Duterte falls short on environment — green groups

President Duterte still failed to address various environmental issues as no clear policy agenda and concrete actions have been implemented two years since he assumed office, a network of green groups said.

The Green Thumb Coalition, comprising more than 40 organizations, said they remain dissatisfied with the administration’s efforts in addressing issues specifically on land use management, extractive industry and clean energy.

Green Thumb said Duterte and his allies, especially the Senate, failed to pursue the passage of a measure that promotes rational, holistic and just allocation, utilization and management of the country’s land resources.

“His promise to act on National Land Use Act is still unrealized as the Senate failed and still refuses to convene public hearing to deliberate this priority measure,” it added.

Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), meanwhile, maintained that extractive activities continue in Nueva Vizcaya, Zambales, Palawan, Masbate and Surigao del Sur despite closure and suspension orders slapped on some mining companies.

“We demand that he immediately issue an executive order to ban open-pit mining and to enforce the no-go zones against mining,” ATM said.

Environmental groups Philippine Movement for Climate Justice and the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development emphasized that the administration is supportive of “coal projects and dirty electricity” that are not just harmful to host communities but will also be a costly burden to consumers.

“This is despite laws like the renewable energy law and the recently ratified Paris Agreement that mandates all countries to decarbonize and phase out all coal and fossil fuel energy,” it said.

Meanwhile, Green Thumb lauded the passage of the expanded NIPAS bill that institutes 94 protected areas nationwide towards an enhanced program of environmental management and natural resource conservation.

As Duterte delivered his third State of the Nation Address on Monday, green groups expressed hope that he would declare the nationwide ban on single-use plastics and microplastics as a government priority.