Environment groups press for urgent probe of Guimaras oil spill

By Rjay Zuriaga Castor

Environmental groups are calling for an immediate investigation and stronger enforcement following an oil spill off the coast of Guimaras in late April, warning of serious threats to marine biodiversity and the livelihoods of coastal communities.

On April 25, the local government of Barangay Hoskyn in Jordan, Guimaras, confirmed an oil spill along the shoreline near the Barangay Covered Court Area and Barangay Hall of Sitio Sambag and Sitio Baluarte.

“An oil-like substance was observed floating along the shoreline, which may pose risks to marine life, coastal resources, and public safety,” the local government said in a statement.

The affected area lies along the Iloilo-Guimaras Strait, a major maritime corridor and a known habitat for endangered species such as Irrawaddy dolphins and dugongs.

The strait is also one of the country’s most heavily transited waterways, ferrying daily passenger and cargo traffic between Panay and Guimaras and skirting fishing grounds that anchor coastal economies on both islands.

Ensign Brilian Chua, public information officer of the Philippine Coast Guard Guimaras Station, told Daily Guardian on Sunday, May 3, that the oil spill was only “minimal.”

“No one was affected and the minimal oil waste was properly contained and turned over to Brgy. Hoskyn, Jordan, Guimaras for disposal,” he said.

Chua added that authorities could not identify or track down the boat that caused the spill.

The Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development (CEED) said the incident highlights persistent gaps in marine protection and enforcement, particularly in ecologically sensitive and high-traffic waters.

“Every new spill feels like reopening an old wound,” said CEED executive director Gerry Arances.

“The immediate priority is to stop the spread. Authorities must identify and cap the source right away before more coastal areas, fishing grounds, and marine habitats are affected. If we still don’t know where it’s coming from, the local government unit must act with urgency because every delay means more damage for communities already struggling to survive,” he added.

Arances recalled the MT Solar 1 oil spill off the coast of Guimaras in August 2006, widely regarded as the worst oil spill in Philippine history.

The MT Solar 1, chartered by Petron Corporation and carrying about 2,000 metric tons or roughly 2.1 million liters of intermediate fuel oil, encountered rough seas southwest of Guimaras and capsized.

The 2006 disaster blackened more than 200 kilometers of coastline, devastated mangroves and reefs, and disrupted fishing communities for years — a benchmark that continues to shape how environmental groups read every new spill in the area.

CEED warned that delays in response could worsen the situation for fisherfolk already struggling with rising fuel costs and reduced fishing days.

“We often treat oil spills as isolated incidents, but for coastal communities, they are part of a larger pattern. Our seas are repeatedly harmed by fossil-based and other toxic cargo, while fisherfolk and marine ecosystems absorb the damage,” Arances said.

The group added that repeated oil spills across the country reflect a broader pattern tied to continued dependence on fossil fuels.

“We keep responding after disaster happens, but the real question is why these communities and ecosystems are, in the first place, subjected to pollution. As long as we depend on fossil fuels, these spills will continue to happen,” Arances stressed.

The Earth Island Institute Asia Pacific (EII Asia Pacific) likewise urged authorities to swiftly investigate, ensure transparency, and hold accountable those responsible for the spill.

“This is not just an environmental crisis, it is a crisis of livelihood, food security, and justice,” said Trixie Concepcion, regional director for EII Asia Pacific.

“Authorities must immediately investigate and identify the perpetrator behind the spill, ensure full transparency in the findings, and hold all responsible parties liable for environmental and socio-economic damages caused,” she added.

The group said failure to promptly determine the source reflects persistent gaps in maritime enforcement and environmental governance, particularly in high-traffic and ecologically sensitive marine corridors.

EII Asia Pacific is the regional arm of the U.S.-based Earth Island Institute, which works across the Philippines and the Asia Pacific to advance marine wildlife protection, grassroots environmentalism, and public education campaigns.

Greenpeace, meanwhile, pressed the government to lead response efforts and protect vulnerable communities, warning that prolonged delays could deepen economic hardship for fisherfolk dependent on marine resources.

With the spill’s source still unknown, the group also called on the Philippine government to expedite fact-finding efforts to ensure that responsible actors are identified and held accountable.

“Affected residents and fisherfolk must be compensated both for immediate and long-term damages to health, livelihood, and biodiversity after those responsible are identified,” said Greenpeace climate campaigner Patrice Valero.

She added that swift containment is critical, noting that further delays would mean “taking away food from their table” as fisherfolk rely on daily catches for survival.

Valero urged the government to prioritize both environmental protection and the welfare of affected residents, saying response efforts must be fast and coordinated to prevent wider ecological and economic damage.

The campaigner also called on President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and relevant agencies to ensure accountability, not only by identifying the immediate source of the spill but also tracing responsibility to companies involved in fossil fuel operations.

“They must be held accountable under the law. Those responsible for environmental destruction and the resulting hardship of communities should pay — not ordinary Filipinos,” Valero said.