Casiño tops Environment Vote

MANILA, Philippines - Makabayan senatorial candidate and Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Teddy Casiño topped the Environment Vote 2013, a voter education campaign that identifies senatorial bets who have the most environment-friendly track record and platform.

Casiño received the highest score because of his positive stance on the clamor for a moratorium on large-scale mining and the construction of new coal-fired power plants. 

Also noted were Casiño’s platform to junk the perceived toothless Mining Act of 1995 and the US-Philippines Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) as well as his demand to hold accountable the US sailors and Chinese fishermen whose vessels separately ran aground and damaged Tubbataha Reef.

Released by environmental groups yesterday, results of the Environment Vote also included Sen. Loren Legarda, former senator Jamby Madrigal, Ang Kapatiran’s JC de los Reyes, and Sen. Chiz Escudero in the top five.

Among the top 12 are former senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, Ricardo Penson, Cynthia Villar, Risa Hontiveros, Mitos Magsaysay, and Sen. Gringo Honasan.

Surprisingly, Puerto Princesa Mayor Edward Hagedorn, who has been running for the Senate on an environmental platform, did not make it to the Magic 12 of the Environment Vote initiated by the Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment (Kalikasan-PNE), Center for Environmental Concerns-Philippines, Advocates for Science and Technology for the People, AGHAM Youth, Kalikasan Youth, Student and Voice for the Environment and the Defend Patrimony Alliance.