3rd Floor Vega Center, Lopez Avenue, Los Baños, Laguna 4031, Philippines
Our Team
LARAH ORTEGA IBAÑEZ
Country Director
[email protected]
Dr. LYNN PANGANIBAN
National Consultant
ELEZABETH "BETH" OMPAD
Program Officer for Field Operations
ENGLISH
About Pure Earth Philippines
Since 2008, Pure Earth has been identifying and tackling toxic pollutants in the Philippines through assessments of contaminated sites; pilot remediations, multi-stakeholder coordination, education, and industrial process reviews. To date, over 150 toxic sites have been assessed, and more than 25% were lead-contaminated. In addition to these assessments, Pure Earth has worked on the ground in priority areas, such as areas where Used Lead Acid Battery (ULAB) recycling is prevalent — developing plans and implementing cleanup projects.
The IHME data recently released in Pure Earth’s The Toxic Truth Report (co-authored with UNICEF) estimates 20 million children in the Philippines (50%) have blood lead levels above the 5 ug/dL, ranking the country in the world’s top 20 of number of children lead poisoned.
Furthermore, in 2011, lead exposure incurred a cost of $15,019,373,494 to GDP which was 6.4% of total GDP ($234.217 billion) and 3.7 times tourism’s contribution to GDP ($4.043 billion).
The Philippines’ lead problem has been grossly under-estimated and under-recognized and requires targeted study so that effective interventions based on source and severity are developed, financed and implemented.
This wide-scale lead exposure, especially among children and child-bearing women, needs to better understood. Pure Earth plans to analyze and aggregate existing data and also invest in filling the data gaps to systematically characterize lead’s health risks to children throughout the most impacted regions in the country and the sources in order to develop a national action plan.
Learn More
G Diaries Interview: Country Director Larah Ibañez Explores The Impact
Of Our Work In Communities Across The Philippines
Identifying Childhood Lead Poisoning in the Philippines
With the global lead poisoning crisis affecting 1 in 3 children, or around 800 million children around the world, this innovative model has the potential to make a big impact on children’s health.
Programmatic Solutions
Research on Lead Sources
Toxic Site Assessments
Lead Remediation Program
Advocacy and Campaigns
Events
TBA
Press Releases
- New Research Confirms Findings Of Childhood Lead Poisoning Crisis In Low- And Middle-Income Countries (March 2021)
- Pure Earth, Clarios Foundation and UNICEF launch Protecting Every Child’s Potential: A Future Free from Lead Exposure (October 2020)
- A third of the world’s children poisoned by lead, new groundbreaking analysis says, UNICEF and Pure Earth (July 2020)
- Pure Earth, Clarios Foundation and UNICEF announce global partnership to protect children from lead exposure (July 2020)
News Coverage
Stay up to date with our work:
-
G Diaries World Changers: Spotlight Pure Earth Philippines, October 2021
-
Campaign against pollution intensified
Metro News Central (Philippines) Oct 30th, 2018
Knowledge Materials
Find public education materials and research:
- HPAP: Philippines
- Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health- Philippines Summary
- Institute of Health Metrics – Philippines Data
- Pamphlet used to educate students, teachers, and HSBC volunteers on upcycling, and Meycauayan-Marilao-Obando River System pollution
- Display in honor of the 2014 Fisheries Conservation Week viewed by students, teachers, HSBC volunteers, fishermen, and government officials and representatives
- Pamphlet on mangrove conservation made in honor of the World Water Day 2014 celebration
- Fact sheet on heavy metal toxicity given to health workers, environmental officers, and the Environment Bureau, government officials and representatives, teachers, and WQMA board members
- Pamphlet on river quality management given to government representatives and members of the Environment Bureau, as well as fisherman and members of the Barangay Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Management Council (BFARM-C)
- Poison prevention exhibit for health workers, as well as government officials and members of the Environment Bureau
- Pamphlet on fish farm management viewed by students, teachers, HSBC volunteers, fisherman, and government officials and representatives
- Display on nutrition viewed by students, teachers, HSBC volunteers, health workers, and government officials
- Lead Fact Sheet
Blog Posts
Read more about our work in The Philippines:
- Plogging in the Philippines: HSBC and Pure Earth Raise Awareness About Pollution (August 2019)
- HSBC Volunteers Take Action Against River Pollution in the Philippines (October 2018)
- Keeping Two-Year-Old Dexter and His Friends Safe From Lead Poisoning in Pampanga (August 2018)
- Mapping Pollution in the Philippines (August 2018)
- Notes from the Field: A Week in the Life of a Pure Earth Staffer in the Philippines (May 2017)
