Marcos admin finds temporary sites for oil spill-hit fisherfolk

MANILA – The Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) will sit down with local chief executives in four Calabarzon and Mimaropa provinces to allow oil spill-affected fisherfolk in Mindoro in their waters.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. issued the order to DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. on Saturday during a situation briefing with national government agency heads and local chief executives in Pola town, Oriental Mindoro.

The four alternative fishing sites are the Mindoro Strait in Mindoro Oriental; Cuyo Pass in Batangas; Tablas Strait in Romblon; and Tayabas Bay in Quezon.

Marcos likewise assured that the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), an attached agency of the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), would continue monitoring the situation.

“DENR will continue to monitor the situation. BFAR will continue to monitor the situation. As soon as ma-clear na, makabalik na tayo sa dating normal, back to the old normal, papunta na sa (we will return to normal heading to a) new normal,” he said.

In addition, the Department of Labor and Employment is continuously looking for livelihoods to augment the daily income of affected residents, Marcos said.

The Chief Executive, meanwhile, said the livelihood program must be sustainable, which fisherfolk could continue even if the sea fully recovers.

“(H)uwag nating iniisip para ngayon lang, gawin na natin para kahit na bumalik na ‘yung isda, tuloy pa rin ‘yung kanilang hanapbuhay, may livelihood, may karagdagang livelihood. ‘Yun ang importante (Let’s make it sustainable so that they have a livelihood even after the fish return. That’s what’s important),” he said.

The livelihood program is contained in the five-year recovery plan prepared by the local chief executives in the spill-affected areas.

Marcos added that cleanup operations, led by the Philippine Coast Guard, would continue as the national and local government units shift focus on the recovery of economic activity in the region.

“The immediate danger, the immediate situation has already been attended to. At kailangan na ngayon ay tama naman ‘yung sinasabi ninyo, take advantage na tayo. Lagyan nga natin ng bagong water system, bagong livelihood na pwedeng gawin (It is correct that we now need to learn from the situation and put up a new water system and create new livelihood),” he said.

Aside from Abalos, Marcos was accompanied by Special Assistant Anton Lagdameo, Social Welfare and Development Secretary Rex Gatchalian, DENR Secretary Toni Loyzaga, Trade and Industry Secretary Alfredo Pascual, and Presidential Communications Office Secretary Cheloy Garafil.