space Press Releases, News Stories

Michael Bengwayan, Environmental News Service

military bases in the Philippines. The signing of the agreements at the Blair House, which included Washington's firm commitment to help Manila enhance its institutional and technical capacity to address environmental and public health concerns, were witnessed by both Presidents. Clinton told the Philippine President that the United States recognizes the need for better environmental cooperation between the two countries. On environmental and public health concerns, President Estrada said the U.S. President assured him that "they will help us."

A joint statement formalizing a US$5 million grant to the Philippines under the global climate change program was signed by officials of both countries. The agreement is intended to help the Philippine Department of Energy promote energy efficiency and foster a cleaner, healthier and more productive environment. It aims to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and environmentally harmful waste and encourage the development of clean and renewable energy sources.

Another joint statement on environmental and public health problems aims to establish a country-to-country framework that will increase information sharing, best practices and partnerships through government and non-government cooperation. The agreement covers cooperation to help protect air, soil, water resources, marine and coral reefs, tropical forests and biological diversity. It will also include energy efficient technologies, reduction of industrial and toxic pollution and emissions of greenhouse gases. The joint statement provides for the armed forces of both countries to discuss ways to reduce the environmental impact of peacetime military activities. The former U.S. bases, Clark Air Field and Subic Naval Base, were home to the U.S.

Seventh Fleet and squadrons of U.S. B-52 bombers and jet fighters

Once the strongest in the Asian region, the military force was used in the Vietnam war. Facing directly on the South China Sea, Subic was home to American warships for nearly a century. The Washington, DC chapter of the Filipino-American Coalition for Environmental Solutions (FACES) has launched a Green Ribbon campaign aimed to bring attention to the medical urgency and environmental tragedy of contamination at the former U.S. bases. Samantha LeBlanc of FACES said small green ribbons, similar to the red ribbon campaign for the dreaded AIDS, are now being distributed all over the United States to symbolize hope and remembrance for the victims of the toxic wastes contamination. Some 101 people, mostly children, have died of serious illnesses linked to toxic wastes in the Clark Air Base area, said another advocacy group, the Peoples' Task Force for Bases Cleanup.

The toxic wastes were left by the U.S. armed forces who hurriedly left in 1992 after Mount Pinatubo erupted on the island of Luzon. There are 21 deadly toxins which have already claimed several lives, Weston International (WI) said. WI is a U.S. based environmental organization which tested the substances left by the U.S. military. WI found land and water contamined by methyl mercury, nitrates, aldrin, dieldrin, tetrachlorine, benzene and lead. The poisonous substances were discovered in 21 water sources in and around the two bases. Dr. Paul Bloom, a U.S. scientist who followed the WI investigation, also said that soil and landfills at the Crow Valley where the U.S. Air Force did practice bombings, are contaminated with ammonium compounds and unexploded bombs. Estrada is under pressure from Filipino lawmakers and the public to raise the issue for clean of the two bases which is expected to run up to $US5 billion. Victims of toxic poisoning have been holding protests in front of the U.S.

Embassy and the Malacanang, Estrada official office, seeking treatment for ailments as well as compensation.

LeBlanc said that the Green Ribbon campaign, particularly the one being coordinated in Washington, aims to urge Estrada and other Filipino officials to address the problems plaguing the victims and push for a cleanup of the former bases. "The green ribbons will ensure that the faces and realities of the toxic waste victims remain in our hearts and minds as we go about our daily task," LeBlanc stressed.

According to the Peoples' Task Force for Bases Cleanup, among those who have already died of toxic poisoning in the former Clark Air Base, the most prominent is six year old Crizel Jane Valencia, dubbed the "Toxic Warrior" who collapsed and died of leukemia while touring the Rainbow Warrior, the visiting Greenpeace ship. Crizel was invited by Greenpeace activists to highlight her case.

Her best friend Shiela Pineda is diagnosed as suffering from a congenital heart disease because of toxic inhalation. Another six year old, Dianne Liwanag, is afflicted with cerebral palsy. She is often brought to the front of the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines to be shown to U.S. officials in a plea for U.S. help to clean up the bases. Alberto Carlos, a 65 year old grandfather, is a victim of toxic poisoning on the bases who is still alive but very ill due to lead and mercury poisoning. The dead and the 90 other victims still living with leukemia and cancer were relocated to the former U.S. bases when volcano Pinatubo erupted. They were able to escape the flowing lava but fell victims to the waiting toxics at the abandoned bases.

Medical examinations are still being conducted among 20,000 people who have lived in the bases after being relocated there. At present, some 6,000 people living in and around the bases, particularly those who were relocated there, have blood disorders, said Dr. Theodore Schettler of the Massachusetts based Physicians for Social Responsibility. Schettler is an international environmental health expert hired by the Philippine Department of Health to investigate the cases of toxic poisoning. Schettler identified lead as the cause of anemia and reproductive and physical abnormalities among the victims of poisoning. His finding was recently released to the public by Philippine Health Secretary Alberto Romualdez. "The abnormalities will cause development in the form of speech among children and abortion among pregnant women. There is also a high amount of nitrate in drinking water," Schetler said, "and that it will likely lead to a potential blood disorder called methemoglobinemia for those who will drink nitrate-laced water."

In a related development, a group of foreign lawyers helping the Philippine government compel the U.S. to clean up the bases are close to backing out because Estrada cannot decide whether to pursue a case before the International Court of Justice or any international tribunal. British lawyer Peter Lunning is an acknowledged expert in toxics law and a member of a six man team who advised the Philippine Senate on the legal obligation of the U.S. to clean up the toxic wastes. He told ENS, "Estrada should decide now or wait for the greater adverse effects of the toxic contamination on the Filipinos and the country."

Lunning warned of a considerable decrease in the production of crops, aside from the human deaths already happening. A civil lawsuit has recently been filed in a Philippine court by 200 victims of toxic poisoning. They are demanding $US102 billion and $US52 billion from the U.S. and Philippine governments, respectively for moral and exemplary damages. Estrada earlier signed an Executive Order creating a task force to oversee the removal of the hazardous wastes, but former coup leader, now Senator, Gringo Honasan said such a law has no teeth without raising public awareness of the impacts of military toxic wastes.

As early as 1998, opposition Senator Wigberto Tanada said that a Philippine Senate resolution was made, approved by the Philippine Congress and Estrada requesting the U.S. to start bases clean up but it was never heeded. The Philippine government is attempting to remake Subic Bay as a tourist attraction and modern free port. The water and sewerage company serving the Subic Bay Freeport and nearby Olongapo City assured residents on July 21 that drinking water in these areas is safe and not contaminated by the presence of toxic waste on the former U.S. military base.

The Subic Water and Sewerage Company, Inc. said there is no truth to TV and newspaper reports that the water supply in the Subic Bay area is contaminated with toxic waste materials. Subicwater general manager Oliver Butalid said contamination of the water supply is not possible because all water sources in the Freeport are from rivers upstream, above any areas where waste disposal was carried out.