Romualdez reaches out to aid fisherfolk affected by oil spill

Speaker Martin Romualdez on Tuesday mobilized his colleagues to help thousands of fisherfolk in four provinces affected by the recent oil spill in line with President Marcos’ directive to bring immediate aid to the people affected by calamities.

“We will not wait for them to ask us for help. We will approach them to find out what help they need from us and the government,” Romualdez told his fellow lawmakers. “The livelihood of our fisherfolk is at stake. We must act quickly to mitigate the damage and provide the necessary support.”

The House leader urged representatives from Bataan, Pampanga, Bulacan, and Cavite to coordinate with the concerned people to determine the assistance they need and the total number of affected fishermen.

“We will tap all available resources, including the TUPAD and AICS programs, to provide immediate relief and support to our fisherfolk,” Romualdez said.

He also asked lawmakers in the affected areas to asses, with the help of local government units, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the Philippine Coast Guard and other concerned agencies, the damage caused by and extent of the oil spill.

Industrial fuel and diesel are reportedly leaking from two vessels that sank off Bataan and in the Manila Bay area last week. One ship, MT Terra Nova, was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial oil.

The authorities are trying to contain the oil spill.

Fisherfolk affected include 11,000 in Bulacan, with an estimated combined monthly income of P83 million; 8,000 in Bataan earning P63 million a month, and thousands more in Pampanga and Cavite.

In Cavite, local officials have forewarned residents of at least four towns: “Oil spill alert. Coastal barangays of Ternate, Maragondon, Naic, and parts of Tanza will be affected,”

The Marine Science Institute of the University of the Philippines forecasted that the oil spill would travel northwards to Bulacan and affect coastal areas in Cavite.

The Philippine Space Agency has estimated an area of 93.74 square kilometers covered by oil in Manila Bay.