Tubbatah Reef and Pangasinan Oil Spill: Reflection of Nature’s Exhaustion

Over a million years, as humanity starts to seek convenience and life preservation, our environment is greatly affected from the time that industrial revolution began until now when the height of technology is unstoppable. Smoke fumes from factories, harmful chemicals thrown in the water ways, poor waste disposal and other malpractices of humans toward our environment caused our mother earth to count its remaining breathes. Several issues and incidents have been reported about the devastation of our natural resources due to the careless hands of man were a great shock for those who are aware, an alarming phenomena for those who care and just a scoop of news for those who are not interested and paying no importance for our environment. The latest environmental issues today are the incidents that happened in Tubbatah reef and Pangasinan.
Clashed Tubbatah Reef Before, the Tubbataha Reef in our native tongue, Bahurang Tubbataha is an atoll coral reef and a Natural Marine Park in Sulu Sea, Philippines composing of two huge atoll (the North Atoll and South Atoll) and the smaller Jessie Beazley Reef. The park is a Marine Protected Area (MPA) located 150 kilometres southeast of Puerto Princesa City, Palawan according to the reefs' official website but according to United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the reefs are 181 kilometres southeast of Puerto Princesa City. The reefs are considered part of the island municipality of Cagayancillo, Palawan, which is located roughly 130 kilometres to the northeast of the reef. According to the official website of the Natural Marine Park, Tubbataha covers 97,030 hectares while UNESCO measures the reefs at 130,028 hectares . In December 1993, the UNESCO declared the Tubbataha Reefs National Park as a World Heritage Site under the protective management of the Philippines Department of National Defense (DND) and technical supervision of the Palawan Council for Sustainable Development (PCSD) and the Department of Environment & Natural Resources (DENR). In 1999, Rasmar-The Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, especially as Waterfowl Habitat listed Tubbataha as one of the Wetlands of International Importance.] In 2008, the reef was nominated at the New 7 Wonders of Nature. The national park considered to be the global center of marine biodiversity. Research of scientists visiting the reefs since the 1980s revealed that the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park contains no less than 600 fish species, 360 coral species, 11 shark species, 13 dolphin and whale species, and 100 bird species. The reefs also serve as a nesting ground for Hawksbill and Green sea turtles.

Despite of its mesmerizing beauty, Tubbatah reef was not exempted from the threat that kills its natural life and beauty. Last February 2, The USS Guardian was stranded on the reef causing a whooping damage of dead and dying corals spanning an area of over 4,000 square meters. Four thousand square meters is almost equivalent to the size of ten basketball courts. According to FIBA rules, the dimensions of a playing court for amateur basketball is 28 meters by 15 meters or 420 square meters, an area which when multiplied by 10, totals 4,200 square meters. The stranded warship weighs 1,300 tons, according to its US Navy webpage. It has been atop the Tubbataha corals since January 17.Earlier, the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau said that the US Navy may be fined for at least about P12,000 or $300 per square meter of damaged corals.With the latest impact assessment, the minimum mandatory fine could be at about P48 million. The additional fine for rehabilitation efforts would be another $300 and could raise the total fine to about P96 million. The Philippine Coast Guard's Task Force Tubbataha said the first of two crane ships sent to help remove the USS Guardian was supposed to have arrived at the reef Friday but was delayed by bad weather at Singapore. That crane ship is now expected to arrive at the salvage site on Sunday. Much of the warship’s potentially harmful content – including 15,000 gallons of fuel – has been removed from the ship. The US Navy noted that no oil spill occurred. Still we must be vigilant and always keep an eye on this situation because news might turn cold and the issue could be put into pit leaving the reefs into a great loss and death. Our government must do something about it because at the end of the day, it’s the lost of Philippines if Tubbatah reef is not restored.
Pangasinan Oil Spill The Philippine Coast Guard reported that the oil leak from "M/V Arita Bauxite," a Myanmar-registered vessel, occurred due to the ingress of water as it sank in Cape Bolinao. The ship was bound to Ningbo, China from Obi, Indonesia with 24 Burmese (citizens of Myanmar) crew members when it encountered engine trouble, experienced rolling, and sank.

The accident caused a lot of trouble not only in the ecological situation of Bolinao, Pangasinan but also the industry and tourism of the region. Many tourists cancelled their reservations in various hotels because of the reported oil spill. The residents are also afraid of their safety in terms of the possible water contamination and food scarcity due to the oil spill. It is very sad fate for our country because Bolinao’s coast has semi boracay features making it popular for the tourists. Marine resources are dying some were already killed like various fishes spotted floating around the shore. Mangroves known as an alternative site for incubation of eggs of some fishes were not also safe from the threats caused by the spill. The government currently take actions to resolve the problem through drive in clean ups and further investigations as well as synthesizing answers to help reduce the problem. Unfortunately the oil spill reached other places specifically to the white sands and beaches of Ilocos Norte and Ilocos Sur. At least eight coastal towns in Ilocos Sur including the white sand beaches of Santiago, Ilocos Sur were affected by the said oil spill Monday night. And according from a news from DZTP Radyo Tirad Pass a report has been sent to them that there are tourists at famous Suso Public Beach Resort in Sta. Maria, Ilocos Sur went home without enjoying the beach due to oil spill in the area. The locals are fearful that it would affect their livelihood particularly in the production of sea shells, sea urchins and sea weeds. The local government units are conducting coastal clean-up drive to prevent farther damage. In a report posted by the United Filipino Seafarers, Last week, Philippine Coast Guard teams were placed on alert near Pangasinan after the oil spill was spotted near where the cargo vessel M/V Harita Bauxite sank. A Coast Guard Northwestern Luzon oil spill response team started water sampling and placed oil spill booms in the area to prevent the spill from spreading. The Coast Guard said the spill was spotted 10 nautical miles Northwest of Bolinao, were the M/V Harita Bauxite reportedly sank early morning of February 17. The news reports about Pangasinan oil spill were alarming yet we must be aware and care for our natural resources not only by watching it on the TV news but also by voicing out what needs to be known. Through the help of social sites we can express our opinions to let others show that they are involved because we, the present Filipinos who handle the country didn’t own anything instead we borrow everything that we have especially our environment from the future generations.