4 mayors to block
oil seismic survey
By KIT BAGAIPO

OIL RICH? Will Bohol and Cebu become the country's richest provinces once oil deposits can be confirmed to be found in the Bohol strait. But, the preservation of the environment should not be compromised with the scheduled seismic survey affecting coastal towns in both provinces. Photo shows anchorman Fred Araneta (center) of dyRD's top-rated "Inyong Alagad" program interviewing lawyer Mark Gamaleo and Kristoffer Fellows of the Dept. of Energy and NorAsian Energy, Ltd, respectively. * CHRONICLE Graphics

Four mayors voiced their objections against the seismic survey to determine the presence of oil and gas deposits in the Bohol-Cebu Strait to be conducted by the Department Energy (DOE) and an international consortium next week. The four chief executives opposing the oil exploration project are Loon Mayor Cesar Tomas Lopez, City Mayor Dan Lim, Maribojoc Mayor Ben Redulla and Albur Mayor Efren Tungol. The seismic survey will be carried out by the vessel M/V Pacific Sword, reportedly set to sail for Bohol from Palawan on June 18, or eight days from today. Meanwhile, the Bohol Alliance of Non-Government Organizations (BANGON) released a manifesto yesterday questioning the conduct of the seismic survey without consultations with fisherfolks in at least five coastal towns to be affected while questioning possible damages to the marine life in the area. The seismic survey, which entails the shooting of loud blasts of air into the seabed will determine if offshore Bohol and Cebu have hydrocarbon or natural gas deposits.

Residents fear the sound will drive away or kill dolphins, whales and marine life in several protected areas off the coastal towns of Panglao, Dauis, Cortes, Maribojoc, Loon and Tagbilaran City.

The oil exploration will focus on the Cabilao (Loon) and Argao (Cebu) coasts.

The survey area is host to various marine protected areas (MPAs), protected seascape and landscape and marine sanctuaries declared by the national and local governments.

MAYORS' OPPOSITION

Incumbent Mayor Lopez bared over dyRD's Inyong Alagad that a municipal resolution was adopted opposing the oil exploration project following consultations with people's organizations and NGOs.

Mayor Lim, for his part, demanded full disclosure from the DOE and NorAsian on the different aspects of the project. He said environmental issues should be given equal importance along with potential economic gains from the undertaking.

According to Lim, he is also opposed on the oil exploration since it is being done by a foreign firm.

Mayors Redulla and Tungol also have separate opinions on their objection.

Although, Albur is not among the towns to be affected by the oil exploration, Tungol shared his views regarding the need for the project proponents to secure permits from the municipal governments wherein the undertaking will take place.

Tungol said, any activity that takes place within the municipal waters of a particular town must be required to secure a permit.

Maribojoc, according to Redulla, have been opposing the exploration since 2005. In fact, the Sangguniang Bayan adopted a resolution on their opposition.

NGO'S PROTEST

BANGON president lawyer Raul Barbarona bared that their group's opposition is anchored on three particular concerns which is the assurance of environmental protection; just compensation of the fisherfolks who will be affected by the conduct of the seismic survey; and equitable revenue sharing if indeed oil deposits are obtained from the exploration.

Barbarona, who also heads the Environmental Legal Assistance Center (ELAC), pointed out that fish pens (locally known as payao) that are maintained by fishermen, will be damaged by the seismic survey.

As of yesterday an inventory showed that some 200 fish pens from Panglao to Loon will be affected by the exploration activity.

An official notice released by NorAsia Energy Limited, the international consortium to undertake the oil exploration, stated that the M/V Pacific Sword's airguns, submerged in water, will emit sound energy with an intensity of 200 decibels that can harm swimmers and divers within 10 kilometers of the vessel.

In its position paper, BANGON pointed out "with the wide area which will be declared a 'no go', fisherfolks will be effectively denied access to their fishing grounds."

"The suspension of fishing activity even for a single day is already a heavy burden to a marginal fisherfolk, who is dependent on daily catch to support daily family needs," BANGON stated.

According to Barbarona, the destruction of fish pens will even aggravate the plight of marginal fishermen while "the seismic survey activity will certainly drive away fishes in the area."

Dolphins and whales, a major tourist attraction in the Pamilacan-Balicasag-Panglao area, is also feared to be endangered as these marine creatures are highly sensitive to sound. In fact, scientific studies indicate that dolphins navigate through sound waves and have a very delicate sense of hearing.

The seismic oil exploration in Tañon Strait off the Pinamungahan coast in Cebu allegedly caused the stranding of several dolphins that were discovered in the coasts of Negros Oriental.

However, Department of Energy (DOE) legal officer Atty. Mark Gamaleo in a separate interview with the Chronicle denied that the exploration method would cause massive fish kills and drive away dolphins.

