DAVAO CITY—Groups campaigning against aerial spraying are calling on President Benigno Aquino to issue an executive order banning crop dusters nationwide and urging the Supreme Court to uphold the legality of the ban in the city. “We’re calling on the Supreme Court to decide fast on the issue in our favor and put an end […]
End Poison Rain: Ban Aerial Spraying in the Philippines
MAAS calls on Supreme Court to uphold legality of Davao City Ban AS Ordinance
Davao City – Anti-aerial spray activists called on the Supreme Court to finally uphold the constitutionality of the Davao City Ban Aerial Spray ordinance. “Five years after it was passed, it has yet to be enforced.”, according to Dagohoy Magaway, President of the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spray (MAAS). “This is because the Supreme Court […]
2 banana plantations violate buffer zone policy
DAVAO CITY – An environment group said two banana plantations in Davao City have not complied with the 50-meter buffer zone requirement. An environmental research commissioned by the Interface Development Interventions (Idis) in several banana plantations in Davao City’s third district showed that two plantations violate the 50-meter buffer zone policy. Lawyer Glocelito C. Jayma, […]
Stop poison rain, foreign experts ask Arroyo
Two hundred signatories from 44 countries, among them, noted scientists and health experts, have asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo to end poison rain or the aerial pesticide spraying of banana plantations in Mindanao.
Loudmouths vs mouthpieces
Cotabato (formerly North Cotabato) passed a Provincial Environment Code in 2004. Sec. 78 of the code prohibits aerial spraying on croplands and plantations. This has not interfered with the success of its declared policy redirecting its agriculture from traditional toward ?market-oriented,? with bananas as one of the four major principal products given major support. Thousands of hectares devoted to bananas are flourishing?sans aerial spraying.
People run for cover when crop dusters fly
Dili kami peste (We are not pests.) This is the cry of communities near banana plantations in Mindanao who have to suffer the adverse effects of regular toxic aerial spraying meant to kill pests in bananas. School children on their way to school, farmers cultivating their small farms, people drinking coffee al fresco and families doing their daily chores are among those who suffer indirect hits and have to run for cover when airplanes unleash pesticides on vast banana plantations. While they are not the intended targets, there is no way they can avoid getting hit by the airplanes? toxic load. Respiratory and skin ailments are among the first signs of a toxic hit.