THE Municipality of Surallah, South Cotabato has pushed an ordinance banning aerial spraying in its area.
Vice Mayor Pinky Divinagracia has tasked the Municipal Committee on the Environment to fast-track the passage of the Ban Aerial Spraying Ordinance.
The move came after a church-backed silent protest by the affected communities was held at the Allah Valley airport runway where the aerial spraying planes are stationed.
The community mobilization was aimed at forcing the local office of the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (Caap) to prohibit the spray planes from using the airport and to discourage Sumifru Philippines Corporation from deploying its spray planes over the municipalities of Surallah and T'boli.
The Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (Maas) network welcomed the initiative of the Municipal Government.
"We are glad that the Surallah local government has shown the legislative foresight to prevent the pesticide drift from further damaging the health of the communities and the environment," Maas president Dagohoy Magaway said in a statement.
“If successfully passed, Surallah will now join an elite group of municipalities and cities who have chosen to uphold their citizens' right to a healthy environment, free of toxic pesticide drift,” he added.
Magaway called on other local governments to follow suit.
“If they truly care for our people and the environment, no amount of economic persuasion by banana plantations should stop them from proactively taking steps to ensure that the environment is free from the toxic rain brought about by these spray planes,” he said.
Magaway, with other affected farmers from communities surrounding banana plantations, formed the Maas network in 2005 to campaign for an end to aerial spraying due to a rise in community ailments.
In 2007, the City Council heard their pleas and passed the Davao City Ban Aerial Spraying Ordinance.
Cities who have previously passed a similar ordinance were Bukidnon in 2001 and North Cotabato in 2004. (With PR)