Mindoro oil spill, paiimbestigahan sa Kamara

Mindoro oil spill, paiimbestigahan sa Kamara

March 16, 2023 @ 5:07 PM 2 weeks ago


MANILA, Philippines – Nanawagan ang mga mambabatas ng Makabayan bloc na imbestigahan sa Kamara ang nangyaring oil spill mula sa lumubog na motor tanker Princess Empress sa Oriental Mindoro, sabay-sabing ang delay sa ayuda ay nagresulta sa matinding epekto sa mga komunidad sa probinsya.

Ang panawagan na ito ng congressional inquiry ay sa ilalim ng inihain nina House Deputy Minority Leader France Castro, House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas, at Kabataan party-list Representative Raoul Manuel na House Resolution 869.

Iginiit ng mga mambabatas na nasa Verde Island Passage Marine Corridor ang oil spill-affected areas na may lawak na 1.4 milyong ektarya sakop ang mga probinsya ng Batangas, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Occidental Mindoro, at Romblon, at mayroong mahigit dalawang milyon katao ang naninirahan sa mga nasabing lugar.

Inihayag din nila na batay sa datos ng pamahalaan, mahigit 30,000 pamilya o 137,230 katao na mula sa 121 barangay sa MIMAROPA at Western Visayas ang naapektuhan ng oil spill hanggang nitong Marso 11.

“A fishing ban was implemented until the spill was cleaned up, affecting the livelihoods of more than 18,000 fisherfolks in 60 villages. The oil spill will adversely affect Mindoro Oriental’s fishing Industry, possibly resulting in lower fish catches and production,” pahayag ng Makabayan bloc.

“The national government must provide immediate compensation for the fisherfolk and familes affected by the oil spill, and must exhaust all means to stop the further spread of the industrial fuel oil. Now, therefore, be it resolved, as it is hereby resolved, that the House of Representatives through the Committee on Natural Resources and Committee on Aquaculture and Fisheries Resource immediately conduct an investigation, in aid of legislation, on the effects of the oil spill caused by the MT Princess Empress on the environment, livelihood of fisherfolks, and the local production of fish,” dagdag pa nila.

Sa hiwalay na press conference, nagpaalala si Castro sa pamahalaan na siguruhing matutulungan ang mga apektadong komunidad sa pinsala na idinulot ng oil spill.

“We have Republic Act 9483 which is the Oil Spill Compensation Act. This compensation should not be given on a whim,” ani Castro.

“The budget for this is P400 million, and the government should give it to affected residents and not negotiate amounts just to get it over with sooner rather than later,” dagdag pa niya.

Matatandaan na lumubog sa dagat na sakop ng Naujan, Oriental Mindoro noong Pebrero 28 ang MT Princess Empress dahil sa engine problem.

May karga ang naturang motor tanker ng aabot sa 900,000 litro ng industrial fuel.

Iniulat naman ng Department of National Defense kay Pangulong Ferdinand Marcos Jr. na may 169 indibidwal na ang nagkakasakit dahil sa oil spill. RNT/JGC