Opinion

PERSPECTIVE By Cherry Ballescas
Thursday, December 20, 2007

If only dolphins and whales can speak, these resident mammals will make interesting witnesses before the Supreme Court. These sea animals can give very detailed account about the real hazards and threats to their survival and of countless other marine resources with the continued oil drilling at the Tañon Strait. However, as it will take more years to really decipher their language, creative crusaders lawyers Gloria Estenzo Ramos and Rose Lisa Eisma Osorio have elected to represent the animal petitioners and have asked the Supreme Court to stop the oil exploration at the Tañon Strait.

It does not take years, however, to see the actual threats and dangers of the ongoing oil drill. In December 14, Atty. Ramos wrote : " have talked with the affected fishermen from Aloguinsan - their rich fishing ground is no longer there. In its stead is a huge oil rig lording over the municipal waters of Pinamungahan and Aloguinsan; drilling is on -going - thanks to DOE and Japan Petroleum Exploration, DENR, the so-called Tañon Strait Protected Seascape- where the scientists and the NGOs working in the areas are not even represented - only barangay kagawad (anomalous, to say the least!) and the local government units who expressly allowed the operation or impliedly, by their silence and/or apathy and/or fear perhaps?

"Now, aside from being evicted from the communal waters, the fishermen have to go out into the sea for longer hours, 10-11 or more, in their non-motorized bancas - the noise from the drilling have turned away the fish. Lubog ang dagat. The fish catch has dwindled to less than a kilo -there is not even enough to sell. Because of the dwindling supply, fish price has soared - the kind of fish that was the cheapest at P20 per kilo now fetches at P80 per kilo when the JAPEX oil drilling began. Their life is shattered - the fishing area is no more. What will happen to them? Many, who finished only Grade 2 or 3, fished in Tañon - their communal waters - for 45 years, with average number of 7 children."

How come the LGUs and the Department of Agriculture/BFAR are suddenly paralyzed and cannot even speak for the thousands of their constituents who go to bed hungry and are, more than ever, so uncertain of their fate? Where are the local elective officials - have they forgotten they are the voice of the people? Have they forgotten that municipal waters are reserved for the poor fisherfolk under the Constitution and the Fisheries Code? What is the DA doing? Is food security not a priority program of the state? Why the ominous silence?

"Tañon Strait is one of the world's natural heritage and one of the country's rich fishing grounds and was declared a "Protected Seascape by Presidential Proclamation 1234 by then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1998 in due recognition of the extraordinary abundance and diverse assemblage of dolphins and whales and its known importance as feeding, breeding, and resting grounds for these marine mammals". Data have shown that the continued introduction of new human-created noise underwater, like those produced by from seismic surveys and exploratory drillings in Tañon Strait will result in serious and irreparable loss of some of its important inherent values as well as our natural heritage. The scientists have spoken - have we? Shall we, by our indifference, be part of the looming Tañon Tragedy? By not expressing our sentiments on this important issue, we are allowing this natural heritage to be lost – forever."

For Christmas, you may wish to add your voice to protecting the fisherfolks and the dolphins and the mammals in Tañon Strait. If you have not yet done so, you may wish to gather goodies, clothing, and other items to help one fisherfolk family have a blessed Christmas amidst this tragedy. Drop off point is at FIDEC office or call 2561365 for pick up, and/or please sign up at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/join-the-170-marine-scientists-in-this-petition-to-stop-the-oil-drilling-at-tanon-strait-protected .