Clark and Subic Tragedy Will Continue
Published in Today
(February 29, 2000)
FEBRUARY 25th saw the death of Crizel Valencia, a 6-year-old victim of toxic waste at Clark Air Force Base, Pampanga.
My client, Kristan Phillips, himself a vicim of toxic insult, is deeply saddened, as is everybody that. knew of Crizel's singularly brave struggle. Kristan was one of the original donors of funds toward Crizel's treatment.
With sadness there is also deep anger; Crizels' death was not necessary, and could have been avoided. The prior deaths of all of those at Clark and Subic could, and should, have been avoided. It is a fact that before the first year of this bright new millennium is over, many more Will be dead -- a situation that can be avoided, but only if there is the political will to do so. In this modem age of civilized democracy in the Philippines, it is staggering to find that such will appears to be nonexistent.
I am one of a group of international lawyers -- from UK, US and Hong Kong -- that has advised Sen. Robert Jaworski's committee on the legal rights of the Philippines in connection with the toxicwaste issue. It was, and still is, our unanimous opinion that there is a legal obligation on the part of the United States to clean up the toxic, waste at the former bases. The US, at a summit in Washington, through a representative of the Department of Defense, advised those present, including Senator 'Jaworski, that unless there was a legal basis to do so, the US government is not empowered to appropriate funds toward a cleanup. A more clean indication/ invitation as to what the Philippine government should be doing cannot be imagined.
Clark and Subic are time bombs. Toxins move through the soil by the action of water; no one knows where the: aquifers in the region are, (there has never been a proper survey conducted which could shed light on their position). No one can predict where, or when the toxins will reach the main water systems in Pampanga. But reach them they will. And at that point, there is nothing to be done. A graphic example of this occurred in the Danube two weeks ago --below the release point of the cyanide, not one living thing remains In the river system. That is what can happen in Pampang.
No rice crop, no fish farming, no industry, no transport sy stem -- all gone. And the people all removed to Manila to escape the toxins and to find food and work. There are 7 million people in Region III, and 15 percent of the nation's rice industry.
The initiatives so far proposed between, the govennnent and the government and the US - that private sector envuonmental cleanup companies seek private funding to accomplish the task -- is regarded as a farce ever by those tasked by the government to put the initiative into effect. Estimates of the cost of cleanup range between $1 billion and $30 billion. Can it really be suggested seriousi that this initiative will work? We have discovered from our Washington sources that the US has still not even considered which experts to appoint to jointly evaluate the needs of the initiative.
Meanwhile, Clark and Subic are pronloted as new economic zones of the one of in country. But if commercial clients and contacts were to ask me where they should set up their hub, there is only one answer: anywhere but Clark or Subic. The risk is immense -- their work force is at risk. The resulting lack of insurance cover will cause almost all responsible, American entities to invest elsewhere.
All too soon, the investment at the bases will become a myth.
But that is the future tomorrow, next week perhaps too far ahead to worry the people that can change things. Today, there is a group of people who had worked selflessly to keep a little girl called Crizel alive; that cause has been lost, and the personal sorrow is immense. Those of us who put human concerns first know that this sorrow will only increase as the numbers of dead and sick children increase and they will continue to increase until action is taken. Too many people have become sick and too many parents have had to bury their children for nobody with authority to speak out and then to act.
PETER LUNNING
clo Manila Dianwnd Hotel
Roxas Boulevard
Manila
