P28.6M released to oil spill victims
The International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF) has already released P28.6 million out of the total estimated P106,400,000 compensation claims for the oil spill victims of the island-province of Guimaras. There are already 1,974 fisherfolk claimants who received their compensation claims.
IOPCF Deputy Director/Technical Advisor Joe Nichols said the the Fund has already released P21.5 million for the 1,338 fisherfolk claimants for San Lorenzo. They have likewise released P7.1 million for 591 oil spill victims in the town of Jordan.
The compensation claims was released to the legitimate claimants through a check from the Land Bank of the Philippines. No cash is released as preventive security measures to the recipients as well as to the members of the Fund who are currently in the city. The releasing of checks is held at the Iloilo Provincial Capitol and not at the Guimaras Provincial Capitol.
As of Thursday, the Fund started to release compensation claims for the fisherfolk oil spill victims in the town of Sibunag. No immediate data is available on how many have already received their checks as the releasing is still on going. There are 1,553 claimants in Sibunag and some P19 million is intended for the oil spill victims. The Fund hopes to finish the releasing of compensation claims for Sibunag next week.
While, oil spill victims in Nueva Valencia will have to wait until next year for the release of their compensation claims. This after the local government of Nueva Valencia finally submitted the rectified copies of the compensation forms to the Fund.
Nichols said they have to go over again the forms for the final issuance of the checks. There are 5,228 claimants in Nueva Valencia. Some P58,000,000 are being prepared for the oil spill victims. The town of Nueva Valencia is the hardest town hit by the oil spill after MT Solar 1 sunk.
The releasing of the claims for Nueva Valencia was delayed after the local officials failed to immediately submit the rectified copies of the compensation forms. The rectified compensation forms and the recipients confirmation on the offer of the Fund is used as basis for the issuance of the checks.