On World Environment Day, 120 Filipino Children Take Action for a #PesticidesFreeWorld

Press Release

5 June 2015

Contact: Dr. Romeo Quijano, PAN PHILS President, pan.philippines@gmail.com

http://www.panap.net/campaigns/hhps/children-and-pesticides/post/2610

Manila, Philippines - Starting today June 5, in commemoration of World Environment Day, 120 children from Pasig and South Cotabato in the Philippines will be learning and taking action for a pesticides-free world.

Using various creative activities, such as storytelling, crafts, field visits and children’s workshops, PAN PHILS (Pesticide Action Network – Philippines) is spearheading the campaign Protect Our Children from Toxic Pesticides in the country.  

Dr. Romeo Quijano, PAN PHILS President says “The widespread use of pesticides in agriculture and food, homes, schools, gardens and public places exposes millions of children and adults to harmful effects of these toxic chemicals. Children are particularly vulnerable compared to adults as they breathe more air, eat more food and drink more water which leads to greater exposure in a pesticide-contaminated environment.”

About 30 day care children in Maybunga, Pasig will be hearing the Story of Zee the Bee*, a children’s story created for the campaign by PANAP (PAN Asia Pacific).  Afterwards, there will be a crafts workshop, where children will be making their own bee headbands. These activities will be co-sponsored by AKAP BATA and ILAW (Institute for Leadership and Advancement of Women), both children’s advocacy organisations.

In the coming weeks until September, about 90 elementary school children from 6 schools within the municipalities of T’boli and Surallah, South Cotabato will be participating in the Protect Our Children campaign. They will be visiting plantations and organic farms to learn about the harmful effects of pesticides to humans and the environment as well as biodiversity-based ecological farming. Their learnings will be translated into creative works through workshops on essay, drawing and literature. They will also be taught to grow their own organic vegetable garden and make vermi-compost.

“Toxic pesticides are hazardous to both humans and the environment. It is important to teach children now what they can do to protect themselves, their families and the environment, as well as the alternatives.  The children now are tomorrow’s citizens, they will inherit the only world we live in, and they have a right to live in a pesticides-free world” Dr. Quijano concluded.

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*About the book

Story of Zee the Bee is about a tale of an adventurous bee that get into trouble when chemicals are sprayed. The book introduces many elements and concepts of the impact of pesticides on health, the environment, beneficial insects while presenting other chemical free methods of growing food. It is also a tale of hope where children, parents and farmers can take action against toxic pesticides and live in a pesticide free world. Download the book here.

For more information on the “Protect Our Children from Toxic Pesticides” Campaign, visit http://panap.net/childrenandpesticide/