NGO officials hit EMB-7 director on Tañon oil exploration status

Officials of non-government organizations have assailed the "unclear" statement of the regional director of the Environmental Management Bureau about the status of the application of Japan Explorations to conduct oil explorations in Tañon Strait.

A source from the EMB-7 said the bureau last December 27 denied the application of Japex for an environmental compliance certificate needed for the exploration because Tañon Strait is a protected seascape and that exploration will be detrimental to marine resources there.

EMB-7 director Allan Arranguez, however, clarified this saying it was the only the draft application of Japex that was denied and the Japanese firm is now processing documents to secure the ECC.

"It was only the draft (application that was denied). But as far as I know, Japex is still processing its application for ECC," he said but declined to give details on why the draft was denied.

Vince Cinches, executive director of Fishermen Development Center, reacted by saying, "There should be full disclosure on the denial. They should reject the outright application."

Cinches said the fishermen would be calling the attention of the Cebu Provincial Board to look at the issue and help lobby for the disapproval of Japex's application for ECC.

The EMB-7 and the Department of Energy will not give the "true" information about the company's application, said Cinches as he accused the two government agencies of "trying to cover up the denial."

These two government bodies, including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources are "defending Japex's proposal and they are consistent in the cover up because this may become a precedent for Bohol," Cinches said.

Cinches said if it was only the draft that was denied, then it was still a denial. He was concerned however that despite such denial, the Japanese company may revise it and submits the new one again for approval. "This may be the reason why (Arranguez) said the ECC application is still being processed."

Granting that it was only the draft that was denied, Cinches warned that if EMB-7 approves the second application of Japex, it would become accountable to the public because Tañon is a protected seascape.

"It would be very ironic if the ECC is granted because the Visayan Sea, including Tañon Strait, has been closed because of over-fishing and it is a protected area. Now they would allow explorations in the area," Cinches said.

Militant fishermen were also disappointed with Arranguez's statement and dared the government official to practice transparency.

Victor Lapaz, chairman of Panaghugpong sa Gagmayng Mananagat sa Sugbu, said Arranquez must reveal to the public, especially the fishermen, the documents showing the denial of Japex's application, or its draft, for ECC.

Fishermen should know the status of the application because it is a public document and they have the right to know because they are the ones most affected should explorations push through.

Japex already conducted seismic survey in Tañon Strait in May 2005 when it discovered that the Visayan Basin, specifically located in the north of Cebu, and the Tañon Strait have the biggest petroleum resource potentials of about one billion barrels of oil. - Wenna A. Berondo/RAE