusuhulan ang mga miyembro ng mga Sangguniang Barangay upang i-endorso ang proyekto. 4) May mga konstruksyon na ng mga gusali sa Barangay Taposo, at mga daan sa barangay Sinabacan at Uacon patungong Taposo na gagamitin ng planta sa transportasyon ng kanilang ore. May mga daang tubig ng irigasyon at batis ang kanilang tinabunan upang magawa ang mga daan. Paglabag po ito dahil wala pa pong permit ang planta at sinira nila ang daluyang tubig ng mga sakahan upang itayo ang mga gusali at daan. 5) May illegal mining na nagaganap sa Barangay Uacon, malapit sa Duplac. Matagal na po itong naipag-bigay alam sa DENR at inaantabayanan namin ang resulta ng inyong imbestigasyon. Sana po at samahan ninyo kami sa aming kampanya. Umaasa po kami sa mabilis na aksyon ng mga kinauukulan upang hindi mabigyan ng permit ang Ferro Nickel Plant at tuluyan nang isara ang mga minahan sa Zambales. Follow us on our facebook pages: https://www.facebook.com/Uacon-Mining-Operation-1203562866328111/ https://www.facebook.com/SaveUaconLakeAndMalabonRiver/ #SaveCandelaria #FerroNickelPlant #AntiMining #AntiFNP #NoToFerroNickelPlant

Ang isang poultry farm na itinayo malapit sa residential area ay isang malaking banta sa kalusugan ng mamamayan. Iba’t ibang sakit ang maaring idulot nito sa pamamagitan ng mga langaw at iba pang peste na tiyak mag-mumula sa dumi ng mga manok. Ikakalat ng mga langaw ang mga bacteria mula sa poultry at sa iba’t iba pang lugar na pamumugaran nito. Ayon sa mga Residente ng Brgy. Tumalim at Mataas Na Pulo, ang pag-tatayo ng poultry sa Sitio Pari Brgy. Tumalim Nasugbu Batangas ay hindi dumaan sa isang public consultation o hearing. Karamihan sa kanila ay kamakailan lamang napag-alaman na tuloy ang proyekto at hindi man lamang nabigyan ng pagkakataon na ipahayag ang kanilang mga saloobin o pagtingin sa nasabing proyekto. Ito’y lantarang paglabag sa Local Government Code na nagsasaad na walang proyektong maaaring magpatuloy ng hindi dumadaan sa tamang proseso na bukas na pagdinig at hindi inaprubahan ng nakararaming mamamayan. Walang maipakitang Environmental Compliance Certificate ang NSPFI gayon ay walang katibayan mula sa Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) na ang nasabing proyekto ay hindi lalabag sa mga batas na nangangalaga sa kalikasan at kapaligiran. Walang saysay ang paglago ng ating ekonomiya at pag-pasok ng ilang oportunidad gaya ng sa trabaho at extra income ng Barangay kung ang magiging kapalit nito ay ang peligro sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayan gayun alam natin na di-pribilehiyo pa din ang makapag-pagamot at magamot sa tuwing tayo’y nagkakasakit. Ang ganitong klase ng negosyo ay may direktang partisipasyon sa patuloy na pag-init ng ating mundo o “Climate Crisis” dahil ito ay isang malinaw na massive production na walang kontrol sa paglikha ng produkto. Ang kumpanya na gaya ng “NEW STAR POULTRY FARM INC. (NSPFIN) ay lilikha ng produkto na hindi naka-base sa pangangailang ng tao, kung di sa halip ay naka-base ito para sa higit na pag-tutubuan lamang. Hindi magkakaroon ng kapayapaan hanggat ang mga negosyo na katulad nito ay may malaking tangka sa kalusugan ng mga mamamayan at tangka sa pagkasira ng ating kalikasan. Ang pagkakaroon ng isang mapayapa, ligtas at malinis na komunidad ay isang malinaw nating KARAPATAN.

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.

Last September, one mahogany and four narra trees in Capitol Site, Cebu were reported cut by personnel from the Department of Public Works and Highways. By the month of October, six trees including an Acacia were cut in Barangay Inoburan. There are still remaining trees that were pending to be cut in Naga City though there is still no exact date as to when this will be completed. This project is in support to government-initiated road widening and also claims that people will benefit more by keeping them safe because it is feared that some of the old trees may fall or becomes a hazard in times of strong typhoons. This statement however runs contrary and ironically with the current worldwide efforts to combat global warming and other environmental concerns. “With the ongoing wholesale removal of this special class of trees, the constitutional and statutory right of the inhabitants of the cities of Cebu, Talisay, Naga and Carcar in the island of Cebu and the inhabitants of all other cities and towns similarly situated in the Philippines are imminently and gravely threatened,” Environmental lawyer Benjamin Cabrido wrote on his petition, which as of this writing, is still waiting to be granted. Our planet is now on a Climate Crisis. Millions of people around the world are suffering because of climate change's impact. Ice are melting, sea levels are rising, forests are on fire, and weather's on extremes. We need to seize the day and take action while we can. You can be part of the solution. Please sign and help spread this petition. (photo credits to Delta Letigio)

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.

