Our ‘lethargic’ government

Why did government fail to inform the people that breaking and burning electronic appliances are harmful to us and our children?,” cried a grandmother. Her grandchildren are involved in the recycling industry. She was one of the two hundred in the audience who were alarmed at the damaging effects of seemingly safe electronic waste (e-waste), presented by lawyer Richard Gutierrez, Executive Director of Ban Toxics!

Apparently, recycling e-waste, without safety standards and government regulations, has become a cottage industry in hundreds if not thousands of poor communities nationwide. Environmental injustice is indeed most felt where poverty and ignorance abound, no thanks to the mass consumerism virus that has infected our world.

Eco-waste Coalition and Ban Toxic! organized a mind-awakening forum on “Educating Communities on the Dangers of E-Waste” held recently at the UC Banilad campus, Cebu City, in partnership with the Committee on Environment of the Sangguniang Panlungsod of Cebu City, the University of Cebu College of Law and Phil. Earth Justice Center, Inc. (PEJC).

Do you know that the Philippines and other developing countries in Asia are the dumping grounds of hazardous waste, including electronic appliances such as laptops, computers, cell phones and television sets? Japan, for example, discards 18 million home electronic appliances annually amounting to 600,000 tons of e-waste.

It is worrisome that e-waste enter our borders as “goods” and not as waste.  But whatever you call it, they are wastes loaded with the toxic metals like lead, mercury, cadmium (familiar names as these are also present in coal ash). Mercury can be found in fluorescent light bulbs and in switches and can cause brain damage, kidneys and developing fetus. Lead is found in solder, CRT in television sets and is toxic to kidneys, and to nervous, reproductive and endocrine systems.

The recyclers do the burning and breaking of appliances to get the copper and gold stored in the electronic appliances. What is alarming and should be stopped is the practice of doing the activity in their own homes and immediate vicinity where children even help in the process, unknowingly being exposed to the hazardous elements.

A mother approached this columnist after the forum ended and, with deep anxiety in her eyes, she committed to share the information with her husband and the people in her community.

It is high time for local government units to look into the serious problem of hazardous waste in their locality, as what the Cebu City Government intends to do. On June 10 to 11, a Workshop on Hazardous Waste will be held at the Cebu City Legislative Hall. Hopefully, the action plan to be crafted by stakeholders will pave the way for a more responsible manufacture and production of appliances that is more in harmony with the natural ecological cycles. If European Union can come up with a Restriction on Hazardous Substances (ROHS) Directive, why can’t we?

Ban Toxics!, Eco-waste Coalition and PEJC are one in pushing for an extended producer responsibility to post-consumption stage. In other words, as lawyer Richard Gutierrez aptly puts it, a company must be “concerned not only with making the product and how it functions, but also with what will become of the product at the end of its useful life.” No more planned obsolescence, please.

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How do you feel about the spate of disheartening news on child pornography perpetuated by predator parents, the fish kill in Taal Lake, the continuing plunder of our vanishing fisheries and forests, the obnoxious trading of geckos, and the burgeoning population that our threatened resources cannot sustain forever? Pernicious greed, absolute irresponsibility for one’s action and visible inaction of government make the foregoing flash points in our survivability happen.

Cordova was tagged a hotspot for child pornography. Yet this horrendous practice continues, at a tremendous social cost. When the controversy dies down, is it back to normal for all?

Twisted societal values have made parents pimps out of one’s own kids for pornography and prostitution. Poverty is rather a lame excuse. We see examples of prominent individuals achieving their dreams in life through sheer hard work and perseverance. Their good character positively changes the course and quality of life of their children, grandchildren and the generations after them.

Why are the barangay, municipal, social welfare, health authorities and the DILG helpless in stopping the degrading activities of parents, villagers and their partners? Why is there lack of continuing coordination among government agencies to prosecute the offenders and re-orient the values of the constituents? Is it because the influxes of dollars make government feel less responsible in alleviating the plight of the poor?

Hopefully, the discovery of the parents’ immoral practice in Cordova, a closer coordination among stakeholders, the wide media mileage and continuing values education will effectively curb this insidious “pangtawid kahirapan” industry and spare the unborn kid in the mother’s womb from the indignity and devastating consequences.

The irresistible lure of money the easy way has always disastrous consequences on people and our vanishing resources and degraded habitats. The fish kill in Batangas was another tragedy waiting to happen. How many more fish kills will move the  local officials to listen to science, understand the concept called “carrying capacity” and exercise the broad police powers in regulating, if not banning the use of fish pens and unsustainable projects? Instead of benefiting a few, why can’t more LGUs put up marine protected areas (MPAs) that they are mandated to do by the Fisheries Code? Dr. Angel Alcala pioneered the establishment  of MPAs that undoubtedly improved the health of our marine habitats, and boost the fish catch of fisherfolk.

There are only two percent  healthy corals, in this “center of the center of marine biodiversity”. Yet, illegal harvesting and sale of the corals and now, the geckos, continue, under the very noses of the barangay and local officials. The President should leave no stones unturned in holding accountable the authorities who are in cahoots with the perpetuators of the grandiose plunder of our seas and forests. We hope likewise that BFAR Director Asis Perez will be more  pro-active than his predecessors were in ensuring that sustainable policies and programs are in place and that government is “less lethargic”.