Bais City placed under state of calamity

CEBU, Philippines — The City of Bais has been officially placed under a State of Calamity following the approval of its city council after the massive contamination of coastal waters and the degradation of marine ecosystems in North Bais Bay caused by the spent wash spill from the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) ethanol facility.

The declaration, endorsed by the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and the City Development Council–Executive Committee, was unanimously approved by the city council on October 30, 2025.

According to the resolution, the wastewater spillage from URC’s ethanol distillery plant on October 24, 2025, resulted in the severe discoloration of North Bais Bay and affected marine life within the Tañon Strait, a protected seascape and major fishing ground.

On October 28, Bais City Mayor Luigi Marcel Goñi ordered the temporary suspension of URC’s operations to prevent further damage to the area’s marine ecosystems. The order will only be lifted once the company submits and implements a verified long-term solution to prevent similar incidents.

The City Council noted that the spill has severely affected the livelihoods of local fishermen, fish market vendors, and tourism operators, particularly those connected to the White Sand Bar and related sea activities.

These economic losses were compounded by the suspension of sea travel and tourism activities under an executive order and a Coast Guard advisory issued on October 27.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Negros Island Region (DENR-NIR) also released situational reports confirming the environmental impact of the spill, prompting the city to mobilize emergency resources and provide assistance to affected residents.

Following the incident, Oceana Philippines, an international marine conservation organization, called on the government to hold URC and relevant agencies accountable for what it described as an “ecological and economic crisis” in the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).

Oceana warned that the spill poses serious and lasting threats to marine biodiversity, coral reefs, seagrass beds, and the livelihoods of communities that depend on the strait’s fishing grounds. The Tañon Strait is home to 14 species of whales and dolphins and is the country’s largest marine protected area.

“The URC cannot simply get away with a mere slap on the wrist just like the minor fines imposed in a similar incident in 2018,” said Von Hernandez, Oceana Vice President.

He added that the fact that this facility, located within a protected seascape, has had a similar accident raises serious questions about the adequacy of its Environmental Compliance Certificate and disaster preparedness.

The group also urged transparency in the investigation, calling for a review of the facility’s Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) to determine whether safeguards required under the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (E-NIPAS) Act of 2018 were properly implemented.

Oceana demanded urgent cleanup, fair compensation for affected families, and stronger preventive measures to stop the spread of ethanol pollution to nearby areas.

In response, Universal Robina Corporation earlier said it had deployed 127 personnel and 20 members of the Philippine Coast Guard to expedite dike repairs and marine cleanup operations in coordination with local authorities.

“The new dike will be reinforced and strengthened with rubber tires and boulders to make it withstand the relentless rains and earthquake that caused its breach last October 26,” URC said in a statement.

The company also pledged to continue providing relief assistance to affected families in Bais City and Manjuyod, and to collaborate with environmental experts for the long-term ecological rehabilitation and restoration of the affected marine zones.