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.