Provide Adequate Support, Alternative Livelihood For Fisherfolk Affected By Bataan Oil Spill – Lee

July 31, 2024 Provide Adequate Support, Alternative Livelihood For Fisherfolk Affected By Bataan Oil Spill – Lee Cong. Wilbert Manoy “Wise” T. Lee stressed that the government should provide alternative sources of income for approximately 19,000 fisherfolk who are potentially affected by the oil spill from the sunken MT Terranova. In his House Resolution No. 1825, Lee seeks to assess the impact to the environment and livelihood of fisherfolk and residents of the oil spill in Limay, Bataan to implement urgent interventions and assistance to help the affected communities and identify possible accountability among those involved in this accident. On July 25, the said oil tanker capsized and sank 3.6 nautical miles east of Limay, Bataan, carrying some 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel oil. The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) earlier estimated that in a worst-case scenario, the oil spill could affect 11,000 fisherfolk in Bataan and 8,000 in Bulacan, with an income loss of P83.8 million and P63 million per month, respectively. “Thousands of fisherfolk are on the brink of losing their livelihood for months due to the oil spill. Katiting na nga lang ang kinikita ng ating mga mangingisda, posible pang mabawasan o wala na talaga silang kitain dahil sa oil spill na ito. Kailangang bilisan ang pagtukoy sa mga apektadong komunidad at ang pamamahagi ng ayuda at alternatibong pagkakakitaan lalo na kung magdeklara ng fishing ban sa Bataan, Bulacan, Cavite at iba pang apektadong lugar,” Lee said. With this, the Bicolano lawmaker called for optimizing existing government programs such as the Department of Labor and Employment’s Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers (DOLE-TUPAD) program, among others, to help affected fisherfolk and residents who might lose income. “Kailangang magdoble kayod ang gobyerno sa implementasyon ng mga programang tulad ng TUPAD para sa mga lugar na inabot na ng oil spill. Bukod sa peligro sa kalusugan, mahirap na hamon para sa mga apektado nating kababayan ang pagkukunan ng pagkain at pagkakakitaan,” he said. He added: “Isa pang mahalagang malaman dito yung coverage ng insurance ng barkong tumaob. Kailangang matukoy ang accountability ng kumpanya ng barko at dapat malaman ang kompensasyon sa mga mangingisda at residente hindi lang sa panandaliang panahon, kundi pati na ang pangmatagalang epekto sa kanilang kabuhayan at pamumuhay.” “Kailangang agarang maipaabot ang tulong na dapat maipaabot. Dapat managot ang dapat managot!” Lee stressed. While the solon recognized the fast response of Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) in putting up containment to fend off the tide of toxic slick and the government’s immediate creation of an inter-agency task force, he said that the country, being an archipelago, should be genuinely capacitated in mitigating effects of oil spills. “Dahil nakikita natin na madalas mangyari ang ganitong aksidente at malawak ang mapaminsalang epekto nito—may mga ulat na umabot na sa Metro Manila ang tumagas na langis mula sa Limay, Bataan at mayroong panibagong barko na naman na sumadsad ngayon sa Mariveles na nagdudulot na rin ng oil spill—dapat handa na lagi dito ang gobyerno. Hindi pwedeng reactionary tayo o saka pa lang tayo naghahanda ng gagawin kapag may nangyayaring ganito,” Lee remarked. “Bukod sa pagkakaroon ng malinaw na mekanismo, magkaroon na rin tayo ng sapat at modernong kagamitan para tugunan ang mga oil spill. Hindi tayo dapat laging nakaasa sa ibang bansa sa aspektong ito.” “Filipinos deserve better crisis management to protect their livelihood so we should demand better from the government. Buhay at kabuhayan ng ating mga kababayan ang nakataya lagi dito”, he added. As the country celebrates “Agriculturists’ Month” this July, Lee undercored the importance of  providing support for fisherfolk and farmers whom he considers as “food security soldiers” in developing the agriculture sector and easing the plight of Filipinos. “Prayoridad natin ang pagsuporta sa ating mga magsasaka at mga mangingisda dahil sila ang nagsisigurong may pagkain ang bawat pamilyang Pilipino. Kapag may tiyak silang kabuhayan, may sapat silang kita, gaganahan silang taasan ang produksyon, abot-kamay ang murang pagkain, at mawawala ang pangamba na magkasakit dahil may pambili ng gamot o pambayad sa ospital,. Winner Tayo Lahat!” Lee said. Leave a Comment Cancel reply Logged in as admin_wilbertleeagriadvocacy. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Latest Post 28 Nov 2024 Expanded Crop Insurance Key to Food Security, Says AGRI Party-list 26 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Urges Senate to Prioritize Crop Insurance Expansion 25 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities Categories Advocay Legislation Support Share on Social Media Support July 31, 2024 Hot News Expanded Crop Insurance Key to Food Security, Says AGRI Party-list AGRI Party-list Urges Senate to Prioritize Crop Insurance Expansion AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities Amid calamities AGRI PL CALLS TO FAST-TRACK EXPANSION OF CROP INSURANCE COVERAGE Cong. Wilbert Lee Stresses Farmer Support as Inflation Solution at Kapihan sa QC Cong. Wilbert Lee: Supporting Farmers is Best Solution to Curb Inflation Cong. Wilbert Manoy “Wise” Lee Advocates for Stronger Support to Farmers Amid Inflation Cong. Wilbert Lee: “Ang pinakamabisang solusyon sa inflation ay pagtulong sa mga magsasaka” Cong. Wilbert Lee Champions Bigger Budget for Agriculture in 2025 Cong. Manoy Wilbert Lee Demands Action on Coconut Farmers’ Health Benefits Amid Delays

