An alliance of green activist groups dubbed the “Green Thumb Coalition (GTC)” launched what is described as the “Green Scorecard,” which will be circulated among candidates in the May 2022 elections “to determine their positions and commitment on various environmental concerns.”
The group said it hopes that results of the survey “will serve as a tool to help voters decide which candidates to vote in the upcoming elections.”
Anjelica Dacanay of the group Bantay Kita said candidates will be assessed through their response along with a comprehensive review and analysis of their academic credentials and track record.
The “green scorecard” covers urgent issues, such as climate justice, sustainable agriculture, waste management, mining extractives and mineral resource management, biodiversity preservation and ecosystem integrity, energy transformation and democracy, among others.
“We urge everyone na samahan ang ating laban, sapagkat ang laban para sa kalikasan ay laban ng lahat, ‘ang boto para sa kalikasan, ay boto para sa kinabukasan,’” said Lawyer Aaron Pedrosa of Sanlakas, quoting for Environment Secretary Gina Lopez.
Pedrosa said that since the formation of GTC in 2015, it has been making history. “We want that history to continue in the 2022 elections,” he said.
The group said that a candidates’ refusal to answer the survey “will reflect on their final scorecard” and “will not be a loss for us, but a loss for them.”
Jaybee Garganera of Alyansa Tigil Mina said “green scorecard” is “necessary for candidates to clarify their stances on environmental issues, and allow the public to choose which candidates would look after the best interests of our current climate crisis.”
The deadline for candidates’ responses to the scorecard is on March 27, after which, their responses will be assessed and analyzed, then released to the public on April 8, a month before the national elections.
