Oil spill compensation for Semirara residents underway
Iloilo -- In the next two months residents of Semirara Island in northern Antique will already be receiving payments from National Power Corporation (NPC) as compensation for the damage brought by the oil spill which occurred sometime in December 2005.
This was assured by Dennis Gana, NPC's Consultant for Corporate Communications, in a press briefing over the weekend.
Gana said NPC, with the help of the local government unit of Antique and the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), is on the process of conducting assessment on the extent of damage inflicted by the oil spill to some 188 individuals in the island.
He said NPC expects to pay more than P8 million in terms of damage compensation and 4.5 to 5 million pesos in livelihood compensation to the affected individuals.
However, Gana said, livelihood compensation may be released ahead of damage compensation so that they could continue with their normal lives which mainly depend on fishing.
Gana said they are planning to provide the affected persons with a deep-sea fishing vessel that they can use for their livelihood and which would be coursed through their cooperative.
NPC would also promote sustainable livelihood for residents like seaweed gathering and planting.
On the other hand, the determination of the amount of damage compensation to be given to each of the affected individual would be based on the assessment of the PCG and the barangay officials.
Gana said it would be given directly to the affected individuals.
An estimated 200,000 liters of bunker fuel intended to be delivered for use by the NPC was spilled December last year in the vicinity of Semirara Island.
The oil spill affected some 113 hectares of mangrove and beach area in the island.
A study made by the University of the Philippines in the Visayas confirmed that the oil spill damaged mangroves, coral reefs, sea grasses and other aquatic resources in the island.
NPC spent more than P21 million for the clean up of the affected areas which lasted for more than five months.
Gana however said there was no report yet showing the impact of the oil spill on the health of the residents.
Meanwhile, he added that they are coordinating with local officials in looking for alternative site where they could reforest mangroves.
Gana said NPC has already taken precautionary measures so that a similar incident will not happen again anywhere in the country.
He noted that the oil spill in Semirara is the first in the 70-year history of NPC.