The provincial government of Negros Oriental incurred losses after around 10,000 milkfish (bangus) fingerlings died due to wastewater contamination in Bais City.
Provincial Agriculture Office (PAO) chief Emmanuel Caduyac said the fingerlings, about four inches long, were in three of 11 ponds at the Provincial Aquaculture Complex in Barangay Panambalon.
“The bangus fries appear to have died due to lack of oxygen after wastewater spillage from the nearby ethanol plant found its way into our ponds,” Caduyac told the Philippine News Agency.
The decades-old aquaculture project supplies affordable fingerlings to local growers and sells harvested bangus to generate revenue for the provincial government. Fingerlings cost PHP1 each, while market-ready milkfish sell for PHP200 to PHP220 per kilo.
Although the loss of fingerlings is minimal in direct value, Caduyac said their potential market worth could have reached PHP500,000 or more had they matured.
The PAO is now rehabilitating the affected ponds, but efforts are hampered as Bais Bay remains contaminated with “spent wash” from the United Robina Corporation (URC) Bais Distillery.
Environmental group Kahugpungan para sa Kinabuhi ug Kinaiyahan, Inc. (Kinaiyahan) urged URC, regulators, and other stakeholders “to act swiftly and decisively” regarding the wastewater spill.
The group demanded transparency and accountability, calling on URC to release details of the incident and for the DENR and EMB to publish investigation results. It also sought a robust cleanup, compensation for affected communities, and stronger safeguards to prevent future environmental damage.
