House to review oil compensation law

MANILA, Philippines - The House of Representatives is set to review the implementation of Republic Act 9483 or the Oil Pollution Compensation Act of 2007. 

In a resolution filed by Kabataan party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, the House committee on energy was urged to conduct the review after the government reportedly failed to put up an Oil Pollution Management Fund to address oil spills. 

RA 9483 provided for the establish-ment of the oil spill fund, out of the  10-centavo per liter fee for every delivery or transshipment of oil by tanker barges and tanker haulers, to be administered by the Maritime Industry Authority.

“This amount is expected to increase in the succeeding fiscal years after a joint deliberation of concerned government agencies and owners and operators of oil shipping companies,” Ridon said.

Ridon said the damage caused by Power Barge 103 – which ran aground on the shores of Barangay Botongon, Estancia in Iloilo on Nov. 8, 2013 – was not immediately addressed because the law was not enforced.

He said the law was enacted in keeping with the 1992 International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage and the 1992 International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage to protect the ecosystem and ensure the dignity of marine life and the people that benefit from them.