The polluted waters of Manjuyod in Negros Oriental.* Romeo Subaldo photo
The Municipality of Manjuyod in Negros Oriental has declared a state of calamity following the pollution caused by the collapse of the waste water lagoon wall of the URC Bais Distillery, its Sangguniang Bayan announced on Monday, Nov. 3.
The declaration shall remain in effect for 90 days, unless lifted or extended upon the recommendation of the Local Risk Reduction and Management Council, based on its assessment and validation of the environmental condition, it said.
The Bais Sangguniang Panlungsod that also earlier declared a State of calamity, stating that the consequences of this disaster have severely impacted the economic stability and livelihoods of local fishermen and others relying on aquatic resources in several barangays in the City.
The Silliman University Student Government Environment Committee in a statement issued last week said “we stand together with the fishermen, tourism workers, and all stakeholders in the affected areas in calling for immediate action and accountability for the incident and the detrimental effects to the environment and the local economy as the spill continues to impact their daily lives and income”.
An ethanol spill from molasses waste in the 20-hectare tailing pond of ethanol distillery has left scores of dead fish and affected thousands of families in Manjuyod and Bais City, it said.
The dike of the wastewater lagoon collapsed reportedly on the evening of October 26, but investigation of the local government of Manjuyod found that the leak happened on Friday, October 24, it said.
Bais City Mayor Luigi Marcel Goñi said this was not the first time the distillery had been involved in such an environmental incident. “This has been recurring for several years”.
Bais City is nestled along the Tañon Strait, a protected seascape and deemed the largest protected seascape in the Philippines.
Tañon Strait serves as a feeding, breeding, and nesting ground for marine mammals. It is also known for its diversity of fish, mollusks, and crustacean species.
Ethanol is not inherently toxic, but excessive amounts on the surface of the water lower oxygen levels, endangering marine life, SUSG said.
Tourism activities, including dolphin watching in Bais Bay and sandbar hopping in Manjuyod, have halted following the spill, it also noted.
The URC Bais Distillery expects the repair of its collapsed Lagoon wall to be completed by Nov. 4.
”Regarding the marine clean-up, we are in close coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and other stakeholder agencies to deploy experts who will help contain the spilled wastewater within a limited area and guide the Company, local and other relevant authorities on how best to foster marine re-growth and recovery,” URC said*