26-2-2024 (MANILA) The sinking of the oil tanker MT Princess Empress off the coast of Oriental Mindoro last year has resulted in an estimated P41.2 billion (S$989.3million) worth of environmental and socio-economic damage to the region and its coastal communities, as revealed in a report by a sustainability think tank.
On February 28, 2023, MT Princess Empress, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, sank near Naujan town, triggering a massive oil spill that spread to the coastlines of provinces surrounding the ecologically significant Verde Island Passage (VIP).
The report, released on Monday by the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED), estimates that the environmental impact of the oil spill amounts to approximately P40.1 billion, while socio-economic losses reached P1.1 billion.
The total cost of the damage, according to CEED, is 800% higher than the government’s initial estimate. Gerry Arances, the executive director of CEED, emphasized the severity of catastrophic oil spills like this, stating that they are not only deadly and costly but also have the potential to irreversibly alter delicate ecosystems.
Arances further highlighted the detrimental effects on the local communities, stating, “The oil spill has also impoverished the people not just of Mindoro but other surrounding communities that depend on the resources of VIP for their survival.”
The CEED study examined the oil spill’s impact 39 weeks after the incident. It employed two methods to assess the damage: evaluating the economic losses suffered by coastal families in various Oriental Mindoro towns and determining the value people are willing to pay for fishing areas, which was then extrapolated to those residing inland in the affected provinces. The study revealed that fishermen continued to experience income losses between July and November, even after the fishing ban was lifted.
Reports indicate that fish yields have not returned to their normal levels prior to the oil spill, with only around a third of their usual catch being obtained.
Arances called upon the government to undertake a comprehensive study to fully understand the extent of the oil spill’s impact on the environment and the livelihoods of affected residents. This, he emphasized, is crucial for addressing both the immediate and long-term needs of those affected.
Fr. Edwin Gariguez, the lead convenor of Protect VIP, emphasized the necessity of legally protecting the Verde Island Passage under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System, stating, “The marine corridor will never be safe until it is legally protected.” The VIP, recognized as the “center of the center” of the world’s marine biodiversity, faces threats from pollution caused by liquefied natural gas plants and terminals, illegal fishing, commercial shipping, and climate change.
Gariguez expressed disappointment with the government’s lack of progress in safeguarding the VIP and preserving it for future generations, stating, “One year is ample time for meaningful progress towards protecting the VIP and ensuring its preservation for future generations, time which the government did not use properly.”
Environment officials had previously announced their efforts to declare the VIP as a legally protected seascape.
In a separate report by CEED, it was discovered that oil and grease levels remained high in several protected areas in Oriental Mindoro nearly a year after the oil spill occurred.
