Green Party of the Philippines (GPP KALIKASAN MUNA) files its petition to JOIN 2025 PARTY LIST ELECTIONS, December 29, 2023.
Amidst the current climate crisis and the need for concrete climate actions particularly in governance, policy making, and implementation oversight, GPP Kalikasan Muna – Green Party of the Philippines organized itself as a sectoral organization and filed a petition to join the 2025 party list elections.
Jose Rizal once said that the youth is the hope of the motherland and the future but what future can they have if the future being created is devoid of the abundance of nature?
We hope that even though this party is not organized by politicians but by genuine environmental advocates, we can be granted and allowed to be part of the electoral process. This filing is out of our genuine care for nature, and the importance of laws such as a Climate Emergency Act, the Alternative Minerals Management Act, the Rights of Nature Act, support for active mobility, a just and people-friendly green transportation transition, National Land Use Act, and more.
Our goal is to advocate and pursue the preservation, nurturing, and regeneration of nature by advocating for a greener lifestyle, climate justice, clean and renewable energy, and fossil-fuel non-proliferation among others.
We will be the champion and voice of environmental advocates, ordinary citizens, civil society organizations, and nature in Congress.
This is also our call and request to every nature-loving Filipino to help us in this endeavor and together let us commit to KALIKASAN MUNA because nature is our life, and our hope for a better and greener future.
GPP KALIKASAN MUNA More Than 20 Years in Existence
The total history of the GREEN PARTY OF THE PHILIPPINES covers the existence of the party for a total of twenty (20) years from the establishment of Partido Kalikasan up to now when it has been doing environmental advocacy at a time when it was not yet a popular thing to do so or advocate for.
One of its major policy participations is the lobbying and support for the support and recognition of the importance of renewable energy in the Philippines which led to the passage of Republic Act 9513 or the Renewable Energy Act of 2008.
In 2010, then Partido Kalikasan endorsed and supported the presidential campaign and candidacy of Nicanor Perlas, who ran as an independent carrying a very strong environmental agenda. It helped in the campaign through active mobilization of its members, supporters, and voter education.
Despite Nicanor Perlas losing the election in 2010, as Partido Kalikasan, the party continued to engage the public through its various initiatives, which include Kapehang Luntian, environmental education, mangrove planting, power consultation/green energy forum, and green governance training among others.
Fulfilling its dedicated mandate to the environment, the party also conducted actual climate change mitigation and solutions on the ground. Among the most notable of these projects is the Enya Care Commune in Cadmang Reserva, Cabangan, Zambales which is spearheaded by Hilary Pangan, the current party chairman. This climate change mitigation is the application of his book Pilgrimage to Paradise which is also adopted as part of the core solutions of the party for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
On October 5, 2019, to unite with the struggle of the greens worldwide towards answering the challenges of the climate crisis, the party formally adopted the name Green Party of the Philippines – KALIKASAN MUNA and promulgated its Constitution and By-Laws. This Constitution and By-Laws include the Organization’s Statement of Political Agenda which is the Ten Point Green Political Agenda which will govern and guide their framework and plans for the next twenty-five years (2025 to 2050).
Green Party of the Philippines 2019 subsequently launched its youth program called Kabataan Para sa Kalikasan (KALIKAS). This program serves to encourage the youth to advocate for a healthier, cleaner, and better environment in connection with the Ten Point Agenda of the party.
The organization in its pursuit of the Ten Point Green Political Agenda conducted various activities even during the pandemic including a regional congress, the Manila Bay Region Kalikasan Muna Congress via Zoom on August 21-22, 2021, and subsequently a national Kalikasan Muna Congress held online via zoom on March 26, 2022.
To implement their Ten Point Green Political Agenda, the party submitted a petition to the Commission on Elections to register as a party-list for party-list representation in the House of Representatives.
Despite, not being able to fully participate as a party list, this did not hinder them from forming alliances to join the national elections. In the 2022 National and Local Elections, the Organization’s National President, David D’Angelo ran for senator, with the nomination under the party Partido Lakas Ng Masa of presidential candidate Leody De Guzman.
Environmental Advocacy and Pushing for Green Governance
In October 2022, David D’Angelo, National President of the Green Party of the Philippines was elected as one of the Board of Trustees of one of the biggest environmental organizations in the Philippines – Green Convergence for Safe Foor, Healthy Environment, and Sustainable Economy. The party fully supported the projects of the organization and recognized the necessity of networking with civil society organizations. As a commitment to the organization, the party is regularly attending the activities of the organization, including monthly attendance to its Kamayan Forum which has been going on for more than 30 years. Just recently, in October 2023, David D’Angelo was subsequently appointed as Chairperson of the Public Relations and Communications Committee of the organization.
Other key members of the party are also part of various network organizations, among them are Hilary Pangan, a member of the National Permaculture Network; Jun Policarpio, co-founder and officer of the Consortium for the Devt. of Western Mindanao Communities, Inc. (CDWMCI); and Emelita Cordero, 1ASC(Advocates for Settlers Communities), Blissful Women’s Rural Workers Association, and Kutawato Greenland Initiatives.
The party is also recognized as a key expert in green governance through its participation as one of the judges in the 2023 Green Awards Search and Program of Quezon City Mayor, Joy Belmonte. The party is represented by its National President, David D’Angelo as one of the judges.
In 2023, as the climate crisis continues to pose a threat to countries like the Philippines, and as a way to support the advocacy of the administration of President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. regarding climate change adaptation, and mitigation, the party decided to once again register to participate in the 2025 party-list elections.
The next step would be to take part in governance and be the voice of nature, environmental defenders, and the people when it comes to matters about a better, and greener future, and we hope that the COMELEC will see through this, approve the petition, and in 2025 the people will give their mandate.
