A notice of violation has been issued against the Ayala-led AC Energy Philippines, owner of the power barge that triggered an oil spill in Brgy. Obrero, Lapuz district in Iloilo City.
Atty. Arjunn Calvo, chief legal officer of Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) 6, confirmed to Daily Guardian that a soft copy of the notice of violation has been issued to AC Energy on Monday for violating Republic Act 9275 (Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004).
According to DENR-EMB 6, an estimated 268,000 liters of bunker fuel have spilled into the coast of Iloilo City following the explosion of Power Barge 102 on July 3, 2020.
As of July 5, 2020, a total of 179,300 liters of bunker oil were collected via skimmers and manual scooping conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and PB 102 Personnel.
Based on the on-site investigation conducted by EMB-6 and Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO)-Iloilo, the one-hectare mangrove patch near the power barge has already been affected and damaged due to the oil spill.
Calvo said they are currently monitoring the affected mangrove area at Brgy. Mansaya in Lapuz district.
“We are monitoring the extent of the damage and epekto sang oil. Ga-conduct man kita sang inventory sang mangrove species nga naapektuhan sang oil spill,” he told Daily Guardian.
Calvo warned that oil spills can be devastating to marine species and water organisms especially when the oil contaminated water coats the mangroves and reaches the surface of the coast lines.
Oil contaminated water can block the sun and oxygen needed by the marine species, according to Calvo.
“Once mag-mix siya sa tubig, ma-block na ang sun and oxygen. Kon magtapik siya sa coastline kag ma-igo aton nga mangroves, may adverse impact ina sa mangroves,” Calvo added.
Mangroves are also vital spawning areas of fishes and other marine organisms, he added.
It also serves as the primary protection of coastal communities against strong tidal waves and storm surges.
EMB-6 is also closely coordinating with the scientists from the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on the rehabilitation plan for the affected mangroves.
Calvo said clean-up of the oil spill on the affected mangroves is also crucial as mangroves are particularly sensitive and vulnerable to damage.
“Kinahanglan indi haphazard ang pag-clean-up and pag-collect sang oil kay sensitive daan ang mga mangrove. We will cause more harm actually sa pag-clean-up if indi kita mangin careful,” he explained.
Meanwhile, AC Energy said it will abide with the issuance and directives of the concerned government authorities.
“We will abide with the authorities. We are a company that abides. We will definitely work with the government authorities,” Gabino Ramon Mejia, AC Energy head of plant operations, said in a press briefing on Monday.
The Ayala-led company claimed that the oil spill had been fully contained since Friday following the rapid deployment of its personnel with the help of PCG, Petron Corp. and Global Business Power Corp. who sent their oil skimmers and multi-layered spill booms to facilitate the immediate clean-up effort.
According to Mejia, they are currently in talks with concerned local government units (LGUs) and government agencies on the clean-up of the oil spill on the affected area.
On Monday, the company brought in five marine biologists to monitor and study the extent of the oil spill.
Oil spill has been monitored in three barangays in Lapuz district, particularly in barangays Bo. Obrero, Mansaya, and Loboc, and the town of Leganes in Iloilo province.
Meanwhile, oil sheen was also monitored in several barangays in the province of Guimaras and the town of Dumangas.
“We will do our best. We are committed to clean up everything,” Mejia said.
PCG estimates that the clean-up efforts on the oil spill may take about ten days.
