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Tulfo Questions DOH on Health Impacts of Foul-Smelling Landfills
Senator Raffy Tulfo challenged a Department of Health (DOH) official's assertion that foul-smelling landfills do not directly impact health. Tulfo raised concerns about respiratory illnesses and weakened immune systems among residents near these sites. The DOH admitted a lack of data but acknowledged that prolonged exposure to toxic substances can pose health risks.
MANILA, Philippines — Sen. Raffy Tulfo has challenged a Department of Health (DOH) official’s claim that foul-smelling landfills have no direct effect on people’s health. At yesterday’s Senate environment and natural resources committee hearing, Tulfo questioned Gabriel Borlongan, chief of the DOH environmental and occupational health division. Asked if the agency has data on diseases that may affect landfill workers, Borlongan admitted that the DOH does not monitor such cases. Citing complaints from residents living near landfill sites, Tulfo said children and senior citizens in these communities frequently suffer from asthma, bronchitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and weakened immune systems. Tulfo urged the DOH to consider supplying barangay health centers with medicines for residents suffering from these illnesses. Borlongan acknowledged that prolonged exposure to toxic waste, including hydrogen sulfide, may trigger asthma and other respiratory diseases that pose serious health risks, hence requiring immediate government action. While Borlongan could not directly answer questions regarding the health effects of landfill collapses, he said the DOH could coordinate with other state agencies to prepare for its physical, chemical and biological impacts.
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Philstar Nation