Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau

25 January 2019

MEMORANDUM

FOR : The Assistant Secretary for Human Resource and

Development and Legislative Affairs

FROM : The Director

SUBJECT : INVITATION FROM THE COMMITTEE ON

ECOLOGY ON JANUARY 29, 2019 RE FIRST
DELIBERATION RE BILLS BANNING CERTAIN
HERBICIDES: HBN 5677 AND HBN 5678

This refers to your Memorandum dated January 23, 2019

requesting for comments on House Bill No. 5677 and House Bill No.
5678 concerning the prohibition upon distribution, sale and use of
various herbicides that induces serious and actual threat to human
health as well as the environment.

Over the years, humans have used chemicals commonly known

as pesticides to combat high loss in food production caused by
agricultural pests. As defined by the law, pesticides refer to any
substance or product, or a mixture thereof, including active
ingredients, adjuvants and pesticide formulations, intended to control,
prevent, destroy repel or mitigate, directly or indirectly, any pest. The
term shall be understood to include insecticide, fungicide, bactericide,
nematocide, herbicide, agaricide, molluscicide, avicide, rodenticide,
plant regulator, defoliant, dessicant, and the like. The damage caused
by agricultural pests is a global problem, and over the past half-
century, studies show that the amount of pesticide used has
increased fourfold.

Although there are benefits to the use of pesticides, there have

also been many problems associated with their use. In a study
conducted by the World Health Organization, when pesticides are
used, they do not always stay in the location where they are applied.
They are mobile in the environment and often move through water, air
and soil. The problem with pesticide mobility is that when they travel,
College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines
Tel Nos: (6349)5363628; 5362229; 5362269 Fax No. (6349)5362850
E-mail: erdb@denr.gov.ph
 Department of Environment and Natural Resources
Ecosystems Research and Development Bureau

the pesticides come in contact with other organisms and can cause
harm.

Pesticides have also been shown to disrupt the balance of an

ecosystem. In many situations, when a pesticide is used, it also kills
non-pest organisms. This can drastically alter the natural balance of
the ecosystem. By removing non-pest organisms, the environment can
be changed to favor the pest. In addition to causing harm to wildlife,
pesticides that travel from their original location are known to cause
harm to humans. Human exposure to pesticides has caused
poisonings, the development of cancer and the deaths of between
20,000 and 40,000 people worldwide each year.1
With these, we support the good intention of the proposed Bill
on its intent to prohibit the distribution, sale, and use of agricultural
pesticides, namely Glyphosate and Paraquat, in all agricultural and
pest management activities. Whereas, Section 16, Article II of the 1987
Constitution vests in the state the ultimate responsibility to preserve
and protect the environment as well as the right of the people to a
healthy environment. Moreover, the state has the social
responsibility to protect the public from exposure to harm, especially
in cases when scientific investigation has found a plausible risk.

Hence, rest assured that as the Department’s principal research

and development unit, our plans, activities and projects on major
ecosystems in the Philippines will be in line with the proposed Act
when it is enacted into law.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION, PLEASE

SOFIO B. QUINTANA, Ph.D., CESO IV

1Greenland S, Poole C. Empirical-Bayes and semi-Bayes approaches to occupational

and environmental hazard surveillance. Arch Environ Health. 1994 Jan-Feb;49(1):9–
16

College, 4031, Laguna, Philippines

Tel Nos: (6349)5363628; 5362229; 5362269 Fax No. (6349)5362850
E-mail: erdb@denr.gov.ph