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GENERAL SANTOS CITY (MindaNews / 22 April) – The Green Thumb Coalition (GTC) backed the candidacies of nine senatorial candidates and party-list groups on Tuesday, Earth Day, for their “pro-environment platforms.”
The GTC, which is composed of various environmental and rights- and church-based groups, endorsed the bids of “alternative” senatorial bets David D’ Angelo (Bunyog Pagkakaisa Party), 2021 Ramon Magsaysay awardee Roberto “Ka Dodoy” Ballon (independent), Roy Cabonegro (Democratic Party of the Philippines), Leody de Guzman and Luke Espiritu of Partido Lakas ng Masa, and former Commission on Audit commissioner Heidi Mendoza, an independent who is endorsed by the opposition Liberal Party.
For party-lists, the GTC rallied voters to vote Akbayan, Mamamayang Liberal and Kamanggagawa in the May 12, 2025 elections.
In a statement, Jaybee Garganera, co-convenor of GTC and national coordinator of Alyansa Tigil Mina (ATM), said the coalition is endorsing these senatoriables and party-lists as green candidates who have pledged to push for legislation and uphold measures that protect the environment and marginalized communities.
“These endorsements were decided after a thorough study of the track records, platforms and positions on environmental issues by the various candidates,” he said.
According to the environmental coalition, the endorsed candidates also replied to a Green Scorecard Survey, where they expressed support for the 11-point Green Agenda pushed by various environmental, human rights and church groups.
The green scorecard asked candidates for their positions on key environmental issues such as biodiversity and nature’s rights, land and resource governance, food sovereignty, waste management, climate justice, mining and extractives, just energy transition, equitable development, indigenous stewardship, community resilience and climate education.
The GTC also declared support for the candidates being endorsed by the Green Agenda 2025 consortium listed in the Power of Purple report, which was gathered and analyzed by the Philippine Misereor Partnership, Inc.
The coalition also expressed backing for the candidates being endorsed by 1Sambubungan coalition representing the indigenous peoples and the Kampanya para sa Karapatan ng Katutubong Kababaihan (4K) being pushed by indigenous women.
“We urge the public to support these green candidates and enable them to institutionalize solutions to our country’s environmental and climate-related problems. Together with these green candidates, let us make the environment a top priority in the government’s programs and legislative agenda,” the GTC said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
