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DOLE urged to look into health and safety of Mindanao banana plantation workers |
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Mindanao Daily Mirror
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Friday, 05 March 2010 |
Nabunturan, Compostela Valley – Makabayan senatorial bet and Nacionalista Party guest candidate Satur Ocampo today called on the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to ensure the health and safety of plantation workers who are exposed to continuous aerial spraying operations in the various banana plantations in Mindanao.
Ocampo, who is visiting the region together with other Nacionalista Party candidates, said it was noticeable that the DOLE has taken little or no action on what is certain to be a major occupational health and safety catastrophe victimizing the hundreds of workers and farmhands in the said plantations.
"Communities in Davao are all up in arms against aerial spraying and have long been active in the campaign to have the practice banned. Almost nothing, however, has been heard from the workers in the plantations who without doubt suffer worse because they are directly in contact with the chemicals after these are sprayed on the bananas. Plantation workers walk, talk, live and breathe in a most hazardous work environment. How is it that the DOLE has done nothing? Hundreds of mixers, sprayers, flagmen and clean up laborers apart from the farmers and planters are exposed to chemicals," said Ocampo.
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Farmers group junks aerial spray |
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Jade C. Zaldivar, Sunstar Davao
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Tuesday, 23 February 2010 |
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DAVAO CITY - KILUSANG Mambubukid ng Pilipinas (KMP) through Anakpawis party-list group expressed opposition to aerial spraying Thursday.
Anakpawis spokesperson Pedro Arnado said KMP understands that there are farmers who support aerial spraying because they own cooperatives of banana plantations. He, however, said KMP has long opposed aerial spraying when this was used in Jacienda Luisita in Tarlac.
"Sukad pa katong naggamit ug aerial spray sa Jacienda Luisita, nga kapin 68 ka ektarya ug naay 10,000 ka maguuma, nag-oppose na mi ana. Dili mi ana musugot kay makadaot sa mga hayop. (When this was first used in Jacienda Luisita, which sprawls for 68 hectares and has 10,000 farmers, we've opposed that. We won't allow it because it destroys the livestock)" said Arnado at Aglipay Church at F. Torres St.
This developed during the gathering of KMP members in commemoration of the 23rd anniversary of the Mendiola massacre.
"Diri sa may Sto. Tomas, reklamo sa mga mag-uuma didto nga ang tambal ang gakaadto sa ilaha. Mamatay ang mga gulayon, mga hayop mawadan ug balahibo, mga baboy. (In Sto. Tomas, their complain is they also get hit by the fertilizer. Their plants die, the livestock they have such as pigs lose hair)" Arnado said.
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MAAS criticizes Malacanang for creating Task Force on aerial spraying |
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MindaNews
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Saturday, 20 February 2010 |
DAVAO CITY – MAAS members slammed President Arroyo’s plan to create an independent task force to evaluate claims whether aerial spray should be banned or not.
Liezl Bacalso, a MAAS member from Sirib in Calinan District, questioned the logic behind the decision since there were already previous studies conducted by government experts on the negative effects caused by the aerial spray on the lives of the people living near banana plantations. “Bakit kailangan pa ng experts from other countries? Bakit kailangan pa ng studies , eh meron na ang DOH at DA; may recommendation na sila. Bakit hindi ito sundin?”, (Why is there a need for experts from other countries when the DOH and DA experts have already made their recommendations? Why are these not being followed?), she asked.
Bacalso was reacting to comments made by President Arroyo during her visit in Davao for the Agribusiness Super Region last Tuesday. When asked about the aerial spray issue, the President disclosed that she instructed Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jess Dureza to head the task force to look into the agricultural practices in other countries to resolve the issue on whether to ban aerial spray or not.
MAAS members do not agree with the decision. Dagohoy Magaway, MAAS member from Brgy Balengaeng in Tugbok District pointed out that the experiences in other countries are not necessarily applicable in the Philippine context.
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Health agency maintains stand on aerial spraying |
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Jade C. Zaldivar, Sunstar Davao
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Sunday, 14 February 2010 |
DAVAO CITY - THE Department of Health (DOH) on Friday renewed its opposition to aerial spraying, saying the agency's position "won't change along with the change of its secretary."
DOH assistant secretary Paulyn-Jean Ubial said the heath agency is standing by the result of its study that found aerial spraying harmful.
"The DOH has already submitted its position on the matter to the President, but even as there have been changes in its leadership, it won’t be changing its stand," Ubial said in an interview after the Kapihan sa PIA media forum.
Ubial, however, admitted that "the decision to ban aerial spraying still rest upon the administration."
"As a health agency, we look at the health aspect, but now it’s up to the President and econ planners whether they will ban it or not based on other perspective or other information on the economic consideration," Ubial said.
Ubial said the DOH's study is extensive. "It's not just looking into the study of DOH conducted in Davao del Sur, but it also looked into other studies locally and internationally."
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