MANILA (December 24) — With the holiday season in full swing, EcoWaste Coalition is calling on families and communities to celebrate Christmas and welcome the New Year guided by the “3Ps”: People-friendly, Pet-friendly, and Planet-friendly.
“We encourage everyone to make the Christmas and New Year festivities people-, pet- and planet-friendly,” said Aileen Lucero, the group’s national coordinator.
“By being mindful of the 3Ps, we can reduce the harmful impacts of the holidays on people’s health, our pets’ safety, and the planet’s well-being, especially amid the climate emergency.”
Lucero underscored the message as government health officials roll out safety reminders under the Department of Health’s annual Ligtas Christmas program, noting that traditional holiday practices often come with hidden costs to public health and the environment.
Harmful holiday habits
The EcoWaste Coalition flagged three common practices that undermine Filipinos’ constitutional rights to health and to a balanced and healthful ecology:
- Excessive use of disposable plastics and paper during parties and reunions, fueling spikes in “holitrash” that local governments and taxpayers must collect and dispose of;
- Open burning and illegal dumping of holiday waste in streets, waterways, and vacant lots after the festivities, worsening air, soil, and water pollution; and
- Use of firecrackers and fireworks, especially on New Year’s Eve, which can cause injuries and fires, release toxic smoke, and leave hazardous debris.
“These practices harm people, frighten and injure animals, and degrade the environment we all share,” Lucero said. “We need a new culture of celebration that respects human rights, protects animal companions, and safeguards ecosystems.”
Simple, safe, and sustainable alternatives
To put the 3Ps into practice, the group urged the public to:
- Choose simple celebrations — avoid lavish spending, cut food waste, reuse and refill containers, and consider channeling savings to disaster-affected communities;
- Practice proper waste segregation to enable reuse, recycling, repair, and composting, following the principle: mix not, burn not, dump not; and
- Skip firecrackers and fireworks altogether, including improvised PVC “boga,” which can cause burns, worsen air quality, trigger respiratory problems, and subject pets and wildlife to intense noise stress.
