“Governance and the Environment”

Kamayan’s 35th anniversary session focuses on environmental stances of 2025 midterm election candidates

For the 35th anniversary of Kamayan Para Sa Kalikasan, Green Convergence held its March 2025 forum titled “Governance and the Environment” on Friday, March 21, via Zoom and Facebook livestream, highlighting the relevance of environmental issues in choosing who to vote for in the coming 2025 Philippine midterm elections.

Green Convergence President Victoria Segovia started the forum with her opening remarks, emphasizing the importance of the “green vote” upon observance of ‘involvement of political powers in destructive and extractive industries that enrich themselves and their allies only.’

In commemoration of Kamayan’s 35-year journey, long-time moderator Marie Marciano led the video tribute for the founding fathers—Vic Milan, Ding Reyes, and Vicvic Villavicencio—who started Kamayan out of the need to mainstream environmental issues to the public.

Green Convergence also gave tribute to former environment and natural resources secretary, the late Gina Lopez, as a “woman leader for the environment” during the forum, in observance of March as International Women’s Month.

Panel discussion

The forum’s highlight was the panel discussion amongst three all-women senatorial candidates, namely, former Commission on Audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza, Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) party list Rep. France Castro, and House of Representatives candidate under the Mamamayang Liberal (ML) party list former senator Leila de Lima. 

Mendoza’s representative was lawyer and journalist Joseph Peter Calleja while Castro was represented by Joyce Caubat, the ninth nominee of the ACT party list. De Lima joined the discussion via a pre-recorded video presentation.

On environmental plans

Calleja emphasized that climate justice is social justice: “It’s not too late to reverse the damage but it requires all of us to take the bold and unified action to vote for candidates that are pro-environment.” 

On the other hand, Caubat discussed the impacts of climate change on the education sector and presented ACT party list’s solutions, such as the release of the Maintenance and Other Operating Expenses funds for emergency cooling measures of schools, increase in the 2026 budget for school infrastructure, and implementation of heat emergency protocols in all educational institutions.

Meanwhile, De Lima acknowledged the important role of women with regard to environment and governance and further assured that the ML party list stands in solidarity with the small fishermen in opposing the recent decision of the Supreme Court to allow commercial fishing.

On issues of large-scale mining and use of nuclear power

Over the years, the ML party list candidates have continued to propose bills to solve the issues on large-scale mining and the use of nuclear power such as the Senate Bill 38 instituting a land use policy and the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.

Tackling the same issues, Calleja emphasized the need for a law that protects not just the environment but also the people, while Caubat mentioned the need for environmental impact assessments and funding for environmentally positive projects.

On the controversial anti-terror law

When asked about the killings of women environmental human rights defenders, Calleja stood his ground on due process while Caubat shared their party list’s initiative to sign an anti-redtagging bill along with other organizations. 

De Lima also promised in her pre-recorded video to propose a bill that will address the issue on the protection and safety of the environmental defenders in the country.

On the production of GMOs 

On the “disconnect of the organic agriculture act and fisheries modernization act,” Calleja mentioned that it is one of Mendoza’s plans to augment the budget for research as GMOs’ potential harm to human health, biodiversity, and environment is an important issue that needs to be studied.

Caubat, on the other hand, amplified a pro-people stance given that farmers raise concerns on the impacts of GMOs on crop production: “Yes, it’s technological advancement … but it could also lead to increase in corporate control over agriculture, undermining traditional farming practices and food sovereignty.” 

Initiatives presented in Luntian de Avance

The second part of the forum gathered environmental organizations to tackle the people’s environmental agenda and track record assessments of senatorial candidates.

Panatang Luntian Coordinator Niña Fegi discussed the 11-point people’s environmental agenda, which addressed issues on destructive infrastructure projects, protection of environmental defenders, conservation of biodiversity and natural resources, waste management, equitable local food production, and many more.

In line with this, Center for Environmental Concerns researcher Kevin Cordoviz discussed a fact-based assessment of senatorial candidates titled “Envibe Check” which categorized the “greenest candidates” and the “dirtiest candidates.”

Among the greenest candidates were Ronnel Arambulo, France Castro, Ka Leody de Guzman, Liza Maza, Danilo Ramos, Arlene Brosas, Jerome Adonis, Roberto Ballon, Roy Cabonegro, Teodoro Casiño, Luke Espiritu, and Amirah Lidasan. On the other hand, the dirtiest candidates were Ariel Querubin, Bong Revilla, Allen Capuyan, Rodante Marcoleta, Eric Martinez, Apollo Quiboloy, Bato Dela Rosa, Arnel Escobal, Bong Go, Raul Lambino, Jimmy Bondoc, and Panfilo Lacson.

Among the themes, food, energy, and climate have the highest affirmative engagements, mostly observed from the greenest candidates, while environmental defenders and civic spaces have the highest negative engagements, mostly observed from the dirtiest candidates.

Green Convergence Vice President and Miriam College Environmental Studies Institute Executive Director Sr. Marvie Misolas ended the forum by reminding everyone their most important task: choosing leaders with an ecological lens. 

The next Kamayan forum was announced to be on April 25, contrary to the usual third Friday schedule, in respect to the Good Friday.

Kamayan Para Sa Kalikasan is a monthly initiative organized by Green Convergence Philippines that enables non-government organizations (NGOs) and government representatives, the media, students, teachers, church groups, and concerned citizens to discuss, analyze, and create solutions to pressing environmental issues in the country.