Fisherfolk from oil spill-affected communities and cause-oriented groups gathered together in Pola, Oriental Mindoro – considered the ground zero of the oil spill from MT Princess Empress – to mark Earth Day and the effects of the oil spill. (Photo from Project VIP and KMAOS)
MANILA, Philippines — To mark the Earth Day, the fisherfolk affected by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and the Verde Island Passages (VIP) gathered in Pola on Saturday to demand government accountability for the ecological disaster.
Led by Koalisyon ng mga Mangingisdang Apektado ng Oil Spill (KMAOS), affected coastal communities called upon the national government to begin reparations and exercise transparency in their next steps to address the spill.
“900,000 liters of industrial oil are leaking into the Verde Island Passage, a center of biodiversity and the source of livelihood for two million Filipinos… The spill has not been contained, reparations have yet to be made, and most importantly, there is still no mention of who would be brought to justice for the damage done,” said Fr. Edwin Gariguez, Protect VIP lead convenor and Social Action Center director of Calapan.
Since the MT Princess Empress sank in February, the oil spill has affected 38,871 families as of April 20, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) previously has also reported close to ₱1 billion in livelihood costs and damages.
“Ang mantsa ng langis sa kagamitan ng mga mangingisda ay tanda ng pagkasirang dulot ng oil spill. Hindi pa rin makapangisda ang libu-libo sa amin dahil nilalason ng langis ang karagatan,” said KMAOS convener Dindo Melaya at the program in Pola.
“Pangmatagalan ang kinakailangang aksyon para pahilumin ang mga isda, bahura, at tubig ng mga karagatan namin lalo na ng VIP, at hindi maaaring maliitin ang tindi nito,” he added.