Tuesday, February 05, 2008 Pro-aerial spray lies to look good, anti says By Grace L. Plata
AERIAL spray ban advocates accused the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) of manipulating the facts behind their operations in attempts to appear as the "good boys."
Cecilia Moran, a member of Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (Maas) and a resident of Dacudao, said PBGEA has recently been sending the signal that they are concerned about the welfare of the environment and the health of the people, including their own employees, when in truth the banana companies are leading the destruction of the environment.
Maas said in the middle of battle on the implementation of the ordinance banning aerial spraying in Davao City, Anthony Sasin, spokesperson of PBGEA, has been consistent with his assertion that the group he is working for also considers environment and the safety of the people in their operations.
Earlier, Sasin said PBGEA conducted aerial spraying in the presence of public officials to show everyone that they "conduct these operations under the stringent worker safety practices that safeguard the health of our employees."
Moran, however, said that the statement is void of sincerity and fact because "in truth, aerial spraying is conducted, while people in the village -- unprotected and obviously this is none of the PBGEA's concerns -- do their daily activities."
"Kadaghan na mi naigo anang ilang gina-spray. Maski akong mga anak kung paadto sila sa eskelahan mao nang sige gyud me ug kasakit. Ga-reklamo man mi pati mga silingan sa ila pero wala ma'y pagbag-o. Padayun gihapon sila ug spray sa mga peste ug maapil pud mi. Mao na wala guy'u muto-o sa ila. (We have been hit many times by what they spray. Even my children when they go to school. That is why we get sick a lot. Our family and neighbors complained to the companies for years, but nothing changed, they continued to spray poison on us as if we were pests. So no one believes their lies)," Moran said in a statement.
In a telephone interview, Lia Jasmin Esquillo, executive director of the non government organization Interface Development Interventions, Inc. (Idis), an environmental group, said PBGEA has already admitted their own lapses and flaws in conducting aerial spraying.
This, she said, has been apparent in their own stories that recently went out in the media.
"What could be more incriminating than admitting that aerial spraying is conducted and people are sprinkled with the chemicals being used in the practice? And what more could give away their being liars than their own admission?" Esquillo said. (With Press release)
