International environmental group Oceana has called on President Marcos Jr. to order the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), and other relevant agencies to urgently control and contain the oil spill from a motor tanker that sank off Limay, Bataan.
On Thursday, July 25, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported that MT Terranova capsized and sank off the coast of Limay, Bataan while carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil (IFO).
In a statement on Friday, July 26, Oceana expressed alarm over the potential damage and harmful effects of the incident on the municipal waters of Limay and Mariveles in Bataan; and Tanza, Rosario, and Noveleta in Cavite, where local governments rely heavily on fishing for their livelihood.
Oceana's monitoring revealed that if the surface current moves southwest, the coral reefs in Mariveles and Corregidor Island might also suffer damage.
Oceana Vice President Gloria Estenzo Ramos said the national government should immediately assess the effects of the oil spill on the marine environment including fisheries, ensure that procedures and standards are set in motion, and investigate who is directly responsible for the maritime incident.
“All those responsible for failing to prevent this tragedy – from concerned government agencies to private owners of the tanker - should be held accountable,” she said.
Ramos said that the government needs to ensure laws are strictly upheld and that corresponding penalties are enforced.
“Learning from the lessons of the oil spill in the Verde Island Passage, we need to study and craft measures such as increasing the fines and other sanctions based on the damages caused to the habitats, wildlife, and the people’s lives and livelihood,” she went on.
Per the Oceana vice president, the recently passed Philippine Ecosystem and Natural Cost Accounting System (PENCAS) law mandates that the DENR, DA-BFAR, Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), and other government bodies should implement data-driven law and integrate ecosystem valuation into accounting practices, thereby, mainstreaming sustainability in their plans, policies, and programs.
Ramos said it is high time to implement higher penalties and stricter accountability measures and implement the PENCAS law.
“Considering the oil spills’ destructive impacts on our fishing grounds and habitats, not to mention that the majority of our population relies on healthy and productive marine ecosystems for sustenance, it is time to impose even higher penalties and stricter accountability measures and implement the PENCAS law,” she stated.
“This is the time to put the safeguards to protect the right to health and a healthy and sustainable environment of our people and our natural life support system in place through these progressive but still sadly largely unimplemented laws,” she added.
Survey vessel deployment
Environment Secretary Maria Antonia “Toni” Yulo-Loyzaga ordered on Thursday, July 25, the deployment of a survey vessel to assist in the search for the capsized MT Terra Nova.
The DENR chief immediately went to Limay, Bataan to meet with local government officials and PCG personnel after learning about the oil spill due to the capsized motor tanker.
DENR deployed survey vessel BRP Hydrographer Presbitero to help locate the capsized motor tanker. This vessel, operated by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority (NAMRIA), surveys marine and coastal environments for the environment department.
Loyzaga stated that the next focus of the DENR's efforts is on ecosystem protection.
“This means the mapping of the ecosystems reached by the spill and the determination of contamination of water sources once we have located the vessel,” she said.
During a briefing with Limay Mayor Nelson David, Vice Mayor Richie Jason David, and PCG officials, Loyzaga told them that the DENR will support their efforts.
“Our assets are at their disposal so we can determine the possible impact of the incident,” she said.
Also, Loyzaga noted that the environment department is working with the UP Marine Science Institute (MSI) to model the potential dispersion of the vessel’s fuel and oil cargo in the event of leaks.