Communities impacted by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and nearby areas, supported by civil society organizations and marine experts, is calling for transparency from the national government on the true extent of the damage caused by the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.

During an online forum on Thursday, the groups also demanded that the Marcos Jr. administration show its concrete plans to protect the affected communities and ecosystems, and to ensure that the companies responsible for the disaster are held accountable.

“Based on updates from the Philippine Coast Guard, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, and National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, nine out of 15 municipalities in Oriental Mindoro are currently affected by the oil spill,” said Ram Joseph Temeña of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) in Oriental Mindoro.

He added that there are currently 111 barangays with fisherfolk whose livelihoods are affected, and 19,556 affected families from Nauhan to Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro. There have also been reports of people getting sick from inhalation of toxic fumes.

Coastal communities are very concerned about the oil spill reaching their area, and its immediate and long-term impacts on their livelihoods, health, and biodiversity. “We’re worried na mag-shift ang hangin at mapunta dito sa amin ang oil spill. It’s tuna season here in our area and tons of fish are being caught through sustainable fishing. We have the biggest number of mangroves and well-managed coastal resources here in Northern Antique,” said Mayor Mary Jean Te of Libertad, Antique.

During the forum, local and international experts presented data and projections gathered using available tools and mechanisms, as well as experiences from past oil spills here and abroad. The historical data and past experiences showed that such incidents cause long-term damage to the communities and the environment, leading to significant losses and staggering costs of recovery.

“We’ve learned that the damages from oil spills are long-lasting,” said Paul Horsman, Greenpeace Strategy Advisor. “Thirty years after the ExxonValdez oil spill in 1989, for example, traces of the oil can still be found in the sediment in those (affected) areas. It’s not that there are obvious black tides coming in; it’s more (of) what you don’t see when all the cameras have gone and the environment is trying to recover—that’s when the longer-term effects begin to be felt by the environment and communities who have to live with them.”

CURRENTPH NEWS SERVICE