The Senate inquiry on the oil spill caused by MT Terranova will begin on Tuesday, August 13.
Senate Majority Leader Francis Tolentino announced on Wednesday, August 7, that the Upper House of Congress will push through with the investigation on the oil spill that affected Bataan, Cavite, and Metro Manila.
"We need to set up stricter mechanisms to prevent such incidents, and to improve our capability to immediately respond to contain, clean up, and mitigate the impact of this toxic substance on the fishing sector and the environment," stressed Tolentino.
Tolentino filed Senate Resolution No. 1084 that directs the Senate Committee on Environment, Natural Resources, and Climate Change to investigate the oil spill that started at the waters of Limay, Bataan.
The resolution stated that 'the oil spill has been estimated to have ruined nearly Php 1 billion worth of livelihood sources, causing significant economic hardship for the affected communities'.
SR 1084 stressed that 'the oil spill poses a serious threat to the marine ecosystem, coastal communities, and livelihood sources in the provinces of Bataan, Cavite, Nasugbu in Batangas and Bulacan, including Manila Bay, and potentially other areas along the coastline'.
Tolentino also mentioned that the Philippine experienced other oil spill incidents in the recent years.
"Last year, our government agencies struggled to contain serious oil spills as it took months to clean up after a tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil sank off the central island of Mindoro contaminating waters and beaches in the island which caused the devastation of the rich fishing grounds therein and likewise affected the tourism industries," the resolution read.
