In an ordinance authored by Coun. Roberto Ponce, he warned that balloons falling back to land and sea can be mistaken for prey and eaten by animals.
Research, he said, shows how hazardous balloons are when they enter the aquatic environment as balloons can look a great deal like jellyfish -- a major source of food for many animals.
Sea turtles, dolphins, whales, fish and seabirds have been reported with balloons in their stomachs. It is believed that they mistake balloons for jellyfish which are their natural prey.
The councilor added the ordinance targets groups that hold events involving the massive release of balloons filled with helium or other lighter-than-air gases.
“When you release balloons into the air, it is not an exercise of free speech. It is simply litter,” Ponce added. “We can celebrate events without spoiling wildlife and the environment.”
Instead, Ponce encouraged people to plant trees or do something positive for the earth to celebrate events instead of releasing balloons.
The ordinance seeks to penalize violators with a fine of P500 or an eight-hour community service.
Marides Fernando Mayor of Marikina City (Philippines)
The finalists for the 2008 World Mayor Award were chosen on the number of votes received and, more importantly, on the persuasiveness and conviction of supporting statements. Below we publish a representative selection of comments received about Marides Fernando, Mayor of Marikina City
Mayor Marides Fernando transformed Marikina City from a sleepy and lackluster town (always in the shadow of it's bigger sister city Quezon City) into one of the most progressive and shining city in the Philippines. With the Mayor's creative leadership by example, Marikina is the most peaceful, most orderly, cleanest, greenest, corruption free, educated and cultured new city in Asia.