EDITORIAL - Endangered waters

With its pristine waters and fine beaches, Nasugbu in Batangas is one of the top destinations for swimming, and is home to several exclusive resorts. Fishing communities also thrive in the area.

Fishing and swimming are now endangered following an accident when typhoon “Basyang” struck on July 14. A barge ran aground off the Nasugbu coast and listed, spilling much of its cargo into the sea. The cargo: 8,102 metric tons of coal, of which 40 percent has settled into the seabed, according to the Philippine Coast Guard.

The Maritime Environment Protection Command warned that carbon compound, sulfur and hydrogen from the coal would alter water quality and that the shipment was large enough to affect the sea level. These could endanger marine life and render the water unsafe for swimming. If left unchecked, the toxic elements may even contaminate fresh water in the coastal communities of Nasugbu, environment protection officials warned.

Other vessels also spilled oil and other toxic elements in accidents off Bataan and Cavite during Basyang. How much of the spilled materials still need to be recovered may not be accurately determined. Although thousands of families continue to depend on fishing for livelihood in the two provinces, much of Manila Bay and nearby bodies of water have been heavily polluted for a long time.

The polluted state should not be an excuse to pollute further, or for the government to be lax in imposing appropriate sanctions on those who aggravate the problem, regardless of whether the pollution is deliberate or accidental. Authorities must retrieve the spilled oil and coal quickly, and make sure the vessel operators will do their share in retrieval operations.

With the series of maritime environmental accidents, the government must also review the penalties for polluting the country’s waters. Accidents happen, but efforts can be undertaken to reduce the risks. Better ship maintenance and safer cargo storage are possible. If there is little incentive for shipping operators to undertake these measures, it is because they have gotten away for decades with little more than a slap on the wrist for maritime disasters, whether the tragedies caused deaths or destroyed the environment. In a new administration, this situation must change.