Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Quezon City
SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
First Regular Session

House BillNo. 2426 <8 tyne

Introduced by Hon. Delphine Gan Lee

EXPLANATORY NOTE

Monocrotophos is an organophosphorus (OP) insecticide, developed by Ciba-Geigy
(now Novartis) and first registered in 1965. In 1992, the total sales of this widely-used
pesticide were at roughly 3% of all insecticide products.' This pesticide is primarily used to
control cotton pests but it is also employed on citrus, olives, rice, maize, sorghum, sugar

cane, sugar beet, peanuts, potatoes, soya beans, vegetables, ornamentals and tobacco.”

The World Health Organization described it as a nerve poison banned by many
countries because of its highly acute toxicity.’ Monocrotophos is classified WHO Ib, highly
hazardous, and has been responsible for deaths resulting from accidental or intentional
exposure. It is very toxic orally and also by inhalation or absorption through the skin. Early
symptoms of poisoning may include excessive sweating, headache, weakness, giddiness,
nausea, Vomiting, hypersalivation, abdominal cramps, diarrhea, blurred vision and slurred
speech. Inhalation or skin contact may increase the susceptibility to the pesticide without

showing immediate symptoms.’

' Ciba, Monocrotophos: Information for participants at the fifth FAO/UNEP joint meeting on PIC,
Rome, October 1992.

? http://www. pan-uk.org/pestnews/Actives/monocrot.htm,

* hutp://www.reuters.convarticle/2013/07/22/india-poisoning-monocrotophos-
idUSLONOFS 13020130722

* Watterson , Pesticide Users Health and Safety Handbook: An Intemational guide, Gower Technical,
Aldershot, UK, 1988.


The European Union has classified monocrotophos as dangerous for the
environment.’ All applications of monocrotophos were discontinued in the United States
1988. Before its withdrawal, monocrotophos was a Restricted Use Pesticide (RUP).°

Many incidents in developing countries have been linked to monocrotophos. This
highly toxic pesticide killed 23 children earlier this year in a village school providing free
lunches under a government-sponsored program in India.’ In Brazil, monocrotophos caused
107 of 412 reported incidents analyzed in 1990, and the toxicology centre and health clinics
also noted 1,650 incidents involving monocrotophos between 1982 and 1991. In Paraguay, in
a region where monocrotophos is one of the most commonly used active ingredients there
have been numerous cases of pesticide poisoning. Monocrotophos was identified as the cause
of paralysis in children in cotton-growing areas by the Ministry of Public Health and Welfare
which found that 2-3 weeks of frequent exposure caused paralysis in children and acute
poisoning in adults.* In a cotton-growing region of Egypt the health of 14 farmers who used
monoerotophos was compared with a control group from the same region. In the area where
monocrotophos is widely used, 61% of those surveyed showed symptoms of chronic
pesticide poisoning,’ In the Cordillera region here in the Philippines, monocrotophos was one
of the pesticides widely used by farmers in a survey that found all farmers suffered some
adverse health effects."” In observations in Indonesia of 906 spray operations of 214 farmers
commonly using monocrotophos over a three-month period, researchers found a significant
increase-from two to fifty-fold-in the symptoms of pesticide toxicity during the spraying
period, Out of all of these spray operations, 21% brought on three or more neuro-behavioural

and intestinal signs of poisoning.'!

In 1990 the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority issued Circular No. 01, which included

a severe restriction on monocrotophos for use only in bean fly control. A six month phase out

’ FAO/UNEP PIC Decision Guidance Document on Monocrotophos, June 1997.

“ Extension Toxicology Network, Comell University,
htp:/(pmep ece.comell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/metiram-propoxur/monoerotophos-ext. htm!

7 http://vww.abs-cbnnews.com/global-filipino/world/08/03/13/poison-pill-indias-search-cheap-food

*Dinham, B., The Pesticide Hazard: A global health and environmental audit, Zed Books, London and
New Jersey, 1993, pp120-121.