JUST COMPENSATION

BANGON is urging local government units in the affected towns to conduct its own inventory of registered and non-registered fisherfolks.

Fish aggregating devices (FADs) such as "payaos" should also be inventoried to compensate its owners, according to Barbarona.

Likewise, dive shops and resorts that will have to temporarily suspend operations need to be notified and "must also be equitably compensated for damages," BANGON said.

The NGO is calling on the DOE and NorAsia to pay for the anticipated unrealized income of the fisherfolks even before the start of the seismic survey.

It said that failure to do so is "a clear violation of the bill of rights which provides for the protection of private property and the provision for just compensation."

Gamaleo assured that fish pen owners "will be paid reasonably depending on the location of the payao."

In a similar oil exploration in Tañon Strait, the DOE paid P4,000 to P5,000 for damaged fish pens.

When asked if the same rate will be used in compensating for payaos here, Gamaleo said the rate could either go higher or lower.

A fisherman who attended in one of DOE's consultation meeting in Dauis said a "payao" could cost from P10,000 to P15,000 depending on the depth of its placement.

The fisherman, who identified himself as on Caloy Abuyabor, said the consultation ended in a conflict between BFAR and DOE officials against the fisherfolks who were not satisfied of the conduct of the talks.

EQUITABLE REVENUE SHARING

According to Barbarona, documents from the DOW shows that for every $100 gross proceeds of the project, only $3.46 will go to the local government.

This share, according to Barbarona, will still be divided between the provincial and municipal governments which "puts LGUs at a losing end."

Moreover, Barbarona pointed out that the sharing is still very minimal.

He said there is a need for the national government, through the DOE, to publicly disclose the details of the service contract and other related agreements to comply with the Local Government Code provision for equitable sharing in the proceeds of the development and utilization of the national wealth.

Barbarona cited the experience in the Malampaya gas and oil exploration in the Northern Palawan coast where the province was promised a whopping P600 million annually.

However, the national government withheld the release of said amount causing a court case filed by the Palawan provincial government that has yet to be resolved.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Barbarona said until now the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources has not prepared a stock assessment of the fisheries in the Bohol Strait that would serve as baseline data before the conduct of the seismic survey.

Through the data, the damages or impact of the exploration activity can be determined, he said.

Without the data, Barbarona stressed, the LGU and the fishermen will have no basis to claim for damages resulting from the seismic survey.

C-Watch likewise pointed out the achievements of the province in coastal resource management.

Bohol's coastal resource management program has been recognized nationwide but will be endangered with the oil exploration, C-Watch chair Ira Pamat said in an interview with the Chronicle.

Both BANGON and C-Watch are asking for an assurance that the DOE and NorAsia will adhere to the basic standards of environmental protection in conducting the oil exploration.

Bohol Strait, particularly the vicinities of Cabilao and the Pamilacan-Balicasag area are considered a marine mammal highway making it a popular tourist destination.

PUBLIC CONSULTATION

The concerned groups expressed dismay over the poor preparations of the government in conducting information dissemination and public hearings that would have engaged the stakeholders and proponents in a healthy dialogue.

The DOE's attempt to hold public consultations in five coastal towns since Thursday, however, proved futile as no agreements have been attained in the towns of Dauis, Maribojoc and Loon.

The consultations, according to BANGON, were in effect just intended as information campaigns, done only for 2 to 3 hours.

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The exploration will adopt a seismic method wherein a geophysical tool will be used involving the recording of sound energy reflected by the underlying rock layers after the introduction of an artificial disturbance.

M/V Pacific Sword, is also equipped with a streamer cable filled with sensitive detectors towed by the ship. Its airgun releases highly compressed air into the numerous rock formations underneath.

The Department of Energy (DOE) had awarded NorAsian and its minor partner Alcorn with service contracts for Calauit in northwestern Palawan, Ultra Deepwater Block in southwestern Palawan and in the North and South Blocks of the East Visayan Basin.

The area encompassing 2,040 square kilometers between Bohol and Cebu comprises the South Block while some 2,400 square kilometers in northwestern Leyte is tagged as the North Block.

NorAsian officials said initial studies show that the East Visayan Basin "has moderate risks with matured prospects, with high to very high recoverable reserves."

The seismic survey will have a "soft start" of 100 decibels to the full blast 280-decibel "boom." The soft start is intended to "warn" the fish to swim away, according to DOE officials.

The larger blasts take the three-dimensional (3D) "picture" over 146 square kilometers over two prospects and a 2D scan of 261 line kilometers over the southern leads.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has determined that the specific activities do not require an environmental clearance certificate (ECC) such that OIC Region 7 Director Alan Arranguez of the Environment Management Bureau (EMB 7) issued a certificate of non-coverage (CNC) for the project last May 24.