Environmental groups seek alternative to Arroyo Administration

August 11, 2005
Press Release

Environmental groups seek alternative to Arroyo Administration,
Optimistic of reforms under a ‘new government’

ENRAGED, a broad alliance of environmental advocates calling for President Arroyo to step down, organized a forum entitled “Alternatives to GMA and Prospects of Environmental Reforms.” In their statement, ENRAGED says, “Given the track record of Arroyo administration on environmental protection and management, our environment will further deteriorate. We have had enough of Gloria and its time to seriously consider a pro-people and pro-environment alternative.”

The forum discussed different alternatives to the Arroyo administration several political groups and sectors are proposing and their respective agenda on the environment. Atty Liwayway Vinzons-Chato of Unity for Truth and Justice, Dr. Carol Araullo of Gloria Step Down Movement (GSM) and Dr. Ernesto Gonzales of Kilusan para sa Makabansang Ekonomiya (KME) were among the speakers of the forum.

Dr. Gonzales who has a post-doctoral degree in London School of Economics and Political Science says, “The neoliberal economic framework of the Arroyo administration perpetuates the present environmental crisis. As long as the Arroyo administration remains, we do not expect environmental reforms.”

“The present administration globalization policies and program like the mining liberalization and commercial logging not only contributed to our economic woes but also to wanton exploitation of our national patrimony such as mineral and forest resources. The People’s Transitory Council (PTC) serves as a viable alternative to the administration. Among its agenda for reforms is the junking of Mining Act of 1995 and cancellation of timber licensing agreements (TLAs) which facilitate the massive deforestation and depletion of natural resources,” says Dr. Araullo of GSM and a known political activist.

During her four-year term, President Arroyo approved 96,141 hectares of lands for mineral exploitation and166,511 hectares of forestlands for large scale logging oepraqtions. Foreign transnational mining companies and big commercial loggers own most of these concession agreements.

Clemente Bautista of the Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment, and a convenor of ENRAGED! remarks, “An alternative to President Arroyo will be acceptable to the people and be viable if it carries the people’s demands for genuine environmental protection and wise utilization of our natural resources. It must heed the call of the people to stop and reverse Arroyo’s globalization policies detrimental to the people and the environment.” ###

ENRAGED Press Releases July 24

PRESS RELEASE
July 24, 2005

Environmentalists join anti-GMA SONA;
will present agenda to rehabilitate environment but not to GMA

Environmentalists are going to present their own agenda to rehabilitate the environment in the coming State of the Nation Address (SONA). But they are not going to present it to Gloria Macapagal Arroyo who they also want out of Malacanang for deliberately ignoring and fouling up the environment.

Instead, environmentalists who belong to the recently formed Environment and Natural Resources Advocates for GMA’s Expulsion (Enrage) will join the so-called parliament of the streets that will assemble and march along Commonwealth avenue and call for the ouster of President Arroyo either through resignation, impeachment or people power.

“Not once in the four SONAs of GMA did she ever mention the environment. While it exemplifies the lack of regard for the environment of a sitting, albeit bogus, head of state, it also only proves her lack of interest for concerns other than herself. GMA cannot be expected to serve the country and our people since her selfishness subsumes all other interests, including the environment’s, under the expediency of her ambition,” said actor-environmental advocates Roy Alvarez, a member of Enrage.

Misgovernance
Alvarez said members of Enrage are “raging” over the worse state of the environment which he said is the result of GMA’s “misgovernance, especially of the environment.”

To address the misgovernance of the environment, Alvarez said members of Enrage came up with a list of immediate environmental demands as part of an agenda of governance they plan to present to an alternative transitory council to replace the Arroyo government. It is important for these demands to be immediately addressed, Alvarez said as it “will start a process of environmental rehabilitation.”

