Bishops ask banana growers to stop aerial spraying Jeffrey M. Tupas Inquirer Mindanao
November 04, 2009
DAVAO CITY, Philippines—Four members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) have challenged the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) to exercise corporate responsibility by stopping the aerial spraying of chemicals in banana plantations in Mindanao.
In its letter addressed to PBGEA executive director Stephen Antig, the bishops, led by Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales, described the aerial spraying of chemicals by the country’s leading banana exporter as an “immoral" act "that infringes upon human health and dignity.”
Joining Rosales in this call are Auxiliary Bishops of Manila Broderick Pabillo and Bernardino Cortez and Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez. The same well-placed officials of the CBCP have commissioned the Archdiocese of Manila Ministry of Ecology to assist the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (MAAS, Citizens against Aerial Spraying) while they are in Metro Manila.
MAAS has been campaigning for a permanent ban on aerial spraying in banana plantations.
“We appeal to the goodness and wisdom of your hearts to value the dignity of life and the integrity of creation over and above corporate gains and profit targets. Your professed corporate social responsibility is being challenged now,” said Rosales in the letter dated October 26, a copy of which was obtained by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
“We strongly suggest that you rise to the occasion as socially responsible corporate citizens and, on your own volition, halt aerial spraying for public health and social peace. As the ethic of reciprocity reminds us all, “do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you… Please heed this very valid, relevant and urgent concern of the poorest of the poor farmer communities who existed long before your plantations opened,” Rosales added.
The bishops warned the PBGEA that they would bring the issues against aerial spraying to the attention of the banana growers’ "international market" should they ignore the complaints aired by farmers and communities surrounding the plantations, "who have been victimized by your aerial spraying activities.”
The MAAS is a group of farmers, people’s organizations, environmentalists, and nongovernment organizations who are opposed to the aerial spraying of chemicals in banana plantations. The group was first organized in Davao where it successfully lobbied for the city government to pass an ordinance banning aerial spraying in the city.
The movement grew and the call to ban aerial spraying snowballed across the Davao Region where many banana plantations rely on aerial spraying of chemicals to protect their crops from pest.
The group has been asking Malacañang to issue an executive order banning the use of aerial spraying as an agricultural practice.
The United States-Environmental Protection Agency said that the drift caused by the aerial spraying of pesticides could reach up to 3.2 kilometers. There are about 200,000 people in the provinces of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Davao City affected by the potential hazardous effects of aerial spraying.
A study conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) in Barangay the village of Camocaan in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur, showed that 80 percent of the village residents were routinely exposed to pesticide drift. Pesticide residue has been found in the villagers’ blood, and in the air and soil samples.
“We cannot allow their suffering to go on any longer for anything that offends people, especially the least of our brothers and sisters, is an offense to God,” the bishops’ letter said.
The Philippine Daily Inquirer tried to reach Antig at his office Tuesday but was told that he was in a meeting. On Wednesday, the Philippine Daily Inquirer learned from a PBGEA insider that the group was still drafting its reply to the letter.
Antig, however, said, in a text message he sent to the media, that they were planning to invite the bishops to come over to Davao and witness how they do their business.
“We are deeply saddened by the letter. They should have consulted with the stakeholders first. Anyway, we will answer the letter, as well as invite them to come over and see how we grow our bananas. Hopefully, they will not believe what a small group of people tells them hook line and sinker,” Antig said in a text message.
The bishops’ letter noted that families living inside and close to the banana plantations have been complaining of getting sick from aerial spraying, apart from seeing dying crops and having contaminated water.
“The chemicals sprayed from the airplanes that you use for your bananas indiscriminately expose the people and the environment to poison. International and local studies point to the hazards of aerial spraying of pesticides on humans and the ecosystems,” the letter said.
In 2007, the city government of Davao passed an ordinance banning aerial spraying. The decision was questioned by PBGEA but a local court upheld the constitutionality of the ordinance and the power of local government of Davao to protect the people and the environment from harm.
The PBGEA contested the decision before the Court of Appeals in Cagayan de Oro. The appellate court overturned the decision of the local court upholding the constitutionality of the ban. MAAS has gone to the Supreme Court to seek a ruling upholding the Davao City ordinance banning aerial spraying.
