December 5, 2021
December 5 | Pangasinan, Philippines – Pangasinan green groups, in partnership with toxic watchdog, EcoWaste Coalition, held a bike ride for the environment. Dubbed as “Padyak Para sa Kalikasan,” 30 Pangasinense bikers joined a 13 KM bike ride to strengthen the call to ban single-use plastic and incineration in the province. The group also expresses its stand against offshore mining.
BAN Single-use Plastics, Stop Incineration
Bike Ride lead organizer EcoWaste Coalition Policy Advocacy Officer Coleen Salamat explained that “The COP26 has identified that plastic pollution is a major driver in the climate crisis. We urge our lawmakers from the local to the national level to include the people and the planet in their electoral agenda. We continue to call for a nationwide ban on single-use plastics, to ban incineration.”
It can be recalled that in July 2021, the lower house has passed House Bill 9147, Single-use Plastic Products Regulation Act. Meanwhile, the upper chamber has Senate Bill No. 333 or the Single-Use Plastic Product Regulation Act of 2019. No movements on these bills at the moment.
The group also scored the number of WTEs lined up in the province with five proposed Dagupan, Umingan, Urdaneta, and San Fabian. Citing a 2018 report from GAIA, the groups explained that incineration provides more problems than solutions. The process merely transforms the waste into other forms of trash, such as toxic ash and air and water pollution, which are harder to contain and usually more harmful than the original form of the waste.
No to Offshore Mining
Bike Ride Co-lead Pangasinan People’s Strike for the Environment (PPSE) expresses the groups’ indignation over offshore mining. The Proposed Iron Ore Pangasinan Offshore Magnetite Mining Project in Lingayen Gulf covers the municipal waters of Sual, Labrador, Lingayen, Binmaley, and city waters of Dagupan, Province of Pangasinan, covers a total area of 9,252.4506 hectares.
PPSE convenor Eco Dangla explained that “The offshore mining project will directly impact coastal and marine resources, exacerbate climate and disaster risks, permanently alter natural ecosystems, and economically displace fisherfolk and communities.”
Grassroots at the center
“It’s always the local communities who are the receiving end of environmental destruction. We say time’s up. We are here to show our solidarity to the call to end the toxic plastic pollution and to stop the offshore mining.” Joaquin Alano of Alano Biker’s Club.
The coming together of green groups in Pangasinan is remarkable proof that the frontline communities are vital to defending the people and the planet against pollution, plastics, and profit. “We are readying our ranks to push forward this agenda as the election season warms up.” Salamat ended.
The EcoWaste Coalition is a national network of public interest groups pursuing sustainable and just solutions to waste, climate change, and chemical issues towards a Zero Waste community.
The Plastic-Free Pilipinas project collaborates with #breakfreefromplastic members EcoWaste Coalition, GAIA Asia Pacific, Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Health Care Without Harm Southeast Asia, and Mother Earth Foundation. The #breakfreefromplastic is a global movement working towards a future free from plastic pollution.
