MANILA, Philippines — Militant group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) is demanding monetary compensation for fisherfolk communities whose livelihoods were affected by the Mindoro oil spill — thousands of pesos for every day that they could not go out to the sea for work.
Thousands of fishermen are currently banned from catching fish as authorities continue to contain the oil spill that came from the sunken MT Princess Empress, an incident that has already affected 147,293 from MIMAROPA and Western Visayas.
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"According to reports to us [by our local chapters], fisherfolk earn P2,000 every time they go out to the sea," said Ferdinand Hicap, national president of PAMALAKAYA, in an interview by Philstar.com.
"So the recommendation of Pamalakaya is [for the company to] compensate them equivalent to the P2,000 that they lose everyday that they couldn't fish due to the oil spill."
According to them, the "ayuda" should be no less than P1,200 — roughly the same as the Metro Manila "family living wage" earlier estimated by IBON Foundation.
This amount, according to IBON, is needed so that a family with five members could live decently per day.
The group in a separate statement today said the RDC Reield Marine Services, the company that owns MT Princess Empress, should be held accountable for the oil spill.
According to them, the company should "pay for ecological damages" caused by the spill, aside from shouldering the costs of the clean-up, rehabilitation and compensation of communities.
Around 13,658 fisherfolk/farmers have been affected by the spill, leaving around 196 people injured and P3.85 million-worth of agricultural damages.
A total of P47.69 million worth of assistance has so far been provided to affected communities in MIMAROPA and Region VI, including but not limited to medicines, clean drinking water, family food packs, etc.
The Department of Health earlier instructed residents of oil spill-affected areas to wear appropriate types of mask and only get drinking water from safe sources in order to avoid health problems. — James Relativo