EcoWaste Coalition
Unit 336, Eagle Court, 26 Matalino St., 1100 Quezon City, Philippines
Website: http://ecowastecoalition.blogspot.com
Laban Konsyumer, Inc.
P.O. Box 1161, QCCPO
1110 Quezon City, Philippines
Website: http://labankonsyumer.com/
19 April 2018
Hon. Aquilino ?Koko? Pimentel II
President, Senate
Hon. Joseph Victor G. Ejercito
Senator
Dear Sirs,
Subject: Request to Fast Track Consideration of Senate Bill 1084
Greetings from the Ecological Waste Coalition of the Philippines, Inc. (EcoWaste Coalition),
an environmental health organization, and the Laban Konsyumer, Inc., a consumer
protection organization.
We are non-profit groups working together to promote, among
other things, the right of Filipino consumers to be protected against products that pose risks
to human health and the environment.
We write to appeal to the Senate of the Philippines to please fast track the consideration of
Senate Bill 1084 (An Act to Regulate the Importation, Manufacture, Sale and Distribution of
Children?s Toys, School Supplies, Childcare Articles and Other Related Products, Containing
Toxic Chemicals and for Other Purposes). According to the Senate website, the proposed
?Safe and Non-Toxic Children?s Products Act? was introduced by Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito
on 25 August 2016, was read on First Reading on 30 August 2016 and subsequently referred
to the Committees on Health and Demography (primary committee), Trade, Commerce and
Entrepreneurship, and Finance (secondary committees).
While its counterpart bill at the House of Representatives (i.e., House Bill 6702 or the
proposed ?Safe and Non-Hazardous Children?s Products Act?) was unanimously approved on
17 December 2017, Senate Bill 1084, as per Senate records, has not progressed at all.
For your kind information, H.B. No. 6702, ?bans the importation, manufacture, distribution
and sale of children?s products that contain more than the allowable levels of the chemicals;
are banned or withdrawn in the country of manufacture; are found to be injurious, unsafe
or dangerous; or are non-compliant with the standards and requirements set by the
relevant agencies.? The allowable limits for heavy metals, phthalates and other chemicals
of concern shall be defined by the Food and Drug Administration at a later stage. Also, the
list of hazardous chemicals covered by the law shall be reviewed and updated at least every
two years, or as soon as new chemicals or substances are uncovered to be injurious,
dangerous or unsafe to children?s health. Furthermore, HB 6702 places the burden of proof
of product safety upon the manufacturers, importers and sellers. The bill likewise
mandates the creation of a multi-agency and multi-stakeholder Children?s Product Safety
Council.
Representatives Primicias-Agabas, Bravo, Canama, Macapagal-Arroyo, Roque, Salon, Yu,
Sarmiento (E.M.), Agabao, Gonzales (A.P.), Nograles (K.A.), Fariñas, Biazon, Go (A.C.),
Lanete, Lobregat, Alonte-Naguiat, Amatong, Aragones, Bag-Ao, Benitez, Deloso-Montalla,
Escudero, Go (M.), Hofer, Lacson, Malapitan, Montoro, Paduano, Ramos, Jr., Suansing (E.),
Tan, Tugna, Velasco-Catera and Villarin co-introduced the said bill.
Laban Konsyumer, Inc., EcoWaste Coalition and other concerned groups look forward to the
enactment of a law that will protect all children, including those yet to be born, from
harmful chemicals in products marketed for children?s use, and its eventual approval by
President Rodrigo R. Duterte.
In this regard, we respectfully request the Senate leadership to kindly expedite the passage
of Senate Bill 1084 with the aim of getting the law enacted as soon as possible this year.
The enactment of the consolidated ?Safe and Non-Hazardous Children?s Products Act? (or
?Safe and Non-Toxic Children?s Products Act?) by the House of Representatives and the
Senate and its approval by the President may serve as the most enduring legacy of the 17th
Congress and the Duterte government, particularly in the field of children?s health
protection from toxic chemical poisons.
We thank you very much for your earnest action to make the enactment of this law a
reality, and we look forward to hearing from you.
Very sincerely yours,
Eileen B. Sison
President
EcoWaste Coalition
Atty. Vic Dimagiba
President
Laban Konsyumer, Inc.
Reference:
Link to H.B. No. 6702:
http://congress.gov.ph/legisdocs/first_17/CR00487.pdf
Link to S.B. No. 1084:
http://senate.gov.ph/lis/bill_res.aspx?congress=17&q=SBN-1084
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