Serious groundwater and soil contamination at Clark and Subic is documented in reports by the U.S. GAO, WHO, independent U.S. and Philippine experts, U.S. based environmental firms, and the DOD's internal reports, and there are signs that the contamination has seeped into the nearby communities, affecting the health and safety of thousands of people.
SIGN NOW and urge Bush to do something today!
Dear President George W. Bush,
We are sending you this petition out of deep concern for the environmental contamination that was left behind in the former U.S. military bases in the Philippines.
Serious groundwater and soil contamination at Clark and Subic is documented in reports by the U.S. General Accounting Office, World Health Organization, independent U.S. and Philippine experts, two U.S. based environmental firms, and the Department of Defenses internal reports. For instance, a 1992 GAO report stated that the environmental problems in the Philippines approach Superfund proportions.
Already, there are signs that the contamination has seeped into the nearby communities, affecting the health and safety of thousands of people.
A health survey conducted by a Canadian health organization in 1998 revealed high rates of health problems in communities surrounding Clark.
Already over hundreds of people from around Clark and Subic have died from illnesses believed to be linked to the toxic waste. Currently, hundreds more are suffering from illnesses attributed to the same problem.
For instance, one little boy who was born in the former air base, Abraham Taruc, cannot walk, talk, or eat solid foods. His sickness is traced to the water that he and his mother drank, which was later found to contain significant levels of mercury and nitrate. What is ironic is that his mother considers herself lucky. Of nine children who were born in a neighboring area with similar nervous system problems, Abraham is the only one who has survived.
The hundreds of sicknesses and deaths around Clark and Subic is a tragedy and a signal for immediate action.
How can our country claim to be a global environmental leader, if we just walk away from a mess left behind in an ally's backyard, especially when that friend does not have the capabilities nor resources to deal with it. It is in the best interests of the United States to address this problem, to maintain the good relations with the Philippines that it has enjoyed for almost 100 years.
I urge you to support legislation, (or in the case of the House-to co-sponsor Resolution 355 that Congressman Underwood has introduced) that addresses this problem.
