THE Gabriela Women’s Party has sought a congressional probe into what they described as links between the government’s implementation of a Department of Environment and Natural Resources circular and the unregulated entry of electronic scrap into the Philippines.
In filing House Resolution 377, Gabriela Reps. Emmi De Jesus and Arlene Brosas asked the House committee on natural resources to investigate increasing importations of electronic waste in the country as permitted by the DENR through DENR A.O. 2013-22.
“We filed this resolution so that Congress can recommend further steps to impose stiffer penalties on illegal importation,” De Jesus said in the resolution.
“We can also appeal to Secretary Gina Lopez to devote her pro-environmental pronouncements into mobilizing the DENR ensure that standards are strictly followed by those involved in this industry for proper handling, disposal and recycling of electronic waste, if not remove the country altogether from this hazardous trafficking of unwanted products,” Brosas said.
Bayan Muna Rep. Isagani Zarate, chairman of the House committee on environment, co-authored the resolution.
AO 2013-22 allows the importation of recyclable materials limited to scrap metal, scrap plastic, electronic assemblies, used oil and fly ask subject to standards set by the government.
But De Jesus raised apprehensions that the circular order is being abused or ignored as data from the Environmental Management Bureau reveals that South Korea alone shipped 53,600 used computers and 215,642 used television monitors to the country.
“Apart from issues on volume management, e-waste has toxic content that disrupts nervous system functions and cause learning disabilities. I observe that many poor women and children are involved in directly handling and transporting these wastes, and it is very likely that their health is compromised,” de Jesus said.
Brosas said they are confident that Zarate’s panel would initiate the hearings soon as the fast growing piles of e-wastes are a “veritable ticking time bomb that can leave an epidemic of unexplained cancers, mental health problems, and mass extinctions of local flora and fauna.”