Greenpeace advocacy helps cancel environment hazard lantern flying event in Legazpi

A screen grab from Greenpeace site which was edited from a screen grab from the Legazpi city site supporting the lantern fly event. Be careful what you wish for!
A screen grab from Greenpeace site which was edited from a screen grab from the Legazpi city site supporting the lantern fly event. Be careful what you wish for!

Thanks to the long known advocacy of the Greeenpeace group, the 4th Annual sky lantern flying activity in Legazpi city was eventually canceled by its organizers.

The organizers of the 4th Annual sky lantern flying activity have decided today to cancel the event after it was met with strong opposition by environmentalists as well as the Bureau of Fire Protection.

The sky lantern event was to promote the 26th Ibalong Festival in the city with estimated 300 lanterns which would have been released tonight at the Legazpi boulevard.

The proposed activity did not get the nod from the local Bureau of Fire Protection with its non-issuance of a permit. The agency reasoned out that the falling materials from the lantern could constitute open burning particularly in residential areas where houses are made of light materials.

Due to the unpredictability of the wind and weather condition the lighted lanterns will pose a threat to houses which the agency strongly sees with clear possibility.

Since the lantenr event is a fund-raising campaign, the organizers will refund the cost of the ticket sold to enthusiasts.

Earlier, Roden Galicha of the Bataris website of the Greenpeace has asked officials of the Ibalong Festival executive committee to skip in its event the flying of lanterns as it is deemed harmful to the environment.

Galicia expressed that “what goes up must come down,” as the materials made of paper, wires and candles will fall and can be dangerous to houses made of light materials.

Bureau of Fisher and Aquatic Resources Bicol spokesperson Nonie Enolva said she supports the contention of Greenpeace.

“We cannot defy the rule of gravity, that everything that goes up must come down— and for sure some of those lanterns will end up either in the sea or in the land.

She said the fallen materials from the flying lantern can also be mistaken for food by marine wildlife.

A quick check on the facebook page of event organizers already disabled or made unavailable the posted information earlier accessed by Greenpeace where it got the original image. (Some portions of this report from PNA).

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