Greenpeace Statement on the Ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement by
Nakakainis ang mga senador na yan! hmp!
Reposting from Beau's email...
Greenpeace Statement on the Ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement by the Philippine Senate
Manila, 9 October 2008--Close to midnight Wednesday, 8 October 2008 before Congress went on recess, the Philippine Senate ratified the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) voting 16-4.
Beau Baconguis, Campaign Manager for Greenpeace Southeast Asia in the Philippines said:
"The sneaky and seemingly last-minute maneuvering to have the JPEPA
ratified by the Senate betrays the unbearable shame that senators must have faced when they voted for the treaty. It is deplorable that
despite the inability of treaty proponents to explain how provisions in the JPEPA which are detrimental to the interest of Filipinos could be
corrected, the JPEPA pushers blindly plowed ahead, unmindful of the profound consequences that the treaty would have on the lives of Filipinos.
"With the treaty ratified, there is now an even bigger incentive for
Japanese hazardous waste generators and traders to ship their dangerous materials to the Philippines so long as an economic justification for
'recycling' these toxic substances could be made. When you recycle a hazard, you will always be left with a hazard, and JPEPA's ratification
has just reinforced and provided additional institutional incentive to
promote this practice. In the end, Filipino communities and workers in
dirty 'recycling' or waste processing facilities will be the ones who
will bear the brunt of toxics pollution and contamination caused by what
essentially is a case of hazardous waste dumping from a rich to a poor
country.
"It is imperative that the Philippine government now act swiftly to
ratify the Amendment to the Basel Convention which would categorically
prevent the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste from richer to poorer
countries under the guise of recycling, a dastardly practice that has
been reinforced with the Senate's ratification of the JPEPA.
"We commend the four senators, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Noynoy Aquino,
Sen. Jamby Madrigal, and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel for standing up for the
environment and for the Filipino people by voting against the JPEPA."
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts
to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the
environment, and to promote peace.
Contact Persons:
Beau Baconguis, Toxics Campaigner, +63 917 871 5257
Lea Guerrero, Media Officer, +63 920 950 6877
Reposting from Beau's email...
Greenpeace Statement on the Ratification of the Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement by the Philippine Senate
Manila, 9 October 2008--Close to midnight Wednesday, 8 October 2008 before Congress went on recess, the Philippine Senate ratified the controversial Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership Agreement (JPEPA) voting 16-4.
Beau Baconguis, Campaign Manager for Greenpeace Southeast Asia in the Philippines said:
"The sneaky and seemingly last-minute maneuvering to have the JPEPA
ratified by the Senate betrays the unbearable shame that senators must have faced when they voted for the treaty. It is deplorable that
despite the inability of treaty proponents to explain how provisions in the JPEPA which are detrimental to the interest of Filipinos could be
corrected, the JPEPA pushers blindly plowed ahead, unmindful of the profound consequences that the treaty would have on the lives of Filipinos.
"With the treaty ratified, there is now an even bigger incentive for
Japanese hazardous waste generators and traders to ship their dangerous materials to the Philippines so long as an economic justification for
'recycling' these toxic substances could be made. When you recycle a hazard, you will always be left with a hazard, and JPEPA's ratification
has just reinforced and provided additional institutional incentive to
promote this practice. In the end, Filipino communities and workers in
dirty 'recycling' or waste processing facilities will be the ones who
will bear the brunt of toxics pollution and contamination caused by what
essentially is a case of hazardous waste dumping from a rich to a poor
country.
"It is imperative that the Philippine government now act swiftly to
ratify the Amendment to the Basel Convention which would categorically
prevent the dumping of toxic and hazardous waste from richer to poorer
countries under the guise of recycling, a dastardly practice that has
been reinforced with the Senate's ratification of the JPEPA.
"We commend the four senators, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. Noynoy Aquino,
Sen. Jamby Madrigal, and Sen. Aquilino Pimentel for standing up for the
environment and for the Filipino people by voting against the JPEPA."
Greenpeace is an independent, global campaigning organization that acts
to change attitudes and behavior, to protect and conserve the
environment, and to promote peace.
Contact Persons:
Beau Baconguis, Toxics Campaigner, +63 917 871 5257
Lea Guerrero, Media Officer, +63 920 950 6877