The Bohol Organic Executive Committee (BOEC) has urged the chemical companies to observe guidelines set by law for the production of advertising and promotional materials in Bohol.
This developed during the regular meeting of BOEC presided over by Ms. Fe D. Curato of the Provincial Agriculturist (OPA), as designated by Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Larry M. Pamugas (BOEC chair) on Nov. 18, 2015 at the OPA Office, when the committee expressed alarm on the indiscriminate use of chemicals for the demonstration and the improper way of putting up their advertisement.
Professor Jose Travero from the Bohol Island State University (BISU) lambasted the sales and representatives of the chemical dealers who attended the meeting who applied the roundup herbicide to kill grasses for their demo even at the roadside where there were many people to pass by.
Prof. Travero stressed the demonstration on the use of hazardous chemicals on public places or at the roadside is strictly prohibited by law because it endangers the health of the people.
Travero said it is also disturbing to look at that from Bilar to Batuan there are 16 electrical posts of BOHECO I have been posted by their promotional advertisement.
He bared that the toxicity found in the pesticides can even travel up to 200 kilometers, thus it is disastrous to the health of the boholanos in this province which is a tourist destination and the first province in the country who has an environmental code.
Travero said that if this practice would not be stopped, it is expected that 10 years from now one out of 10 children will born autistics and many people will sick of cancer because of the harmful effects of chemicals that we get from the air we breathe and from the food that we eat treated with chemicals.
The professor from BISU asked the chemical agents of not to deal their products to the vegetable production areas in Bohol like in Taytay, Duero and Mayana, Jagna to preserve these places as ecological destinations or to look for another jobs so as not to pollute or destroy the environment of Bohol.
Curato on her side said that she is alarmed on the rampant use of herbicides among Boholano farmers to kill grasses or in cleaning their farms not knowing the bad effects on this to their health and to the consumers of their products.
Engineer Vicente Loquellano from Bohol Association of Non-Government Organization (BANGON) said the information regarding the ill effects of chemicals to health is not known by most of our people.
Loquellano said that it is sad to note that there are even some agri technicians who recommended the farmers to use chemicals to treat their farms.
The BOEC urged Noel Negre, Agriculturist II, from Fertilizers and Pesticides Authority (FPA) to religiously monitor and impose sanction if the chemical companies would not follow the guidelines on advertising and promotions.
Negre said the companies should ensure that their staffs responsible for the production of advertising and promotional materials are aware of the guidelines.
The BOEC invited Negre to attend the meeting to shed light on the issue and for him to remind the sale representatives to correct their improper way of putting up their advertising and promotional materials anywhere.
One of the sale representatives reason out that the farmers themselves asked them to supply the chemicals to be treated on their farms in order to produce a high yield.
Assistant Provincial Agriculturist Pamugas said that there is a need now to conduct a training or seminar to the farmers talking about the proper handling of chemicals and its ill effects to human health.
Jun Oliver from Agricultural Training Institute (AT1) 7 also underscored the important of a seminar delving not only on the topic of technology of the organic agriculture but also dealing with the ill effects on the exposition of chemicals. (By Atoy Cosap)