by Yasmin D. Arquiza
Vera Files
The legal battle over the ban on aerial spraying of poisonous pesticides in Davao City, which has reached the Supreme Court, is not the first case in which farmers square off against big agribusinesses over the issue of public health.
But it is the first time that farmers have the city government on their side. The city government in fact went as far as imposing a ban on aerial spraying of pesticides, through an ordinance banana companies say is unconstitutional and which is now the subject of the legal tussle.
“This is a landmark case on health and environment, which highlights the obligation of local government units to protect the public welfare,” said Lia Esquillo, executive director of the Interface Development Interventions (IDIS). The environmental group is assisting local communities in their protest against aerial spraying.
Read the complete article in http://www.verafiles.org/index.php/focus/128-davao-aerial-pesticide-row-tests-lgu-power
These plantations provide employment for a lot of farmers and this industry is one of the few we have that we are actually leading in the global market. I have been supporting these multinational companies for years already and I believe that they are responsible enough.
Last time I talked to Lapanday this case had a TRO already.
I don’t believe this is the right time to attack/harrass these plantations as they are now battling soaring costs and low sales.
India has been courting these multinationals to put up their plantations there offering subsidy for power and water with minimal or no gevernment intervention. If we lose this industry we will be putting Davao in a place they do not want to be.
I still believe we take things one thing at a time, prioritize. Too many targets, we’ll never achieve anything in the end…
What would be a practical/logical move is to let ask the suppliers of these chemicals to present their side, toxicology reports, etc. as well as cost and benefit analysis of using and not using such chemicals and their impact on yield.
Putting pressure to existing landlords and corporations in our country will enhance better governance. The corporation must exercise its social responsibilities to the public, understand and should take responsibilities for their actions and be held liable health issues and human rights. Testing the power of the LGU units is also a test to Philippine democracy . It is maturing. It continues to learn. There might be plenty of hindrances along the way but sharing this kind of information thru the media will motivate the people and LGU to exercise its power as one. Constant awareness will result to a better governance at the local units.
Great Blog
Jug,
I fully understand your points. The residents nearby the plantations, who by now are already registering effects of the chemical on skin, have the right for an immediate disclosures of toxicity. If it’s toxic, the “cost and benefit analysis” won’t justify the loss of lives due to severe illnesses it brings.
Ellen, meron na bang lab tests sa toxicity ng chemical? Ang nakakabahala sa chemical ay ang particles na nii-inhale ng mga tao. Lungs ang puntirya ng sakit, and who knows what more.
juggernaut,
just because they benefit so many that we have to slow down and kill yet a few today? Look at our permissiveness. The govt complains of respiratory ills that cost us huge slice of our money yet the govt cajoles the many tobacco farmers with subsidies that made that fellow and he can be close to the Pacquiao fights always.
The same toxic cargo of the capsized ship is for bananas. Its killing a lot of exotic birds like my polly relishing bananas. It does not kill mosquitoes and the owners.
Hahahaha! Funny post, Val.
The banana industry is one of the biggest employers of farmers in Davao and its environs. Marsman-Drysdale for example has about 9,000-10,000 employees in its banana farms. Imagine how many the bigger contract growers have in their rolls. But Marsman has not been paying its farm hands for many months, not remitting their SSS and Pag-Ibig contributions and not honoring its CBA obligations by declaring net losses since time immemorial. It would be safe to asssume this is the prevailing industry-wide practice.
Aside from farm workers, the support industries and their workers are also dependent on the banana plantations. Marsman for example has captured the packaging plastics specially-made for bananas as well as some industrial chemicals.
The right balance between employment, business revenues, and care for immediate environment has always been the pitfall of the country, with the environment almost always getting the shorter end of the deal.
Val,
Why, you can’t be contented with your one exotic banana?
The Philippines used to supply 80% of the world’s carageenan, we also operated a major pulp and paper mill. Due to LGUs whether formally/informally, ie corrupt practices disguised as legislation (informal taxation, etc.) we lost our competitiveness in the seaweed production area, our experts scooped up by asian neighbors plunging the seaweed farmers (former) to poverty. Our one and only integrated pulp and paper mill was closed due to “unsustainable practices” and environment issues courtesy of the LGU only to be supplanted with a mining concession of the Chinese kind, JV with a company headed by Mike.
Monocropping has its major problems, pest and disease that can wipe out or render valueless a season’s harvest. LGUs are not the best avenue for aspired technological advancements but markets. Our major market for fruit exports like Japan are very particular when it comes to quality, these produce are tested for toxic residues to the ppm (parts per million). Fungicides are embedded already in the plastic sheeting used to wrap the bananas prior to harvesting.
If the aerial sprays really are that “poisonous” just like agent orange, it would be best to come up with actual case studies with documented medical evidence of people succumbing to illness after ingestion or exposure to these chemicals. As far as I know these chemicals ared esigned to affect specific pests and disease causing organisms. Or like Erin Brockowitz, get a sample of the water from the water table or river system and have them tested for toxic residue that can cause systemic damage via accumulation (continous drinking of water). Then again I may be wrong, but some really serious poisons that cause paralysis and deaths like “botox” end up in rich people’s faces nowadays.
Its not just insects, its fungus, snails, and virus. Thats why they have these UP Los Banos, or VISCA, etc., agricultural experts monitoring the plantations daily, even doing periodic DNA testing. For major prawn farms its even daily DNA testing.
Valdemar, bananas will not kill your exotic bird, even if you test them, you will not find any residue significant enough to kill a bedbug. Of course, overfeeding is another matter…
What I find concerning is the use of tons of fertilizer, with NPK levels that would render the soil into just that something to hold up the plant. But unless these people can afford to stop planting for a couple of years to let the soil recover while enjoying the our generosity (we’ll have to feed them in the meantime) its going to be tough.
Its easy to have an opinion based on what we read firsthand, but actually being on the farm, talking to farmers, process workers, farm managers, and owners gives you a different perspective.
If the market demands for “organic” produce and will pay the right price for it, the producers will follow. In the meantime, we will have to make do with what most farms all over the world are doing.
TT,
You have an interesting point there, I haven’t been to the Marsman plantations, just Dole, Del Monte, La Panday, and Uni Fruitie…I’ll check just for curiousity’s sake. Although I assumed industrial peace has been achieved by satisfactorily providing the needs of these plantation workers. There would be a gray area though, there are also several contract growers, and these are not directly employed by the big corporations. Marsman may not be the direct employer of all their plantation workers, as informal employments go, most jobs are seasonal or contractual. I’m not saying these people, like the sugarcane workers in the haciendas should suffer though, its a sad situation worth looking into…
Jug,
If you are referring to PICOP as the paper mill, I remember it was during the time of Heherson Alvarez as DENR secretary when the president of PICOP accused him of extorting money in exchange for an extension of their logging permit.
As usual, corruption is always a hindrance to development. Super-corruption the way it is done now are exponentially hurting investors more. Gloria has always been asking why we have not been in investors’ radar screens unlike our SEA neighbors.
No need to look at radar screens, bitch. Just look at the mirror, there lies the answer.
Speaking of banana, Tongue, naubos ang supply ng banana dito lalo na iyong imported sa Pilipinas. May nag-advertise kasi na nakakapayat iyong saging na galing sa Pilipinas. Bilihan tuloy iyong mga mahilig sa pampapayat dito sa Japan.
Iyong dati kong binibiling 100 yen na saging ngayon, 200 yen na. Nadaig iyong mga Taiwan banana na hindi na ngayon pinapansin. Talk of “Supply and Demand.” Talaga naman!