The Killer Maybe In Your House

In this blog’s previous article entitled Mercury, it was stated that some Filipinos are not aware of the danger of mercury that can be found in several products available in the Philippines' market. Sadly there is another dangerous material wherein many Filipinos are not aware of. This material is asbestos, which according to the World Health Organization estimates, more than 107,000 people die worldwide each year from asbestos diseases.

There is alarming news in the Internet that mentioned about the plan of Canada to push through the production of asbestos from their last asbestos mine which is being objected by physicians and public health workers around the globe. This is due to the possible harmful effect of asbestos to people's health. The most alarming information from this article is that the asbestos produced from this asbestos mine would be exported to Asia, with about half going to India and the rest to Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Pakistan and here in the Philippines, which according to the article are the countries with lax or nonexistent asbestos-control process. It is very alarming that Philippines is one of the countries lacking an effective asbestos control and the one who accept this kind of material.

Since exposure to asbestos can cause cancer and since cancer is the third leading causes of morbidity, it is only appropriate for Philippines' government to take an aggressive action in totally eliminating this material. Banning alone will not stop this material from entering our country; greedy business men with the help of corrupt government official will still be able to find a way to enter that banned material in our country. The best way to stop this is to go directly to the root. The Philippines government should collaborate with other groups or countries to pressure Canada not to push through with the production of this dangerous material. It is unbelievable that these big business, government corporation and leaders do not have a conscience and would allow this stuff to be mined and sold to the less fortunate and unprotected. It is very scary to think of how cruel and greedy human kind really can be! We should not allow this to be mined anymore let alone sold.