Philippines Fishers, Ecosystems Under Threat From Massive Oil Spill
Divers in the Philippines have managed to seal the leaking engine of a sunken tanker in Manila Bay. However, the damage to fishing communities and ecosystems has already been done.
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00:00Filipino fisher Alvin de la Cruz relies on his daily catch from Manila Bay for
00:04his livelihood. But the waters are now black with oil, five days after a tanker
00:10was run aground by monsoon rains.
00:22The Philippine tanker, carrying 1.5 liters of industrial fuel, sank just northwest of the capital city.
00:29While working to contain the leak, officials banned fishing in coastal waters,
00:34leaving thousands of people without the means to earn a living.
00:59A marine diversity hotspot, the Philippines has been affected by oil spills before.
01:10Just last year, a tanker capsized in waters off the central Philippines.
01:15The resulting oil spill spread across 170 square kilometers and took three months to clean up.
01:21Like then, both fishers and environmental groups are now calling for oil
01:26companies to be held responsible for damages.
01:47The sunken tanker's leaking valves have now been shut, and the oil company is being asked to siphon the spill.
01:54But for those living here, the damage has already been done, and all they can do is wait until the waters are safe to fish in again.
02:02Klein Wong and Gina Lopez for Taiwan Plus.