Chronology of Events on Ban Aerial Spraying Campaign
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Chronology of Events on Ban Aerial Spraying Campaign Date Highlights October 31, 2014 Upon inquiry of IDIS, the letter was already forwarded to the Office of Dr. Irma L. Asuncion, OICofthe NationalCenter for Disease Prevention and ControlDivision. October 27, 2014 IDIS faxed a letter to the Department of Health on the Issuance ofa Statement on the Aerial Spraying Activity of Banana Plantations. October 15, 2014 MAASin partnership with other CSOs in South Cotabato conducted a Policy Forum, held in Notre Dame of Marbel University; around 60 parishioners, individuals and government agencies attended the forum. September 20-22, MAASand IDIS participated in the Fact Finding Mission in South Cotabato.The Fact 2014 Finding Activityhopes to get the facts or the realsituation and on the complaints of the more or less 100 individuals affected by the Aerial Spraying of SUMIFRUin the affected Barangays of the Municipality of T’boli. September 10, 2014 MAASand IDIS attended the NEDA-PCSD Meeting in Manila * PCSDwillpush through with the (Socio-Economic Profiling)SEP studyfrom September 2014 to February 2015 and has commissioned UP Mindanao to do the SEP with Dr. Larry Digal as the head researcher. * Director Mercedita Sombilla of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environment Staff (ANRES-NEDA)assured MAAS and IDIS that what she has learned from the 2 organizations during the meeting about the aerial spraying issue will still be considered in the study and she will tell Dr. Digal to contact MAASand IDIS before he willfinalize the project inception report September 3,2014 Made series ofcommunication with BANAS Bill authors asking them to also make a follow up letter to the Committee on Ecology. On September 3, AKBAYAN Rep Ibarra Gutierrezsend a follow up letter to the Committee and assured MAAS and IDIS that they will be furnished with a copy of the reply as soon as it arrives. No reply yet September 2, 2014 MAASand IDIS wrote to USECTom Villarin, requesting his intervention on the snail- paced action of the IPCSDon the issue of aerial spraying in the plantations in Mindanao August 25, 2014 MAASand IDIS participated in the Launching of the BATOAN, an alliance ofCSOs against aerial spraying in the municipalities of South Cotabato. August 2014 MAASwas able to inquire to Committee Secretary Atty. Dilbert N. Quetulio on the statusof the letter and he suggested that the authors of the Bills also make a follow up with the Committee August 14, 2014 MAASsent a letter to CHR Ettato make a follow up on the status of consolidated positionsand reports on ban aerial spray issue and to issue another Advisory on Ban AerialSpray reiterating the call to ban aerial spraying practice in agricultural areas. No reply received yet. July 30, 2014 MAAS wrote to the Committee on Ecology to follow up on the status of the two Bills pending in the Committee May 05,2014 MAASparticipated in the DENR Interfacing with CSOs in Davao City and raised the concern on the proper implementation of buffer zones of banana plantations. April25, 2014 MAASand IDIS were invited to participate in the Stakeholder’s Consultative Meeting Date Highlights in Tboli, South Cotabato in reference to the numerous complaints,petitions and position papers manifesting the communities’objection on the massive aerial spraying as mode ofpesticide application in banana plantations by the Sumifru Philippines within the Municipality of Tboli. April3-4, 2014 MAASand IDIS visited Tboli, South Cotabato to meet with Gov.Fuentes,Mayor Tuan, Vice Mayor Silva and SBmembers to discuss the aerial spray concerns in the area. February 9-15, 2014 MAAS representatives conducted another round of lobby activities in Manila. Updatesfrom the lobby activities: *PCSD headed by NEDAis set to sign a MOA with DENR in March for the conduct of Socio-economic benefits and Drift Studies *House of Representatives – Committee on Ecology is set to call for a Public Hearing in Davao City on the proposed Ban ASBills tentatively set in May or June of 2014 *Office of Sen.Allan Peter Cayetano committed to file a counterpart billin Senate February 7, 2014 Davao City Ban Aerial Spray Ordinance celebrates its 7th Year anniversary while its constitutionality case is still pending at the Supreme Court. February 06, 2014 Tboli Researchers sought assistance from MAASand IDIS since aerial spraying in their area is rampantly practiced by Banana Plantations.The research study would be used as one of the basis for the crafting of an AerialSpraying Ordinance in Tboli, South Cotabato February 6 Congress Representatives Luzviminda Ilagan and Emmie de Jesus of Gabriela; Neric Colmenares and Carlos Isagani Zarate of Bayan Muna; Antonio Tinio of ACT Teacher’s Partylist; Fernando