On July-August 2019, a Notice for Application of Exploration, from EPHESUS MINERALS CORPORATION was received by different towns in Camarines Norte (Paracale, Vinzons, Talisay, Daet). While the Provincial and Local Government Units involved have expressed their strong opposition to this project in writing, I feel it is important to put into a law, resolution, or mandate that will ensure that the said project will not take place now or in the future. 1. Environmental Exploitation in the form of exploration and Blacksand sand mining will affect our 15 hectare marine reserve where fish sanctuary is located. 2. It will destroy the reef that produce waves to our surfers making Bagasbas Beach a premier Surfing Destination not only in the Philippines but in the world. 3. It will destroy the reed that serves as barrier to prevent the higher ground from falling into the deep of the intercontinental shelf. 3. When it happens, coastal erosion will be evident in the coastline, intrusion of saline water into farmland takes place hence farmers will be affected. 4. The most dramatic event that will happen is that due to coastal erosion, 5 thousand plus population of Brgy Bagasbas is at risk, 3 thousand plus population of Sitio Mandulungan is at risk, 252 registered fisherfolks will lost their livelihood, Quinamanokan Island will be no longer in the map. 5. 104k Plus population in Daet that depends on fishing and its products will be indirectly affected.

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.

HEALTH & NUTRITION: Our country is confronted with a double burden case of malnutrition: children are underweight, while adults are obese or overweight. This is associated with the increasing intake of fats, oils, sugars, syrups, and processed food; and decline in consumption of fruits and vegetables. ( https://www.rappler.com/move-ph/issues/hunger/84126-double-burden-malnutrition-obesity-urbanization ) LIVELIHOOD & CLIMATE EMERGENCY: On top of that our country is also regularly plagued with intense storms and drought that affects our farmers and disrupts our food system. Did you know that livestock contributes as much to climate change as all cars, trucks, planes, trains, and ships in the world combined? That's 14% of all greenhouse gases! ( https://business.inquirer.net/262567/neda-ph-agriculture-losses-growing-due-to-climate-change | https://www.sunstar.com.ph/article/426910)

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.

Palawan is an island that has prided itself in being the "World's Best Island", home of the UNESCO heritage sites: Tubbataha Reefs and the Puerto Princesa Subterranean National Park, not to mention its other local human and wildlife inhabitants that have benefited from the clean air, water and land from it being coal-free. Back in 2014, former president Aquino said that Palawan needs adequate energy to cater to the 10 million tourists projected for 2016. “A lot of these tourists will be going to Palawan. I am sure you are aware of all the developments that are happening here plus iyong airport, i-u-upgrade din natin. And all of that plus the upstream and downstream industries will need power. And if it’s not available, then practically we are saying, parang wala na rin iyong tourism na big industry dito or iyong growth, or projected growth." (see https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/606179/aquino-not-keen-on-coal-free-palawan) But growth at what expense? Would locals not prefer a future of clean air, clean water, clean land and thriving wildlife over throngs of tourists promising "growth and development"? And what then would tourists actually keep coming for if the island's health is compromised with an unsustainable coal plant and other unsustainable infrastructure built with a short-sighted goal in mind? But civil society movements and some LGUs have shown that we can resist this from happening. They realize that there's so much at stake, and so much we need to protect. (see https://businessmirror.com.ph/2018/08/05/lgus-going-green-rejecting-coal-projects/) Atty. Grizelda Mayo-Anda, who is one of the lead convenors of the civil society group Save Palawan Movement (SPM) said: “Kapag natayo ‘yan, magsisisihan na tayo sa impact. Ang hirap na nyan matanggal once that is set up. The basis that it is of national significance, with all due respect, is not sound because all they have to do is to look at the Palawan Island Power Development Plan (PIPDP). Coal is not a least cost option. Ang least cost option doon ay combination of mini hydro with diesel and bunker. We have enough power supply”. (see https://palawan-news.com/denr-gives-go-ahead-to-palawan-coal-plant/) Furthermore, the civil society group in Palawan, among others who oppose the building of new coal plants, has claimed that, apart from negating any advances we make in addressing climate change, coal power projects are dangerous to human health as it releases a number of airborne toxins and pollutants, among them mercury, lead, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and other particulates.