Green activists give Nicky Perlas "greenest" mark for platform on clean water

Press Release
Green Groups Rank Presidential Candidates’ Platforms on Clean Water

22 March 2010, Quezon City.  To mark World Water Day, the
environmental advocacy groups EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace today
disclosed their ranking of the presidential candidates’ platforms on
clean water grading them 0 to 10, with 10 being the “greenest.”
Activists with nine empty pails of various sizes representing the
scores of the candidates lined up ala “pila-balde” before a
traditional water pump.

Environmentalist Nicky Perlas garnered the “greenest” mark with 8.7
points, while  independent candidate Sen. Jamby Madrigal landed second
with 7.8 points and  Bagumbayan standard-bearer Sen. Dick Gordon
finished third with 7.2 points.

The three candidates obtained the highest marks among the respondents
for their clear, comprehensive and progressive positions and plans on
protecting the country’s water resources.

Bangon Pilipinas aspirant Bro. Eddie Villanueva scored 4.8 points,
Liberal frontrunner Sen. Noynoy Aquino and Nacionalista contender Sen.
Manny Villar both took 3.6 points, and Ang Kapatiran bet Olongapo
Councilor JC de los Reyes got 2.7 points.

Former Pres. Erap Estrada of Partido ng Masang Pilipino and ex-Defense
Sec. Gibo Teodoro of Lakas-Kampi-CMD automatically got zero points for
not responding to the survey.

“This is the first in a series of ‘green’ rankings that we will
release to inform the voters how those aspiring to lead our nation
intend to tackle the country’s environmental woes such as the
declining quality and quantity of our freshwater sources due to the
continued generation and discharge of pollutants from household,
agricultural and industrial sources,” said Manny Calonzo of the
EcoWaste Coalition.

The panel of non-partisan evaluators noted that on the issue of water,
many of the candidates focused on enforcement as key to addressing
water pollution.

“This lack of imagination and focus on enforcement alone will not give
the Filipino people clean water. We need front end solutions like
better watershed management as well as a shift from dirty production
to Zero Discharge and Clean Production in order to stop pollution at
source,” said Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia’s Toxics
Campaigner.

Both the EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace see the need to put in
place a robust policy and program that aim for Zero Discharge to
reduce pollution in the country’s freshwater and groundwater sources
as well as an to avert looming chemical threats to our remaining water
supply.  They also view as essential the observance of the attendant
policy on Right to Know where pollution releases are concerned

The ranking is based on the candidates’ responses to the 2010 Green
Electoral Initiative (GEI) survey initiated by the groups to assess
and grade the positions and plans of the presidential wannabes on
raging environmental issues, including water pollution. They were
scored based on the clarity, quality, comprehensiveness, consistency
and integrity of the candidates’ positions and plans.

Further results of the GEI survey will be revealed in the coming
weeks, culminating in final “green” ranking come Earth Day in April.

The candidates were asked two questions related to water: (1) If
elected President, what specific steps will you take to ensure the
availability of clean water sources in the country? (2) Are you for or
against amending the Clean Water Act to incorporate and
institutionalize a framework of Zero Discharge of hazardous chemicals
from factories and domestic sources?

According to New York-based think tank Global Source, in their latest
paper on the impact of El Niño in the Philippines, recent studies show
that unless active steps are taken to protect and conserve the
Philippines’ freshwater sources, the amount of freshwater available
for each person by 2025 will decrease dramatically by 65 % of the
current per capita availability.

Contact information:
•       Manny Calonzo, EcoWaste Coalition
+63922 8286343, (632) 4364733 mannyc@no-burn.org
•       Beau Baconguis, Toxics Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia
+63917 8715257, (632) 4146512 loc 119 beau.baconguis@greenpeace.org