Environmental organizations under the Panatang Luntian coalition launched today the #EnvibeCheck, a fact-checking study conducted to assess the positions and track records of candidates on Philippine environmental concerns.
The first in a series of reports covers the presidential and vice-presidential candidates, where Vice President Leni Robredo, Senator Kiko Pangilinan, and Professor Walden Bello were found to have the most extensive pro-environment track records.
“Our #EnvibeCheck is a research project that we made as a community to draw the line on who are the greenest and dirtiest candidates today. We want to educate the public on how their vote can affect the lives of more than 40 million fellow Filipinos dependent on our environment and natural resources,” said Leon Dulce, secretariat head of the Panatang Luntian.
“We also hope the research data challenges our national candidates to do better by taking the pledge to uphold the pro-environment #PanatangLuntian agenda,” added Dulce.
The research was presented during the #AtinAngPilipinas townhall on the environment and climate change. A total of 133 fact checks were conducted on eight (8) presidentiables and six (6) vice-presidentiables with publicly accessible statements and track records relevant to the six themes of the #PanatangLuntian agenda.
Vice President Leni Robredo was rated the greenest presidentiable with positive statements and track records across the six themes and notably the only presidential candidate with affirmative action on biodiversity conservation, while former Senator Bongbong Marcos Jr. was rated the dirtiest with negative marks across the board.
Senator Kiko Pangilinan and Professor Walden Bello were tied as the greenest vice presidentiables with full positive marks, while former Environment Secretary Lito Atienza was rated the dirtiest with a net rating of negative four (-4) marks.
“The greenest candidates must be persuaded to further bring their green agenda into public discussions during the campaign trail. Advocates and concerned citizens should intensify advocacy campaigns building on the narrative of a #greenandjustrecovery to further reinforce the pro-environment mandate on these candidates.” Dulce concluded. #
