PROTEST! The seismic survey (some
where in Loon) kicked off last Friday despite the mounting
protest shown in the fluvial blockade of fishermen.
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Despite
a mounting protest, the seismic survey to search for
oil and natural gas deposits at the Bohol seas has started
contrary to assurances of local officials to resolve
first the issues raised by groups opposing the project.
Based
on three 24-hour bulletins issued yesterday by the Department
of Energy (DoE) and NorAsian Energy Ltd. to dive shop
owners, shipping firms and Cabilao Island residents,
the survey vessel M/V Pacific Sword and its support
ships M/V Eagle V, M/V China Venture and M/V Southern
Cross are now conducting seismic survey near Cabilao
in Loon town.
The
project proponents gave their word that the seismic
oil exploration will not start at the Bohol flank of
the Visayan Sea due to unsettled issues on compensation
of fishermen and environmental concerns.
Reports
gathered from Cabilao residents confirmed sighting of
the survey vessels close to the Cabilao coastlines.
Local
fishermen have likewise felt the impact of the seismic
activity with the drastic decline in fish catch.
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Telephone
interviews aired over dyRD's "Inyong Alagad" of
residents in Cabilao indicate that since Thursday, project
proponents have been sending advisories against diving in
the vicinity of the island.
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Gov.
Erico Aumentado and Rep. Edgar Chatto were also assured
that the seismic operations will not start in the Bohol
coasts until such time the technical working group (TWG)
has conducted a baseline environmental data survey of
marine life and resources in the area.
In
fact, Gov. Aumentado said that he will order the suspension
of the seismic survey on the event the proponents would
insist to commence said survey leaving the environmental
and fishermen's concerns unresolved.
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The
TWG, which is also tasked to benchmark the effects of the
survey on communities, met last night together with Gov. Aumentado,
Rep. Chatto, William Cuñado of the Environmental Management
Bureau (EMB)-7, and representatives of stakeholder groups.
When
informed that advisories of M/V Pacific Sword's ongoing activities
within Bohol waters, Rep. Chatto said he will consult with
the governor regarding the report. Gov. Aumentado left the
conference early for an important engagement allowing Rep.
Chatto to preside the TWG meeting.
'MINIMAL
IMPACT'
Cuñado
explained why the DENR-EMB issued a certificate of non-coverage
(CNC) to NorAsian authorizing them to conduct the oil survey.
He
said a CNC is only a process of classifying projects which
are not covered under the Environmental Impact Assessment
Law (PD 1586).
Seismic
surveys, Cuñado pointed out, does not need an environmental
compliance certificate (ECC) since there is no actual drilling
yet. Oil drilling after the exploration, will undergo a more
stringent process, he stressed.
Cuñado
admitted that the seismic survey may have an impact on environment,
but does not necessarily mean it will kill marine life and
destroy resources.
For
every identifiable impact, there must be mitigating measures,
Cuñado stressed.
OBSERVATION
AND MONITORING
During
the TWG conference, teams assigned to monitor fish resources
and fish catch in the survey areas rendered their reports.
Although
the teams could not yet make conclusive statements, it was
observed that blasts coming from the Pacific Sword surveying
in the Cebu side can be felt underwater in Cabilao, Maribojoc
and Doljo (Panglao) area.
The
seismic blasts reportedly disperses schools of fishes.
Holger
Horn, another TWG member and an experienced diver who has
made hundreds of dives from Panglao to Cabilao said he observed
there was much more fishes in his previous dives in the area.
He
said there were no damaged corals or dead fish observed during
his data gathering.
A team assigned to monitor fish catch was not able to render
a quantitative report as they have yet to gather data from
their evaluators in the towns.
Environmental
Legal Assistance Center (ELAC) executive director Atty. Raul
Barbarona, who also attended the TWG conference, said that
whatever data gathered by the TWG is already questionable
since it was actually done during the seismic survey at the
Cebu side.
Barbarona
said that fish aggregating devices, such as payaos in the
Loon coast have already been cleared by project proponents.
Board
Member (formerly Loon Mayor) Cesar Tomas Lopez, in a separate
interview over Inyong Alagad, disclosed that NorAsian and
DoE have reached a compensation agreement with fisherfolks
in his hometown.
According
to Lopez, payao owners in Loon have agreed to P9,000 as payment
after long negotiations with the oil explorers.
NorAsian,
according to Lopez, offered about P111 per fisherman in Loon
for the entire duration of the survey, which is expected to
last 7 days. The amount was, however, refused by some 2,700
fisherfolks in said town.
In
a separate interview with the Chronicle, dive-shop and resort
owner Estrella Jagorski reported several incidents of stranded
deep-sea fishes in the Cabilao area.
She
said, uncommon fishes were seen washed out in the shores of
Cabilao since the seismic survey started in Cebu.
GROWING
OPPOSITION
Hearings
on the petition for temporary restraining order and injunction
filed by City Mayor Dan Lim and 30 others is expected to drag
on until Wednesday.
The
mayor himself had to pay for the transportation and incidental
expenses of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) sheriff to serve
the notices of hearing at the central offices of the DoE and
NorAsian.
RTC
Branch 4 Presiding Judge Achilles Melicor has scheduled to
hear the side of the project proponents starting tomorrow.
"The
RTC had taken an unusual course" on the petition, according
to the mayor, saying that RTC Executive Judge Fernando Fuentes
should have acted on the petition immediately but instead
set a special raffle four days after the petition was filed.
Jun
Estorosas of Conservation-Watch (C-Watch), said in an interview
over "Inyong Alagad" that officials are only up
to press releases, while saying they want the project proponents
to settle the issues first, their actions speak otherwise.
He said, "officials should show to the people they are
serious. They should side with the people."
While
asking for more dialogues, Estorosas said C-Watch, an alliance
of people's organizations and fisherfolks, will continue to
hold protests at the Capitol.
Participatory
Research Organization of Communities towards Education and
Self-Reliance (Process) Project Director Emilia Roslinda said
she is "frustrated" at how things turned out.
Roslinda
is among the personalities comprising the TWG created by Gov.
Aumentado to conduct a study on the environmental concerns
of the seismic survey.
Maribojoc
Vice Mayor (former Mayor) Ben Redulla said there has been
insufficient time given by the project proponents to conduct
a comprehensive public information and consultations.
The
vice-mayor is concerned that marine protected areas at Maribojoc
bay will be damaged by the activity.
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