Snapshots of my Life

(Excerpts from the paper that they are distributing after the mass)

Aerial spraying is a way of applying pesticides to agricultural crops using aircrafts. In the Philippines, export Cavendish banana plantation has been using this practice to kill the Sigatoka fungus since the 1970s. Aerial spraying allows the plantations to spray more of their bananas in lesser time.

Aerial spraying, however, showers down poison indiscriminately from the skies hitting not only the target pest but also anything human or non-human within the range of the toxic fallout. Studies have shown that toxic drift reaches 3.2 kilometers on the average.

Communities within and around these plantations complain of the nuisance aerial spraying brings to their lives. It is rain they try to but cannot actually hide from. It is unwanted, worse, being drenched and hit by the toxic drift makes them suffer various ailments, from skin infection to respiratory illnesses, nausea, blindness and a host of other ailments including goiter, neuro-developmental delays in children and various forms of cancer. People’s water resources get sprayed and contaminated. Livestock get sick and die. Non-banana crops like lanzones, coconut and durian trees die.

Due to its effects on people’s health, environment and livelihoods, there is a strong clamor to ban aerial spraying in the Philippines. This call is led by the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (MAAS) composed of aerial spray affected villages in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Davao Del Norte and Compostela Valley and supported by the coalition National Task Force Against Aerial Spraying (NTFAAS).

Viable Alternatives

Instead of aerial spraying, plantations could utilize various ground spraying methods such as truck mounted or manual spraying. While the long-term goal is to do away with the pesticides altogether and to go organic, ground spraying with other mitigating measures, lessen the toxic drift and protect more people and the environment from pesticide contamination.

What can we do to help?

• Organize for a, educational activities within your group or community to increase awareness on the issue.

• Tell as many people about this issue through blogs, emails and texts.

• Write letter of appeal to DOH, DENR, DA and the Office of the President to issue an Order banning aerial spraying in the entire Philippines:

Pres. Gloria M. Arroyo

Office of the President

Malacanang, Manila

• Write to PBGEA urging them to stop this deplorable practice in the country: PBGEA 183 Rizal Street, Davao City, Philippines

• Attend/organize prayer vigils, creative street actions to protest against aerial spraying and call for its ban in the entire Philippines.

• Sign the petition at www.dirtybananas,org and volunteer to support this cause.