Environmental advocates to join SONA 2022 protests

MANILA — The Kalikasan People’s Network for the Environment on Sunday rushed to finish leaf-shaped placards that they would use during protests on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s first State of the Nation Address (SONA) on Monday.

Using foams, the group crafted tea leaf-shaped placards, which they plan to carry as shields as they join other groups that would hold a protest near the Batasang Pambansa, the venue of Marcos’ SONA.

“The climate crisis is one campaign na mahirap i-communicate and we have to be more creative para ipakita yung connection natin talaga sa nature and how we are affected if we destroy the environment, or if we let people who are in power destroy the environment and nature,” said Mathias Dans, Program Manager at Kalikasan PNE.

“Yung pag gamit natin ng leaves, it shows na if we defend nature, nature will also come to defend us,” he told ABS-CBN News when asked about the theme of their protest for this year’s SONA.

Among Marcos' programs Kalikasan is flagging is the revival of the multi-billion Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

Marcos earlier said that he wants the government to study if the country can still use the mothballed nuclear power facility, established during the presidency of his father and namesake.

“Hindi nuclear ang kailangan natin para ma-solve ang energy crisis natin. Ang kailangan natin ay mas decentralized at mas community-based power generation,” Dans said.

“Isa sa mga panukala namin doon ay microgrids, solar, katulad ng ginagawa sa Bangladesh, rather than yung mga big projects na makakasira sa kapaligiran,” he said.

Kalikasan has been using artwork and creative materials to highlight their advocacies during protests to make it easier for them to grab the public’s attention, he said.

“In the time of social media, importante talaga yung spotlighting,” he said.

“Bilang environmental defenders, we are constantly under attack. So we have to spotlight ourselves and show people are here, there are people who are defending the environment and that we are stronger if we defend together,” he said.

Around 20 Kalikasan members will join the SONA protests, along with about 7,000 other protesters from other sectoral groups.

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