Laban sa Lason: Communities Unite to Fight Invisible Dangers in Everyday Life

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

How Knowledge, Action, and Vigilance Can Shield Us from the Hidden Threats of Chemical Pollution

In a powerful demonstration of community resilience and public health advocacy, over 50 residents of Barangay Silangan came together to confront an invisible enemy that threatens their health, their children’s future, and their environment: toxic chemical pollutants.

Held in observance of National Poison Prevention Week (June 22–28), the “Laban sa Lason” seminar was organized through a vital collaboration among the EcoWaste Coalition, the Ateneo School of Medicine and Public Health – Center for Research and Innovation (ACRI), and the Barangay Silangan Resource Collectors’ Association (BaSiRCA). United under the banner of this year’s theme—“Lasong Umahon sa Pabago-Bagong Panahon: Iba’t Ibang Sektor Magsitugon”—the gathering was not just a seminar; it was a wake-up call.

“What you know can protect you from harm,” declared Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator of EcoWaste Coalition. “We’re constantly exposed to a dangerous mix of pollutants—in the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, and even the products we touch. Knowledge is our first line of defense.”

A Toxic Reality We Can No Longer Ignore

From diesel fumes to microplastics, from pesticide residues on food to mercury in cosmetics, chemical pollutants have silently infiltrated everyday life. And as Lucero and her fellow experts emphasized, their effects are far from silent. These substances are linked to a long list of chronic and often irreversible health issues—ranging from developmental and neurological disorders to cancer and cardiovascular disease.

“Prevention is far more powerful than any cure,” warned Anna Enriquez, Environmental Health Program Lead at ACRI. “These pollutants are often invisible, odorless, and persistent. If we wait until symptoms show, it may already be too late.”

Seeing the Invisible: A Glimpse into the Hidden Chemicals Around Us

The seminar didn't just discuss dangers—it exposed them. Using an X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyzer, the EcoWaste Coalition conducted live screenings of everyday items. To the community’s shock, toxic substances like lead, cadmium, and mercury were found in objects as common as flip-flops, mugs, frying pans, raincoats, and even children’s school bags and toys.

These weren’t obscure or industrial materials—they were household staples. This chilling revelation brought the issue home—quite literally.

Understanding the Pollutants

Participants learned about pollutants that are either inhaled (particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, greenhouse gases), ingested (residues of bisphenol A, phthalates, formaldehyde), or absorbed through skin contact (toxic cosmetics, pesticides, heavy metals). Even common cleaning agents, if mixed improperly, can release deadly fumes.

The session also tackled marine and environmental pollution, highlighting the devastating impacts of agricultural runoff, wastewater discharge, and plastic waste on aquatic ecosystems and food chains—pollutants that inevitably circle back to humans.

Hazard Awareness: Decoding the Symbols of Danger

The seminar emphasized the importance of recognizing hazard symbols—those red diamond-shaped icons on chemical products that signal danger. Whether it’s a flame for flammables, a skull for toxicity, or an exploding bomb for explosive materials—these symbols aren’t just design. They’re life-saving warnings.

6Rs Against Pollution: A Community Response

The session ended on an empowering note with the 6Rs Framework:

Rethink. Refuse. Reduce. Reuse. Repair. Recycle.

This sustainable roadmap urges Filipinos to go beyond recycling and embrace mindful consumption, responsible disposal, and the elimination of toxic substances from production and use.

Practical Tips to Protect Your Home and Loved Ones

In line with the core theme of community empowerment, the EcoWaste Coalition and PSCOT provided concrete tips to avoid poison exposure at home:

1. Choose eco-friendly products without hazardous substances.

2. Read product labels and follow safety warnings.

3. Store chemicals in their original containers, away from food and children.

4. Never disguise medicine as “candy.”

5. Dispose of expired medicines and chemical products properly.

6. Keep cleaning agents and tools locked and out of children’s reach.

7. Don’t mix cleaning products to avoid forming toxic gases.

8. Ensure button-cell batteries in toys are secure.

9. Clean toys regularly to reduce dust ingestion.

10. Teach children safe use of art materials, and ensure no eating during play.

11. Watch out for toxic plants in and around your home.

12. Call the National Poison Management and Control Center at

📞 (02) 85241078 or (02) 85548400 local 2311 in case of emergencies.

From Awareness to Action

In the end, “Laban sa Lason” was not just a seminar. It was a call to arms—a declaration that ignorance is no longer an option, and silence is complicity. The battle against chemical pollutants is far from over, but with knowledge, vigilance, and collective action, communities like Barangay Silangan are proving that even the most silent poisons can be confronted—together.

