Reymund Titong
KABANKALAN CITY, Negros Occidental — The local government unit of Sagay in northern Negros Occidental has imposed a substantial fines of PHP 250,000 on the owner of M/T Mary Queen of Charity for breaching the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 2018.
This decision, announced by City Legal Officer Ryan Bonghanoy on Friday, August 16, following an incident on August 3 at the Sagay feeder port, where 300 metric tons of molasses spilled during its loading operations onto the vessel from Lopez Sugar Corp and was supposedly be transported to Manila.
The spill affected approximately 1.3 hectares of the Sagay Marine Reserve (SMR), a protected marine area managed by the city’s Protected Area Management Board.
Philippine Coast Guard Northern Negros Occidental Commander Jansen Benjamin, said that the vessel was already given a green light after it submitted documentation of its undertaking to settle the fine.
Benjamin said that the vessel’s compliance with the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) was verified, with all safety documents up to date.
The Coast Guard’s investigation attributes the spill to human error rather than any issues with the vessel’s condition. An underwater inspection revealed that the hull of the M/T Mary Queen of Charity was intact and showed no signs of grounding.
Sagay Marine Reserve Resource Assessment head Roberto Togle said that mishandling rather than structural damage was likely the cause of the molasses spill. Although Mollases is not listed as a hazardous liquid, the Department of Environment and Natural Resoources (DENR) is assessing whether its dissolution in water poses any risks to marine life.*
