SENATE RESOLUTION 141 - Senate to look into the effects of off-shore mining in the visayas

FOURTEENTH CONGRESS OF THE } _*: ~,I,. ..' ;::>z(j 1 ifI^

First Regular Session 1

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES }

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P. Senate Resolution No.14 1

Introduced by Senator M. A. Madrigal

RESOLUTION DIRECTING THE COMMITTEE ON ENVIRONMENT AND NATURAL RESOURCES, THE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH AND DEMOGRAPHY AND THE COMMITTEE ON ENERGY TO INVESTIGATE, IN AID OF LEGISLATION, THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS TO THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE HEALTH OF THE RESIDENTS OF THE AREAS ALONG OR WITHIN THE VISAYAS SEA, CENTRAL PHILIPPINES, BICOL AND SOUTHERN TAGALOG REGIONS OF THE OIL AND GAS EXPLORATIONS BY FOREIGN CORPORATIONS WITH THE END VIEW OF ENACTING REMEDIAL LEGISLATION

WHEREAS the 2004-2010 Medium Term Philippine Development Plan envisions an

energy-independent Philippines;

WHEREAS pursuant thereto, the Philippine government has been awarding service contracts to various foreign companies for oil and gas explorations around the country;

WHEREAS most if not ail of these oil and gas explorations are being undertaken in the protected seascapes of the country that are rich in marine resources and biodiversity;

WHEREAS these areas are already in need of urgent rehabilitation and stricter protection due to unabated exploitation and abuse and other forms of environmental destruction;

WHEREAS the Philippine government has reportedly entered into a seven-year contract to undertake oil and gas explorations in the country with Forum Exploration Inc. of Canada and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co., Ltd;

WHEREAS the Philippine government has also allegedly entered into contract services with other foreign oil and gas companies such as the Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development, Alcorn Gold Resources Corporation, Petro Energy Corporation, Austral Asian Energy Ltd. and Ottoman Energy Ltd.;

WHEREAS two of these service contracts are located in the Cebu-Bohol Strait and the Taiion Strait between Cebu and Negros islands, that are both among the top ten major fishing grounds in the country;

WHEREAS these foreign oil and gas companies are also eyeing the waters off the coasts of Palawan, Antique, Ragay Gulf in Bicol and Mindoro Occidental in Southern Tagalog area;

WHEREAS residents in Cebu and Negros claim that Forum Exploration Inc. and Japan Petroleum Exploration Co. Ltd. have already conducted seismic testing in their areas to determine the extent of oil and natural gas deposits, using high-voltage air guns and huge boats with long cables and pipes as well other equipment to dig the seabeds and appraise the geophysical surface;

WHEREAS investigation conducted by the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (PAMALAKAYA) and the Visayas Fisherfolk Development Corporation in relation to these oil exploration projects resulted in the following findings: 1) the drastic decrease of fish catch in the areas where seismic testing were conducted; 2) the destruction of 120 "gangos" or "payaos" or coral reefs in Toledo City where one of these seismic surveys took place; 3) reports of fish kills in barangays Talavera, Luray 11, Calong Calong, Ibo and Bato in Toledo City; Tajao, Pandacan, Tutay and Cabiongan in Pinamungajan; Cantabogon, Boho, Pobiacion and Bonbon in Alguinsan; and 4) rising cases of skin rashes and other types of skin

diseases among residents, especially children, in affected areas;

WHEREAS there is a need to review these oil and gas exploration contracts and study the effects of the implementation of these to the environment as well as the health and livelihood of residents in the affected areas in order to safeguard the right of the people to health, a balanced and healthful ecology and the national patrimony;

WHEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, AS IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, to direct the Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, the Committee on Health and Demography and the Committee on Energy to investigate, in aid of legislation, the negative effects to the environment and the health of residents of the areas along or within the Visayas Sea, Central Philippines, Bicol and Southern Tagalog Regions of the oil and gas explorations by foreign corporations with the end view of enacting remedial legislation.

Adopted,

M.A MADRIGAL