Communities living along the Verde Island Passage (VIP) in the Philippines, the world’s most critical marine biodiversity center, called for a ban on all tankers carrying toxic cargo to avoid risks of tragedies similar to the ongoing oil spill.
The call was made as the House of Representatives’ Committee on Ecology and Committee on Natural Resources held a hearing in aid of legislation in relation to the oil spill caused by the February 28 sinking of the fuel tanker MT Princess Empress.
“We’re disappointed that even as it took two long months before congress called for another investigation, there appears to be no significant progress in exacting justice for affected communities and biodiversity,” said Gerry Arances, executive director of think-tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).
He said coordination among various government and responsible actors “still proves to be severely lacking.”
“The complexity of responses necessary in the aftermath of a disaster of this scale shows that we should not allow such incidents to happen in the first place,” said Arances.
He said tankers carrying toxic cargo such as industrial oil and other fossil fuels should be banned from coursing through the VIP.
Various groups have raised alarm over the high volume of fossil fuel and toxic cargo-carrying vessels allowed to ply critically biodiverse seas, especially the marine-significant Verde Island Passage.
Fisherfolk group representatives who attended the hearing lamented the “insufficient and problematic responses” made for communities impacted by the oil spill.
“It is disheartening to see the finger-pointing,” said Dindo Melaya, convenor of oil spill-impacted fisherfolk coalition Koalisyon ng Mangingisdang Apektado ng Oil Spill.
Arances said government agencies and members of Congress can go on with the “blame game … but there will be no justice if the polluters that caused this ecological disaster are allowed to play truant.”
“We sincerely hope that our government will deliver the punitive actions these companies deserve, including the compensation they owe to communities whose livelihood they robbed and whose welfare they harmed,” he said.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources on Tuesday, May 9, joined five provincial governments to press for a law that will make the VIP a protected area.
Environment Secretary Antonia Loyzaga said that while the VIP is currently classified as a marine protected area, governors from surrounding provinces want it to be protected and covered by legislation.
