Solon seeks probe into alleged US e-waste shipments to Subic

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Kabataan Rep. Renee Co on Thursday said she would push for a comprehensive congressional inquiry into alleged illegal shipments of electronic waste (e-waste) from the United States to this freeport, including possible complicity by government officials and agencies.

During a press conference in Manila organized by environmental groups seeking to expose alleged shipments of e-waste, Co questioned whether the shipments were being properly regulated and had permits.

The lawmaker said legislative discussions on proposed amendments to Republic Act No. 6969, or the Toxic Substances and Hazardous and Nuclear Wastes Control Act of 1990, revealed that the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) had taken the position that freeport zones could be treated as “Basel Convention-free zones.”

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READ: Groups claim 234 containers of suspected US e-waste reached Subic

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“Subic is in the Philippines. The Philippines signed an international agreement to protect our environment from toxic waste. You cannot say that certain areas are excluded from that protection,” Co said.

The Basel Convention governs the transboundary movement of hazardous waste and seeks to prevent countries from becoming dumping grounds for toxic materials.

Co also disputed interpretations of a Manila Regional Trial Court ruling that allegedly suggested certain environmental protections do not apply in Subic because of laws granting broader powers to freeport zones.

“The position of the SBMA cannot be that because it is a freeport zone, activities involving the burning or dumping of toxic electronic waste may now proceed outside the protections provided under our laws and international commitments,” she said.

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The lawmaker also opposed reports of a possible bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the United States that could permit waste imports.

“It is not acceptable to circumvent or disregard the protections under the Basel Convention through a separate agreement between the United States and the Philippines,” Co said.

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She also warned that weakening regulatory oversight in freeport zones could have implications beyond waste imports.

“We do not want shipments entering freeport zones without going through the Bureau of Customs and the clearances that should be required. What if these are not just illegal waste shipments? What if they contain something else?” she said.

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Co said the full implementation of Republic Act No. 6969 and compliance with the Basel Convention are necessary to ensure that the Philippines does not become a dumping ground for foreign waste.

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“The Philippines is not your dumping ground, and e-waste imports must stop now,” she said./coa