BANNING HARMFUL INSECTICIDES AND HERBICIDES

 

BANNING HARMFUL INSECTICIDES AND HERBICIDES

It is very clear that the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) under the DENR has direct authority over the control, importation and distribution of chemicals that are classified as regulated, phased out or banned because of the serious risks that they pose to the environment in general and to public health in particular.

What is not clear is how the EMB is coordinating with the other government agencies that also have the indirect or indirect authority over these chemicals. To name the obvious ones, these would be the FDA, the DTI and of course the Department of Agriculture (DA). How is the coordination done? Is there a technical working group (TWG) or a coordinating council? Perhaps when a major problem occurs, this could become a Cabinet matter?

It is very difficult to imagine how government agencies would act when their jurisdictions would happen to collide with each other, especially when it comes to certain regulatory functions. For example, there are some insecticides and herbicides that should be regulated by the BMB, but are seemingly allowed or tolerated by the DA, even if these are already reportedly banned in some countries. And since some of these products are reportedly cancer causing, should the DOH also not play a role? Early on, the DOH could actually get involved if it wants to, because the FDA is under them. Let’s not wait for something to happen before we act. IKE SENERES/3-11-24

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