A containment lagoon of an ethanol plant in Bais City, Negros Oriental collapsed after heavy rains, spilling wastewater into Bais Bay and turning its waters black, sparking concern among residents and officials over the incident’s impact on livelihoods and marine life.
Many locals depend on fishing as their main source of income, and they worry the contamination will harm marine life and their daily sustenance.
“Grabe ka itom among dagat tungod kuno ini sa Ethanol, kapanagat pa ba ang mga mananagat ani? Apektado kami, mga isda nagkalamatay na. Gin abusaran ato’ng dagat,” said resident Lisa Cadalin, expressing frustration over the darkened seawater. (Our sea has turned very dark, allegedly because of the ethanol. How can fishermen still fish? We’re affected, the fish are dying. Our sea has been abused.)
Officials from Bais City and Manjuyod, together with representatives from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Environmental Management Bureau (EMB), Protected Area Management Board (PAMB), and barangay captains, met with Universal Robina Corporation (URC) management on Monday, October 27, 2025, at the URC Hall to address the incident and coordinate response efforts.
Gokongwei’s URC admitted that one of its containment facilities leaked on October 24, 2025, and caused the discoloration of seawater in nearby areas.
The DENR ordered URC to suspend operations immediately to prevent further environmental damage and ensure proper compensation for affected residents.
As of press time, URC has not issued an official statement, and DENR has yet to release its findings and investigation results.
Meanwhile, Manjuyod, a neighboring town known as the “Maldives of the Philippines” for its white sandbar and vibrant marine ecosystem, also faces potential effects from the contamination.
Residents say the spill threatens the natural beauty and fragile waters that need stronger protection.
Mayor Raffy A. Andaya issued an executive order directing the temporary suspension of all tourism activities, including operations at the town’s famous sandbar, pending cleanup and environmental assessment.
“Effective immediately, the acceptance of visitors and all tourism-related activities at the Manjuyod White Sandbar are hereby temporarily suspended until further notice,” portion of the order read.
It adds that the measure is necessary to “ensure the safety of visitors, residents, and stakeholders” amid the reported contamination caused by lagoon collapse.
The order cited potential risks of contamination to visitors and marine ecosystems.
The URC ethanol distillery remains non-operational as of this writing.
In 2018, residents and local authorities also reported a similar incident involving the same plant after it “intentionally discharged” wastewater into nearby waters, raising environmental concerns that persist to this day.*
Reymund Titong is a Filipino journalist steadily building his voice in the field of news reporting, driven by a commitment to tell meaningful and relevant stories.
He serves as a correspondent for Rappler, maintains a personal blog on Medium, and is the communications officer of Hope Builders Organization Negros Island.