‘Green-minded’ Perlas tops environmental survey

It’s final. Independent candidate Nicanor Perlas is the most “green-minded" among the nine presidential bets. With a total rating of 94.2 percent, Perlas bested his eight rivals in a "green survey" conducted by the environmental groups EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace. Former President Joseph “Erap" Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) and administration bet Gilberto “Gibo" Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) did not participate in the survey dubbed as the 2010 Green Electoral Initiative (GEI). The survey is focused on the presidential bets' environmental platforms. Perlas has the “most comprehensive" plan, which offered clear steps on how to address the country’s most serious environmental woes, according to Commissioner Eileen Sison of the National Solid Waste Management Commission.

Von Hernandez, executive director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, attributed the result to Perlas’ long years of working as an advocate for the environment. "That's also not surprising [since] he's been in [the] environmental movement for years. .. Therefore in a way, he's got the advantage because he knows the issues," he said Sison and Hernandez were among the five evaluators who assessed the candidates' answers. War vs smoke-belchers, corruption in DENR In case he wins the presidency, Perlas said that in his first three months, he would remove all smoke-belching vehicles in Metro Manila and appoint a credible Environment secretary who would help him abolish “corruption in the [Department of Environment and Natural Resources]." Perlas said he would also task the new DENR chief and his team to re-examine and revoke, if necessary, all the “controversial" Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECCs) and "questionable" logging permits. Hernandez clarified that the EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace are not endorsing Perlas. He said the main purpose of the 2010 GEI is to inform the public who among the candidates has a clear agenda towards protecting the environment. "It just happen that [Perlas’s] view on these issues mirror the view of the organizers," he said. Hernandez added that while some candidates gave "encouraging" answers, those "who are leading according to opinion polls" do not have solid plans to address environment problems. No Erap, Gibo He also expressed disappointment over Estrada and Teodoro for not answering the GEI "despite repeated attempts to follow up with their camps." Estrada and Teodoro have consistently ranked third and fourth in preferential surveys, respectively. "The panel evaluators interpreted their failure to respond to mean that environment is not really high on their agenda," he said. Perlas, meanwhile, was followed by Sen. Maria Ana Consuelo "Jamby" Madrigal (independent) with 78.68 percent, Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan) with 78.45 percent, and religious leader Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas) with 70.87 percent. Sen. Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III (Liberal Party), a constant leader in presidential preference surveys, ranked fifth with 66.94 percent. He was followed by Sen. Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party) with 62.59 percent. Olongapo councilor JC de los Reyes (Ang Kapatiran Party), meanwhile, ranked seventh with a 38.31 percent. Accountability Hernandez said it is important that the next president has clear solutions to the environmental problems, even as he vowed to exert all efforts to ensure that the May 10 winner will be made accountable to the promises he or she has written on their GEI. "We want to hold these politicians accountable for their commitments for positions they make on these issues. Kasi dito sa atin ang (here in our country the) track record ng (of the) government when delivering promises is not good," he said. – KBK/RSJ, GMANews.TV