ALU-TUCP reiterates call for total ban of asbestos

CEBU, Philippines - Officials of the country’s biggest labor federation reiterated its call to totally ban the use of asbestos to eliminate asbestos-related diseases among Filipino workers who are exposed to such element.

Gerard Seno, newly-assumed national executive vice president of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Congress of the Philippines, in a press conference, said that they have been calling on the senators and congressmen for the passage of the proposed measure.

Representative Raymond Mendoza, of the Trade Union Congress Party partylist, laments that while trade unions are pushing for its total ban, it is unfortunate that the country continues to import asbestos from Canada, who is not even using it.

“Sila (Canada) mismo nga nag manufacture aning asbestos, dili gani sila mugamit, (Even Canada who manufactures asbestos do not use it.)” he said.

ALU-TUCP, TUCP and the Building and Woodworkers International (BWI) have been campaigning and urging Senate and Congress to pass the bill which is pending before the Senate committee on ecology and House committee on commerce.

In a statement, national and international organizations that study the causes and prevention of disease epidemics has called, for the first time, for a global ban on the mining, use, and export of all forms of asbestos.

Asbestos is classified as a known human carcinogen by the WHO, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the EPA, and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC).

 When disturbed, asbestos dust enters through the nose and sticks in the lungs or in various other internal organs which develop into fatal diseases including various incurable cancers.

— (FREEMAN)