The following are among Enrage demands: scrapping of the 1995 Mining Act; cancellation of all forest agreements and review of the forestry code; cleanup and rehabilitation of former US military base areas; justice and compensation to victims of environmental disasters; scrapping of the 1992 Plant Variety Protection Act; a stop to the commercialization of genetically-engineered crops; banning of the conversion of agricultural lands and mangroves, lakes and forests; junking of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) and Mutual Logistics Support Agreement (MLSA); rehabilitation of critical watershed areas and dead rivers; promotion of biodiversity preservation programs and development of appropriate technologies; closure of all dumpsites and rehabilitation of these areas; enforce ban on incinerator plants, serious implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act; moratorium on construction of coal-fired power plants and large dams; uphold the rights for self-determination and the ancestral lands and resources of indigenous peoples; harnessing and development of renewable energy sources; and the reorientation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources towards genuinely protecting and wisely managing the environment.

Among the convening members of Enrage are: Mother Earth Foundation, Earth Island Institute, Concerned Citizens Against Pollution, Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment, Saniblakas, Tanggol Kalikasan Movement, Dr. Helen Mendoza, Brigadang Berde, Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya), and the Center for Environmental Concerns

Reference:

Clemente Bautista, KPNE Coordinator
Mobile No. 09283448797

ENRAGED demand for a government that is independent, pro-environment and pro-people


ENRAGED will join the mass actions on July 25, 2005 to protest against the continued regime of GMA and demand for a government that is independent, pro-environment, and pro-people. It should be able to uphold civilian supremacy and democratic rights of the people; defend our national patrimony as well as assert its independence from foreign interest.

The environmental alliance weighed-up Gloria Macapagal Arroyo. She has failed the people. “She has been the primary proponent of globalization policies that promote massive resource extraction for profit that displaced thousands of Filipinos”, says Clemente Bautista of Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment.

“Ms. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has also set aside the concerns of women in the environment and natural resources management” says Marlea Muñez of WEDPRO. Women’s roles in natural resources management have been recognized. However, instead of being protected from human rights violations, they have been taken in for various activities dubbed as gender-responsive but have actually put more difficulties to women.

ENRAGED WILL BE IN GREEN! This is to remind government that women and men advocates for environment and natural resources have not stopped engaging people and communities in claiming their sovereign rights against exploitation. In solidarity with other progressive and independent groups, ENRAGED calls for change in governance.

The alliance will present to the post GMA government its proposed immediate environmental demands on the following: the mining act and policy revitalizing the mining industry; TLAs, and IFMAs; the forestry code; victims-survivors of toxic waste from US military bases; needs and rehabilitation of areas damaged by environmental disasters; commercialization of genetically-engineered products; conversion of agricultural lands and natural ecosystems like mangrove areas, lakes and forests; rehabilitation of watershed areas and biologically dead rivers; involvement of women; biological diversity; appropriate technologies; coal-fired power plants and large dams; government budget for environmental protection and management; DENR’s role in genuinely protecting and wisely managing our environment; ancestral lands and resources; renewable energy resources; global warming and climate change; dumpsites and incinerator plants; ecological solid waste management; food sovereignty; and food security, population and consumption.

The alliance demands that the post GMA government will seriously consider the present situation of the country’s environment and natural resources. ENRAGED participating organizations and individuals will continue discussions with communities and leaders and will demand due diligence from government.

Environmental advocates launch chain letter campaign for GMA to step down

July 16, 2005
Press Release


Environmental advocates launch chain letter campaign for GMA to step down!

The newly formed environmental alliance ENRAGED! (Environmental and Natural Resource Advocates for GMA’s Expulsion!) launches their cyberspace campaign through sending chain letter asking President Arroyo to vacate Malacanang.

Trixie Concepcion of Earth Island Institute and ENRAGED spokeperson says, “This is one of our small contributions to the mounting movement of removing the anti-environment President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo.”

The environmental alliance believes that President Arroyo has never shown genuine interest in the environmental protection and welfare of indigenous peoples (IPs), upland communities, and environmental advocates. She has passed policies and orders that silence the voice and weaken the rights of IPs and peasants who oppose destructive environmental and economic projects of her administration such as large dams, coal power plants, large-scale mining and logging.