As the world grows more complex and chemicals more pervasive, one thing becomes clear:

The most powerful antidote to poison is an informed, empowered community.

2025 GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup(GTCC) winners

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In a powerful testament to the strength of friendship and family, 62-year-old Benigno De Guzman Casayuran from Candelaria, Quezon Province rose as the Grand Champion of this year's GTCC (GameZone Tablegame Champions Cup). But more than the trophy and the prize, it was the road he took to get there that truly touched hearts.

Photo above: Tatay Benigno holding his Trophy

Benigno almost didn't make it to the competition. Facing financial constraints due to his wife's ongoing battle with Stage 2 breast cancer, he was unsure if he could attend the event. But in a remarkable display of unity and compassion, his friends, relatives, and family members stepped in collecting funds and sending money just so Benigno could travel and represent their community.

Tatay Benigno winning moments

"Para sa pagpapa-chemotherapy ng misis ko," Benigno shared tearfully when asked where he would use his winnings. His wife, 65, began chemotherapy treatments just this June. "Pag naka-recover siya, sana makapag-travel din kami sa ilang lugar dito sa Pilipinas." His dream is simple yet profound: to see his wife healed and to explore the beauty of the country together.

Tatay Benigno with the press

Benigno's story moved many in the crowd, a reminder that champions are not just defined by talent, but by love, purpose, and perseverance. His victory is not his alone; it belongs to his friends, relatives and family who believed in him, his wife who gives him strength, and everyone who has ever fought for something bigger than themselves.

Crowd Reaction

While 1st Place Winner: Ryan Dacalos, 38, from Lipa City, Batangas, plans to use his prize to build a home and support the education of his children, especially his eldest who is entering college next year. "Kung may matitira," he said, "pang malit na negosyo gaya ng sari-sari store."

Ryan Dacalos hugging Tatay Benigno

And the 2nd Place Winner: Cesha Myed A. Tupas, 37, from Rizal, will use her prize money to pay off loans and contribute to the renovation of their home to build a better space for her family.

Cesha receiving her rewards

Together, this year's GTCC winners reminded us that behind every contestant is a story worth telling stories of sacrifice, resilience, and dreams for a better tomorrow. There are more stories that are yet to unfold next season. This is just the beginning!

Winners of GTCC

How Sara Duterte’s Propaganda, Projections, and Political Evasions Undermine Philippine Sovereignty

Wazzup Pilipinas!?

In the face of an imminent impeachment trial threatening to expose her alleged misuse of ₱650 million in confidential funds and other grave accusations—ranging from plunder to betrayal of public trust—Vice President Sara Duterte has found a cunning refuge: diversion through disinformation. But her recent forays into geopolitical commentary go far beyond mere deflection—they suggest allegiance to a narrative not her own, one that eerily mirrors Beijing’s. And it’s not only dangerous—it’s treacherous.

Sara Duterte is no longer just dodging accountability. She’s performing a new role in what could very well be a foreign-scripted political play. Her recent public statements—delivered from overseas platforms—are not just tone-deaf. They are strategically calibrated to downplay China’s aggression in the West Philippine Sea (WPS), redirect outrage toward allies like the United States, and confuse a nation already grappling with disinformation fatigue. This isn’t leadership. It’s a textbook case of subversion masquerading as neutrality.

Projection and Propaganda: The Vice President’s Political Sleight of Hand

On June 22, in Melbourne, Australia—ironically while calling it a “personal trip”—VP Duterte publicly declared that the country’s maritime conflict with China “does not define our China relations.” She even questioned the utility of strengthening ties with the United States, deriding hypothetical defense scenarios as absurd. “Where will you use the missile? Who would wage war in our country?” she asked mockingly, as if our soldiers and fisherfolk weren’t already under attack by Chinese vessels within our Exclusive Economic Zone.

These statements didn’t just echo the rhetoric from Beijing—they almost quoted it. From dismissing escalating tensions in the West Philippine Sea to undermining the Philippines’ defense agreements, Sara Duterte’s foreign policy commentary suspiciously mirrors the very nation militarizing our reefs and bullying our boats.

This isn’t just tone-deafness. It’s projection as political strategy—accusing others of warmongering while ignoring her own role in inflaming divisions at home. Instead of addressing her impeachment charges, she reroutes national focus to foreign policy theater. Rather than confront questions of fiscal abuse, she flirts with foreign narratives. This is deception by design.

