Where Do You Stand? Green Groups Challenge Senate Bets to Show Their True Colors on Earth Day

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

As the world pauses to honor Earth Day, the call for environmental justice resounds louder than ever in the Philippines. In a powerful and timely move, leading environmental health and justice advocates are demanding transparency and accountability from those seeking the Senate’s prestigious seats in the upcoming midterm elections.

The EcoWaste Coalition, joined by a formidable alliance of green organizations, has thrown down the gauntlet with a bold question to every senatorial hopeful: “Where do you stand on the environment?”

Voters Deserve to Know

Citizens have the undeniable right to elect leaders who will defend their right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment. That’s the cornerstone of the Green Electoral Initiative (GEI)—a groundbreaking campaign that goes beyond political personalities and party colors. It seeks answers, not promises. Action, not lip service.

Through a comprehensive questionnaire meticulously crafted with input from respected groups—including Greenpeace Southeast Asia, BAN Toxics, Health Care Without Harm, Break Free From Plastic, GAIA, IPEN SEA, Mother Earth Foundation, and more—senatorial candidates are being challenged to articulate their stance on the country’s most pressing ecological concerns.

A panel of experts will analyze and publicly rate the responses. Not to endorse candidates—but to empower the Filipino people with informed choices at the ballot box.

The 19 Questions That Matter

In a nation beset by climate emergencies, plastic pollution, coastal degradation, toxic trade, and fossil fuel addiction, the GEI pulls no punches. Here are the critical questions being asked—questions that go to the heart of the nation’s survival:

Will you support or reject proposals to burn garbage for energy and repeal the incineration ban?

Will you push for full implementation of the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act and promote Zero Waste programs?

Will you advocate for the rights and dignity of waste workers and the informal sector?

Do you support regulating toxic political tarpaulins and advertisements that harm both people and the planet?

Will you support a nationwide ban on single-use plastics, including sachets, straws, and bags?

Do you back legislation promoting reuse and refill systems to combat plastic pollution at its source?

Will you ratify the Basel Ban Amendment to block toxic waste imports, even under the guise of recycling?

Will you support restoring and preserving mangroves and beach forests to protect coastal communities?

Will you defend municipal waters from commercial exploitation, ensuring they remain for small fisherfolk?

Do you oppose reclamation and seabed dredging that destroy marine ecosystems?

Will you lead efforts to implement a Global Framework on Chemicals for a safer, toxin-free Philippines?

Are you for or against lowering vape and tobacco taxes? Do you favor banning single-use disposable vapes?

Do you support mandatory chemical warnings on products to uphold consumers’ right to know?

Are you in favor of reviving the mothballed Bataan Nuclear Power Plant or introducing nuclear power?

Will you stand against slowing the coal phase-out in favor of cleaner alternatives?

Will you resist the expansion of the fossil gas industry?

Do you support raising the share of renewable energy in the power mix to 50% by 2030?

Will you back the CLIMA Bill (HB 9609 & 10478) to institutionalize climate justice and corporate accountability?

Will you push for protected bike lanes nationwide as part of a greener transport future?

Exposing the Green (or Dirty) Past

Candidates aren’t just asked what they will do—they’re also asked what they’ve done. The questionnaire demands the disclosure of past votes, sponsored bills, and family business interests linked to environmentally destructive projects.

This initiative is not merely about policies. It's about integrity. Will our next leaders stand with the people and the planet—or with polluters and profiteers?

A Litmus Test for Leadership

The Green Electoral Initiative could well be the ultimate test of a candidate's moral compass and legislative backbone. It separates the authentic environmental champions from the greenwashers who only talk the talk during campaign season.

This Earth Day, as we reflect on the fragile future of our archipelago, the GEI reminds us that environmental justice is not a side issue. It’s the issue. Because there can be no public health, national prosperity, or social peace on a dying planet.

And as the climate clock ticks, Filipino voters must demand more than recycled promises—they must demand real answers.

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