Hugpong politicians’ environmental record bared

MANILA, Philippines — Almost half of the senatorial candidates in the Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) slate have business interests that are destructive to the environment, according to a matrix released by a group that looked into their environmental track records.

The Ecological Challenge for Change Coalition (Eco-Challenge) cited Makabayan senatorial candidate Neri Colmenares as having the best track record among 24 candidates, getting “green marks” across seven identified environmental concerns.

Former special assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go fared poorest, taking the bottom spot in the study released on Friday.

Eco-Challenge said 6 of the 13 senatorial candidates under HNP were highly involved in land reclamation, plantation and mining companies.

Go’s involvement in reclamation approvals under the Office of the President and the “onerous” dam deals with China were among the basis for his poor rating.

“Political clans of current and former Senators Jinggoy Estrada, JV Ejercito and Bong Revilla shared between them 2,344 hectares of reclamation projects on Manila Bay,” the group said.

Sen. Cynthia Villar’s family is affiliated with mining companies TVI Resources and Development Philippines Inc. and St. Augustine Gold and Copper Ltd., the study said.