Filipino netizens are once again up-in-arms about a balloon releasing event and this time, it’s the Philippine National Police (PNP) they’re schooling on environmentalism.
Viral at the moment is a video posted by PNP Police Regional Office (PRO) 1’s Public Information Office over the weekend that shows people at a ceremony holding white balloons and releasing them to the sky after a prayer.
SPO2 Cherry Tolentino of PNP PRO 1 told Coconuts Manila over the phone that the event was organized by the Pangasinan Police Provincial Office.
According to the post, it was meant to be a “symbolic releasing” for a “safe and fair election.” The patriotic song “Pilipinas Kong Mahal” (My Beloved Philippines) even plays after the balloons were released.
But many netizens did not feel patriotic at all. In fact, they slammed the PNP for the event’s negative impact on the environment.
As of this article’s posting, the video had 34,000 views, 565 reactions, 480 shares, and 153 comments.
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Facebook user Miel Barrera Abong wrote: “This will not affect election safety, but it will affect the environment directly. They pop at a certain altitude and land in what would most likely be the habit of unsuspecting animals who will consume it. If it lands untouched, it will not degrade for hundreds of years. This is highly irresponsible.”
Exekiel Fernandez Nieto had similar thoughts.
“Safe and Fair election but not safe and fair to the environment,” he said.
Other commenters were even more sarcastic, like Majo Malubay who said in Filipino: “Why didn’t you just release your minds instead, after all, they’re apparently also filled with air. It’s organic too.”
Ryllah Epifania Berico was just angry and wrote: “How many fish, whales, dolphins, sharks, and other animals will end up eating those? Stupid people! F*ck you.”
Sherwin De Vera, on the other hand, was bothered by how quickly the PNP seemingly disregarded the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ (DENR) warning against using balloons.
“The DENR just released a reminder about releasing or using balloons in events because of its negative effects to the environment in January, and now the PNP the is first to do what the DENR discouraged.”
De Vera is referring to the Environment Department’s December order to stop the controversial New Year’s Eve balloon drop organized by hotel-casino Okada Manila.
The event would’ve used 130,000 balloons in an attempt to land in the Guinness Book of World Records but it did not push through after environmentalists rallied against it online.
A DENR executive also issued a warning against using balloons earlier this month and reminded that releasing them is punishable by law.
The Philippines has a serious problem with garbage. A United Nations Environment Program status report in June last year revealed that the Philippines is one of only five countries that produce about half of the world’s plastic waste that ends up in oceans.
The balloons may be symbolic but the problems they cause are very real.
