Thursday, March 06, 2008 Anti-aerial spray group to stage protest anew By Annabelle L. Ricalde
SAYING they are fighting not only for their family's health but for everybody as well, farmers and affected residents from Davao City are set to stage another round of protest to press their case against aerial spraying before the Court of Appeals (CA) in Cagayan de Oro City.
Cecilia Olmo-Moran, Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (Maas) spokesperson, said that about 400 farmers and residents will stage a caravan to prod the CA magistrates to reconsider an earlier decision granting appeal a preliminary injunction on a local ordinance banning aerial spraying in Davao City.
"We are hoping that the Court of Appeal will side our demand for the total banning of aerial spraying," Moran told reporters in a press conference Wednesday.
She said they are buoyed with the support of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro through its Social Action Center, as they press their case before the CA.
The group also found allies in non-government organizations (NGOs) such as the Alliance of Progressive Labor (APL), Sunshine Philippine Movement in Xavier University, the Archdiocese of Bukidnon, Akbayan and Task Force Mapalad.
In holding the caravan, she said Maas hopes to remind the CA to consider not only on the "technical aspect but the legality" of their petition.
Bananas are the second most abundant exported crop in the Philippines. The island of Mindanao produces 75 percent of the country's yield.
Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PGBEA) claims that the aerial spraying ban will cause substantial economic damage to the region.
But anti-aerial spraying advocates contend that the health and welfare of farmers and residents around the banana plantation should be given supremacy over the business interests of the banana growers.
"Since the aerial spraying had started residents near the plantation specially our children were suffering respiratory illness because of the harmful chemical that being used," Moran claims.
The harmful chemical used in aerial spraying also affect the farm animals and crops in the area, she said.
She said four of her milking cows bought from New Zealand amounted to P52,000 each have died due to undetermined disease after eating the grass being hit by the harmful chemical brought by aerial spraying.
"Dili na makaon ang among mga utanon ug ang among tanom nga mga lubi nangamatay," Moran added.
Maas vows to continue the fight and if the CA will reject their appeal, they will bring their case directly to Supreme Court (SC).
