JOIN THE 170 MARINE SCIENTISTS IN THIS PETITION TO STOP THE OIL DRILLING AT TANON STRAIT PROTECTED S

Call to Action

Resolution urging the Department of Energy and all concerned agencies to stop the oil exploration and possible exploitation of the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape (TSPS).

 Whereas, Tañon Strait was declared as a Protected Seascape by Presidential Proclamation 1234 by then President Fidel V. Ramos in 1998 in due recognition of the extraordinary abundance and diverse assemblage of cetaceans (dolphins and whales), 11 out of the 25 species found in the Philippines can be sighted in the area, and its known importance as feeding, breeding, and resting grounds for these marine mammals;

 Whereas, uniqueness of associated habitats in TSPS, such as coral reefs, mangrove and seagrass communities among others, provide livelihood, support food security; and sustain and safeguard the integrity of the traditional interaction of people and nature, for which protected seascapes have been established;

 Whereas, the impacts of activities such as seismic surveys, exploratory drilling, and actual oil mining operation would negatively impact the marine ecosystem and organisms dependent on it; sound is very important to whales and dolphins as they use it for hunting, navigation and communication, and in general, these animals maybe sensitive to certain sound levels; coincidentally, a study being conducted by Aragones et al. in the area showed immediate negative effects on the surface behaviors and delayed (1 year after) negative response on the relative abundance of spinner dolphins implicating short and intermediate term changes on these animals possibly brought about by the seismic surveys (using gun arrays) conducted in the summer of 2005;

 Whereas, the process used to evaluate the potential impact of seismic surveys and exploratory oil drilling had procedural lapses, lacked transparency and appropriate consultation with stakeholders, and failed to seriously and adequately consider substantial scientific evidence on the potential detrimental impacts of such activities to marine animals like mammals and fish.

 Now Therefore be it:

 RESOLVED, that further seismic surveys and exploratory drilling be immediately stopped in due recognition of the protected status of Tañon Strait and its national, global and ecological importance;

 Resolved further, that the impacts of such activities be recognized for the threats they pose to marine animals like whales, dolphins and fish, people%u2019s livelihood, and potentially irreplaceable and invaluable natural heritage;

 Resolved furthermore, that an appropriate body undertake the investigations and review with adequate inputs from the scientific community and affected stakeholders;

 Resolved furthermore, that the current system of obtaining Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) in ecologically critical areas (ECA) should be evaluated in the light of the serious threats posed to important habitats like the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape for assessing future oil explorations and similar undertakings;

 RESOLVED FURTHERMORE, that copy of this resolution is circulated to the following:

            Office of the Environmental Ombudsman of the Philippines

            Office of the Senate, Committee on Environment (Senator Pia Cayetano)

            Office of the Senate, Committee on Economics (Senator Loren Legarda)

Office of the House of Representatives, Committee on Environment

Office of the House of Representatives, Committee on Economics

Office of the House of Representatives, Committee on Energy

Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Cebu and Negros Oriental Provincial Chapters

Office of the Senate Committee on Women and Children%u2019s Affairs (Senator Jamby Madrigal)

Senator Miguel Zubiri

All concerned local, provincial and regional government units

Office of the Team Leader of the Visayan Sea Squadron (Atty Antonio Oposa)

All media outfits

 
AND IT IS FINALLY RESOLVED, to conduct simultaneous and intensive investigations on the above matter from all concerned agencies.

 
WE, members of the Philippine Association of Marine Science (PAMS) and fellow marine scientists and practitioners, whose signatures appear below, strongly support this resolution.

 
Signed this 26th day of October 2007 at Punta Villa Resort, Iloilo City.