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Tubbataha management says US’ P87-M payment ‘fair’
By ROSE-AN JESSICA DIOQUINO, GMA News
The Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) on Friday welcomed news that the United States has agreed to pay P87 million for widespread damage on the reef after one of its minesweepers ran aground in the area nearly two years ago.
"Sobrang tuwa po namin kasi sa wakas, 'di ba? Masaya kaming maisasara na itong matter na ito. Ang dami rin kasing ginastos," TMO park manager Angelique Songco told GMA News Online.
Songco made the remark hours after Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said the US had agreed to pay for the damage caused by USS Guardian when it hit the South Atoll of the Tubbataha Reef on January 17, 2013.
"I think it's fair," Songco said when asked if the payment was enough.
Songco said the amount would cover both the P58.4 million fine imposed by the Philippine government for the restoration of the marine park and the expenses of the Philippine Coast Guard during the salvage operations.
The coast guard sought P28 million to cover its costs, she said. It took at least 10 weeks of salvage operations to haul away pieces of the USS Guardian.
The coast guard sought P28 million to cover its costs, she said. It took at least 10 weeks of salvage operations to haul away pieces of the USS Guardian.
The amount, she said, was "made clear" to the Department of Foreign Affairs and the US Embassy.
Songco said the office was glad that the development came before the second year anniversary of the incident, after which she claimed the Philippine side could no longer pursue payments.
The grounding of the USS Guardian damaged at least 2,345.67 square meters of the reef, a World Heritage Site and one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.
Still, Songco expressed wariness over the good news.Songco said the office was glad that the development came before the second year anniversary of the incident, after which she claimed the Philippine side could no longer pursue payments.
The grounding of the USS Guardian damaged at least 2,345.67 square meters of the reef, a World Heritage Site and one of the top scuba diving destinations in the world.
"Wala pang official communication [on the matter]. Narinig pa lang namin from the news. Sana totoo," Songco said.
Del Rosario, in a Senate hearing on the Department of Foreign Affairs' P12.8-billion proposed budget for 2015, said he "received correspondence" on the US payment on Thursday. Headded that "documentation [was] being prepared."
The Tubbataha reef management said earlier this year that the reefs had yet to fully recover from the damage and that it would take a while "for the once productive area to recover." —NB, GMA News
Tags: tubbatahareef, ussguardian
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