By Gabriela Baron
Fisherfolk urged concerned government agencies to “immediately and effectively” contain the oil spill in Verde Island Passage, Batangas.
“[The] Department of Environment and Natural Resources and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) must expedite efforts to prevent the oil spill from further ravaging marine resources that could pose long-term ecological disaster,” Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) National Chairperson Fernando Hicap said.
The oil spill from the sunken motor tanker (MT) Princess Empress in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro reportedly reached the Verde Island Passage on Monday.
However, as of Tuesday, the PCG said the shorelines of the Island no longer contained traces of oil slick.
The Verde Island Passage is widely acclaimed as the “center of the center of marine biodiversity” for hosting the greatest number of shore fish species and coral reefs in the world.
“The Verde Island Passage is a highly productive fisheries corridor. Hundreds of thousands of fisherfolk from its littoral provinces rely on its abundant and pristine marine resources,” Hicap noted.
“The oil spill reaching one of the country’s significant ecosystems should highly alarm the government and compel them to undertake decisive and effective measures to prevent further ecological damages,” he added.
Hicap said Pamalakaya is “closely coordinating” with the fishing communities and environmentalists promoting the protection of the Verde Island Passage to assess the impacts of the oil spill to marine resources and socio-economic rights.
Oil spill cleanup efforts are ongoing in affected waters. Japan and the United States have also committed to help in the cleanup.
Japan’s remotely operated vehicle Shin Nichi Maru was deployed on Monday, while the US Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response team is on its way.
On Tuesday, MT Princess Empress was located off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro waters. -ag