Press Release
March 19, 2009

Zubiri alarmed over deaths and illnesses due to aerial spraying

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri alarmed over the number of deaths and health cases due to aerial spraying has proposed the ban of aerial spraying of hazardous substances anywhere in the Philippines.

"The harmful effects of aerial spraying of pesticides have surfaced over the years including specific illnesses that occur in clusters among residents living in and around agricultural areas where this method of pest control is practiced."

Local study conducted by the Kalusugan Alang sa Bayan Inc. (KAABAY) in three communities of Davao in September 2006 where aerial spraying of pesticides is a common practice identified seven plantation workers from Mandug, Davao who died of cancer following 16 to 29 years of exposure or association with pesticides.

The local study related to aerial spraying also identified common illnesses evident among the residents of Barangay Sirib, Dacudao and Mandug where the study was conducted. These include 22 cases of cancer (highest in Mandug, 12), hypertension, tuberculosis, measles, goiter, cerebral palsy, myoma and asthma.

The study said the illnesses identified in the three communities are similar if not identical to the effects of pesticide exposure and poisoning.

It also enumerated seven cases of birth defects such as physical and mental abnormalities like cerebral palsy that may be associated with single and or combined effects of Bithertanol (Boycor 300EC), Tridemorph (Calixin 750EC), Maneb (Maneb 80WP), Mancozeb (Vondozeb Plus 80WP), as well as reproductive diseases such as myoma (7), and uterine cancer (2), thyroid related cases (10) and kidney problems believed to have something to do with the pesticides Mancozeb and Maneb (Dithane, Vondozeb) which are carcinogenic and are converted into ethylene thiourea (ETU) which cause thyroid abnormalities and altered levels of thyroid hormones including kidney problems.

The study likewise revealed that residents of Barangay Sirib, Dacudao and Mandug are highly exposed to aerial spray with majority living within the first 50-100 meters from the heart of the plantation and have experienced actual pesticide shower during crop dusting among others.

With these accounts Zubiri filed Senate Bill No. 3134 or an "Act providing for the Ban of Aerial Spraying of Hazardous Substances" prohibits the use of hazardous chemicals in all agricultural activities in the Philippines.

He stressed that "although pilots are required to observe buffer zones of 20 or 30 meters from plantations in order to avoid affecting human, animal and plant life with the harmful spray, it seems that such rule is still insufficient to protect the residents and farmers whose lives and livelihoods have been affected by this practice. The contamination of soil and groundwater persists long after the spraying, thereby causing further ill-effects," Zubiri said.

The proposed measure specified that while the Fertilizer and Pesticides Authority (FPA) is in charge of the regulation of sale and use of pesticides, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources - Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) will be the primary government agency responsible for the implementation and enforcement of the act.

The EMB will be the agency in charge of promulgating the implementing rules and regulation of the measure once it is enacted into law.

He also called on the members of the House of Representatives to come up with a similar measure to ensure simultaneous passage of the bill.

He likewise encouraged the leaders of the National Task Force against Aerial Spray "to help in this cause by going and conducting dialogue with their district representatives as he works on the passage of the bill banning aerial spraying of hazardous substances here in Senate."

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