Candidates asked: Do not hurt trees
LUCENA CITY, Quezon, Philippines. The head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in the Calabarzon (Cavite-Laguna-Batangas-Rizal-Quezon) region appealed to politicians to not hang campaign posters and streamers on trees.
"I appeal to all candidates not to injure trees. Please spare them as posting areas for campaign materials," Nilo Tamoria, DENR-Calabarzon regional director, said in a statement sent to Philippine Daily Inquirer Saturday evening.
With the election fever heating up, Tamoria observed that campaign posters have begun to litter the national highways in the region.
"This does not bode well for the trees that provide the cool breeze and refreshing green vista of the highway," Tamoria said.
It has become common sight that during election period, posters, placards, and other campaign materials legal and illegal in sizes are attached to trees along the highways for maximum exposure of the candidates but oftentimes only serve as eyesores and distractions which could pose dangers to motorists.
The DENR official pointed out that attaching election paraphernalia to trees is a violation of Presidential Decree 953 which prohibits destruction, damaging, and injuring trees.
Tamoria called on the officials of the Commission on Election in the region to remind candidates of the prohibition.
"Join us in keeping watch over the safety of our trees," Tamoria asked poll officials in a letter.
Tamoria also appealed to the candidates to protect our trees from harm and promote good environmentalism? while they reach out to prospective voters during their campaign.
Earlier, Tamoria also appealed to politicians to spare Sierra Madre as a source of their campaign funds. He called on candidates to stop protecting illegal loggers in Sierra Madre in exchange for campaign fund contributions.
Meanwhile, a green group has asked voters to beware of "pseudo-environmentalists" among candidates or those latching onto popular environmental causes only to further their campaign.
Lawyer Sheila De Leon, head of the Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense of Nature)-Southern Tagalog, said she is concerned about the growing number of local and national candidates spouting pro-environment slogans without having the track record to show their commitment to the cause of Mother Nature.
"Here in Quezon province alone, most candidates reelectionists and neophytes have all turned into Mother Earth protectors overnight. But where were they in all of these instances of environmental destruction, illegal logging, illegal fishing, and particularly illegal quarrying, "De Leon said in an interview last week.
She also questioned the sincerity of people seeking reelection for executive positions with powers to prevent environmental destruction in the province. "But they did nothing," she lamented, declining to name those whose environmental track records she found wanting.
"The whole province already know these pseudo-environmentalist candidates. Let us all beware of these types of politicians. Let us vote for those candidates who really know how to implement laws to protect our environment," she said.
"I appeal to all candidates not to injure trees. Please spare them as posting areas for campaign materials," Nilo Tamoria, DENR-Calabarzon regional director, said in a statement sent to Philippine Daily Inquirer Saturday evening.
With the election fever heating up, Tamoria observed that campaign posters have begun to litter the national highways in the region.
"This does not bode well for the trees that provide the cool breeze and refreshing green vista of the highway," Tamoria said.
It has become common sight that during election period, posters, placards, and other campaign materials legal and illegal in sizes are attached to trees along the highways for maximum exposure of the candidates but oftentimes only serve as eyesores and distractions which could pose dangers to motorists.
The DENR official pointed out that attaching election paraphernalia to trees is a violation of Presidential Decree 953 which prohibits destruction, damaging, and injuring trees.
Tamoria called on the officials of the Commission on Election in the region to remind candidates of the prohibition.
"Join us in keeping watch over the safety of our trees," Tamoria asked poll officials in a letter.
Tamoria also appealed to the candidates to protect our trees from harm and promote good environmentalism? while they reach out to prospective voters during their campaign.
Earlier, Tamoria also appealed to politicians to spare Sierra Madre as a source of their campaign funds. He called on candidates to stop protecting illegal loggers in Sierra Madre in exchange for campaign fund contributions.
Meanwhile, a green group has asked voters to beware of "pseudo-environmentalists" among candidates or those latching onto popular environmental causes only to further their campaign.
Lawyer Sheila De Leon, head of the Tanggol Kalikasan (Defense of Nature)-Southern Tagalog, said she is concerned about the growing number of local and national candidates spouting pro-environment slogans without having the track record to show their commitment to the cause of Mother Nature.
"Here in Quezon province alone, most candidates reelectionists and neophytes have all turned into Mother Earth protectors overnight. But where were they in all of these instances of environmental destruction, illegal logging, illegal fishing, and particularly illegal quarrying, "De Leon said in an interview last week.
She also questioned the sincerity of people seeking reelection for executive positions with powers to prevent environmental destruction in the province. "But they did nothing," she lamented, declining to name those whose environmental track records she found wanting.
"The whole province already know these pseudo-environmentalist candidates. Let us all beware of these types of politicians. Let us vote for those candidates who really know how to implement laws to protect our environment," she said.
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