Brosas disputes PCG claim Mindoro oil spill cleaned up

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Monday maintained that the oil spill from the sunken MT Princess Empress that contaminated the waters around Mindoro Island has been cleaned up after a lawmaker disputed the claim, citing the huge decrease in fish catch from the area.

“Our clean-up operations are over. Our people are still there to monitor the situation, but there are no ongoing clean-up operations,” PCG Commandant Artemio Abu said during the deliberations on the Department of Transportation’s (DOTr) proposed P214.3-billion budget for 2024 before the House appropriations panel.

The March 1 oil spill from the damaged tanker affected Oriental Mindoro as well as Occidental Mindoro, also on Mindoro Island, and nearby provinces Antique and Palawan.

“We [already] declared termination, in coordination with local government units and other [government] agencies concerned, of the clean up operations,” Abu added.

House Assistant Minority Leader Arlene Brosas, who fought tears while questioning the PCG’s decision, took PCG’s response as dismissive of the realities on the ground.

"I was there last August 26. Terminated na? Eh may mga tar balls pa in certain areas. Ang mga mangingisda, kawawa pa rin, almost six months na. Three months lang sila nabigyan ng tuloy-tuloy na ayuda. The fishing ban was just lifted three weeks ago. Terminated na pero may tar balls at langis pa. What happened to your oil pollution management fund?" Brosas said.

(There are still tar balls in certain areas. The fisherfolk are pitiful. It has been almost six months, and they only received aid for three months. 'Terminated' but there are still tar balls and oil in the water.)

Brosas said that the fishermen of Pola, Naujan and Calapan, Oriental Mindoro are catching fewer fish now.

“Dati, 25 to 30 kilos ang nakukuha nila kapag papalaot sila. Ngayon, limang kilo na lang. Hindi ito sapat, hindi nila kayang mabuhay sa ganito. We have to do something about this. I have a photo of a fishing net na may langis pa. Hindi talaga cleared,” Brosas added, 

(They used to catch 25 to 30 kilos of fish there. Now, they can only catch five kilos. This is not enough. They cannot survive on this. I have a photo showing a fishing net tainted with oil. This area is not cleared.)

Brosas also alleged that a Philippine Army unit has been deployed to the area, supposedly to prevent the fisherfolk from protesting their plight.

"Umiiyak ang mga mangingisda roon. Gusto ipasabi sa inyo ni Tatay Orly na mangingisda roon, nahihirapan sila  mangisda. Halos ibenta nila ang bangka kasi wala na silang pangkain. Anong mangyayari sa mangingisda roon?" Brosas said.

(The fisherfolk are crying, and they want to tell you that they are having a very difficult time. They are so close to selling their boats because they can’t buy food anymore. What will happen to them?)

“Kawawa naman sila, hindi makapagaral ang anak, tapos ang isasagot niyo sa amin, ganito? Hindi kayo nagsasabi ng totoo! Magsabi kayo ng totoo,” Brosas added.

(They are in a wretched state. They cannot send their children to school, and you will just give us such an answer? You are not telling the truth. Tell us the truth here.)

Abu responded by saying that the PCG has been able to execute its mandate.

“The PCG’s job is to conduct clean up and recovery operations. Based on our study on the area, sapat na po para sabihing pwede na mag-terminate ng clean up-operation [the situation is enough to say that the clean-up operation may be terminated]. It was in concurrence with LGUs, it went through the process,” he said.

The oil spill grounded fishing boats in the area for months, with fishermen enlisted to clean up the coastal areas of the oil. Thousands of families were affected as livelihoods were disrupted. Last month, an inter-agency committee on the oil spill said it wanted the government to claim millions of dollars in international compensation for the spill. — BM, GMA Integrated News