UXO & Toxics at Former US Bases in Philippines

[Nick Morgan <nmorgan@igc.org>]

There remains a legacy of environmental damage from the US military presence
in the Philippines. A coalition in the Philippines, known as the Task
Force, has been working to address the problem by raising awareness of the
issue and calling for the US and Philippines governments to work together on
the problem. The Task Force has forwarded these three recent articles. If
you would like more information on how to support the Task Force's efforts,
please contact nick morgan at nmorgan@igc.org.

I. Bombs abound at Clark field (TODAY and Philippine Daily Inquirer, 5/31/97)

Dozens of live bombs from World War II remain buried inside Clark and
have yet to be dug up, an Air Force officer based here said.

The bombs weigh 50 to 250 pounds but their exact locatgions are still
undetermined.

Many of the bombs may have been buried under tons of volcanic debris
spewed by Mt. Pinatubo. On Sunday, Air Force personnel found at least
11 pcs. of 81-mm live mortar shells in Barangay Sapang Bato, a village
near Clark.

Barangay Sapang Bato used to be a gunnery range of the US Air Force
which used Clark as the base of the 13th US Air Force Wing.
Philippine Air force men also earlier discovered similar mortal shells
in an area very near the Royal Duty Free Shop, one of 14 duty-free
stores inside Clark.

Another bomb was found in the project site of the Philippine
Centennial Exposition. A worker digging at the site struck the bomb,
which did not explode.

Porquez said since last year, a total of 367 bombs were found inside
Clark. Another 30 bombs were found inside the base since January.
Most of the bombs were either Japanese or American made.

"While these bombs whould not ordinarily explode without being
tinkered (with), severe heat during summer could make these bombs
vulnerable to explosion," an Air Force official said. He also
admitted that the Air Force is not capable of detecting buried bombs
in the area as there are no available equipment for such operations.
Recovered bombs are detonated at Fort Magsaysay in Nueva Ecija because
the explosion may cause panic among the residents and investors in
Clark and areas near it.

They also appealed to the residents adjacent to Clark and construction
workers to report immediately to the Air Force bomb disposal units any
discovery of bombs in their areas.

He said the bombs endaner the lives of residents inside and near the
base.

Workers are currently finishing construction of the centennial site,
which will host an exposition for the country's 100th anniversary as a
republic.

Authorities in Clark warned residents against tinkering with any bomb
they may find buried beneath their houses or in open lots in the
former US facility.

During the occupation of Clark by the US air force, scavengers scoured
the gunnery range for spent shells or bombs osr machine-gun bullets
used by American soliders during target practice.

Several children died in the past as they were blasted by bombs left
by the US soldiers.

II. Clark water subjected to lab test in Australia Manila Times (5/24/97)

 Recently, the CDC tapped the Australian firm Asia Star Weston to
test the ground and water for toxic contamination here. There had
been reports presented by environmental groups that the US military
did not properly dispose of grease, oil, solvents, asbestos and other
hazardous substances for more than five decades before their
withdrawal in 1991.
 Mariza Mandocdoc, CDC environmental estate manager, said that the
Asia Star Weston has been doing laboratory analysis of soil and water
samples taken from various sites of Clark. The tests, she said, are
being done in Australia "due to the lack of facilities" in the
Philippines and that the draft of the result "will be finalized soon."
 THE TIMES learned in a random survey among workers of government
and private firms here that many still avoid drinking the water from
faucets in the zone.
 A CDC worker, who asked not to be identified said that she had
stomachache everytime she drank water from the faucet in the zone.
This stopped when she started bringing drinking water to work.
 An office worker of the Mondragon Leisure Corp here said that
they drink mineral water supplied regularly to the different offices
of the firm.
 In a recent gathering, a ranking officiel of the Mt. Pinatubo
commission ignored a glasss of water served to him untiil a
subordinate assured him, "Sir, mineral water yan."
 In May 1995, the Deaprtment of Health warned Clark workers and
residents and those living in adjacent communities to be careful about
faucet and pump water after its team found that water samples from the
Clark area were contaminated with grease and oil.

III. Subic toxic waste not alarming, Sunday Chronicle 6/1/97

 The amount of toxic waste found in Subic and Clark are not an
"alarming" level according to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA)
Chairman Richard Gordon.
 Gordon based his assessment on the initial findings of an
independent study commissioned by the World Bank to determina i there
really was toxic waste inside the two former US military bases.
 I would not allow my own family and the people of Olongapo to
stay, if I know it would not be safe for them to do so.
 However, he said, there is a need for "deeper assessment" of the
toxic level in the two former US bases in the country to determine its
effect to the environment and to the health of the people of Olongapo.
 Non-governmental organizations including some lawmakers said
there is a need to compel the US in helping the government rid the
former US bases of hazardous chemicals.
 The World Bank has expressed its interest in helping the
government in its efforts to dispose the toxic waste by providing
technical assistance, Gordon said.
 The SBMA chairman added that they are still conducting a
comprehensive study on the contamination level in the former US bases
through the help of foreign donors.
 Gordon explained that the US has already made some commitment to
contribute in cleaning up the bases, the only question left now is
when the clean-up efforts will start.
 The US is set to submit a comprehensive review of thea rea
especially the portions where the Americans have stored their wastes.