Indemnity for all tragedy-affected sectors sought

Majority Leader Francis “Tol” Tolentino during a hearing in the Senate on August 15, 2024. Senate Public Relations and Information Bureau

MANILA, Philippines — Amid the effects of the oil spill caused by the sinking of MT Terranova off Limay, Bataan, Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino on Thursday proposed to expand compensation for all sectors being affected by major tragedies.

In pushing for compensation to a wider set of beneficiaries, Tolentino said not only the fisherfolk were affected by the oil spill.

“I am looking at amending some finer points of our legal system that would allow not just the compensation of fisherfolk when accidents like this would happen, but even the secondary tier of the logistic chain of the fishing industry,” Tolentino said in an interview over ANC.

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He said fish vendors should also gain from the compensation or insurance coverage that would benefit the shipping industry and the fisherfolk.

“Hindi lang po mangingisda ang nawalan ng trabaho dito, pati po yung mga tindera sa palengke. Marami pong mga fish vendor sa Cavite, sa ibang lugar na walang paninda, nagsara, hanggang ngayon sarado pa (It’s not just fisherfolk who lost their livelihood here, but also fish vendors. There are many fish vendors in Cavite and in other places that have nothing to sell and remain closed until now),” he added.

Fishing communities affected by the oil spill have already received aid from their respective local government units, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Social Welfare and Development, and other government agencies.

During the Senate inquiry on the oil spill in response to the Senate Resolution No. 1084 on Wednesday, Tolentino cited Republic Act No. 9483 or the Oil Pollution Compensation Act which states that the owner of the ship shall be liable for any pollution damage caused as a result of the incident.

Such liability includes reasonable expenses for clean-up operations at sea or onshore, as well as loss of earnings suffered by owners or users of property contaminated and environmental damage.

Tolentino said he also plans to look into the rules and guidelines on longevity of vessels, as well as a separate weather bulletin for shipping and airline industries.