More sectors back campaign vs. oil explorations in Tañon

The drive against offshore mining in Tañon Strait and several parts of the Visayan Sea is gaining more support from fisherfolks, legislators and marine scientists.

Three more congressmen from Bohol signed the House resolution that pushes for the conduct of an inquiry on the offshore mining operations in the Visayan Sea, particularly the oil exploratory activities in Tañon Strait.

Bohol Reps. Edgar Chatto (1st district), Roberto Cajes (2nd district) and Adam Jala (3rd district) recently expressed their support to House Resolution No. 212 being endorsed by Reps. Eduardo Gullas (Cebu 1st district), Benhur Salimbangon (Cebu 4th district) and Antonio Cuenco (Cebu City south district). The resolution, which was principally authored by Bayan Muna Rep. Teodoro Casiño, directs the House committee on natural resources to investigate the impact of offshore mining in the Visayan Sea.

Oriental Negros Reps. Jocelyn Sy-Limkaichong (1st district), George Arnaiz (2nd district) and Henry Teves (3rd district), along with militant lawmakers Luzviminda Ilagan and Liza Maza of Gabriela, Crispin Beltran of Anakpawis and Satur Ocampo of Bayan Muna are also fully supportive of the resolution.

Recently, residents and fisherfolks from different municipalities of Cebu’s 3rd district also formed a coalition against the planned offshore mining in the seas surrounding Cebu.

The district-wide coalition called Alliance of Fisherfolks Against Offshore Mining will reach out to more sectors for widespread support to oppose the alleged illegal activities in the Visayan Sea.

 Vince Cinches, executive director of Fishermen Development Center, revealed that community marine scientists from Silliman University in Dumaguete City are also conducting their own investigation into the oil exploratory activities in Tañon Strait. 

With the growing support from different sectors of society, Cinches said they are hoping that activities seen to be detrimental to marine resources would be stopped.

The House committee on natural resources is expected to start its investigation soon because House Resolution No. 212, which was filed about two weeks ago, was certified as “urgent” resolution.

Solons who support the resolution are concerned of the 34 service contracts for offshore mining in environmentally critical waters of the Visayan Sea that include the Tañon Strait, a body of water separating the island provinces of Cebu and Negros; the Cebu-Bohol Strait, separating the provinces of Cebu and Bohol; as well as the waters off Antique, Leyte, Palawan, Mindoro Occidental, Albay and Camarines Sur.

The Visayan Sea, surrounding the islands of Cebu, Bohol, Negros and Panay, is known as “one of the world’s richest marine biodiversity areas.”

The ongoing oil and gas exploration activities in the Cebu-Bohol Strait have met strong opposition from small fisherfolks, local government officials, beach owners and environmental groups who fear long-term, adverse effects on the lives and livelihood of the common people in Central Visayas. — Wenna A. Berondo/MEEV