PBGEA: Ocampo should get his facts correct

PILIPINO Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) thwarted Bayan Muna Representative Satur Ocampo on the occupational safety of banana workers, saying the lawmaker should get his facts correct before making any baseless allegation.

"It seems that Ocampo is out of touch from the industry as he is not aware that the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole) has always been coordinating with the banana industry in its 40 years of existence," the association commented.

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PBGEA enumerated various mandates implemented by Dole in the plantation, such as the requirement to submit a monthly work-related sickness and injury report and actual assessment of the working condition in the plantations.

"Besides that, plantations' own initiatives to conduct massive and continuous education to workers through information drive and participation to Basic Occupational Health and Safety Seminar by Dole, while requiring workers to use personal protective equipment on field contribute to ensuring the optimal condition for workers in the plantation," the banana group said.

The association continued to ask: "How can Ocampo talk like that when he's not from tis place," adding that he must stay longer in the region for him to know what Dole is doing to ensure the safety of the condition of the workers in the plantation.

It added Ocampo should also know that even the Department of Health (DOH) recognized the fact that banana farmers and their families are protected.

To prove this, it cited the launching of the breast-feeding center in Tagum Agricultural Development Company, which was even attended by then Health regional director, now Assistant Secretary Paulyn-Jean Ubial and World Health Organization representative Alex Iellano. It was remarkable for DOH as it was the first lactating center ever set up in a plantation.

The banana association reminded Ocampo that banana workers are even the ones who have been defending the aerial spraying as farm practice, contrary to its claim that it has been unheard of in the discussion on aerial spraying.

"Congressman Ocampo, instead of listening to the few who are all out to deprive the banana farmers of their main livelihood, should come to their rescue by looking into how these so-called non-government organizations have been using the aerial spraying issue to milk foreign donors," the association said.

The group added that while Ocampo is correct about the exposure of workers to aerial spraying, he has been misinformed when he claimed that they were afflicted with illnesses.

"Congressman Ocampo should see these workers for him to know that they are as healthy as he is or even better," the association said, adding that its members have even conducted periodic examinations of their workers to ensure their health.

Reynante Bangoy, chair of the 911-Save Our Sagingan, a group of agrarian reform beneficiaries in the banana industry, said that contrary to Ocampo’s claims, banana workers have been very vocal about their call for aerial spraying to continue.

"We believe, however, that those who are behind the call to stop aerial spraying are the ones who have influenced the mindset of the good congressman. He should also listen to us," Bangoy said, adding that he is inviting Ocampo to banana farms to find out for himself the truth about aerial spraying.