No More Confetti Shower in People Power Rites




A group campaigning for a “litter-free Pilipinas” urged government authorities to disallow the throwing of confetti in future celebrations of the historic People Power Revolution.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog, made the proposal today after seeing heaps of yellow confetti at the commemorative rites held in the People Power Monument and surrounding area in EDSA, Quezon City.

“The confetti shower has become so behind the times and inappropriate as the nation puts up with the real effects of garbage and pollution, especially in Metro Manila,” said Basura Patroller Manny Calonzo of the EcoWaste Coalition.

“We feel badly for the uncomplaining street cleaners who had a hard time sweeping up the area for confetti under the scorching sun,” he said.

“The authorities should have not spent for confetti and for the helicopter that flew by and dropped the confetti onto the cheering crowd,” he added.

“The non-use of confetti in future celebrations will not in any degree lessen the meaning and purpose of People Power,” he pointed out.

“On the contrary, the exclusion of confetti shower and other wasteful acts in future rites will reflect our ecological responsibility and maturity as a people,” he stated.

The EcoWaste Coalition also scored the Styrofoam food containers left on the streets by some of the event participants and volunteers.
“These polystyrene food containers pose serious garbage disposal problems,” Calonzo said.

“They do not biodegrade, they take up a lot of space in dumpsites and landfills and, like plastic bags, choke waterways and persist in the environment for a long time,” he added.

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