EcoWaste Coalition Appeals to the Public to Heed DOH’s Warning against Mercury Use to Counter “Kulam” or “Barang”
1 July 2025, Quezon City. The toxics watchdog group EcoWaste Coalition commended the Department of Health (DOH) for issuing a public health advisory warning citizens against the harmful effects of using mercury as an antidote against witchcraft. The group appealed to those engaged in this cultural practice to heed the advice of the DOH for their own health and safety.
“May mga ebidensya na nagpapatunay na ang mercury poisoning ay nagdudulot ng malubhang epekto sa utak, ugat o nerve, bato o kidney, at iba pang organ ng katawan,” the DOH advisory released on June 29 said.
“Tinututulan ng DOH ang sinasabing paggamit ng mercury kontra ‘kulam’ o ‘barang’ dahil sa nasabing panganib nito sa katawan,” the health agency emphasized.
The DOH further encouraged the public to report establishments selling mercury to docbrand@doh.gov.ph, and to call the DOH Toxicology Specialty Centers for additional information on the health effects of mercury exposure.
To recall, the EcoWaste Coalition wrote to the DOH last February 7, 2025 requesting the agency to issue a public health warning against the use of liquid mercury purportedly to counter the ill effects of sorcery (i.e, “kulam” or “barang”), which is promoted in e-commerce and social media platforms.
“People should not be lured into using such a highly toxic chemical, including ‘planting’ mercury into the skin, as a ‘pamatay-bisa’ or antidote to acts of witchery. Toxic mercury has no known function in the human body and there is no level of mercury in the body that is deemed safe; thus the need for the government, the DOH in particular, to urgently warn the public against the adverse impacts of such use of mercury to human health,” the letter said.
Prior to this, the EcoWaste Coalition wrote to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) on September 14, 2023 to report the illegal sale of liquid mercury in online shopping sites and in the vicinity of Quiapo Church, Manila by vendors selling amulets, herbal medicines and related stuff.
As stated in the booklet on “Cultural Uses of Mercury” published by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), the use of mercury for cultural reasons is a concern because:
a. “Direct and prolonged exposure to mercury is a human health hazard and has an impact on the downstream environment.”
b. “People using mercury for cultural uses are often unaware of mercury’s toxicity and associated risks.”
c. “Often the mercury vapor exposure from cultural use is second-hand, from magico-religious mercury use by a prior occupant of a dwelling.”
d. “The storage, transport and handling of mercury for these purposes can impose risk by introducing opportunities for spills and vapor releases.”
While the Minamata Convention does not cover “products used in traditional or religious practices,” DENR Administrative Order No. 2019-20, or the revised mercury Chemical Control Order (CCO), has excluded such use among the allowable uses of mercury.
With the full enforcement of the Internet Transactions Act, the EcoWaste Coalition urged the health and environmental authorities to use the law to stop the illicit use of e-commerce and social media platforms to advertise and sell liquid mercury, mercurial medical devices, mercury-containing cosmetics, and other banned products with mercury.
Reference:
https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1Yb1VF6RuW/?mibextid=oFDknk
https://chemical.emb.gov.ph/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/DAO201920MERCURY.pdf
