Environmental groups and fisherfolk intensified calls for policy reform following a new demand letter to the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) by victims of the 2023 oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.
This follows the recent sinking of three tankers in Manila Bay due to rough seas, including MT TerraNova, which spilled over 1.5 million liters of industrial oil.
Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP), noted the repetition of offenses by the same San Miguel Corporation subsidiary involved in both spills.
“Communities are still struggling from past spills and fighting for compensation, while facing new disasters due to policy gaps,” said Gariguez.
Affected fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro, under the Koalisyon ng mga Mangingisdang Apektado ng Oil Spill (KMAOS), report insufficient compensation for losses incurred from previous spills.
Aldrin Villanueva, president of KMAOS, shared the financial hardships continuing to impact fisherfolk, emphasizing the inadequacy of received compensation.
In response to these ongoing issues, the Court of Appeals recently directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to update water quality in the VIP and establish guidelines for designating non-attainment areas under the Clean Water Act.
Atty. Ticia Soresca, Deputy Head for Legal of the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), stressed the importance of prompt action from DENR to prevent further pollution and protect the environment.
