City fisherfolk to get P2.7 M oil spill claims this week
The International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund (IOPCF) is set to release P2.7 million to 820 oil spill claimants in the city on Thursday and Friday at the Fundidor covered gym. They are the first batch of claimants to receive the compensation claims in the city.
Mayor Jerry Treñas said there are 906 people who filed their compensation claims before the IOPCF. However, only the claims of 820 affected fisherfolk were approved by the Fund. The 86 other applications were turned down.
The affected residents who will receive compensation claims from the Fund on March 29 are those residents coming Calaparan, Calumpang, Ingore and Rizal Pala-Pala. While, fisherfolk from San Pedro, Molo, Sooc, South San Jose, Sto. Nino Norte and Sto. Nino Sur will have their day on March 30.
The city fisherfolk were slightly affected by the oil sheen and patches when it reached the waters of Iloilo. The damage was likewise minimized after barangay officials, residents, city government and along with other groups placed oil spill booms to prevent the oil patches from reaching the shoreline.
The claimants will receive from as low as P1,000 and as high as P6,000, depending on the gravity of the damage the spill caused to their livelihood. The claimants were either fish pen operators, fry gatherers, oyster/shell pickers and those fishermen who used nets to catch fish and crustaceans. They are locally known "mamogpukot."
The compensation claims would be released to 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.
On his part, City Agriculturist Gil Parreñas said the Fund denied the compensation claims of the 86 applicants because they are below 18 years old. The Fund will not release any compensation claims to those under age applicants as it constitute a violation in the International Labor Code.
In the Philippine setting, it is normal that those aged 18 and below are already working. Child labor is anywhere in the country. Children are forced to work to earn a living and have a daily share of contribution to the family in order to survive.
Parreñas added that the 906 applicants are only the first batch of claimants. The agriculture office is still on the process of verifying the different applications of the claimants. They are expecting to receive some 900 more applicants in the second batch of claimants.
The city fishermen made no strange claims to the Fund just to get money from them. They were all affected by oil patches and sheen. Nevertheless, the agriculture office is checking on the details of the claimants since their application passes through their office, said Parrenas.