A town in the Philippines victimized by an oil spill seeks an end to fossil fuel pollution, and the affected fisherfolk continue the bid for justice two years after the Verde Island Passage oil spill.
The municipality of Pola in Oriental Mindoro, south of Manila, the country's capital, commemorated the second year since the February 28 sinking of an oil tanker that led to a devastating oil spill in the Verde Island Passage (VIP) by inaugurating a community solar-powered water pump project, as testimony to the residents’ hope for a future free from the polluting impacts of fossil fuels, according to a statement from think tank Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) on February 27.
In 2023, the tanker MT Princess Empress sank off the coasts of Oriental Mindoro while carrying 900,000 liters of industrial oil, leading many municipalities in the province to declare a state of calamity and freezing the livelihood of thousands due to the imposition of a fishing ban.
Pola, one of the most severely affected municipalities, became known as the epicenter of the oil spill.
On Feb. 27, 2025, in another statement, Father Edwin Gariguez, lead convenor of Protect VIP, said, “Justice remains elusive for fisherfolk whose lives and livelihoods suffered in the past two years due to the oil spill, and likely even for years to come.”
He added, “The several thousand received by some may serve as a reprieve but is not enough to cover the full extent of damage—including lingering economic and ecological burdens—brought by the oil spill.”
“Two years is already too long. We call on the IOPC, RDC Reield Marine Services, Inc., SMC, and its subsidiary to give the affected fisherfolk the compensation that they deserve,” he added.
Affected fisherfolk filed another demand letter with the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC) to seek justice and adequate compensation for damages they suffered.
Protect VIP said an independent study by CEED estimated at least P41.2 billion in socio-economic and environmental damages due to the oil spill.
Fisherfolk communities still lament the insufficient compensation provided by the IOPC. Accounts from affected fisherfolk show that they still experience a significant decline in fish catch.
"Some people have been compensated, but it's not enough and was used to pay off debts. It’s not enough for the period that we lost income, especially since the oil spill happened two years ago, and our catch still hasn’t returned to normal. We fisherfolk can still feel the impact of the oil spill, so we are hoping that we’ll finally receive just compensation,” said Aldrin Villanueva, President of Koalisyon ng mga Mangingisda Apektado ng Oil Spill (KMAOS).
According to independent studies conducted by CEED in 2024, oil spill-affected marine protected areas (MPAs) in the VIP failed to meet the water quality guidelines set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) for oil and grease.
"Because there aren't any new strict measures to limit the threats of marine pollution in the VIP and there aren't any comprehensive and long-term rehabilitation programs, it's reasonable to be worried that the MPAs that have been affected could still have dangerous levels of oil and grease and be open to other pollutants," said Ivan Andres, Deputy Head of Research and Policy of CEED.
“MPAs host the highest concentration of marine species and serve as critical breeding grounds for aquatic organisms. Lingering effects of the oil spill may continue to put marine life and the ecosystem integrity of the VIP at risk,” he added.
The groups assert that they must pursue any additional necessary legal actions to ensure justice for the affected communities and the VIP.
“As we stand in solidarity with the affected fisherfolk in Oriental Mindoro, we call on IOPC and the polluters to take responsibility for the damages they have incurred to the fisherfolk communities and the damaged marine ecosystem in the VIP,” Gariguez added.
“We will continue to fight until all the fisherfolk are rightfully compensated, polluters are held accountable, and the VIP is given stronger protection to prevent such disasters in the future,” he added.
In the meantime, the community renewable energy project was installed on Feb. 28 in Barangay (village) Batuhan in Pola, with cooperation between fisherfolk and local leaders and the CEED.
“The 2023 oil spill is a tragic reminder of how detrimental it is for our country to continue relying on polluting sources of energy at a time of increasing ecological and climate vulnerabilities and at a time when sustainable alternatives in the form of renewables already abound,” said Atty. Avril De Torres, Deputy Executive Director of CEED.
“This project is a testament to the transformative power of renewables for our people and of our hope for a full shift to sustainable energy in more and more communities and municipalities,” said Torres.
As a commemoration of the tragedy and alongside the inauguration, Pola Mayor Jennifer ‘Ina’ Cruz declared the municipality of Pola as a fossil-free renewable energy municipality, seeking to prioritize the shift to renewable energy sources and to ban toxic cargo, such as fossil fuels, from entering the town’s municipal waters.
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