7/27/2019 oct16.2013Solon seeks to criminalize the use, disposal and importation of Monocrotophos

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Solon seeks to criminalize the use, disposal

and importation of  Monocrotophos 

The manufacture, importation, storage, distribution, sale, use and disposal of a highly toxic

 pesticide called monocrotophos will soon be a criminal offense once a bill filed by a neophyte party-list

lawmaker is approved by Congress.

Rep. Delph Gan Lee (AGRI Party-List) filed House Bill 2426 banning the use and importation of 

monocrotophos to ensure that the toxic pesticide will not victimize anyone in the country.

The bill penalizes a person caught manufacturing, importing, distributing, selling, using or 

disposing pesticides found containing monocrotophos with 5 years imprisonment and a fine of P1,000,000.

Lee said monocrotophos, an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide, developed by Ciba-Geigy, now

 Novartis is primarily used to control cotton pests but is also employed on citrus, olives, rice, maize,

sorghum, sugar cane, sugar beet, peanuts, potatoes, soya beans, vegetables, ornamentals and tobacco.

According to the neophyte lawmaker, this insecticide was described by the World Health

Organization (WHO) as a nerve poison banned in many countries because of its high acute toxicity.

It classified monocrotophos as highly hazardous and had been responsible for deaths resulting

from accidental or intentional exposure.

“It is very toxic orally and also by inhalation or absorption through skin. Early symptoms of 

 poisoning may include excessive sweating, headache, weakness, giddiness, nausea, vomiting,

hypersalivation, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision and slurred speech,” Lee said.

“Inhalation or skin contact may increase the susceptibility to the pesticide without showing

immediate symptoms,” Lee added.

Lee said many incidents in developing countries such as India, Brazil, Paraguay, have been linked

to monocrotophos causing paralysis in children even leading to their deaths.

“Even in the Cordillera region, monocrotophos as one of the pesticides widely used by farmers

suffered from adverse health effects,” Lee said.

Lee expressed dismay that at present, monocrotophos is not listed in the banned and regulated

 pesticides of the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (FPA), an agency of the Philippine Department of 

Agriculture which is responsible for overseeing matters regarding fertilizer supply and production. She

added that there were numerous reports that monocrotophos is still widely used in the Philippines.

“The low cost and ready availability of this pesticide do not outweigh the potential harm that it

can cause to our farmers and to the consuming public. Hence the passage of this bill is earnestly sought,”

Lee said. (30) lvc

NR # 3258

OCT. 16, 2013