Toxic Waste Deaths Blamed on Gov't
Published in The Philippine Daily Inquirer
(February 28, 2000)
THE UNITED States must take responsibility for the death of 6-year-old "toxic warrior" Crizel Jane Valencia, as well as other deaths and illnesses caused by toxic waste in two former US military bases in the country.
Lawmakers made this call following the sudden death on Friday of Crizel, who collapsed while touring the Rainbow Warrior, a visiting Greenpeace. ship that she had drawn earlier.
Bases cleanup activists are convinced that Crizel's leukemia was due to her exposure to mercury and nitrate found in the water s ply at the Clark Air Base Command (Cabcom) evacuation theater, where her family had been living for five years.
The US 13th Air Force Clark for nearly a century.
Crizel's mother Herundina said her daughter did not die in vain.
"My daughter fought her battle well," the grieving woman said. "She was young and brave. She gave hope to toxic waste victims even when she was, in pain herself.
"Her death will only be in vain if President Estrada and the government will continue to ignore the toxic waste problem," she added.
"Our children are dying and getting sick," said Sen. Gregorio "Gringo" Honasan only hours after Crizel s death. "The US has responsibility for these (cases)."
"President Estrada should now use all his powers to effectively convince the United States to clean its former military bases of all the toxic wastes it left behind," said Quezon Rep. Wigberto Tañada.
Honasan had attended the launch of the book "Inheritors of the Earth (The Human Face of the US Military Contamination at Clark Air Base, Pampanga, Philippines)" at Pier 15 in Manila.
The book was published by the People's Task Force for Bases Clean-Up and Greenpeace International.
At Pier, 15 was the ship Rainbow Warrior, where Crizel only hours earlier collapsed, threw up blood and died.
The book launching was turned into a tribute to Crizel by more than 100 environmental activists who called the leukemia victim a "child toxic warrior."
Ineffective EO
Honasan pointed out that the President signed Executive Order No. 202 on Jan. 18 this year, creating a task force that will oversee the removal of hazardous wastes in the former US military bases.
EO 202 is wanting, according to the senator.
"It lacks teeth," Honasan said in Filipino. "We can take legal action or appeal to the United States' sense of responsibility, but what is important now is raising public awareness of the impacts of military toxic wastes." . Tañada said: "Although, President Estrada cannot really compel the US to do a massive cleanup, at least he can make an urgent appeal to the former operator of the bases to clean up the wastes it left'behind, because it has a legal and moral'obhgatioii to do so."
He said the President should address the sitation to avert "the death of more Crizels."
The task force for bases cleanup earlier reported that Crizel was the 81st person to die from toxic waste contamination in the past five years.
Call unheeded
Along with then Sen. Joseph Estrada and 10 other senators, Tañada rejected in September 1991 the extension of the 1947 RP-US Military Bases Agreement, ending the permanent basing rights of the United States and the presence of its troops in the Philippines.
Tañada pointed out that a 1998 House resolution fhat he submitted, which was approved by the present Congress, called on the Congress, called on the president to urge the US government to clean UP toxic wastes that American tro s left behind.
That call remains unheeded, according to the congressman.
Even when she was already very ill, Crizel managed to call the attention of Philippine officials to the dangers of toxic waste in and around the former Clark Air Base in Pampanga and the former Subic Naval Base, in Zambales.
Friend mourned
The precocious girl liked to draw, and one of her drawings was used in a Valentine card, to raise funds for the tr6atqient of toxic waste victims, including herself.
Government doctors had found that drinking water with mercury and nitrate was the cause of leukemia and other health disorders among residents of the Cabcom evacuation center, which American troops had used as a motor pool.
At the Madapdap resettlement site in Mabalacat, Pampanga, 63 other people suffering from the effects of toxic waste mourned Crizel's death.
Abraham Taruc, who is suffering from a seizure disorder, and Shiela Pineda, who has a congenital heart disease, cried for their friend. Both are only 4 years old.
"We also have to ease the pain and fears of other toxic waste vicfim," said Nerissa Sagum-Agustin, Pampanga coordinator of the task force for bases cleanup.
TONETTE OREJAS
PDI Central Luzon Desk
With a reportfroyn Deoin T Mallayi Jr.,
PDI Southern Luzon Bureau
