Iloilo oil spill a big threat to marine life and fishers' livelihood in Visayas — groups
MANILA, Philippines — The oil spill incident off the waters of Iloilo City threatens to devastate the marine life in the area and the livelihood of communities in some parts of Visayas, groups warned Monday.
Around 48,000 liters of oil spilled into the waters last Friday following an explosion at a power barge of Ayala’s AC Energy Inc. in the city’s Lapuz district.
In a statement, fishers group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas warned the oil spill might reach the Guimaras Strait and the Visayan Sea due to water current and wind direction. PAMALAKAYA said this might affect fisherfolk from Guimaras Island, Negros Occidental, Masbate, and Eastern and Western Visayas.
“We call on the urgent government agencies to implement urgent measures to contain the oil spill and prevent it from spreading across the major fishing grounds in Visayas,” Fernando Hicap, PAMALAKAYA national chairperson, said.
“Oil spill poses serious injury and loss of life and/or irreversible water contamination of surface, ground, coastal and marine waters,” he added.
The oil spill reportedly displaced 105 families composed of 375 individuals from Brgy. Obrero in Lapuz district and Brgy. Mansaya in La Paz due to fumes emanating from the area.
The power firm said it has tapped a third party to investigate the oil spill from one of its power barges.
Shift to renewable energy
Greenpeace said the incident shows how oil and other sources of fossil fuel—main contributor to the climate crisis—are dangerous to the environment and communities.
“Beyond a cleanup, we are asking power companies to rethink their businesses to immediately shift to renewable energy sources and phase out their oil and coal facilities,” Khevin Yu, Greenpeace campaigner, said.
A report by Greenpeace released in November 2019 showed that coal remains the country’s dominant energy source in 2018. It had a 52.05% share in gross power generation by source in gigawatt hours.
The share of renewable energy sources, meanwhile, was at 22.27% as of December 2018.
“This oil spill will have lasting effects on the marine environment and communities. As a response, the government should ensure that the centerpiece of the country’s post-pandemic recovery plan is an urgent and just transition to 100% RE power generation,” Yu said.
In 2006, an oil tanker chartered by Petron Corporation sank off the coast of Guimaras, spilling more than two million liters of bunker fuel. This was considered the worst oil spill in the country.
“We don’t want the repeat of the Guimaras oil spill that did not only literally painted the waters black, but devastated the marine environment and economic lives of thousands of fisherfolk,” Hicap said.
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