DAVAO CITY, Nov. 10, 2009 – Farmers belonging to the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (MAAS) commended Catholic bishops in Manila for joining in their call against banana companies to stop aerial spraying.

Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and three other bishops wrote an appeal letter to Stephen Antig, the executive director of the Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) on October 26, asking his members to stop aerial spraying in their plantations since it is an “immoral practice that infringes upon human health and dignity.”

“We strongly suggest that you rise to the occasion as socially responsible corporate citizens and, on your own volition, halt aerial spraying for public health and social peace,” said the bishops in their letter.

Joining Cardinal Rosales are Auxiliary Bishops of Manila Broderick Pabillo and Bernardino Cortez and Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iniguez. These bishops who commissioned the Archdiocese of Manila Ministry of Ecology to facilitate and assist the farmers while in Metro Manila, have noted aerial spraying as “an immoral practice that infringes upon human health and dignity.”

The bishops also cited an encyclical letter, “Caritas in Veritate” where it is stated, “the Church has a responsibility towards creation and she must assert this responsibility in the public sphere. In so doing, she must defend not only earth, water and air gifts of creation that belong to everyone. She must above all protect mankind from self-destruction.”

“As the ethic of reciprocity reminds us all, do not do to others what you would not like to be done to you, please heed this very valid, relevant and urgent concern of the poorest of the poor farmers’ communities who existed long before your plantations opened,” said the bishops.

Pesticide drift can reach up to 3.2 km, according to the US-Environmental Protection Agency, an estimate of 200, 000 people in the province of Davao del Sur, Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley and Davao City could be affected, which raised alarm among the bishops.

A Department of Health (DOH) study in Camocaan, Hagonoy, Davao del Sur which was done by government health experts including medical toxicologists confirms that 80 percent of villagers of Camocaan were routinely exposed to pesticide drift. Pesticides were found in the villagers’ blood and in air and soil samples.

The bishops also sent their letter to concerned government agencies namely DOH, Department of Agriculture, the Environment and Natural Resources –Environment Management Bureau. The House Committee on Agriculture, Environment, Health and Senate Committee on Environment also received a copy of the bishops’ letter.

PBGEA is the aggrupation of banana companies blocking the clamor to ban aerial spraying. It is composed of the following 18 companies: AMS Group of Companies, Inc., Sumifru Philippines, ANFLO Group of Companies, Alip River Development and Export Corporation, Del Monte Fresh Produce Philippines, La Frutera Incorporated, Lapanday Foods Corporation, Hijo Resources Corporation, Diamond Farms Inc, Dizon Group of Companies, Marsman-Drysdale Group of Companies, Nader and Ebrahim Hassan Philippines, Saranggani Agricultural Company Inc, Nova Vista Management and Development Corporation, Dole Stanfilco, Tristar Group of Banana Companies, Aztropex, Inc., and Unifrutti Services, Inc..

PBGEA is owned or operated by prominent families in the country such as the family of former Agriculture Secretary Cito Lorenzo, the Floirendos who are the political bigwigs of Davao del Norte, the families of Ayala, Dizon and Soriano who are the business magnates of Davao City, and multi-national corporations. (Mark S. Ventura)