PH regulations on maritime transport of petroleum products should be improved--Gatchalian
July 30, 2024
PH regulations on maritime transport of petroleum products should be improved--Gatchalian
Senator Win Gatchalian said regulations covering maritime transport of petroleum products should be improved to prevent oil spills given the extent of environmental damage that such incidents cause.
Gatchalian made the statement following the sinking of MT Terra Nova, an oil tanker carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel, off the coast of Bataan on July 25 amid heavy rains brought by the seasonal monsoon and Typhoon Carina. The tanker, with 17 crew members, was heading towards Iloilo when it sank.
"We need to leverage our manpower, mobilize all available resources, and collaborate closely with local government units," Gatchalian emphasized. He added that responding to natural disasters like these require a whole-of-government approach, which includes support from the Philippine Navy and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
The government needs to ensure that the ship's condition and onboard practices meet international safety standards, according to Gatchalian.
In the country, the Marine Environmental Protection Command (MEPCOM), a unit of the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), is the point of contact for oil spill response operations and comprises the National Operations Center for Oil Pollution (NOCOP).
The PCG on Friday said it started collecting oil to counter the spread of the spill. On Monday, a group of fishermen said that the oil spill from the sunken oil tanker has already reached the shorelines of Tanza, Naic, Maragondon and Ternate in Cavite.
"It's good to know that the Philippine Coastguard promptly implemented precautionary measures, such as deploying oil spill booms in the area," Gatchalian said.
Just last year, MT Princess Empress sank off the coast of Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, causing an oil spill in the waters in Antique, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, and even Palawan.
"Hindi na dapat paulit ulit ang oil spill na nangyayari sa bansa dahil matinding pinsala ang dulot nito hindi lang sa kalikasan kundi sa kabuhayan ng marami sa ating kababayan," he ended.
Dapat higpitan ang mga regulasyon sa maritime transport ng mga produktong petrolyo --Gatchalian
Sinabi ni Senador Win Gatchalian na dapat higpitan ang mga regulasyong sumasaklaw sa maritime transport ng mga produktong petrolyo upang maiwasan ang pagtagas ng langis dahil sa lawak ng pinsala sa kapaligiran na sanhi ng mga naturang insidente.
Ang pahayag ni Gatchalian ay kasunod ng paglubog ng MT Terra Nova, isang oil tanker na may dalang 1.4 milyong litro ng industrial fuel, sa baybayin ng Bataan noong Hulyo 25 sa gitna ng malakas na pag-ulan dala ng seasonal monsoon at bagyong Carina. Patungo sa Iloilo ang tanker, kasama ang 17 tripulante, nang lumubog ito.
"Kailangan nating gamitin ang lahat ng ating manpower at pakilusin ang lahat ng magagamit na resources, at makipagtulungan sa lahat ng lokal na pamahalaan," diin ni Gatchalian. Idinagdag niya na ang pagtugon sa mga sakunang tulad nito ay nangangailangan ng isang whole-of-government approach, kabilang na ang suporta ng Philippine Navy at Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
Kailangang tiyakin ng gobyerno na ang kondisyon ng mga barko o mga sasakyang pandagat at onboard practices ay nakakatugon sa international safety standards, ayon kay Gatchalian.
Ang Marine Environmental Protection Command (MEPCOM), isang unit ng Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), ang kadalasang tumutugon sa mga operasyon kontra oil spill at binubuo ng National Operations Center for Oil Pollution (NOCOP).
Sinabi ng Philippine Coast Guard noong Biyernes na nagsimula na silang mangolekta ng langis upang labanan ang pagkalat nito sa karagatan. Nitong Lunes lang, sinabi ng isang grupo ng mga mangingisda na ang oil spill mula sa lumubog na oil tanker ay umabot na sa baybayin ng Tanza, Naic, Maragondon at Ternate sa Cavite.
"Magandang malaman na ang Philippine Coastguard ay mabilis namang nagpatupad ng mga precautionary measure tulad ng pag-deploy ng mga oil spill boom sa lugar," ani Gatchalian.
Noong nakaraang taon lang, lumubog ang MT Princess Empress sa baybayin ng Naujan, Oriental Mindoro, na nagdulot ng oil spill sa karagatan ng Antique, Batangas, Oriental Mindoro, at maging sa Palawan.
"Hindi na dapat paulit-ulit ang oil spill na nangyayari sa bansa dahil matinding pinsala ang dulot nito hindi lang sa kalikasan kundi sa kabuhayan ng marami sa ating kababayan," pagtatapos niya.
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