Hicap of Anakpawis; and James Terry Ridon of Kabataan Partylist filed HB3857 also known as “An Act Prohibiting Aerial Spraying as a Method of Applying Chemicals and Similar Substances on Agricultural Crops”in Congress. December 2013 MAASreceives a letter response from BPI PALreiterating the safety ofchemical mixture used for aerialspraying. It also reiterated that there are no compelling reasons to warrant the ban. On the other hand, DOHalso reiterates its early position which calls for aerial spray ban. November 19 Akbayan representatives Walden Bello and Barry Gutierrez file House Bill 3381 also known as Ban Aerial Spray Bill in Congress. August 26-30 MAASrepresentatives arrive in Manila to conduct lobby visits. MAASvisit to Congress resulted to being able to meet with Cong. Luz Ilagan of Gabriela, Cong. Zarate and Cong. Colmenares of Bayan Muna, Cong. Kaka Bag-ao of Dinagat Islands, Cong. Florencio Flores of Bukidnon, Cong. Barry Gutierrezand Cong. Walden Bello of Akbayan. In Senate,offices of Senators Pimentel,Bam Aquino,Cayetano, and Binay were also visited and provided with briefing kits. At the executive level, MAASvisited the offices of DENR, CHR and PMS at the Malacanang. Date Highlights Members of the National Taskforce Against Aerial Spray such as SALIGAN,AHRC, PCCA,NTFP, NASSA, PMP, Ecowaste,ALG reiterated support to the campaign. June – August MAASsends letters to President Aquino,various government agencies such as DOH, DENR, DA/ FPA, CHR, Presidential Management Staff, Office of Political Affairs, PresidentialHuman RightsSecretariat and Philippine Councilfor Sustainable Development reiterating callto ban aerial spraying in the country and to the Supreme Court Justices calling for the resolution of the case questioning the constitutionality of Davao City Ordinance Banning Aerial Spray. MAASalso sends letter request to the above mentioned requesting for a meeting to discuss the said matters. Also, letters to Bishop Broderick Pabillo,Cong. Florencio Flores and other members of the NationalTaskforce Against AerialSpray to assist in resolving the issue and in the actual lobbying of MAASin Manila. February 7 MAASmembers commemorate 6th Anniversary of Ban ASOrdinance thru a Forum at Holy Cross College in Calinan, Davao City. February 6 MAASmembers meet with OPAUSec Tom Villarin to discusstheir issues and calls on Ban AS campaign December 2012 PresidentialManagement Staff responds to the letters of NTFAASand MAAS sent last October reiterating call to issue Executive Order December NTFAASmembers meet in Manila to discuss how to help MAAScampaign. Present in the meeting are representatives from Ecowaste Coalition,Saligan, NTFP and IDIS. October NTFAASand MAAS send follow-up letters to PNoy and copy furnish all government agencies reiterating the call to issue Executive Order. NTFAASalso reiterates that untilnow no official response from the Office of the President was received by the network. June and October Davao Support group meet to discuss how to help MAAS in sustaining their campaign. MAASthen crafted a campaign plan and a strategic plan which willbe submitted to the support groups for assistance. FPEinitially agreed to fund the campaign. IDIS will help in drafting the proposal with SALIGANas the initial proponent. May 31 PresidentialManagement Staff Office calls NTFAASrequesting for copy of all statementsof support from civil society organizations supporting the Ban Aerial Spray Campaign. President Aquino tasked them to consolidate all CSOs position and recommendations on the issue,the same with what they did with all government agencies’positions and recommendations. NTFAASthru IDIS emailed all statementsofsupport to the PMSthe next day. April 1 The Philippine Misereor Partnership General Assembly attended by more than three hundred participants from all over the country and representatives from Misereor issue a statement calling for the ban of aerial spraying in the Philippines. In particular, the PMP calls on the Supreme Court to resolve the Date Highlights case now in favor of the City Government of Davao and for President Aquino to issue an executive order to stop aerial spraying practices in allagricultural areas in the country. February 7 MAASand other support groups commemorate the 5th Year Anniversary of Davao City Ban AerialSpray Ordinance. January 30 PCSDresponds to MAAS letter informing them that until now agencies do not have uniform position on the issue. PCSDassures MAAS they will be invited in future meetings or discussionsregarding the issue. December 2011– January 2012 MAASsends letters to PCSDrequesting for inclusion in the discussions on Ban AS. DOH, CHR, PresidentialManagement Staff, PAPAand PAEP were copy furnished in the letter. July 4, 2011 PCSD conducts inter-agency workshop to assess the gaps and policy recommendations on the existing