FIDEC AND FISHERFOLK ORGANIZATIONS CALLS FOR MORATORIUM AND INVESTIGATION OVER OFF-SHORE MINING IN CENTRAL PHILIPPINES

FIDEC and various Fishermen's organization from Bohol, Argao, Dalaguete, and Pinamungajan Cebu conducted a press conference before the actual filing of legal cases against off-shore ming.

JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

RECALL JAPEX ECC. STOP THE PLUNDER OF OUR NATURAL RESOURCES.

STOP OFF-SHORE MINING IN THE VISAYAS AND THE PHILIPPINES.

It is more than a year since the oil spill tragedy in Guimaras disrupted the lives of Filipinos, It is more than a year and the culprits involved are roaming freely in Philippine waters raking profit after profit at the expense of Philippine interests.

It is more than a year and yet the government haven't learn important lessons by pursuing oil explorations in the Visayas and other parts of the Philippines. These explorations aside from violating our Constitution and Patrimony is very successful in dislocating fishermen, destroying marine biodiversity, disrupting economic activity and threatened local and global food security.

JAPEX after wreaking havoc in Tañon strait will pursue development of resources in the area this October. Despite violating the provisions of the EIA law, the Fisheries Code, the NIPAS Act, and the basic law of the land including international policies was able to secure an ECC last March 6, 2007.

The idea of energy independence flaunted by the national government and its agencies is a hoax, since the corporations involved in various oil exploration activities within Philippine waters were given the sole authority to identify, develop, and sell oil reserves from our waters.

It is quiet ironic for our country to pursue extracting finite fossil fuel deposits when the rest of the countries around us are abandoning its dependence on fossil fuel due to climate change and global warming and are now on the path of developing clean and sustainable sources of energy.

International conservation organizations, local government units,and various NGO's have spent billions of dollars protecting and sustainably developing our marine resources and yet our national government is doing the exact opposite.

Based on these there is a need to recall the questionable ECC given to JAPEX and we would like to enjoin IBP Cebu Chapter in their call to stop all planned oil explorations in the Visayas. We would like to call for a full investigation over these projects from the provincial, regional and congressional level. We also would like to call on environmental advocates, the fisherfolks, and other stakeholders to rise above the occasion and call to protect our natural resources and call for genuine national development free from foreign control and exploitation.

Let us put an end to resource plunder and environmental destruction. Let us stand up against oil exploration and off-shore mining.

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PAMANA Sugbo, DEFEND our Sea Coalition, PAMALAKAYA, Conservation Watch, Kinabuhi Inc People's Network for the Environment, FIDEC Inc.

FIDEC CONDUCTS PRESS CONFERENCE ON GUIMARAS OIL SPILL LAST AUGUST 27, 2006

photo courtesy of Greenpeace

PRESS STATEMENT
MAKE PETRON ACCOUNTABLE. ALL FOR REHABILITATION.

We should not ease our campaign stand that Petron should be held accountable for the worst environmental tragedy that occurs in our water. We should put in mind that there were only 200,000 of the 2.19 million (500,000+ gallons) liters has been released to our seas and the rest of the bunker oil is a 'ticking time bomb' waiting to become our worst nightmare yet. This is a national calamity that needs action and cooperation of the entire nation, while those who are involved should be meted the harshest means possible, there is an immediate need to salvage and surface the tanker.

We condemn Petron Corporation and Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation for repeatedly ignoring international maritime restrictions in its greed for profit, and for refusing to take charge of the critical situation it has wrought. We are likewise holding the government accountable to the Filipino people for the continuing loss of livelihood and marine resources its incompetence has brought about and for allowing the ship captain to continue plying despite possessing an expired license and likewise allowing single-hulled tanker.

Petron should be made accountable for the long-term rehabilitation of the affected marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas, reefs and coastal ecosystem and that the insurance money amounting to 250 million dollars to 300 million dollars should go directly to compensation and rehabilitation of the marine ecosystem. Since more than 3,918 families made up of about 26,000 people were fisherfolk whose catch could not be sold and more than 320 kilometers of coast line, 58 hectares of seaweed, and 454 hectares of mangroves were destroyed by the oil spill.

It is disheartening and we deplore to hear that our national government doesn’t have the expertise to deal with this kind of accident – it seems that they in the government are more concern in ensuring the profiteering of oil corporations. The government must learn from this disaster and put in place policies and create specially trained response personnel to protect the marine environment and millions of Filipinos who rely on them for food and livelihood such as compelling Oil corporations to put up an Oil Spill Trust Fund.