Groups hit smear drive against banana workers

MANILA, Philippines - Labor unions representing some 300,000 banana farm workers in various support industries of the Philippine banana industry hit yesterday what they perceived as smear campaign against banana growers in Mindanao who have accused them of non-existing health risk regarding the aerial spaying of banana plantations in their localities.

Jesus Pagaran, vice president for Southern Mindanao of the Associated Labor Union and labor representative to the Regional Development Council, said in a statement that the recent positions taken by some members of the Manila clergy and the Executive Committee of the Department of Health are “shockingly and deliberately, a gross distortion of the truth” in the wake of findings by the World Health Organization and scientists of the University of the Philippines Manila that the anti-spray lobby has no scientific basis.

“We carefully studied the issues and it is our conclusion that the campaign against aerial spraying as an agricultural practice of Davao’s flagship industry is for the promotion of a foreign interest,” he said

Pagaran said they are saddened by the statements of some Catholic prelates warning that such stance can make the Philippine Church “a symbol of Third World mendicancy rather than being our people’s instrument for their emancipation from poverty, hunger and disease.”

He cited the fact that aerial spraying of low-dose fungicide not only sustains the viability of the industry and the livelihood of thousands of households in Mindanao but also, more importantly, protects the environment and does not pose a risk to people’s health.   – Perseus Echeminada