BONGBONG MARCOS PUSHES FOR GREEN PHILIPPINES

Vice presidential candidate Senator Ferdinand "Bongbong" R. Marcos, Jr. today extended his call for national unity to the movement for the protection of our environment and the march towards a greener Philippines.

"As we celebrate the Earth Day tomorrow (April 22) , let us all join hands as one nation and contribute in our own way in the global efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emission and other activities that harm our environment," said Marcos.

However, Marcos said the government should spearhead the effort in the protection of environment through consistent implementation of regulations to ensure compliance with green regulations.

"Our effort to protect the environment should be a sustained campaign and consistent throughout the year, not just during Earth Day celebrations, so that protection of environment should become second-nature for all of us," said Marcos.

With the Philippines tagged as among the countries that to be hardest hit by effects of climate change, Marcos said protection of our environment become has gained more significance for us.

Marcos has filed various bills in the Senate to advance his pro-environment advocacy, including Senate Bill No. 2885 or the Climate Change Education Act, seeking to include discussion of climate change as part of curricula for all college and universities.

Likewise, Marcos has proposed the Green Building Act to encourage construction of ecological-friendly and energy-efficient buildings; a bill to encourage use of bicycles, and a bill to ban the use of plastic bags.

During his stint as three-term governor of Ilocos Norte, Marcos pioneered the use of renewable sources of energy, including the wind farm in Bangui town--considered as the first in Southeast Asia--to produce adequate supply of clean electricity not only for the province but for nearby areas as well.