ADVERTISEMENT
970x220
Manila Bulletin devider Philippines devider National devider ADB reminded on asbestos-free vow

ADB reminded on asbestos-free vow

Published Dec 19, 2020 17:47 pm  |  Updated Dec 19, 2020 17:47 pm

A federation of workers has reminded the Asian Development Bank (ADB) of its commitment to prohibit the use of deadly asbestos in all its funded projects, including the EDSA walkway project.

In a statement, the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALU-TUCP) appealed to the ADB to ensure that its $123 million forthcoming covered pedestrian access loan projects in several locations on EDSA are asbestos-free.

"The EDSA Greenways Project will definitely be a major convenience for commuters, provide ease to all sorts of pedestrians, create jobs, help jumpstart the local economy, and help reduce carbon footprint. However, the health and safety of commuters can only be ensured if the materials used for the structures are free from asbestos-containing materials," said Gerard Seno, National Executive Vice President of ALU-TUCP.

 "As a civil society organization social dialogue partner, we remind the ADB of its commitment to zero asbestos and asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) in all its funded projects beginning with this EDSA Greenways Project," Seno added.

 Aside from organizing unions across multi-sectors, advocating for higher wages, and campaigning for better labor standards and occupational safety and health standards, the ALU-TUCP is also a part of a global ban asbestos network coordinated by the International Ban Asbestos Secretariat (IBAS) and composed of trade unions, asbestos victims’ groups, campaigning organizations, advocates, and health experts.

In a Nov.  9 communication to IBAS, Bruce Dunn, director of the ADB Safeguards Division, confirmed the bank’s intention to prohibit the use of all asbestos-containing products on ADB projects amid policy reform pressure asserted by the network.

"We are aware of the severe health effects that an exposure to ACMs (asbestos-containing materials) can have on people exposed to this material. For this reason, ADB is taking several actions intended to limit the risks of asbestos exposure in our projects,” Dunn said.

“We are now preparing an internal memorandum that recommends for future ADB projects to refrain from supporting the procurement of any products containing asbestos. This is an interim measure until the SPS (Safeguard Policy Statement) is updated,” Dunn added.

 The ADB in 2009 explicitly prohibited financing for the production of, trade in, or use of unbonded asbestos fibers but the purchase and use of bonded asbestos cement sheeting where asbestos content was less than 20 percent has been permitted.

ADVERTISEMENT
300x250
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1561_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1562_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.most-popular .layout-ratio{ padding-bottom: 79.13%; } @media (min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1024px) { .widget-title { font-size: 15px !important; } }

