QC church scraps Easter balloon release over environmental concerns
MANILA, Philippines— A church in Quezon City did not push through with its plan to release balloons in the sky for its Easter Sunday celebration after online users raised environmental concerns.
This was reported by online campaign platform Bataris Philippines.
Thank you for supporting the petition! The #Easter balloons were no longer released to the sky.
— Bataris PH (@batarisPH) April 21, 2019
But PLEASE let us continue to call on our churches and other institutions to discontinue this culture of waste, which harms wildlife and our environment.
PROTECT OUR COMMON HOME. pic.twitter.com/9NiAtxOcvA
“Thank you for supporting the petition! The #Easter balloons were no longer released to the sky,” Bataris said.
Last week, an online campaign was launched after a priest in Christ, King of the Universe Parish in Novaliches, Quezon City, annnounced during Palm Sunday mass that they will release balloons with written wishes on them for their Easter Sunday celebration.
Online users lamented how the balloons “once released, will end up as waste in landfills and other areas which will harm wildlife, marine and terrestrial ecosystems and even clog sewage systems, among others.”
Help us STOP the Balloon Release this #EasterSunday! Please SIGN and SHARE the petition >> https://t.co/owg3vYBgvG @ClimateRealPH @SavePHSeas @gpph @ecowaste_info
— Bataris PH (@batarisPH) April 18, 2019
The online campaign addressed to the church’s priest, Rev. Fr. Danny Pajarillaga, and earned 159 signatures.
'No more balloon release, please'
Despite the success of the campaign, Bataris called on the public to continue urging churches and other institutions to stop activities detrimental to the environment such as the balloon release.
“Please let us continue to call on our churches and other institutions to discontinue this culture of waste, which harms wildlife and our environment. Protect our common home,” Bataris wrote.
Last January, a similar balloon release event was called out by online users.
READ: Amid criticism, club cancels balloon drop event
Okada Manila planned to break the current Guinness Book of World Records for the largest indoor balloon drop involving 109,000 balloons. They earlier planned to drop 130,000 balloons for its New Year’s Eve countdown but later on cancelled it amid the environmental concerns raised by the concerned public and groups.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources previously said the release of balloons in the air during special events including funerals is punishable under the law. It cited that the violation falls under the Republic Act 9003 or the “Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000.”
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