° Amr, M. et. al. ‘Neurological effects of pesticides’, study by the Industrial Medicine and Occupational
Diseases Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, reported in Pesticides News 30, December 1995,

'° Cheng, Dr. Charles L., Medical Director, Baguio Philipino-Chinese General Hospital, Baguio city,
ippines ‘Pesticides and Hazardous Effects on the Benguet Vegetable Farmers, 1993, (in Dinham, 1995 pp
76-7. Op. cit. 8.)

"Hirschhorn, Norbert, ‘Study of the Occupational Health of Indonesian Farmers who Spray Pesticides,
the Indonesian National IPM Program’, FAO (UTF/INS/067/INS), Jakarta, August 1993,



period also took effect from 29 September 1993." At presont, a reading of the banned and
regulated pesticides from the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority website"? will show that
monocrotophos is not included in the list. There are also numerous reports which reached the
author that monocrotophos is still widely used in our country. The low cost and ready
availability of this pesticide do not outweigh the potential harm that it can cause to our
farmers and to the consuming public. This bill seeks to ban the use and importation of
monocrotophos to ensure that this highly toxic pesticide will not victimize anyone in our

country. The immediate passage of this bill is thus eamestly requested,

ie GAN LEE,
GRI Party-List

"° Pesticides News No.38, December 1997, p20-21.
© hetp://fpa.da.gov.ph/


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Republic of the Philippines
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Quezon City

SIXTEENTH CONGRESS

First Regular Session

House BillNo, 2426

Introduced by Hon. Delphine Gan Lee

AN ACT
BANNING THE MANUFACTURE, IMPORTATION, STORAGE, DISTRIBUTION,
SALE, USE, AND DISPOSAL OF MONOCROTOPHOS

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the Philippines in
Congress assembled:

SECTION 1. Short Title, — This shall be known as the "Monocrotophos Prohibition
Act of 2013."

SECTION 2. Declaration of Policies. ~ It is hereby declared a policy of the State to
protect, secure and safeguard the citizenry from the danger and harmful effects of toxic
insecticides and pesticides for their physical and mental well-being and, in the end, pursue a
vigorous campaign against the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of pesticides
and insecticides containing the harmful substance monocrotophos and finally provide for its

complete prohibition.

SECTION 3. Definition. ~ As used in this Act, Monocrotophos shall refer to an
organophosphate insecticide or pesticide with the formula C7Hi4NOsP also known by its
chemical name Dimethyl (B)-1-methyl-2-(methylearbamoyl)vinyl phosphate (IUPAC).

SECTION 4. Prohibition. - The manufacture, importation, distribution, sale, storage,

use, and/or disposal of monocrotophos are hereby declared prohibited,


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For this purpose, the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority shall regularly inspect
pesticides, whether imported or locally-manufactured, to ensure that they are free from

‘monocrotophos.

SECTION 5. Penalties. - Any person who manufactures, imports, distributes, sells,
uses, or disposes of pesticides found containing monocrotophos, shall be penalized by
imprisonment of less than one (1) year nor more than five (5) years and/or fine of not less
than Five hundred thousand pesos (Php500,000.00) nor more than One million pesos
(Php1,000,000,00), at the discretion of the court: provided, That if the violator is a
corporation, firm, partnership or association, the penalty shall be imposed upon the president
or the manager or any officer thereof who knows ot ought to have known the commission of
the offense: Provided, finally, That in case the guilty officer is a foreigner, he shall be

immediately deported after service of sentence,

SECTION 6. Implementing Rules and Regulations, — The Secretary of the
Department of Agriculture shall adopt rules and regulations to implement the provisions of
this Act within ninety (90) days from its date of effectivity.

SECTION 7. Separability Clause. - If any provision of this Act or the application of
such provision to any person or circumstance is declared invalid, the remainder of the Act or
the application of such provision to other persons or circumstances shall not be affected by
such declaration.

SECTION 8, Repealing Clause, ~ Any law, presidential decree or issuance, executive
order, letter of instruction, administrative order, rule or regulation contrary to or inconsistent

with this Act is hereby repealed, modified, or amended accordingly.

SECTION 9. Effectivity Clause. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its

publication in at least two (2) newspapers of general circulation.

Adopted,