Frances Quimpo of Center for Environmental Concerns said that in the provinces of Samar and Mindoro Oriental anti-mining activists and advocates are being harassed and killed because of their opposition to the government large-scale mining projects such as the mining operations of Bauxite Resource Inc and Mindex-Crew Mineral.

“Genuine national recovery be it fiscal , political or moral takes the path of peace justice and integrity of creation which GMA abandoned by plundering our national patrimony by imposing large scale mining and logging in favor of foreign investors and their local partners,” says Fr. Al Albor of Brigadang Berde.

During her four year term, President Arroyo approved 96,141 hectares of mineral lands under mining agreement and another 166,511 hectares forest lands under large scale logging agreement. Most of these agreements are owned by foreign transnational mining companies and big commercial loggers.

“These facts are one of the major reasons why people want President Arroyo to step down. No matter how big the “hakot” crowd in the pro-government rally in Luneta, the people remains convinced that Arroyo is anti-environment and a faked President that need to be ousted from Malacanang,” says Clemente Bautista of Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment.

The ENRAGED! bows to bring the biggest environmental contingent on July 25 State of the Nation Address mobilization…

Other members of ENRAGED! are Kalikasan-PNE, MASIPAG, SIBAT, COCAP, LRC-KsK, Bangon Kalikasan Movement, SEARICE, Heal Toxics, People’s Task Force for Bases Clean-Up, AGHAM, KAMP, WEDPRO, SALIKA, SANIBLAKAS, Task Force Macalajar, Soljus Pax, Luksong Tinik Mountaineers and PAMALAKAYA.

Environmental activists demand President Arroyo to step down, join biggest rally

July 12, 2005
Press Release

Environmental activists demand President Arroyo to step down, join biggest rally

Another sector added its voice to the calls for the resignation of President Arroyo. In a statement, Environmental and Natural Resource Advocates for GMA’s Expulsion (ENRAGED) said that “GMA’s intransigence not only imperils our country’s moral fiber but also endangers the state of our environment; thus GMA must immediately step down.” ENRAGED is the first broad environmental alliance calling for President Arroyo to step down.

”President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has failed grossly as a President in the aspect of environmental protection and natural resource management,” according to ENRAGED. The environmental alliance also claimed that after four years, the Arroyo administration failed to reverse or arrest the wanton destruction of our ecosystems that led to environmental tragedies such as the 2003 Southern Leyte landslides and 2004 Aurora-Quezon flashfloods.

“We are joining rallies and protest actions to denounce the most unpopular, corrupt and anti-environment President and to expedite her removal from office,” says Clemente Bautista of Kalikasan-People’s Network for the Environment and ENRAGED convenor. “GMA has been the prominent advocate of environmental plunder with her globalization policies that promote massive resource extraction. President Arroyo implemented the mining liberalization program which allowed foreign mining companies and local mining elite to exploit and extract our mineral resources at the expense of our people and environment. Mr. Bautista added

As of today, there are 421,723 hectares of land covered under mining agreement and another 9 million hectares under mining application.

“During her term, GMA approve 14 large-scale commercial logging projects which cover 166,551 hectares of forest lands. Several of these projects were located in the provinces of Quezon and Aurora that contributed to the fast denudation of forest cover in these areas”, says
Roy Alvarez of Mother Earth Foundation.

“One of the worst environmental crimes of GMA is her failure to provide justice and compensation to the victims of environmental tragedies such as the US military toxic waste contamination and 1996 Marinduque mine waste spill,” says Frances Quimpo of Center for Environmental Concerns and ENRAGED convenor. “Up to now victims continue to suffer and die yet their families receive no assistance from the Arroyo government and the corporations or institutions responsible,” Alvarez added.

ENRAGED is also putting forward an environmental agenda which includes the scrapping of Mining Act of 1995, Forestry Code of 1975 and Philippine Plant Variety Protection Act of 2002, stopping the commercialization of GMOs, moratorium on the construction of large dams and coal power plants, and the immediate rehabilitation of damaged ecosystems.###

ENRAGED Alliance Unity Statement

ENRAGED! Alliance Unity Statement
July 12, 2005

We, environmental activists, have weighed up Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and we believe that she has failed miserably as a President especially in the aspect of environmental protection and natural resources management.

