Church opposes Bohol oil exploration

"Life or death, blessing or curse." This was how the Bohol archdiocese described the situation faced by residents of Bohol province in the face of a new oil drilling project in four of its towns. In a pastoral statement, Tagbilaran, Bohol Archbishop Leonardo Medroso said the local clergy is "appalled" that the seismic survey was conducted in the seawaters of Panglao, Dauis, Maribojoc and Loon. "Will the blue sea of Bohol Strait remain the pure essence of life-giving water to the present and future generations, or will it degenerate into a murky water of non-life, an ugly reminder of our indifference and irresponsibility?" he asked. Medroso scored the government and the foreign firm conducting the survey for not even consulting the local residents about it. "We are appalled to learn that, given the nature of the seismic survey and its short and long term impact to human and marine life, the local communities and their officials as well as other groups who have a stake in the area were not duly consulted before the survey had been undertaken," he said. He noted a foreign company, NorAsian Energy Ltd. (NAEL), conducted the survey with the approval of both the Department of Energy (DOE) and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). "In this light, let us exhaust all peaceful means to prevent the oil drilling program from proceeding unless the DOE and NAEL shall disclose to the public the details of the service contract and other agreements, conduct consultations that are wide in scope, accessible to all stakeholders, honest and transparent to affected communities, and broadly participative in working out decisions," he said. "In this light, we call on public officials concerned to courageously apply the full force of our environmental laws to the oil drilling program even as we urge all NGOs and other groups to take the lead in exercising vigilance on this regard," he added. According to the contract awarded by the Philippine government to NAEL, the survey shall be followed by an extensive oil drilling program possibly next year. The DOE and NAEL simply disseminated information in their websites and coursed the "information" to the people through the newly elected local officials on very short notice. In view of this behavior, it is difficult not to conclude that right from the very start the DOE and NAEL did not intend a consultation but simply an information. Medroso also said the clergy was disappointed to learn that the seismic survey, conducted on an exploration site that had been officially declared by the national and local governments as a marine protected area (MPA), was suddenly granted by the DENR a Certificate of Non-Coverage (CNC). This exempted the firm from stringent measures required by the laws of the land that seek to preserve the nation's ecosystem. "Needless to say, the exploration site boasts of numerous marine sanctuaries and coastal based resource management programs. It is also home to a thriving and world-famous eco-tourism industry that provides livelihood to hundreds of families and a source of pride of every Boholano. Millions of pesos have been spent by local government units (LGUs) and non-government organizations (NGOs) for the establishment and maintenance of these projects, not to mention the amount of creativity and energy that the local people have invested into them," he noted. Medroso questioned what hapepened to laws such as the Philippine Environment Impact System Act (PD 1586) and the Local Government Code of 1991. He said the recently concluded seismic survey threaten to harm the integrity of the ecosystem in Bohol. The prelate also scored the survey being conducted without consulting those dependent on either commercial or small-scale fishing. "Why is it that in almost every government sponsored or approved project that has the prospect of good return of investment (ROI) for foreign corporations, it is our poor and marginalized brother and sister Filipinos who are asked to sacrifice? Granting, without admitting, that it is their turn yet again to forego for the greater good, isn't it right that they be guaranteed with a just compensation?" he said. On the other hand, Medroso said that beyond the seismic survey, the risks of an oil drilling program are far greater. He said activities meant to improve the economy should not be left to the judgment of individuals or groups who possess too much economic power, nor of the political community alone. Also, he said the defense and preservation of the common good such as the natural and human environments should not be left to the dictates of market forces but to a strong juridical or legal framework. "In this light, and in view of the greater risks to both human and marine life, it is a serious moral obligation for those who will derive profit from the natural resource to set up a mechanism of just compensation before the oil drilling begins and with the participation and approval of those who may bear the possible harm or loss because of human error or accidents," he said. But over and above these moral imperatives, he said the principle of equitable sharing of revenues should be observed. The history of oil exploration is replete with examples of individual and corporate greed and insensitivity to the people in the locality, he said. "In this light, let us do everything we can to prevent the oil drilling program unless a mechanism of equitable sharing of revenues shall be in place so that, instead of dole-outs or piecemeal projects dependent on the whims and so-called charity of the corporation or the allied politician, the revenues accrued to the inhabitants of the localities shall be guaranteed by law and shall empower them to take the path of integral development," he said. "While the bounty of God's creation in the Bohol Strait is a national wealth, it is however first and foremost a local wealth. Inasmuch as the local people are its primary stewards, they ought to be the first beneficiaries," he added. - GMANews.TV