A day after the celebration of International Right to Know Day, Greenpeace Philippines launched Detox Pilipinas (www.DetoxPilipinas.org), an interactive website that features maps and information about chemical spills, leaks and incidents, industrial waste polluters in the Philippines.
“Given the many cases of toxic pollution happening everywhere, and usually without people’s knowledge, it is high time for Filipinos to play an active role and to be aware of the silent threats of chemical and industrial pollution happening in their own communities that greatly put their health at risk,” said Abigail Aguilar, Toxics Campaigner for Greenpeace Philippines.
By soliciting the active participation of stakeholders, Detox Pilipinas hopes to serve as a platform for citizen engagement and to mainstream the issue of toxics and chemical pollution, as well as encourage the development of local pollution patrols.
“For those of us living along the Marikina Riverbanks and constantly exposed to chemical pollution, Detox Pilipinas is an easy and convenient way to get government’s attention and action,” said CJ Domasig, a youth volunteer and a member of Teatro Marikeno. “The website is user-friendly and a good source of information.”
Together with its partner communities, Greenpeace is also calling on the government to implement effective policies that will curb and eliminate pollution. The group is working on a memorandum of cooperation with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) to forge a partnership in co-monitoring and acting on the reported hotspots.
“Greenpeace’s effort to end industrial pollution through Detox Pilipinas should indeed be lauded. As our country progresses, an interactive online platform is certainly an effective way to engage stakeholders of communities, industries and the government towards working for this noteworthy cause,” said Rep. Marcelino Teodoro, author of House Bill 5192 or the Philippine Pollutant Release and Transfer Registry (PPRTR) Bill.
Aside from monitoring, Detox Pilipinas will also include various chemical pollution exposés and reports done by Greenpeace and other citizen journalists. Greenpeace also envisions the website to be a springboard that will engage with identified companies to disclose chemicals that they use in their production.
Detox Pilipinas is also supported by Presidential Adviser for Environmental Concerns and LLDA General Manager Sec. Nereus Acosta, Ang Nars Partylist Rep. Leah Paquiz, government officials, civil society organizations, and community partners.
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