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Monday, December 11, 2006
US must clean toxic wastes at Clark: lawmaker
By Dante M. Fabian
MABALACAT -- Senator Serge Osmeña III will pursue his campaign for the US Government to clean up its toxic wastes at its former military base in nearby Clark Field, which is now a special economic zone.
In his traditional annual gift-giving at the Madapdap Resettment Center (MRC), where most of the toxic wastes victims reside, Osmeña said he will not give up his demand for Americans to clean up their harmful toxic wastes at the former US Air Force base for the "benefit of the people in Pampanga and other nearby areas."
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"In 1999, I and four other senators voted against the ratification of the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) for the simple reason that the US should first clean up its mess before establishing another base here," said Osmeña, who was welcomed by Mayor Marino Morales, Angeles City Mayor Carmelo Lazatin, and Barangay Dapdap chairman Gus Baluyut.
Osmeña, who was accompanied by his wife Isabel, said his yearly gift giving at the MRC is "one way of lessening the pain and burden of victims of toxic wastes, who are mostly children."
The senator said he allotted P25 million last year from his Priority Development Assistance Fund (Pdaf) or pork barrel for the treatment and cure of toxic waste victims.
He added that his office had helped at least 200 toxic waste victims who were brought to designated hospitals in the province and in Manila.
Osmeña said his demand for the US to clean up its mess at the former Clark Air Base may have fallen on deaf ears because it will cost them at least US$1 billion.
Worse, he added, there are at least 300 US military bases around the world that must be cleaned up and it will cost them US$300 billion.
"I personally spoke with US Senator Lugar and convinced him and his colleagues to clean up Clark several years ago. They agreed. The problem is, the state department refused to fund the cleaning of Clark because of the huge expense," said Osmeña, who will retire from politics after his second term ends next year.
Lazatin, in his speech, said the lawmaker had done more good deeds for Pampanga, which should be praised. He said Osmeña "really went to the US to do something about problems at their former bases."
Morales, for his part, said Osmeña "has been helping the people and the poor by giving quality health care service, especially the victims of toxic wastes."
"I could not have asked for more from the senator. He indeed loves my people," said Morales. (Sun.Star Pampanga/Sunnex)
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (December 11, 2006 issue)
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