Animal rescue teams in Taal Volcano island should sign waivers — Dela Rosa

MANILA, Philippines — Those who wish to set foot on Taal Volcano island should sign waivers clearing the government of any liability should something happen to them.

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa made the suggestion during a Senate hearing on Thursday to enable animal rescuers to save animals that were abandoned in Taal Volcano island.

The Senate Committee on Urban Planning, Housing, and Resettlement was conducting a hearing on the rehabilitation and resettlement efforts after the eruption of Taal Volcano when government officials and representatives from animal rescue organizations weighed in on the risks of saving animals that were left behind in the volcano island.

At the hearing, Atty. Heidi Caguioa, the program director of Animal Rescue, Inc. insisted that a coordinated effort between the government and the private sector should be conducted to rescue the animals.

But Philippine Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) Director Dr. Renato Solidum maintained that no person should be allowed to enter the volcano island and the 7-kilometer danger zone.

Offering a “simple solution” to a “complicated problem,” Dela Rosa suggested that those who insist in entering the volcano island should sign a waiver first.

“I would like to offer a solution, papulis-pulis lang ‘to na solution, hindi ito pang-senador na solusyon…Ang gobyerno ayaw kayong papasukin dahil iwas pusoy ang gobyerno, ayaw talaga nilang, pag may mangyari doon, sila ang sisisihin,” he said.

(I would like to offer a solution, a solution offered by a police officer, not from a senator…The government will not allow you to enter, because the government wants to skip blame).

“How about papirmahin natin sila ng waiver na kung mamatay kayo doon sa isla, may mangyari sainyo, wag niyong sisihin ang gobyerno. Pero hindi kayo haharangin ng coast guard, ng PNP (Philippine National Police) na pumunta doon para i-save yung mga kabayo,” he added.

(How about we have them sign a waiver that if you die or something happens to you, you will not blame the government. But the coast guard and the PNP will not block you from going there and saving the animals).

The senator said the animal rescue teams could conduct a “one time, big time” rescue mission but not before signing a waiver.

“Kayo naman, insistent pumasok para kunin yung mga naiwang mga baka doon at kabayo, para i-save, it’s a very laudable intention,” Dela Rosa said.

(You are insistent to enter to save the cattle and horses that were left behind, it’s a very laudable intention).

“One time big time…kung kailan kayo ready with your mga barko o boats…pag medyo…tahimik (yung bulkan). ‘Sige pirma kami, papasukin niyo kami mga ilang oras…withdraw kagad,” he added.

(One time big time…anytime you’re ready with your ships or boats…if the volcano is a little bit quiet. ’Alright we’ll sign a waiver, let us in for a couple of hours and then we will withdraw as soon as possible).

Caguioa welcomed Dela Rosa’s suggestion.

“To begin with po, hindi lang naman po kaming mga private groups ang nagri-risk ng aming buhay pumasok doon, it also involves the community that has been going back to the volcano island,” she said.

(To begin with, it’s not only us who are risking our lives to enter there, it also involves the community that has been going back to the volcano island).

“Ang pagsa-sign po ng waiver ay I think for our group, wala pong problema sa amin yan, for the other groups who have also been there risking their lives to rescue baka po hindi rin maging problema ‘yan,” she added.

(The signing of a waiver will not be a problem for us, even for other groups who have also been there risking their lives to rescue the animals).

She then reiterated the need for “a joint collaborative effort” wherein the private groups could team up with government agencies that have the capacity to provide resources for the rescue of these animals.

But Interior Undersecretary Epimaco Densing III said that even with the waiver, the government would still be responsible for ensuring the safety of the residents.

“While okay po yung waiver (the wiaver is okay), at the end of the day public policy and public safety and interest dictates that even with the waiver, it’s still the responsibility of government. May mangyari sakanila, kahit may waiver po, pwede pa ring sisihin si gobyerno (If something happens to them, even with this signed waiver, the government will still be held accountable),” he pointed out.

“So our position on that is really kung ano ang (is what is) policy, directive ni (of the) PDRRMC (Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council), we will supervise and let us all follow because at the end of the day, it’s really the responsibility of the government,” he added.

For his part, Batangas Provincial Administrator Librado Dimaunahan said the governor has already declared that activity in the volcano and within the seven-kilometer danger zone will not be allowed.

“As a matter of policy we follow the advice and guidance of Phivolcs, now it is still alert level 3, and you have a seven-kilometer danger zone, lockdown, while it is (under alert) level 3, the possibility of eruption is still there” he said.

Caguioa, however, still pleaded that the animal rescue groups be allowed to extract the animals from the island with the help of the government.

“We have been pressing for the immediate removal or the animals in the island, because these animals are living beings to begin with and these are the main reasons why the community have been going back to the volcano island,”

She said it was the local government units that allowed “tourism to thrive in the volcano island” hence the animals there.

“Bakit po babalik sa amin yung issue ng risk or responsibility (why is the issue of risk and responsibility is thrown at us)? This is actually the responsibility of the local government unit to begin with because they put cattle there, they allow tourism to thrive in the volcano island, so kami lang po, ang sa amin lang, is the welfare of the animals (So for us, we want to ensure the welfare of the animals),” she said.

Dela Rosa, by the end of the three-hour hearing, backtracked from his earlier suggestion and said it may “not be the ideal solution.”

“Gusto ko lang balikan kanina yung solusyon na in-offer ko sainyo. That may not be the ideal solution but sa akin lang praktikal lang yung sa akin but please don’t get me wrong,” the senator said during hus concluding remarks.

(I want to get back to the solution I earlier offered. That may not be the ideal solution but I was just being practical but please don’t get me wrong).

“Baka sabihin niyo ‘Si Bato pinapahamak kami.’ Ang sa akin nagoffer lang ako ng praktikal but not ideal, but the government will decide for that,” he added.

(You might say ‘Bato is endangering our lives.’ I was just offering a practical but not an ideal solution, but the government will decide for that).

Edited by MUF