Marvi Lacar

ARCHIVE: Toxic Philippines

In the early 1900s when Subic Bay Naval Base and Clark Air Base were manned in Olonggapo and Angeles City, respectively, the Philippines did not have any environmental protection laws. Due to the host country's nonexistent environmental protection laws, the disposal of contaminants at both Clark and Subic was less than conscientious.

Inside the bases, incidences of dumping of hazardous waste, leaking underground storage tanks, toxic spills and other environmentally harmful events continued for years with little or no oversight.

In tne 1990s, Clark Air Base Command (CABCOM) saw an influx of around 20,000 refugees from the Mt. Pinatubo eruption and the subsequent landslides from the ash fall. During those years, thousands of refugees relied on well water for drinking, cooking and bathing. Contaminated water is said to be the primary cause of many health problems that started developing a few years after relocation. Many of those affected were children.

The United States government, while admitting that there have been findings of contamination in both Clark and Subic bases, maintains that its contract with the Philippine government frees it from clean-up obligations, despite the appeal of NGOs and affected families for action on grounds of moral responsibility.

Crisel is the 5th child among a brood of 6. She was in her mother's womb when they were reclocated to Clark Air Base Communications Command (CABCOM) motorpool. Her father, Orlando, sells ice cream in the streets to support his family while her mother, Josie stays at home with Crizel and their baby. Crizel was born with a small lump on her nose which continued to grow as she got older. She has been in and out of hospitals but cannot be given a go signal for her nose operation due to poor health. Crizel cannot talk or walk and her mental development seems retarded though her parents do not know exactly what her condition is and did not keep any of her medical records.
  
Kevin is a diagnosed case of cerebral palsy. He is the youngest child of Mariter and Mario Piring, former evacuees of Clark Airforce Base Communications Command (CABCOM) in Pampanga, Philippines. Mario, Kevin’s father is a construction worker while Mariter, Kevin’s mother stays at home to care for her four children. The family stayed in the CABCOM evacuation site from 1995-1997 where they used the groundwater for drinking, cooking and bathing. Mariter's baby, prior to Kevin, died 24 hours after birth. She was adviced by doctors and NGO workers against another pregnancy fearing similar results. Nevertheless she became pregnant again with Kevin while still at CABCOM.
   
Diane is diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She was conceived and born at the Clark Airbase Communications Command (CABCOM), where her family was relocated after ashfall from the Mt. Pintaubo volcano eruption left their home in ruins. Diane cannot walk or talk. Her mother Angelina “Leng” Liwanag feeds, bathes and meets her other needs. She quit her job after Diane was born. Leng, who used to work as a laundrywoman and a maid to support her family, is constantly by Diane’s side. Diane’s father is deceased. Leng has no other source of income except for some contributions she gets from her eldest daughter Ingga.Ingga sends money from her job as a machine operator at a company in the Clark Industrial zone. Leng’s devotion sometimes results in frustration when her maternal instincts gets trumped by her desire to work or even rest. A toxicology exam performed when Diane was 9 indicated that she still had elevated levels of lead in her system. Diane is among the significant number of children conceived and born in CABCOM believed to be among the victims of the improper disposal of toxic waste material at the base.
     
  
Kevin is dried off after being bathed by his mother, Mariter.
   
Kevin and mother, Mariter head to a swimming retreat with families said to be affected by the high levels of toxicity inside the former Clark Airforce Base.
  
Kevin and sister, Sarah head to the corner store for an afternoon snack. Kevin is closest to Sarah who usually walks him around the neighborhood in the afternoons and takes care of him when their mother is busy with other household chores.
     
  
Diane shares a brief moment outdoors with her mother, Leng.
   
Diane Liwanag is fed by her mother, Leng.
   
Roseanne is the youngest of 5. Her mother, Susan, is a fulltime housewife and her father, Herminio is a construction worker who is usually away on out of town jobs during the week. Roseanne was conceived at the former US Airbase motorpool, Clark Airbase Communiations Command (CABCOM) where the family stayed for two years. Roseanne eats a soft diet of oatmeal since she cannot digest solid foods. She cannot walk or talk so she requires constant care and attention from feeding and bathing and is usually in her mother's arms. Her affliction has not been medically diagnosed because of her family's lack of financial resources although she is among the children supported by non profit organizations who cater to the needs of individuals who they believe to be affected by the high levels of toxicity inside CABCOM.
     
  
Eulalia is an amputee who used to buy cans recycled from the Subic Naval Base dumpsite, and sell them after cleaning and painting over them. These cans were believed to have contained toxic waste materials. Subic, the largest naval base outside the U.S. was a key military facility for the American intervention in Asia and the Middle East. It was an extremely strategic base of operations during the Japanese-American War, Korean War, Vietnam War and Cold War.The Philippine government, in its effort to attract tourism and foreign investors to compensate for the thousands of jobs lost when the Americans left in 1992, has downplayed the environmental and health effects caused by contaminants in the bases. The former naval base is now the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority where a number of resorts and international companies are based.
   
Rose Ann Calma, 8, is fed by her mother, Susan.
   
Conchita and her family are former resident of Clark Airforce Base Communications Command (CABCOM), the Mt Pinatubo evacuation site in Pampanga. Her father, Ben, died May 22, 2006 of an unknown disease. Prior to his death, Ben was bedridden for five months. Conchita, who has her own family, has moved back in with her parents to help with the care of her father. She too is ill and now weighs less than a 100 lbs. Due to lack of financial resources, Ben and Conchita had very little medical care and do not know the actual cause of their illness. Conchita’s mother, Norma believes both her husband and daughter were affected by toxic waste which they had been exposed to during their stay at CABCOM.
     
  
Rose Ann Calma, 8, is given a sponge bath by her mother, Susan.
   
Diane Liwanag, 12, is bathed by her mother.
   
Diane Liwanag, 12, holds on to her rosary while her mother changes her clothes.
     
  
Rose Ann Calma, 8, plays with a plastic cup as she is craddled by her mother.