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ALVAREZ DECRIES NEGLIGENCE IN APO REEF OIL SPILL
January 22, 2004
Former Environment Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez joined the concerns of the Public Interest Law
Center (PILC), a lawyers' group helping fisherfolk affected by the Apo Reef National Park off
Sablayan town in Occidental Mindoro, in decrying the possible negligence of the Department of
Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in exercising its mandate to prevent the impending oil
spill destruction."
Former Environment Secretary Heherson T. Alvarez joined the concerns of the Public Interest Law Center (PILC), a lawyers' group helping fisherfolk affected by the Apo Reef National Park off Sablayan town in Occidental Mindoro, in decrying the possible negligence of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) in exercising its mandate to prevent the impending oil spill destruction."
Instead of performing its mandate to prevent not only the oil spill destruction of the prime coral reef of the country but also equally rich waters nearby Palawan island, the DENR focused for two weeks on defending the indefensible-the Dec. 19 mudslides in Leyte which killed hundreds and buried thousands of homes," Alvarez lamented.
The former senator was chair of the Senate Environment Committee for 10 years and authored Republic Act 7586 or the National Integrated Protected Areas Systems (NIPAS) Act, a law for the preservation of national and marine parks, virgin forests, bird sanctuaries and wilderness areas."
The firm may be held liable under Presidential Decree No. 600 which prohibits discharge of fuel into the country's marine territory, and the NIPAS Act but the DENR has yet to file appropriate charges against these violators," Alvarez said.
The Department, he added, should have ordered the boat's owner to immediately remove the vessel from the disaster area on day one, but instead, they wasted precious time in conducting press conferences on the Leyte tragedy."
Such ecological negligence by the DENR adversely impacts not only on the environment but also the municipal fisheries, especially the poor fisherfolk," he said.
OILS SPILL EQUIPMENT
At the same time, Alvarez called on the major oil companies in the country-Pilipinas Shell, Petron and Caltex Philippines-to lend their oil spill booms and containment facilities, and immediately rush to Apo Reef to help contain any possible oil leak."
We realize that only the Philippine Coast Guard may be capable of oil spill clean up because other government agencies are lacking in equipment and expertise. But we need the help of private groups in addressing this ecological disaster," he said.
On Dec. 20, 2003, the diving boat M/V Island Explorer, owned by Scubas World Inc. of Makati businessman Juan Wee, ran aground Apo Reef-a world famous dive spot and a protected zone containing 38% of coral species in the country, including the endangered Greensea and Hawksbill turtles and 47 species of migratory and indigenous birds.
While Scuba World denied reports that some 80,000 liters of bunker fuel were still on board the 70's model Japanese fishing vessel converted to ferry tourists and scuba divers, the company however confirmed that 5,000 liters of bunker fuel still has to be removed from the grounded vessel.
As DENR Secretary, Alvarez championed the plight of fisherfolk and protection of coastal marine resources when he issued DENR Administrative Order No. 17 (DAO-17) in June 2001 that guaranteed municipal fisheries area for the livelihood of small fisherfolk.
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