Editorial – Aerial spraying once more

TWO news developments unfolding in Davao City last week ought to have a sobering influence on protagonists who have been emotionally involved in the aerial spraying controversy.
One was the coming of Dr. Andrew Hewitt, a Doctor of Philosophy in Crop Protection and Pest Management and a Master of  Science in Bio-aeronautics. Hewitt, an acknowledged international expert who had written many books, gave a very convincing talk on how aerial spraying in banana plantations can be regulated rather than banned.
Upon arrival in Davao, Dr. Hewitt lost no time in visiting the Camocaan banana plantation in Hagonoy, Davao del Sur where he found the conduct of aerial spraying “one of the best practices in the world.”
The Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority should be commended for bringing Dr. Hewitt to Davao and expose Dabawenyos to an intelligent discussion on the science of aerial spraying. Make no mistake about it, Dr. Hewitt did not give  an unconditional approval of aerial spraying, but lectured on the scientific and safe practice of it in many  parts of the world.
The other newsy event is the disclosure  by Board of Investments regional head Gil Dureza the region lost some 12,000 jobs last year because many banana companies put on hold their expansion plans due to the uncertainty created by the aerial spraying conflict. It appears that the banana growers and exporters are withholding their expansion plans while awaiting the outcome of the court case between the city government and the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association over the constitutionality of the ordinance banning aerial spraying.
Whatever the court verdict will finally be  won’t diminish the importance of making a no-nonsense study on aerial spraying, one that would be free from the manipulation of biased health investigators and panhandling NGOs like what had allegedly happened in that controversial health study in Camocaan.