The past years of continued corruption, selling out of our national patrimony to foreign interest and neglect over environmental issues have worsened the people’s lives and the state of our environment. We now demand change as we see that more years with GMA, her advisers and apologists will seriously threaten all our efforts to protect the environment and conserve the country’s remaining natural resources.

She has been the primary proponent of environmental plunder with her globalization policies that promote massive resource extraction for profit. Her mining liberalization program and promotion of large-scale commercial logging have displaced hundreds of thousands of Filipinos and resulted in massive devastation of our forest and mountains.

Most importantly, Gloria Arroyo has never shown genuine interest in the welfare of indigenous peoples (IPs), upland communities, and environmental advocates. She has passed policies and orders that silence the voice and weaken the rights of IPs and peasants who oppose destructive environmental and economic projects of her administration such as large dams, coal power plants, large-scale mining and logging.

After four years, the Arroyo administration failed to stop or reverse the wanton destruction of our ecosystems that led to environmental tragedies. During the same period, Arroyo has not ensured justice nor compensation to thousands of victims of environmental disasters such as the 2003 Southern Leyte landslides, 2004 Aurora-Quezon flashfloods, the US military toxic contamination in Central Luzon and the Marcopper-Placerdome mine waste spill in Marinduque.

She has allowed the military and paramilitary groups to be used as mercenaries of foreign multinational corporations resulting in the killing of several environmental activists.

Therefore, we add our voices to calls for Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to step down or be ousted.

We join hands with the rest of the Filipinos, who are convinced that GMA has cheated her way to the presidency. Thus, the Arroyo administration has lost the legal and moral reason to govern.

Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo must go. Through this, the people and the environment will be given relief from the suffering and destruction the Arroyo Administration has caused.

As responsible citizens and defenders of the environment, we deem it necessary to seek for the earliest resolution of the current political crisis, but we want the resolution to be judicious, pro-people and pro-environment.

Only a process of replacing GMA that upholds civilian supremacy will be acceptable to our ranks. A post-Arroyo administration should be able to uphold the democratic rights of the people, defend our national patrimony as well as assert its independence from foreign interest.

We also stand firm in our belief that our environmental agenda would be best put forward if the post-Arroyo government would genuinely represent the interest of marginalized sectors of society.

We call on our people to exercise their sovereign right to bring about a government that is independent, moral, pro-environment and pro-people in the face of Arroyo administration continued efforts to usurp it. Onward with people power!

Signed: ENRAGED Members
Clemente Bautista Jr., Kalikasan-PNE
Frances Quimpo, CEC-Phils
Roy Alvarez, Mother Earth Foundation
Ester Perez de Tagle, COCAP
Fritzie Punsalang, Brigadang Berde
Lodel Magbanua, LRC-KsK
Retchel Sasing, SEARICE
Marlea Munez, WEDPRO
Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA
Dr. Romy Quijano, PAN-AP
Bency Ellorin, Task Force Macalajar
Trixie Concepcion, Earth Island Institute-Phils
Fr. Al Albor, CARE Foundation
Joey Papa, Bangon Kalikasan Movement
Dr. Helen Mendoza, SOLJUS PAX
Rey Paulin, KAMP
Tito Fiel, DCMI
Rey Palacio, SIYAP/Oppose Dumpsite
Dr. Giovani Tapang, AGHAM
Voltaire Tupaz, SIBAT
Ederliza Rea, DAMAYAN
Eloisa Bosito, MASIPAG
Ding Reyes, SANIBLAKAS
Olola Olib, Task Force Bases Clean-up
Marie Marciano, SALIKA
Nico Rabanillo, Luksong Tinik Mountaineering Society
Tyrone Beyer, Center for Cordillera People's Concerns
Dr. Rowena Boquiren
Dr. Aloyssius Baes
Milagros Serrana, Miriam College Science Department
Lorenzo Cordova, Mangungubat
Mr. Tecson Lim
Roger Birosel, Earth Savers Movement