| Now that the national election in the Philippines is | | | | and the environment but fail to match their words |
| brewing which is to be held in May of this year, an | | | | with deeds. Check if the candidates is engaged in |
| advocacy group which called themselves as Eco | | | | any environmental advocacy or project. Avoid |
| Waste Coalition has a plea to the more than 50 | | | | choosing candidates who have financial interest in |
| million Filipino voters before they make their final | | | | any polluting and environmentally destructive |
| choices for the candidates running for public office. | | | | business. |
| Their plea to the Filipino electorate is to vote for | | | | 5) Thou shall not select candidates who profess |
| candidates who will stand up for mother nature | | | | to protect the environment but are mute on |
| and those who "green championed" and who | | | | what they intend to do. Ask the candidates on |
| genuinely promote environmental conservation, | | | | how they intend to serve the interest of the |
| protection for the common good and building | | | | environment. Vote for those who will work |
| ecological communities that are devoid of trash | | | | earnestly to heal and protect the environment. |
| and pollution. | | | | 6) Thou shall not choose candidates who are |
| To assist the Philippine electorate in making | | | | hooked up to outmoded "hakot-tambak-sunog" |
| "green" political choices on election day, the Eco | | | | (haul-dump-burn) and fail to shut down illegal |
| Waste Coalition released its guide and checklist to | | | | dumps. Vote for those who segregate their |
| the Filipino voters known as the "Ten | | | | discards at home, in the work place and who |
| Commandments On How To Choose Green | | | | support ecological, low cost and community driven |
| Candidates". This provide a useful guidance and | | | | alternative to dumps, landfill and incinerators. |
| insight on what to seek from candidates in terms | | | | 7) Thou shall not vote for candidates who ignore |
| of their environmental track record and platform. | | | | the health, environmental, socio economic and |
| In their quest of choosing the next ecological | | | | human rights concerns against 'sanitary' landfills, |
| leaders who can apparently leave a green legacy | | | | 'waste to energy' dams and similar infrastructure |
| to its people and country. The following are the | | | | plans. Vote for candidates who assert the people |
| Eco group's environmental "Ten Commandments": | | | | basic needs and not to the dictates of the World |
| 1) Thou shall not vote for candidates using the 4 | | | | Bank and other international funding institutions. |
| G's to win: Gins, Goons, Gold and Garbage. Vote | | | | 8) Thou shall not elect candidates who want to |
| for the candidates for the essential M's: Malinis | | | | build big dams and allow mining, logging and other |
| (Clean), Maayos (Orderly), Matipid (Thriftiness), | | | | extractive industries to rape the land and abuse |
| Mapanindigan (Principled), Marangal (Honorable), | | | | human rights, especially the rights of the |
| Mapayapa (Peaceful), Makatao (Pro-People), | | | | indigenous people. Vote for those who take the |
| Makalikasan (Pro-Nature) and Maka-Diyos (Godly). | | | | cudgels for the human as well as the non human |
| Moreover, support candidates known for their | | | | victims, such as trees, plants and wildlife of |
| simple, pro-people and ecological lifestyles. | | | | environmentally damaging human activities. |
| 2) Thou shall not support candidates who nail, | | | | 9) Thou shall not back candidates who will not |
| staple, strap or plaster campaign materials on | | | | take action against the health and safety threats |
| defenseless trees and other restricted sites. Vote | | | | of genetically modified crops and food products. |
| for candidates who love and plant trees, use the | | | | Vote for the candidates who will advanced the |
| least amount of campaign materials and abide by | | | | people's right to safe and healthy food as well as |
| the campaign rules. | | | | food production systems that nurture the earth. |
| 3) Thou shall not pick candidates who use smoke | | | | 10) Thou shall not vote for the candidates who |
| belching vehicles that contribute the worsening air | | | | refuse to acknowledge global warming and vote |
| quality. Go for candidates on bicycles rather than | | | | for candidates who see the need for preventive |
| those who come in convoy of cars. Vote for | | | | and precautionary actions to stop climate change. |
| those who use fewer vehicles in motorcades to | | | | Go for candidates who oppose new coal power |
| reduce fuel consumption and car emissions. | | | | projects and support community made utilities |
| 4) Thou shall not fall for candidates who make | | | | using renewable energy sources. |
| beautiful speeches about their love of the people | | | | |