MANILA, Philippines?Manila Archbishop Gaudencio Cardinal Rosales and other Metro Manila prelates have asked President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo for an executive order permanently banning aerial spraying in banana plantations in Mindanao after a Court of Appeals ruling allowed the practice to continue.

The Church leaders wrote the President a letter on Oct. 29 appealing to her sense of ?motherly care for future generations.?

?We are one with all affected people of Mindanao in working for deliverance from this immoral practice of aerial spraying that infringes upon human health and dignity,? the bishops said.

The letter was delivered by Manila Auxiliary Bishop Bernardino Cortez to Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita on Nov. 9 during a dialogue among Church leaders, government officials and civil society activists.

At the dialogue were 12 farmer-members of the Mamamayan Ayaw sa Aerial Spraying (Maas) who live around the banana plantations on which pesticides are sprayed from low flying airplanes.

The Archdiocese of Manila in a statement said it was agreed upon at the dialogue that the Department of Health (DoH) would make a recommendation to the President for a ban on aerial spraying in light of various studies that show illnesses and harm caused by the pesticides.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources and Department of Agriculture agreed to back the DoH recommendation, the statement said.

Also at the dialogue were Caloocan Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez, Infanta Bishop Emeritus Xavier Labayen, former Comelec Chair Christian Monsod, representatives of nongovernment organizations, the Archdiocese of Manila Ecology Desk, and the Catholic Bishops? Conference of the Philippines? National Secretariat for Social Action.

Diseases, allergies

On the part of the government, Ermita was joined by Environment Secretary Lito Atienza, Health Undersecretary Mario Villaverde and representatives from the DA and Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority.

The aerial spraying of pesticides at banana plantations in Davao City began in 2000 and residents, mostly farmers, have blamed it for the respiratory diseases and skin allergies of their children. They said the chemicals have also contaminated their wells and streams.

Davao City ordinance

In March 2007, the Davao City council passed an ordinance banning all forms of aerial spraying in banana plantations.

The Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, Davao Fruits Corp. and Lapanday Agricultural Development Corp. questioned the ordinance in the courts but were overturned.

In January 2009, the Court of Appeals declared the Davao City ordinance banning aerial spraying unconstitutional.

In August 2009, Maas called on President Arroyo to issue an executive order banning aerial spraying, citing the recommendations of health officials. With a report from Inquirer Research