Accountability, aid for Leyte fishers urged after submarine cable oil leak

TACLOBAN CITY, LEYTE, Philippines — The Green Party of the Philippines Leyte chapter urged the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) to address the effects of the mineral oil leak off Tabango town, Leyte, and provide compensation to affected fishing communities.

The group said NGCP should take responsibility for the environmental damage and possible effects on the livelihoods of coastal residents, particularly fisherfolk.

“That is highly condemnable in the strongest possible terms. The NGCP should be penalized and must pay damages to the affected fisherfolk communities,” the group said in a statement on Monday.

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READ: 250 kilos of oil waste recovered after NGCP cable leak in Leyte

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According to the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), it collected approximately 250 kilograms of oil-contaminated waste from the shoreline of Barangay Tugas in Tabango, as cleanup operations continue following an estimated 2,000-liter mineral oil leak.

The Marine Environmental Protection Unit-Western Leyte recovered another 50 kg of contaminated materials on Monday using absorbent pads along the affected shoreline near the NGCP Tabango Cable Terminal Station.

Disposal

In a statement, the PCG said the recovered materials were segregated, properly handled and placed in designated containers pending disposal in accordance with environmental regulations.

The leak was detected around 3 p.m. on Nov. 4 from Submarine Cable No. 7 of the Leyte-Cebu 230-kilovolt interconnection submarine transmission line, which connects Tabango, Leyte and Daanbantayan, Cebu.

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According to NGCP, the leak was discovered about 5 meters offshore from its Cable Terminal Station in Barangay Tugas during low tide. The company estimated that around 2,000 liters of mineral oil had escaped into the coastal waters.

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NGCP said it immediately deployed personnel to the affected area and installed containment and absorbent materials to prevent the oil from spreading. It also sought assistance from the PCG for containment and recovery operations.

The source of the leak was identified around 3 a.m. on Nov. 5, allowing response teams to concentrate containment measures on the affected section of the cable.

“NGCP is currently conducting an investigation to determine the cause of the oil leak,” it said in a statement when sought by the Inquirer for a reaction on the incident.

Coast guard personnel from Western Leyte, Ormoc and Villaba, together with the Marine Environmental Protection Unit-Eastern Visayas, also deployed containment booms and absorbent materials as part of the continuing response.

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The cleanup operations were expected to remove remaining oil residues and minimize potential harm to marine ecosystems and coastal resources. /cb