Calls for stronger protection and long-term recovery intensify ahead of Verde Island Passage oil spill anniversary

As the second anniversary of the Verde Island Passage (VIP) oil spill approaches, Protect Verde Island Passage (Protect VIP) has urged government agencies to establish long-term recovery plans for the affected marine corridor and communities while strengthening protections against fossil fuel-related pollution.

On February 28, 2023, the MT Princess Empress, carrying 900,000 liters of industrial oil, sank off the coast of Naujan, Mindoro, Philippines.

Owned by RDC Reield Marine Services and chartered by a subsidiary under San Miguel Corporation (SMC), the tanker spill caused an estimated 707,545,142 dollars (₱41.2 billion) in environmental and socio-economic damages, according to a study by the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED).

Despite the scale of the disaster, Protect VIP’s lead convenor, Fr. Edwin Gariguez, lamented the lack of long-term rehabilitation efforts.

“It is disheartening to see that one of the largest oil spills in Philippine history seems to be fading out of the spotlight just within two years," he stated. "Worse, there have been no significant additional protections enforced to prevent similar environmental disasters."

Local fisherfolk, who rely on VIP for their livelihood, continue to suffer from the spill’s aftermath.

“Two years have passed, but the ocean still hasn’t regained its vitality,” said Aldrin Villanueva, president of Koalisyon ng mga Mangingisda Apektado ng Oil Spill (KMAOS).

He also raised concerns about commercial vessels encroaching on municipal waters designated for small-scale fishers.

Environmental groups warn that ongoing fossil fuel developments in the VIP, including the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) infrastructure in Batangas, further endanger the marine ecosystem.

Now, the area hosts five operating gas power plants, two LNG terminals, and over a dozen proposed gas projects.

These threats will be among the key issues raised at the 77th Session of the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in Switzerland, where the Philippines is set for a review.

Gerry Arances, executive director of CEED, who will be engaging in the CESCR process in Geneva, underscored the broader implications of fossil fuel expansion.

“Allowing fossil gas and other destructive operations in the Verde Island Passage is an injustice to the millions of Filipinos who rely on it for a living. It is also an injustice to Filipinos, whose climate and ecological vulnerabilities are exacerbated by the increasing use of fossil fuels despite the availability of clean energy from renewables,” he said.

As the anniversary nears, communities and environmental advocates continue to push for stronger action to rehabilitate and protect the Verde Island Passage from further harm.