PRESIDENT Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has ordered an investigation into the massive wastewater spill from the Universal Robina Corp. (URC) Bais Distillery in Negros Oriental, with sanctions and legal action now under consideration following widespread environmental and livelihood damage.
Malacañang press officer Claire Castro, in a media briefing at the Palace on Wednesday, said the President, who was immediately informed of the incident, directed the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to coordinate with the Philippine Coast Guard and local government units pertaining to urgent containment measures.
Castro said the DENR has already met with URC Bais Distillery officials and ordered them to address the spill immediately.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has also instructed affected residents to temporarily avoid fishing and collecting aquatic products to ward off health problems.
Castro added that authorities are studying whether to file charges against URC for possible violations of Republic Act (RA) 11038, also known as the Expanded National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) Act, which covers the Tanon Strait Protected Seascape near the affected area.
“We are also looking at the possibility of filing charges based on RA 11038),” she said.
The Palace stepped into the issue amid public outrage in Negros Oriental over some 255,000 cubic meters of wastewater that spilled into Bais Bay and nearby coastal areas after the distillery’s lagoon wall collapsed on Oct. 28.
The spillage has caused massive fish kill, pollution, and the displacement of coastal families and businesses.
The Manjuyod local government has since declared a 90-day state of calamity, while the provincial government reported the loss of around 10,000 milkfish fingerlings at its aquaculture complex in Barangay Panambalon.
Local officials have also demanded accountability and long-term safeguards.
Fisherfolk and residents, meanwhile, have staged protests outside the URC facility, calling for compensation and immediate assistance as the environmental impact continues to spread across Negros Oriental’s coastal communities.
