Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
CEED
Mindoro (Agenzia Fides) - Many associations and groups of civil society, such as Caritas, have come together in the national forum "Eco-Convergence" to help the communities of the island of Mindoro, affected by the serious environmental disaster that occurred last February, when a major oil spill from an oil tanker, which sank off the coast of the island, caused six damages to the ecosystem, threatening the marine biodiversity of the area. The MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off the city of Naujan, in the province of Oriental Mindoro, after an engine problem. The accident caused an industrial oil spill and a vast black stain still covers the stretch of sea. The severe consequences of the disaster are felt: the health of the inhabitants is threatened, the livelihoods of the fishermen have been disrupted and tourist activities such as seaside resorts and other commercial establishments have been interrupted. The funds collected by the "Eco-Convergence" forum will be used for relief and clean-up operations in Mindoro, in order to meet the needs of the affected population, in particular local fishermen who see their activity and their survival compromised. The "Eco-Convergence" forum promotes the teachings of Pope Francis' encyclical on the environment, Laudato Si', as highlighted by the Caritas of the Diocese of Calapan, which is actively involved. The Social Action Center of the Archdiocese of Lipa has also sent basic necessities to the diocese for low-income families whose livelihoods are in jeopardy. As Father Edwin Gariguez, director of Caritas in the Diocese of Calapan, which supports communities that do not benefit from government aid, explains, the problem is the expansion of liquefied natural gas (LNG) extraction plants in the Mindoro and Batangas region. The eastern island of Mindoro is one of five provinces surrounding the "Verde Island Passage" (VIP), one of the most biodiverse marine habitats in the world, home to over 1,700 species of fish, 300 species of coral and 36 marine protected areas. The Philippine government, through agreements with multinational companies, plans to build several gas extraction plants in the region. Five plants are already located in the city of Batangas, overlooking Mindoro. Eight other plants are under study, as well as seven terminals for processing and storing the gas obtained. "As the government continues to choose fossil gas as a solution to the energy crisis, increasingly large ships carrying liquefied natural gas will use the Green Passage inlet,” said Gerry Arances, executive director of the Center for Energy, Environment and Development's Oceans (CEED). According to a CEED study, transporting fossil gas will increase the risk of water pollution, underwater noise pollution, sedimentation, grounding and destruction of coral reefs. The passage of hundreds of cargo ships in the marine corridor considerably increases the risk of accidents that are harmful to the environment. The Philippines is accelerating the development of LNG supply infrastructure to supplement electricity generation. The Ministry of Energy aims to make the country an LNG hub in Asia. In his first state of the nation address, President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. called on Congress to promote the natural gas industry "as a complementary fuel to renewable energy". Natural gas has been touted as a "bridging fuel" that could facilitate the transition to a low-carbon economy. However, environmental groups note that fossil gas produces greenhouse gases, blocks the transition to renewable and environmentally sustainable energy sources, and poses a serious threat to local communities. "The fossil gas industry is a ticking time bomb in terms of environmental destruction, affecting people's livelihoods, health and daily lives," Arances said. According to Father Edwin Gariguez, the government should halt plans for LNG expansion in Batangas to avoid the extremely negative impact on the marine corridor and the lives of two million people who depend on the preservation of this ecosystem. Last May, the priest also traveled to Europe, to European banking institutions in collaboration with some NGOs, to ask them to carefully assess the financing of new projects by multinationals, related to the extraction of gas and the construction of plants in the Mindoro region, so as not to encourage the ruin of this region. However, Western banks and companies involved in these operations and projects have not given satisfactory answers and have not been at all attentive to the needs of local communities and their very lives. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 20/7/2023)
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