Amid Ballooning Agri Losses From El Niño, Lee Urges Gov’t To Bolster Mitigation Effort, Prepare For La Niña

April 25, 2024 Amid Ballooning Agri Losses From El Niño, Lee Urges Gov’t To Bolster Mitigation Effort, Prepare For La Niña With agricultural damage due to El Niño nearly at a staggering P4 billion, AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert “Wise” T. Lee urged the government to bolster efforts in mitigating impacts of El Niño, and prepare for the looming La Niña projected by the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) in June to August this year. “Napakalaki na po ng pinsalang dulot ng El Niño sa ating agrikultura, umaabot na sa halos P4 bilyon. Ikawalong El Niño na ito na dumaan sa ating bansa simula 1980, pero parang nabibigla pa rin tayo,” Lee lamented. “Pagkatapos ng delubyong ito, panibagong hamon na naman sa mga magsasaka at mangingisda ang inaasahang idudulot ng La Niña. Maging pro-active na tayo; balikan natin kung ano at saan ang mga naging kakulangan at simulan nang ipatupad ang epektibong tugon sa epekto ng mga kalamidad. Huwag na nating hintayin pa na dumating ang susunod na El Niño at manalanta ang La Niña bago tayo magpatupad ng mga polisiya na magbibigay ng proteksyon sa ating mga food security soldiers,” he added. Lee noted that the World Bank, in its 2019 study entitled “Striking a Balance: Managing El Niño and La Niña in Philippines’ Agriculture”, had already laid out policy recommendations for the government to follow in order to reduce El Niño and La Niña-related losses. These recommendations are divided into two groups: preparedness and resilience. Preparedness, according to the World Bank, are measures specifically geared toward El Niño and should, ideally, be in place before the next El Niño event occurs. These actions will significantly empower people to cope, respond, and recover from damaging El Niño events. Resilience, on the other hand, are measures that are not specifically tailored to El Niño, but that will build individuals’ and organizations’ ability to adapt to multiple forms of risks and shocks without compromising long-term development. According to the Bicolano lawmaker, the World Bank made several high priority recommendations for preparedness, including preparing response measures when El Niño-related events occur; correcting inefficiencies within the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Niño (RAIN) and the El Niño Task Force; harnessing rebound from La Niña; assessing El Niño-related slow onset disasters and government responses; preparing detailed El Niño risk and vulnerability maps; improving El Niño-forecasting and dissemination; strengthening the early warning capacity of government agencies; strengthening Local Government Units’ (LGUs) capacity to deliver aid and services and prepare for El Niño events; and provide contingency and preparedness funding for El Niño events. “For resilience, the World Bank recommended that we sustain and scale up good practices, including identifying Philippine best practices on El Niño-related themes, and scaling up human and resource capacity,” Lee pointed out. “The path has been laid out for us by experts, all we need is to follow it,” he added. According to the Department of Agriculture (DA), damage to the agriculture sector due to El Niño has already reached P3.94 billion, covering more than 66,000 hectares and almost 74,000 farmers and fisherfolk. Citing reports from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Lee, who hails from Bicol, said a total of P267,390,512 in agricultural losses was reported in Albay on April 11, following the declaration of a state of calamity in the previous month. Albay is only one of the 103 areas in the country under state of calamity due to El Niño. “Winner Tayo Lahat kung mapapangalagaan ang buhay at hanapbuhay ng ating local food producers dahil nakasalalay sa kanila ang supply ng pagkain ng buong bansa at pagtiyak sa ating food security. Sa masagana nilang produksyon, hindi lang mapapataas ang kanilang kita, mapapababa din ang presyo ng produkto sa merkado, na siya namang ikatitipid ng consumers. Dagdag budget ito ng pamilyang Pilipino, at bawas alalahanin sa iba pang pangangailangan, lalo na sa panahon ng emergency o pagkakasakit!” Lee said. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Logged in as admin_wilbertleeagriadvocacy. Edit your profile. Log out? Required fields are marked * Message* Latest Post 28 Nov 2024 Expanded Crop Insurance Key to Food Security, Says AGRI Party-list 26 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Urges Senate to Prioritize Crop Insurance Expansion 25 Nov 2024 AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities Categories Advocay Legislation Support Share on Social Media Advocacy April 25, 2024 Hot News Expanded Crop Insurance Key to Food Security, Says AGRI Party-list AGRI Party-list Urges Senate to Prioritize Crop Insurance Expansion AGRI Party-list Pushes for Expanded Crop Insurance Amid Calamities Amid calamities AGRI PL CALLS TO FAST-TRACK EXPANSION OF CROP INSURANCE COVERAGE Cong. Wilbert Lee Stresses Farmer Support as Inflation Solution at Kapihan sa QC Cong. Wilbert Lee: Supporting Farmers is Best Solution to Curb Inflation Cong. Wilbert Manoy “Wise” Lee Advocates for Stronger Support to Farmers Amid Inflation Cong. Wilbert Lee: “Ang pinakamabisang solusyon sa inflation ay pagtulong sa mga magsasaka” Cong. Wilbert Lee Champions Bigger Budget for Agriculture in 2025 Cong. Manoy Wilbert Lee Demands Action on Coconut Farmers’ Health Benefits Amid Delays