President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. visited Navotas City on Thursday, September 12, to personally distribute assistance to 8,600 fisherfolk and their families affected by an oil spill in Bataan last July.
During the event at the Navotas Sports Complex, the President provided financial aid to 10 selected beneficiaries and handed over a cheque for P43.415 million to the City Government of Navotas.
Marcos emphasized that the assistance being provided is not only a symbol of support but also a commitment to ensure that affected communities are not abandoned.
“Ang tulong na ipamamahagi natin ngayon ay hindi lamang simbolo ng ating suporta kundi ang ating paninindigan na hindi natin pababayaan ang ating mga kababayan,” he said.
Additionally, the Office of House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez distributed 10 kilos of rice to each attendee at the program.
Although Navotas itself was not directly impacted by the oil spill caused by the sunken MTKR Terranova off Limay, Bataan, local fisherfolk have faced challenges due to declining farmgate prices stemming from the oil spill scare.
In response to the incident, the Philippine Coast Guard installed an oil spill boom at the entrance of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) floodgates in Barangay Tanza Uno as a preventive measure shortly after the tanker capsized.
President Marcos addressed concerns regarding compensation, stating, “Government agencies and the owners of the Terranova are in continuous discussions; they will be held accountable for the damage caused by the oil spill.”
He also shared positive news regarding local seafood safety, stating, “Fish and other seafood are now safe to serve on our tables,” and reassured attendees about the quality of water and air in Navotas, highlighting the administration’s commitment to public health.
“Sa pagtutulungan ng ating mga ahensiya, naselyuhan na ang balbula ng MTKR Terranova, at nakolekta na ang lulang sa isang milyon at apatnapung daang litro ng langis mula sa ika-19 ng Agosto hanggang ika-10 ng Setyembre,” he said.
(With the cooperation of our agencies, the MTKR Terranova valve has been sealed, and the remaining one million and forty liters of oil have been collected from August 19 to September 10.) (Philippine Information Agency)
