Public education on the need to clean up toxic wastes at former US bases in the Philippines

In July 2011, the Bayanihan Foundation and the Alliance for Bases Clean Up (ABC) documented 21 stories from victims of unexploded ordnance (UXO) in Clark and Subic, Philippines. The UXO and toxic wastes left behind show the continued peril and danger of the remaining hazardous wastes at the former US military bases in the Philippines.

September 16, 2011 marks the 20th year anniversary of the Philippine government’s refusal to renew the US-Philippines military bases agreement that set in motion the US withdrawal of troops from the Philippines. Twenty years later, the US has failed to clean up the toxic wastes left behind.  The US continues to deny their responsibility based on the military bases agreement that it does not impose any well-defined environmental responsibility to clean up after its withdrawal (US General Accounting Office Report January 1992).

The Bayanihan Foundation, the Alliance for Bases Clean Up and its partners will conduct a public education and outreach campaign to Filipino Americans and to all about this almost forgotten issue. The foundation recently announced 16 organizations that are supporting the education and outreach campaign appealing for fairness and justice.

You could download the latest press release by clicking HERE.

You can help by:

• Keeping informed about this important issue. Sign up for our newsletter, Facebook updates and periodic conference calls
• Sharing this information to your friends and family
• Contacting your US Representative about the need for fairness and justice on
  this important issue
• Supporting toxic waste victims as they struggle to survive and heal by using
  BodyTalk Access
• Donating to the Bayanihan Foundation and increase their capacity to reach
  out to more people in this public awareness campaign
• Joining a coalition for Bases Clean-up in the Philippines

Interested in learning more about this issue?  You can download the following information:

• Brochure
• Literature Review
• Facts & Figures
• Bibliography
• List of UXO victims interviewed last July 2011

Check out these links to the latest media coverage of toxic wastes left behind in Clark and Subic:

• Philippine Mabuhay News download (September 15, 2011)
• Asian Journal (September 2011)
• Los Angeles Independent Media Center download (September 15, 2011)

For more information, please contact Mryla Baldonado at myrla@fdnbayanihan.org