Environmental advocates convened for a press conference to call for the stop of the return of environmental monsters in the Philippines.
Environmental Coalition Green Convergence held another installment of the monthly Kamayan Para sa Kalikasan Forum on August 17, 2018 (Friday) at Max’s Restaurant, Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City.
As a prelude to the upcoming annual Green SONA (State of Nature Assessment) held in Baguio City on August 20 with the theme “Environmental Monsters are Back! Superheroes Needed!” the forum speakers sounded an alarm over the return of “monsters” in the country after they had been effectively neutralized in the past — specifically nuclear power, incineration, genetically modified organisms (GMOs), large-scale mining and giant dams, which pose serious threats to public health and safety, as well as to our environment and ecology.
The official poster for the press conference
“Generations ofenvironmentalists have fought against these dangerous technologies since the 70s,” said Dr. Angelina Galang, President of Green Convergence. She went on to enumerate their hard-earned victories: “Incineration of municipal waste has been legally thwarted, the Bataan nuclear power plant has been mothballed, commercialization of genetically modified eggplant has been stopped, the Chico dam was not continued, the Kaliwa dam did not materialize, and large-scale mining has been effectively pushed back through non-issuance of permits by previous and present administrations.”
Other speakers Aileen Lucero of EcoWaste Coalition, Conrad Vargas of Save Sierra Madre Network and Jaybee Garganera of Alyansa Tigil Mina took turns recalling the long battles green groups waged and won against harmful technologies. However, they expressed grave concern over new calls to lift the ban on incineration as stipulated by RA 9003, the push for approval of genetically modified Golden Rice, the discussions with Russians and Koreans for the construction of a nuclear power plant, and the return of the Kaliwa Dam on the drawing board, signaling new battles that have to be fought against their return.
Now on its 29th year, Kamayan Para sa Kalikasan Forum has become an institutionalized platform since March 1990 that enables NGO and government representatives, the media, students, teachers, church groups, and concerned citizens to discuss pressing environmental issues in the country. The forum is currently also supported by the Forest Foundation Philippines.