By DOMINIC GUTOMAN
Bulatlat.com
MANILA – Communities relying on fishing for their food and livelihood are severely affected by the oil spill in Manila Bay that spread across the three regions, according to the fisherfolk and environmentalists.
Last July 25, MT Terra Nova, a fuel tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel, capsized off the coast of Limay, Bataan, and began leaking oil. Days later, fuel tankers named MKTR Jason Bradley carrying 5,500 liters of diesel fuel, and MV Virola 1 carrying black oil, were found abandoned in Mariveles, Bataan on July 27 and July 31 respectively.
It is projected that almost 46,000 fisherfolk will be affected by the oil spill if left uncontrolled, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR), Central Luzon, and Region 4-A. Currently, Pambansang Lakas ng Mamamalakaya (PAMALAKAYA) reported that 29,000 fisherfolk from Cavite alone, were at risk, while 9,000 fisherfolk in Bataan.
The plight of fisherfolks and consumers
“Like small shrimps crushed on the shore,” Bong Laderas, a Bulacan fisherfolk and a member of Pagkakaisa ng Mangingisda at Mamamayan ng Manila Bay (PMMB), described their situation in a press conference, Aug. 5 at the Kalikasan office in Quezon City. He highlighted that fisherfolk are earning up to only P100 ($1.73) as the fish catch dwindled, which is a significant decrease from their previous P200 ($3.46) to P300 ($5.19) earnings.
“Fisherfolk are not the only ones affected by the oil spill. Even those who are selling fish in the market and ordinary consumers are suffering from the disaster,” he added.
The situation in the marketplace also puts fisherfolk at a disadvantage. PAMALAKAYA reported that traders buy fish like Salinas and Halubaybay for P50 ($0.86) per kilo, which was previously P120 ($2.07) per kilo before the oil spill. They also said that it is largely unfavorable to the fisherfolk since it is being sold at P200 ($3.46) per kilo in the market, which also puts a high burden on ordinary consumers.
The effects of oil spills have a devastating impact on shoreline ecosystems, especially for coral reefs and mangroves, according to 2022 research. The impact can be long-term for the ecology and environment, while the cleanup operations are tedious and expensive.
“Given the recent incidents, fish is hard to sell in the market since it is feared to be contaminated by the oil spill. Even if the fisherfolk tried their best to sail in the seas far from the oil spill,” said Laderas.
Compounding disaster
Environmentalist and people’s scientist Narod Eco from Advocates of Science and Technology for the People (AGHAM) said that the recent incidents are a compounding disaster.
“Based on a rapid survey of a fishing community in Cavite, the compounding effects of recent disasters, i.e., Typhoon Carina, the enhanced habagat, and the oil spills, combined with long-standing development aggression projects such as reclamation-related dredging activities in their area has cost them great financial losses as well as reduced access to potable water, food supply, livelihood, and housing,” AGHAM said in a statement.
“The fishermen and residents living around Manila Bay have experienced successive disasters such as the onslaught of Typhoon Carina and the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat), which were immediately followed by an oil spill. However, the Marcos Jr. administration has not provided an effective response to help the fishermen affected by these calamities,” Ronnel Arambulo, PAMALAKAYA vice chairperson, said.
In an earlier report of Bulatlat, those situated in the coastal areas were victims of severe flooding during the onslaught of Carina, particularly in Navotas, where the Navotas Bay Reclamation Project is being built. The project affected 1,000 families, while the New Manila International Airport (NMIA) has displaced around 700 families in Bulacan, according to Laderas.
Read: Flooding intensified due to reclamation projects — envi group
PAMALAKAYA also highlighted that prior to the prevalence of dredging operations due to the reclamation projects, fisherfolk could earn up to P5,000 ($86.46) to P10,000 ($172.91) per catch. This is notably higher than the reported earnings that fisherfolk get before the oil spill.
The recent disasters were also akin to the MT Princess Empress oil spill on February 28 last year, affecting the seas and the provinces of Antique, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and Palawan. The sunken tanker carried 900,000 liters of industrial fuel, which caused P41.2 billion ($69.9 million) in environmental and social damages.
Read: PH gov’t urged to go after top oil spill source
Accountability and immediate action
For these groups and affected stakeholders, the government must provide immediate aid for the residents, hold San Miguel Corporation accountable for the environmental damages of their projects, and put a stop to the harmful reclamation projects that consistently displaced not only the fisherfolks but the ordinary residents.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed that SL Harbor Bulk Terminal Corporation, a subsidiary of San Miguel Shipping and Lighterage Corporation, chartered the said vessel to transport the industrial fuel oil. SMC is also the company behind the NMIA reclamation and the Mindoro oil spill last year.
“The SMC, as identified by the PCG, should not escape accountability. This is the same company involved in the disastrous oil spill in Oriental Mindoro last year, which fishermen are still suffering from to this day,” Arambulo said.
The fisherfolk also demanded that there should be a P15,000 production subsidy for the fisherfolk, and 10,000 relief aid for the affected residents. They are demanding appropriate interventions from the Department of Agriculture (DA), particularly its Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), to ensure that the fisherfolk would not be exploited and their products are bought at a reasonable price.
“In our local governments, fisherfolk and farmers were not given relief aid for the impacts of the oil spill even if it also reached our boats and our fishing equipment. There are also areas where fishing bans were implemented, disrupting our livelihood,” said Laderas.
A fishing ban is imposed in the affected areas of Bataan and Cavite. Meanwhile, Governor Jonvic Remulla announced that eight areas in Cavite were placed under a state of calamity, particularly in the municipalities of Bacoor, Kawit, Noveleta, Rosario, Tanza, Naic, Maragondon, and Ternate. (RVO) 
