Advocates stress need for collective action as environmental, community problems worsen
19 August 2021 – Filipinos must continue to stand with communities amid challenges arising from the climate and environmental crises, which are exacerbated by the impacts of COVID19. This was the message of Filipino environmental advocates as Bataris.org.ph, a Philippine-made petition platform, today marked five years of fostering people power and empowering local communities.
Launched in 2016, Bataris has served as a tool for Filipinos looking for a comprehensive and inclusive way to initiate movements and community action. Bataris, another Filipino term for bayanihan, enables people to come together digitally to urge the government, businesses, and other target groups to act on pressing issues.
To date, it has hosted 275 petitions, ranging from calls to stop environmentally destructive projects to supporting legislations and lobbying pro-people policies.
Among the successful campaigns are “No to Nickelodeon Theme Park in Palawan,” “Stop Cove Manila Balloon Drop,” and “Save Masungi,” which gathered over 360,000 petition signatures collectively.
Various youth groups maximized Bataris to call for a sustainable response to the pandemic, such as when ANAHAW-Laguna, a local agriculture advocacy group, called on the Laguna government to support farmers by directly procuring products for COVID relief packs.
The Laguna government responded by releasing an executive order in March 2020 directing all local government units in the province to procure produce from Lagunense farmers.
“Dahil sa munting petisyon na iyon, kahit papaano’y natulungan ng mga LGUs ang kanilang mga magsasaka sa pag-angkat at pagbili ng mga pinaghirapan nila,” said Justin Paolo Interno, executive director of ANAHAW-Laguna and member of the I Am HampasLupa Youth Movement. “Ang pagbubuklod ng komunidad ay mananatili bilang isang matibay na pundasyon sa pagkamit ng kaunlaran. Bilang tagapagtaguyod sa sektor ng agrikultura, nakita ko ang totoong kahalagahan ng pagkakapit-bisig para malutas ang bawat isyu at magkaroon ng mas disenteng pamumuhay.”
Meanwhile, Carmela Diane Doma, an environment advocate from Sorsogon, said the 2,000 petition signatures gathered through Bataris in June 2021 also helped the community protect the Incarizan Tree Tunnel in Magallanes, which was supposed to be cut for road widening projects. Following the petition, DENR decided to halt the project in the area.
“The online petition we made in Bataris encouraged the members of our community most especially the youth to be more participating and engaging on issues that we face in our environment and pushed them on how they should fight for what is right. The impact of people-powered and community-centered campaigning in shaping policies and society is undeniably great. It pushes our policymakers to take action and be more considerate in handling our environment and natural resources,” Doma said.
At present, Bataris continues to host petitions calling for community-centered policies and corporate reforms, such as “Do Better Lazada and Shopee,” a petition filed by Youth Strike for Climate Philippines, calling on the top e-commerce platforms to transition to sustainable packaging and logistics; and the “Thank You, Next!: Filipino youth hold the key for a #BetterNormal,” calling on the national government to enable systemic changes as the youth face the climate crisis.
The Lazada and Shopee campaign now has nearly 13,000 petitioners, while the Better Normal petition has reached the Senate and the House of Representatives with over 1,000 signatures from the youth in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.
“Filipino youth and communities are exposing the need for systemic actions, and we are winning. The growing community of Bataris petitioners is proof that Filipinos are doing their part to look after the welfare of their communities, but those in power need to listen more,” Greenpeace Philippines Campaigner Kisha Muana said. “Bataris lives to keep the bayanihan spirit thrive as we unite more Filipinos to seek accountability amid the crises that our country is facing.”
Bataris, bayanihan
Bataris is funded by Greenpeace Southeast Asia and receives no corporate or government funding and is not affiliated with any political party.
Through Bataris, anyone can start a petition, share it with their network and communicate further with their supporters via email. Anyone, individuals and organizations alike, can start their petition via www.bataris.org.ph.
Greenpeace Philippines encourages advocates to maximize the Bataris platform to call for change and action, especially as offline campaigning remains restricted due to COVID19 lockdowns.
Media contact:
Angeli Cantillana
Communications Campaigner, Greenpeace Southeast Asia – Philippines
[email protected] | +63 998 595 9733