San Lorenzo fisherfolk receive compensation claims
Fisherfolks from the town of San Lorenzo started to receive yesterday (Thursday) their compensation claims from the P22 million compensation fund from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF). In the municipality of San Lorenzo alone, there are 1,339 claimants. They are the first group of fisherfolks to receive compensation claims.
As of yesterday (Thursday) afternoon, IOPCF Deputy Director/Technical Advisor Joe Nichols and Capt. Patrick Joseph, IOPCF's claim manager were able to release at least 125 checks to the legal claimants. The 125 claimants came from barangays M. Chavez and Suclaran.
The exact amount released to the claimants was not yet available at press time as the releasing continues at the 5th Floor of the Iloilo Provincial Capitol. So far, the lowest claim is P6,348 which were received by "shell gatherers." The highest compensation claims is P33,888 for fish corral. The releasing of checks to the claimants will continue until December 30.
The checks were received by the claimants who signed in the claims form and were processed by the IOPCF except in the case of Loreta Dalumpines. Her husband Roberto was the one who signed in the compensation claims but he recently died. Loreta, 70, was accompanied by her relative.
The release of funds were made after the IOPCF validated all the claims. The checks were then prepared through Land Bank of the Philippines after the claimants agreed to the compensation offers set by the IOPCF. No cash was released to the claimants.
Earlier, 21 resort operators also received their compensation claims from the IOPCF. The compensation claims amounted to P369,888.
Yesterday's releasing of checks ran smoothly as the claimants have already prepared their identification cards to prove they are the legal claimants. Documentations were properly made by the IOPCF team. Other than the documents, pictures of the claimants were also taken as part of the documentation process.
Apart from fisherfolks coming from M. Chavez and Suclaran, fisherfolks from barangays Cabano, Libas, Igcawayan and Sibario are also set to receive their compensation claims. The IOPCF will go overtime in order to release all the checks before the year ends.
In yesterday's releasing of compensation funds, the claimants were accompanied by San Lorenzo Mayor Arsenio Zambarrano. It was Zambarrano and Cong. Edgar Espinosa who facilitated the claims of the fisherfolks to the IOPCF.
Zambarrano said it is his responsibility to help his constituents. He assured that not even a single centavo will go to his pocket for helping the fisherfolks. The release of compensation claims will also counter the allegations made by the group of Atty. Plaridel Nava, provincial legal officer, that they have the exclusive right to process the claims.
Surprisingly, Nava was hired by IOPCF to notarize the claims of the fisherfolks. He assisted the fisherfolks yesterday.
The claims of San Lorenzo fisherfolks are already approved and distributed. All these claimants are the legal claimants and not one of them altered their claims, said Zambarrano.