Gaslighting the Filipino Psyche: The Case of San Juanico Bridge

Sara’s manipulation didn’t end with geopolitics. In a bizarre tirade against a Philippine Airlines ad that described the iconic San Juanico Bridge as “not long enough” for tourism, she doubled down—calling the landmark unworthy of being a tourist attraction and instead pointing to a 264-kilometer bridge in China as the “real” standard.

Let’s be clear: this wasn’t about engineering. It was a deliberate attempt to devalue Filipino identity, diminish national heritage, and glorify China—at a time when the country’s sovereignty is under siege. Sara wasn’t simply offering an opinion on bridges. She was injecting cultural self-doubt, sowing the seeds of inferiority, and doing so while trying to erase scrutiny over her questionable use of taxpayer money.

Gaslighting isn’t always aggressive. Sometimes, it’s as subtle as mocking our landmarks or redefining “tourism” with Chinese benchmarks. And it’s always calculated to make us question what we know to be true.

Avoidance as Doctrine: A Vice President in Flight, Not in Service

Instead of addressing the Senate’s calls for transparency or facing impeachment head-on, Sara Duterte has chosen a globe-trotting strategy of delay and deflection. From her Australia visit, where she lobbied for her detained father and accused President Marcos Jr. of being a "scammer," to her refusal to directly answer summons in the Philippines, every step she takes seems choreographed to blur accountability.

Her legal team’s use of ad cautelam appearances—a tactic to dispute jurisdiction without showing full cooperation—only reinforces her effort to weaponize technicalities over truth. She is not defending herself. She is fleeing from scrutiny in slow motion, hoping the noise she generates will outlast the justice she owes.

Manchurian Candidate: A Trojan Horse in Philippine Leadership?

The term Manchurian Candidate has become shorthand for leaders who, wittingly or not, advance the interests of foreign powers. It’s no longer a conspiracy theory when the evidence plays out in real time, in public statements, and on international stages.

Sara Duterte has consistently:

Downplayed China's militarization of the West Philippine Sea

Questioned the Philippines' defense partnership with the U.S.

Ridiculed Philippine infrastructure while glorifying China's

Parroted Beijing’s diplomatic language in policy discussions

This isn’t mere rhetoric—it’s a disturbing alignment with a country actively undermining our sovereignty. When our Vice President starts sounding more like a Chinese diplomat than a Filipino official, alarm bells must ring—not out of paranoia, but out of patriotic duty.

The Inconvenient Truth About Debt and Deflection

In Melbourne, Sara had the audacity to ask, “Nasaan ang inutang?”—referring to the Philippines’ ₱16.6 trillion national debt. But here’s what she failed to mention: ₱12.8 trillion of that debt was incurred during the Duterte administration, under her own father. The Marcos Jr. administration added the remaining ₱3.96 trillion due to pandemic recovery and infrastructure needs.

By pointing fingers at PBBM over the debt, Sara wasn’t asking questions—she was rewriting history. She was gaslighting the nation into forgetting where the lion’s share of the borrowing began: under Rodrigo Duterte’s tenure. This is not a call for fiscal transparency. It’s political externalization—classic psychological projection in action.

The Damage Done: Sovereignty for Sale?

When the country’s second-highest official begins to behave like a propaganda arm of a foreign state, we are no longer just witnessing poor governance. We are confronting a national security risk.

Sara Duterte’s words carry weight. When she downplays territorial incursions, she weakens our diplomatic leverage. When she questions our alliances, she emboldens our enemies. And when she mocks national symbols in favor of foreign benchmarks, she insults every Filipino who ever believed in the nation’s dignity.

This isn’t just incompetence. It is subversion wearing the mask of public service.

2028 and Beyond: A Cautionary Preview

As Duterte eyes a presidential run in 2028, the nation must ask: What kind of leader weaponizes disinformation to evade accountability? What kind of candidate praises an aggressor while condemning her own people’s protectors? What kind of Filipino undermines the Philippines?

If Sara Duterte becomes president, will she govern the nation—or serve the narrative of a foreign power?

Filipinos deserve answers, not smoke screens. We deserve leaders who protect the truth, not distort it. We deserve a government grounded in principle—not propaganda.

Final Word: We Must Not Be Silent

In a time of creeping foreign occupation, domestic gaslighting, and systemic avoidance, silence is complicity. To remain quiet is to accept that our waters, our history, and our dignity can be traded for political convenience.

We must expose the propaganda, reject the projection, and demand truth.

Because the future of the Republic is not a campaign slogan. It’s a line in the sand.

And it’s up to all of us—citizens, patriots, Filipinos—to defend it.

Reject the double-speak. Confront the lies. Defend the Philippines.