The City of Valenzuela hosted the Pilipinas Ecowarriors’ Laban Para Sa Kalikasan Concert Tour at a jampacked audience last April 11 at the Valenzuela City Astrodome in Barangay Dalandanan.

The concert also marked the formal launching of the “Pilipinas Ecowarriors” as a respond to the challenge of environmental degradation, climate change and global warming and to champion environmental protection and ecological preservation.

Ecowarriors is a newly formed environmental, non-profit organization that aims to increase the awareness of the Filipinos on environmental issues and laws, encourage them to take concrete actions for the environment, and report abuses or violations of our environmental laws, especially through the use of the internet or social media.

With the stand, “One fight. One hope. One planet,” lead convenor and former Senator Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri introduced the advocacy of being an “ecowarrior”

He is joined by fellow-Ecowarrior convenors; Basketball and TV celebrity Chris Tiu, popular singer and actor Rico Blanco, Born to be Wild host and veterinarian Doc Nielsen Donato, with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) Director, Atty. Juan Miguel Cuna and NCR Regional Director Roberto Sheen were also present to show full support.

“We are taking in advantage the hype of the social media today especially that majority of the youth are into it. By this, they can just use their Twitter or Facebook account in participating in this great advocacy by reporting the environment violators. Of course, it will not stop there, they should also take action in their respective communities by doing conservations on their own way,” Doc Nielsen Donato stated.

Mayor WIN Gatchalian who has long been an advocate of environmental conservation and preservation did not think twice when asked the launching of the concert series to be done in Valenzuela City.  “I fully support the environmental advocacy of the Pilipinas Ecowarriors.  I believe that environmental activism should begin in all of us who are progenies of nature.  Utilizing, the social media, we can do our share in halting any human activities that adversely impact our environment.  We should not stand back bearing witness to environmental degradation, but rather, we should take a stand against it to save ourselves from its perils,” he said.

As the mayor of highly urbanized Valenzuela City, which is heavily industrialized, it formulate initiatives for the caring of the environment, especially, those areas in our city that needs to be preserved and protected.  Through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office or CENRO, we monitor industries to see if they are emitting pollutants to the environment beyond the acceptable limits set forth by DENR.  Standards and rules must be followed by business owners.  If found violating, the company’s business permit is revoked and the establishment will be closed until they have complied with mandated laws.

Zubiri, who has been a tireless campaigner for the protection of the environment – in and out of government service said, “It is about time that citizens take an active role for a cause that has wide-ranging impact.  We want to instill among Filipinos to love and care for the environment and encourage them to participate in environmental protection.  With the ecowarriors, there will be an information and education campaign on Philippine environmental laws and ways to conserve, preserve and protect the environment.  There is livelihood in protecting the environment and that the ecological balance leads to long term economic development,” he added.

Zubiri authored laws advocating environment, from renewable energy, biofuels, to wildlife protection. During his political stint, as well as headed conservation efforts like, the Deer Foundation and Katala Foundation in Palawan.

District 1 Representative Cong. REX T. Gatchalian, Councilors Marlon Alejandrino and Tony Espiritu, Liga ng mga Barangay, SK Federation, Red Cross 143-Valenzuela City Chapter, various youth organizations, among others showed commitment to support the advocacy. The concert featured the performances from Ecowarriors, comedian and Bataan Board Member Teri Onor, Kitchie Nadal and Rico Blanco with front acts, full-bloodied Valenzuelano belters Alecsandra Yamson and Donalyn Balbag.  It was made more fun by the hosting antics of stand up comics, Eric and Tuko and the dynamic Valenzuelano duo, Nho-nho and Jhilon.