Photos of Basketball Players Endorsing Lead-Safe Paints for Children’s Health Win Human Rights Award
Rain or Shine Elastopainters express support for certified lead safe Alpha Chroma, Arkhon, Rain or Shine and Welcoat paints.
2 December 2024, Quezon City. The EcoWaste Coalition, an advocacy organization for a zero waste and toxics-free society, expressed its utmost gratitude to the online community for recognizing it as one of the winners of the 14th Human Rights Pinduteros Choice Awards.
The yearly event organized by the Human Rights Online Philippines (HRonlinePH) celebrates human rights defenders who utilize the Internet to inform, inspire, and mobilize the public in support of human rights.
At the awarding ceremony held in Quezon City on December 1 ahead of the commemoration of the International Human Rights Day on December 10, the EcoWaste Coalition was proclaimed winner for its photos featuring basketball players endorsing lead-safe paints for children's health.
The photos were taken by chemical safety campaigner Manny Calonzo last March 16 during the Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition (WORLDBEX) at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Through the photos, members of the professional Rain or Shine (RoS) Elasto Painters basketball team pitched for certified paints without lead additives to protect children, women and workers from being exposed to lead-containing paint, dust and soil, which can cause adverse health effects, most especially to kids and babies in the womb.
The team likewise encouraged consumers to seek certified lead safe paints for a colorful, healthier and safer home, school, play and workplace environment. The team, a member of the Philippine Basketball Association, is owned by the Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. (an affiliate of the Philippine Paint & Coatings Association, Inc. --- a partner of the EcoWaste Coalition and the International Pollutants Elimination Network in the campaign to eliminate lead in paints).
At the awarding ceremony held in Quezon City on December 1 ahead of the commemoration of the International Human Rights Day on December 10, the EcoWaste Coalition was proclaimed winner for its photos featuring basketball players endorsing lead-safe paints for children's health.
The photos were taken by chemical safety campaigner Manny Calonzo last March 16 during the Philippine World Building and Construction Exposition (WORLDBEX) at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City.
Through the photos, members of the professional Rain or Shine (RoS) Elasto Painters basketball team pitched for certified paints without lead additives to protect children, women and workers from being exposed to lead-containing paint, dust and soil, which can cause adverse health effects, most especially to kids and babies in the womb.
The team likewise encouraged consumers to seek certified lead safe paints for a colorful, healthier and safer home, school, play and workplace environment. The team, a member of the Philippine Basketball Association, is owned by the Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc. (an affiliate of the Philippine Paint & Coatings Association, Inc. --- a partner of the EcoWaste Coalition and the International Pollutants Elimination Network in the campaign to eliminate lead in paints).
“This award acknowledges your exceptional contribution to promoting and defending human rights through the power of the Internet. Your dedication to informing, inspiring, and mobilizing the public has made a significant impact in advancing human rights advocacy in the Philippines,” said Egay Cabalitan, a member of HRonlinePh team and Secretary-General of the Philippine Alliance of Human Rights Advocates (PAHRA) .
“We thank the HRonlinePh for this recognition, which energizes us all the more to fully utilize the Internet in our mission to protect and advance the human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment," said Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition. "We aim to strengthen and expand our digital advocacy as our coalition marks our 25th year in 2025."
The EcoWaste Coalition also won the network’s posts category for the press release entitled “Warning Out on Weight Loss Products Containing Banned Sibutramine,” which drew attention on fat-burning supplements for weight loss that contain sibutramine, an anti-obesity drug that can increase heart rate and elevate blood pressure.
The EcoWaste Coalition was also nominated for two other categories of the Human Rights Pinduteros Choice Awards for websites and for off-the-shelf resource materials (i.e., Tagalog safety tips to protect waste workers against heat stress amid the extreme hot summer).
The said safety tips were contributed by waste workers’ groups themselves, including the Bagong Silangan Resource Collectors Association (BASIRCA, Quezon City), Kabulig sa Kinaiyahan Resource Collectors Association (KKiRCA, Cagayan de Oro City), Mintal Resource Collectors Association (MIRCA, Davao City). Nagkakaisang Lakas ng mga Mangangalakal sa Longos (NLML, Malabon City), Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal sa Bagong Silang (SMBS, Caloocan City), Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal sa San Vicente Ferrer, Camarin (SMSVFCCC, Caloocan City), and the Samahan ng mga Mangangalakal ng Scrap sa Capulong (SMC, Manila City).
Finally, the EcoWaste Coalition acknowledged its members who were also considered for various Human Rights Pinduteros Choice Awards, including Young Bataeños for Environmental Advocacy Network (nominated for featured Gen Z initiatives, events, sites and videos), Teachers' Dignity Coalition (nominated for network's posts), Nuclear-Free Bataan Movement (winner for online campaigns), Kongreso ng Pagkakaisa ng mga Maralita ng Lungsod (nominated for events), and Ban Toxics (nominated for online campaigns and winner for videos).
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