{{ articles_filter_1563_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}

{{ articles_filter_1564_widget.title }}

{{ item.title }}
.mb-article-details { position: relative; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview, .mb-article-details .article-body-summary{ font-size: 17px; line-height: 30px; font-family: "Libre Caslon Text", serif; color: #000; } .mb-article-details .article-body-preview iframe , .mb-article-details .article-body-summary iframe{ width: 100%; margin: auto; } .read-more-background { background: linear-gradient(180deg, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0) 13.75%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000 / 0.8) 30.79%, color(display-p3 1.000 1.000 1.000) 72.5%); position: absolute; height: 200px; width: 100%; bottom: 0; display: flex; justify-content: center; align-items: center; padding: 0 72px 0 12px; } .read-more-background a{ color: #000; } .read-more-btn { padding: 17px 45px; font-family: Inter; font-weight: 700; font-size: 18px; line-height: 16px; text-align: center; vertical-align: middle; border: 1px solid black; background-color: white; } .hidden { display: none; }
function showArticleBody(button) { const article = button.closest("article"); const summary = article.querySelector(".article-body-summary"); const body = article.querySelector(".article-body-preview"); const readMoreSection = article.querySelector(".read-more-background"); // Hide summary and read-more section summary.style.display = "none"; readMoreSection.style.display = "none"; // Show the full article body body.classList.remove("hidden"); } document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", () => { let loadCount = 0; // Track how many times articles are loaded const offset = [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]; // The two offset values // changed to 10 from 1 , 2 const currentUrl = window.location.pathname.substring(1); let isLoading = false; // Prevent multiple calls if (!currentUrl) { console.log("Current URL is invalid."); return; } function isNearBottom() { return window.innerHeight + window.scrollY >= document.documentElement.scrollHeight - 100; } function onScroll() { if (isLoading) return; // Skip if already loading if (isNearBottom()) { if (loadCount >= offset.length) { console.log("Maximum load attempts reached."); window.removeEventListener("scroll", onScroll); return; } isLoading = true; // Set flag to prevent multiple calls const currentOffset = offset[loadCount]; window.loadMoreItems().then(() => { loadCount++; // Increment only after successful execution }).catch(error => { console.error("Error loading more items:", error); }).finally(() => { isLoading = false; // Reset flag after execution }); } } window.addEventListener("scroll", onScroll); }); // Mutation Observer for Newly Loaded Articles const observer = new MutationObserver(() => { const articles = document.querySelectorAll(".articles-observe"); if (articles.length > 0) { observeArticles(articles); } }); observer.observe(document.body, { childList: true, subtree: true }); // Intersection Observer for Updating URL function observeArticles(articles) { const intersectionObserver = new IntersectionObserver( (entries) => { entries.forEach((entry) => { if (entry.isIntersecting) { const newUrl = entry.target.getAttribute("data-url"); if (newUrl) { history.pushState(null, null, newUrl); } } }); }, { threshold: 0.1 } ); articles.forEach(article => intersectionObserver.observe(article)); }
.col-md-12.noPadding.col-xs-12:has(.mb-header-bottom) {padding: 0;} .bottom-footer {color: #fff;background-color: #2E3192;padding: 8px 0;} .bottom-footer .bottom-footer-menu {font-family: Inter;font-weight: 400;font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;padding: 0px 10px !important;color: #fff !important;text-decoration: none; } .bottom-footer .container {display: flex;justify-content: space-between;align-items: center; } .bottom-footer p{font-family: "Inter";font-weight: 400;font-size: 12px;line-height: 16px;margin-bottom: 0;} .subscribe-button{position: absolute;bottom: 15%;right: 11%;} .subscribe-container {position: fixed;display: flex;align-items: center;background-color: white;height: 50px;border-radius: 50px;box-shadow: 1px 3px 8px 3px rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.2);width: 50px;overflow: hidden;transition: width 0.3s ease-in-out;text-decoration: none;white-space: nowrap; } .subscribe-icon {background-color: #2E3192;color: white;border-radius: 50%;width: 50px;height: 50px;display: flex;align-items: center;justify-content: center;font-size: 18px;flex-shrink: 0;transition: border-radius 0.3s ease-in-out; } .subscribe-text {font-size: 18px;font-weight: bold;color: black;margin-left: 0;margin-right: 0;width: 0;visibility: hidden;opacity: 0;transition: opacity 0.3s ease, width 0.3s ease;} .subscribe-container:hover {cursor: pointer;width: 170px;} .subscribe-container:hover .subscribe-icon {border-bottom-right-radius: 0;border-top-right-radius: 0;} .subscribe-container:hover .subscribe-text {visibility: visible;opacity: 1;margin-left: 10px;margin-right: 10px;width: auto;} h6.footer-heading{ font-weight: 700; } #bottom-footer ul li { display: flex; align-items: center; } @media screen and (min-width: 767px) and (max-width: 991px) { .bottom-footer p, .bottom-footer .bottom-footer-menu{ font-size: 9px; } } @media(max-width: 767px) { .bottom-footer .container {display: block;} .bottom-footer .container .justify-content-center{margin-top: 20px !important;} .bottom-footer .container .justify-content-center .list-group{ width: 100%; display: grid; row-gap: 10px; grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr 1fr; justify-content: unset; } .bottom-footer p{font-size: 10px;} .subscribe-container { width: 50px !important; overflow: hidden;} .subscribe-container:hover { width: 50px !important;} .subscribe-container .subscribe-text {display: none !important;} .subscribe-button{right: 15%;bottom:7%;} } .mb-header-bottom .header-menu:hover { color: #2E3192 !important; } @media(max-width: 400px) { .bottom-footer .container .justify-content-center .list-group{ grid-template-columns: 1fr 1fr; } }
Join Our Newsletters

Sign up by email to receive news.

© 2025 Manila Bulletin The Nation's Leading Newspaper. All Rights Reserved.