Four presidential candidates have signed the Green Health Covenant, committing to promote mercury-free environment, observe proper health care waste management, regulate chemical use and disposal in the health care setting, and be responsive to climate change.

Those who signed the Covenant were Olongapo City Councilor JC delos Reyes (Ang Kapatiran), environmentalist Jesus Nicanor Perlas (independent), Senator Jamby Madrigal (independent), and evangelist Bro. Eddie Villanueva (Bangon Pilipinas).

The Green Health Covenant, an initiative of environmental-health group Health Care Without Harm (HCWH), was signed by more than 1,500 health care facilities and institutions, individuals, including Health Secretary Esperanza Cabral.

Signatories of the Covenant include health care practitioners from the Philippine Army, members of the Philippine Society of Pathologists, Philippine College of Physicians and health workers from different parts of the country.

“The health sector is more than glad that these presidential aspirants have taken a keen interest in greening our health care,” Faye Ferrer, HCWH-Southeast Asia program officer for Mercury in Health Care said.

“It is good to see who will take on the challenge of greening the health care system once elected,”  Ferrer said.

“While we already have an Administrative Order (AO) mandating the phase-out of mercury in all Philippine health care facilities and institutions, the next President’s readiness to address the issue is crucial in attaining our goal of a mercury-free Philippines and a greener health care,” she added.

AO 21 mandates that phased-out mercury devices must be stored in a safe place within the hospital facility.

“This will definitely influence the people’s choice. Even though you have previously selected your candidate, you will think twice when you know that your choice is not supportive of environmental health concerns,” Edgardo Faustino, president of Philippine College of Physician-Southern Luzon Chapter, said.

Former President Joseph Estrada (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino) did not respond to the Covenant.
Senator Manuel Villar Jr. (Nacionalista Party), Senator Richard Gordon (Bagumbayan) and former Defense Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. (Lakas-Kampi-CMD) did not sign.

Senator Benigno Aquino III (Liberal Party) did not sign the Covenant but sent a letter thru his campaign manager Florencio Abad expressing support to achieve a healthy environment for all Filipinos.

As stated in the letter, the Aquino-Roxas administration committed to address the issue and will definitely be a priority under the health and environment agenda of the government.

“We would have wanted Sen. Aquino to sign the Covenant for we know that a Covenant, just like a contract, is far more binding than a letter of promise. But we will definitely follow-up on his letter,” Ferrer said.

While the Department of Health (DoH) is keen on phasing-out mercury in the health sector, most particularly from the DoH-controlled hospitals, the absence of suitable disposal area remains an issue, the HCWH noted.

“There is a need to find a more centralized intermediate storage where all the devices phased-out from hospitals and even households may be sent. This storage may also be used to store other mercury-containing devices beyond those used in the health care,” Ferrer pointed out.

While waiting on the intermediate storage area, the group advised households to stop using existing mercurial devices at home and to store it in a safe place at home.

“The health sector, being an energy intensive industry may contribute to lessening the impacts of climate change thru simple modifications within their facility. We need a President who will support these endeavors,” Ferrer said.