Memo sought for Batangas respiratory case probe

MANILA, Philippines — Health Secretary Ted Herbosa has been urged to issue a memorandum institutionalizing the investigation on the reported spike of respiratory and cardiovascular cases due to exposure to liquefied natural gas plants in Batangas City.
The Philippine Movement for Climate Justice (PMCJ) said that a probe based on a directive of Herbosa would be useless if no written memorandum from the Department of Health (DOH) was issued.
PMCJ national coordinator Ian Rivera said the DOH should create an impartial task force to handle the probe.
“There were claims that the Batangas City health office denied submitting the 2017-2021 data on the 10 leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the villages of Ilijan, Malitam, Sta. Rita Karsada, Tabangao Ambulong and Tabangao Aplaya,” Rivera said.
He said the data was sent to the PMCJ office on Oct. 24, 2022.
The group expressed hope that the DOH investigation would not be for publicity’s sake, but a genuine step toward solving the problem.
“It has to be an unbiased investigation to be done by an independent body,” the PMCJ said.