PRESIDENT Marcos Jr. yesterday said fishing in Cavite can now resume after the oil spill that affected the livelihood of fishermen is now almost contained.
The President, during the distribution of presidential assistance in General Trias, Cavite, said Agriculture Secretary Francisco Tiu Laurel reported that there is no more oil spill in the province, with the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) expected to complete siphoning the oil in the affected areas in two weeks.
Marcos acknowledged the PCG, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), and the other groups that helped in the cleanup operations.
“Mula ngayon ay maaari nang mangisda. Wala ng oil spill. Puwede nang ituloy ang inyong hanapbuhay (You can now fish again. There is no more oil spill. Your livelihood can now continue),” he said.
“After 10 days, we can say that all the oil had been siphoned off and we can now try to recover the (sunken) ship,” he added.
He said once the vessel is recovered, authorities would be able to determine if there is still oil left in the storage tanks.
The tanker (MTKR) Terranova sank off the waters of Limay, Bataan last July 25 while MTKR Jason Bradley went down in the sea off Mariveles, Bataan on July 27. The MTKR Mirola 1 ran aground off Mariveles last July 31.
The President said the government is still conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the oil spill incidents in Bataan and assured the public that the government would hold accountable all individuals responsible for the incidents.
“We are investigating all the incidents to come up with enough information and hold accountable those who violated the law,” Marcos said.
He said over 25,000 families and more than 33,000 fisherfolk in Cavite were affected by the oil spill.
The President assured that those affected by the oil spill would be compensated and led the distribution of P363.05 million in financial assistance and standby funds to over 33,000 fisherfolk and their families.
Of the amount, P161.51 million came from the Office of the President, with affected fisherfolk and their families receiving P5,000.
Marcos also reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to revive and boost the fishing industry in Cavite.
“This administration will support you in expanding your knowledge and skills in fishing and in encouraging the youth to participate in the development of your sector,” he said.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) also extended P18 million worth of post-harvest equipment, training and financial assistance to affected fisherfolk, while the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) provided P69.47 million in various forms of assistance, including P3 million in standby funds and P102.78 million worth of non-food items.
