Lawmaker says only half of Oriental Mindoro oil spill claims paid
ONLY half of the total compensation claims have been paid to locals affected by a major oil spill in Oriental Mindoro exactly a year ago on Wednesday, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny T. Pimentel said.
“Of the P3 billion in compensation claims, nearly P1.6 billion (worth of claims) have been paid so far,” he said in a statement, noting that 35,576 individuals and entities filed compensation claims against tanker MT Princess Empress.
The tanker was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28, 2023.
Mr. Pimentel said the claims were paid by the London-based International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds (IOPC Funds), in cooperation with The Shipowners Club, a mutual vessel insurance association in Luxembourg.
According to the IOPC fund report, P1.15 billion of the claims were allocated to 42 entities that made compensable claims on “cleanup and preventive measures.”
Some P43 million was paid to 3,103 individuals, mostly fisherfolk, amid economic losses at an average of P25,600 per claimant, Mr. Pimentel said.
The oil spill had caused P41.2 billion worth of damage to the environment and the coastal communities, the Center for Energy, Ecology and Development (CEED) said in a report.
“Based on the IOPC Funds report, they’ve had difficulties paying many small claimants who did not have bank accounts,” the lawmaker said. “This problem betrays the need for the government to push hard for the financial inclusion of marginal Filipinos.” — Beatriz Marie D. Cruz
