Attn. To: President of the Phillippines, Malacanang

We, representatives of non-government organizations (NGOs) and civil society organizations (CSOs) concerned over chemical safety issues, toxic wastes, and health:

• Affirm the inalienable human right of all individuals to life and to the enjoyment of a healthy environment,
  
  
• Mindful of the serious risk of damage to human health and the environment caused by hazardous wastes and their trade,
  
  
• Consider toxic waste exports, including toxic technologies, from Japan to the developing countries of Asia, under the guises of free trade agreements such as the Japanese Economic Partnership Agreements and the Environmentaly Sound Management (ESM), repugnant to our vision and ongoing work towards a caring and just society free of waste and toxics,
  
  
• Deeply conscious of the environmental, public health, and human rights crisis that existing bilateral or multilateral free trade agreements – such as the North American Free Trade Agreement – have created, including the usurpation of democratic decision-making processes from marginalized and indigenous communities,

Hereby:

• Strongly urge the Philippines, and other Asian nations that have not done so, to immediately ratify the Basel Ban Amendment which will prohibit Japanese and other countries exports of toxic wastes to developing countries such as the Philippines.
  
  
• Demand full transparency in all information involving the trade of toxic wastes and other banned and controlled substances from Japan and all Asian countries.
  
  
• Call on Asian governments to seriously embark on programs to prevent hazardous and other wastes at source via toxics use reductions, stopping planned obsolescence, and holding manufacturers accountable for the products they produce.

We resolve to carry out and pursue the following actions:

• Conduct research to probe on toxic waste and technology transfer in Asia and their impacts to community health, economy and environment.
  
  
• Cooperate with concerned people's organizations and movements working on globalization and other related issues to facilitate information sharing, joint action, and monitoring of Japanese efforts to export toxic waste and other banned and controlled substances to Asia.
  
  
• Stand in solidarity with all of Philippine civil society in outrage over the ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement.

Signed 9 October 2008.

Basel Action Network

Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternative (GAIA)

Health Care Without Harm (HCWH)

International Pops Elimination Network

Arnika, Czech Republic

Toxics Link (India), India

Indonesia Toxics-Free Network, Indonesia

Greenpeace Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand

Campaign For Future Of Filipino Children (CFFC), Japan

Chemical Sensitivity Support Center, Japan

Citizens Against Chemical Pollution (CACP), Japan

Citizens Policy Research Committee, Japan

Environmental Forum of Toyonaka Citizens, Japan

Forum for Peace, Human Rights and the Environment, Japan

Jubilee Kansai Network, Japan

Kansai Action Center on Philippine Human Rights Issues, Japan

No to WTO/FTA Grassroots Campaign, Japan

Stop the Dioxin Pollution! Kansai Network, Japan

Yutaka Saburi, University of Fukui, Japan

Consumers' Association of Penang and, Malaysia

Sahabat Alam Malaysia (Friends of the Earth Malaysia), Malaysia

Pesticide Action Network (Mauritius), Mauritius

Friends of the Earth, South Africa

Ecologistas en Accion, Spain

Campaign for Alternative Industry Network, Thailand

American Environmental Health Studies Project, USA

Greenaction for Health and Environmental Justice, USA

Institute for Local Self-Reliance, USA

Contact Persons:

Richard Gutierrez, Coordinator, Basel Action Network Asia-Pacific
Mobile: 0917 506 7724; (currently in Nairobi) Mobile: (+254715281222) Email: rgutierrez@ban.org

Anne Larracas and Gigie Cruz, Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
Mobile: + 639166566209 / +639178250802 Email: anne@no-burn.org / gigie@no-burn.org

Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace Southeast Asia
Mobile: +639178715257 Email: beau.baconguis@greenpeace.org

Ronnel Lim, Health Care Without Harm
Mobile: + 639189850130 Email: ronnel@gmail.com