Caritas Philippines called for fair compensation and ecological restoration for communities affected by the 2023 MT Princess Empress oil spill, while pressing for stronger protection of the Verde Island Passage and municipal waters from illegal commercial fishing.
Bishop Gerardo Alminaza of San Carlos, president of Caritas Philippines, said justice for coastal communities must address both the damage caused by the spill and continuing threats to fisheries and marine ecosystems.
“Justice for the communities affected by the MT Princess Empress oil spill must therefore include fair compensation and genuine ecological restoration,” Alminaza said in an Oct. 8 press release.
They also called for “stronger protection for the critically biodiverse Verde Island Passage, the restoration of sound fisheries governance, effective safeguards against illegal commercial fishing, and the protection of municipal waters entrusted to small-scale fisherfolk under our Constitution.”
The Princess Empress sank off the coast of Mindoro in 2023 while carrying about 900,000 liters of industrial fuel oil.
Alminaza said coastal communities suffered illnesses linked to toxic exposure, loss of livelihoods, disrupted education, damage to marine habitats and declining fish catches.
“Environmental disasters do not end when the headlines fade. For many coastal families, their consequences are carried for years through lost income, damaged ecosystems, declining health, interrupted education, and uncertain futures,” Alminaza said.
The group said many affected families believed the compensation they received fell short of the damage they suffered and were seeking justice through the courts.
The prelate also raised concern over recent judicial developments striking down mandatory Vessel Monitoring Measures for commercial fishing vessels.
He warned that without effective monitoring and enforcement, illegal commercial encroachment into municipal waters would become more difficult to prevent, placing further pressure on marine ecosystems and small-scale fishers.
Alminaza said municipal fisherfolk remain among the poorest sectors of Philippine society despite their contribution to the country’s food supply.
“They ask not for privilege but for fairness: the effective protection of municipal waters from illegal commercial encroachment, policies grounded in science and justice, sustainable livelihoods, and the opportunity to provide for their families with dignity,” Alminaza said.
Caritas Philippines linked the plight of fisherfolk to declining fish catches, destructive commercial fishing practices, marine pollution, rising fuel costs, and increasingly erratic weather driven by the climate crisis.
“The oil spill, the threat of prolonged drought and stronger storms, and volatile fuel prices aggravated by geopolitical conflicts all remind us how deeply our fisheries are linked to climate change and to continued dependence on fossil fuels,” Alminaza said.
Caritas Philippines called for an energy transition that would reduce dependence on fossil fuels, address the climate crisis, and place vulnerable communities and care for creation at the center of national development.
It also urged government, businesses, civil society, faith communities, scientists, fisherfolk, educators and citizens to strengthen environmental governance and promote sustainable fisheries.
“The response to this integral crisis must itself be integral,” the agency said.
It called for stronger accountability, a faster transition to clean and renewable energy, and an ecological approach that recognizes creation “not as a commodity to exploit but as a gift to cherish and protect.”
“Protecting our seas means protecting our fisherfolk. Protecting our fisherfolk means safeguarding our food security. Caring for creation means honoring the Creator,” Alminaza said.
