The Philippine Online Chronicles

Several environmental groups have identified the ‘greenest’ candidates from the presidential race down to party list groups.

Ma. Consuelo “Jamby” Madrigal and Nicanor Perlas have consistently landed on top.

Perlas was given a top score for his environmental platform, particularly on water, GMANews.tv reported. The EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace gave him 8.7 out of 10 points while Madrigal was second with 7.8 points.  Sen. Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan)followed suit with 7.2 points, EcoWaste said.

"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," the group said.

Former President Joseph Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) and Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) automatically got zero points for not responding to the survey, EcoWaste said.

Manny Calonzo of EcoWaste said that the ranking is based on the candidates’ responses to the 2010 Green Electoral Initiative (GEI) survey initiated by the group to assess and grade the positions and plans of the presidential wannabes on environmental issues. Calonzo added the candidates were scored based on the clarity, quality, comprehensiveness, consistency and integrity of their positions and plans.

The questions in the survey deal with various environmental issues, including zero waste, water protection, climate change mitigation, chemical safety, ecological agriculture and renewable energy.

Madrigal was declared as the greenest candidate by Agham-Youth, Earth Island Institute, Takder, Katribu, Lakbay-Cagayan Valley, and Computer Professionals Union.

The candidates were ranked based on their answers to questions ranging from the re-commissioning of the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant, commercial logging, Mining Act of 1995, coal power plant, Visiting Forces Agreement, Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement, cleanup of toxic wastes, and commercialization of genetically modified organisms.

The green beans vice presidential candidates, according to the groups, were Loren Legarda followed by Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay and former chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission Perfecto Yasay.

The League of the Youth for the Environment (LYFE), a University of the Philippines-based alliance of environmental groups, also presented the results of their survey and background check on national candidates in the May 2010 elections.

Madrigal, Perlas and Sen. Manuel Villar ranked top three in the list of greenest presidential candidates.

A similar ranking for the senatoriables had Satur Ocampo, Liza Maza as the top environmentalists.

Bayan Muna, Anakpawis, Gabriela, Kabataan, Katribu, Akbayan and Cibac landed positively to the green list among the party list groups.

‘Most mean’

Based on the LYFE’s assessment, Gordon, ex-President Joseph Estrada and Sec. Gilbert Teodoro have been in the 'mean' list. Also in this list are vice presidential candidates Jay Sonza and Bayani Fernando.

Senatorial candidates Kit Tatad, Ompong Plaza, Ralph Recto and Juan Ponce Enrile are also in the ‘mean’ list.

The other survey also named Fernando as the least favorite by environmentalists "for his penchant of cutting trees” followed by Sonza.

Green agenda

The Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan PNE) said that it would push for the 2010 People's Electoral Platform for the Environment.

“Progressive and patriotic leaders would push for policies that correspond to and reject those that violate the following principles: respect for the rights of the natural nurturers of the earth; an independent and self-reliant economy; national progress and industrialization; rehabilitation and protection of the environment; peace based on justice; and clean governance," Meggie Nolasco of the Kalikasan PNE said.

The agenda also contain specific demands and actions such as the junking of the Mining Act of 1995, stopping the privatization of the country's energy and water resources, implementation of a massive reforestation program, among others.

Also included is the call for the cancellation of international treaties that are unfair and not beneficial to the country such as the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement that allows the dumping of toxic wastes of Japan here in the country.