Mindoro folk, on oil spill anniv, vow to hold polluters accountable

REMINDER | PHOTO: Fishers and residents in Pola, Oriental Mindoro, together with their supporters, unveil on Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2024, a mural painted by the community reminding them of the importance of protecting the Verde Island Passage (VIP).. (Photo from the Facebook account of PROTECT VIP)

CITY OF CALAPAN, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines — Residents of coastal communities in Oriental Mindoro whose livelihood was disrupted by the oil spill from a vessel that sank off Naujan town last year vowed to continue the search for justice as they marked the first anniversary of the environmental tragedy on Wednesday.

Groups supporting local fisherfolk started the program in Pola town, considered the “ground zero” of the marine disaster, with a Mass at the Pola Community College celebrated by Oriental Mindoro Bishop Moises Cuevas.

M/T Princess Empress, carrying 900,000 liters of industrial oil, sank off the coast of Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28 last year. The site is within the Verde Island Passage (VIP), an area between mainland Luzon and Mindoro island considered the “center of global shorefish biodiversity” due to the high density of marine resources there.

Fisherfolk, local officials, and representatives of environmental, youth, and religious groups called attention to the slow progress on compensation and recovery in the widespread oil spill that followed the tanker’s sinking.

READ: Mindoro oil spill ruins nearly P1 billion in livelihood sources

“Today, we gather in prayer and unity to commemorate the day that changed the course of the lives of the people of Oriental Mindoro. Pope Francis in his Laudate Deum (Praise God) reminds us that the most effective solutions will not come from individual efforts alone but, above all, from major political decisions,” Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lead convener of Protect VIP, said in a statement emailed to the Inquirer on Wednesday. Protect VIP is a coalition of different organizations advocating for the protection of the Verde Island Passage.

“Our fight does not end today and we will not cease to fight until we see a clear path towards … recovery, which would only be possible if justice is served, polluters are held accountable and communities are properly compensated,” said Gariguez.

‘Unwavering spirit’

“The marine life and the people who depend on the Verde Island Passage deserve nothing less than P41.2 billion, which is the estimated damage caused by the oil spill,” said the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), a think tank which earlier released a valuation report on oil spill damage, as assessed by experts.

“We hope that this number serves as a guidepost for the government and the agencies for tougher policies in protecting our waters and ensuring that no polluter walks free from their accountability,” said Gerry Arances, co-convener of Protect VIP and executive director of the CEED.

Arances underscored the need for decisive actions from policymakers to prioritize the urgent protection of Verde Island Passage.

A symbolic march to Pola Bridge showcasing a mural designed by artist AG Sano, in collaboration with local communities and youth groups, was also held Wednesday. A design for a commemorative marker that will be put up in Pola as a symbol of the courage and determination of the community was also unveiled.

“The mural and marker will memorialize the unwavering spirit of the people of Mindoro in the face of the oil spill. This will be a permanent reminder of what the polluters owe to the communities and what the government must do in protecting Verde Island Passage,” Gariguez said.

In a telephone interview on Tuesday, Aldrin Villanueva, leader of the fisherfolk group Lapian ng Mangingisda sa Batuhan, said only 627 of the more than 4,000 claimants from Pola town, who lost their livelihood due to the fishing ban imposed last year, had received compensation as of Feb. 16.