Negros Oriental officials are urging United Robina Corp. (URC) to implement long-term solutions to prevent another wastewater spill from its Bais Distillery, which contaminated the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape and affected thousands of residents.
Board Member Erwin Michael Macias, chair of the Provincial Environmental Committee, said the company must ensure its wastewater treatment facilities are upgraded to prevent future incidents.
“We want to be assured that the URC distillery’s wastewater treatment facilities are improved and more resilient to prevent future disasters,” Macias said.
URC Bais Distillery operations manager Rachel Cawit said the company is complying with all Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) requirements and is currently repairing the damaged lagoon. She said the 17-hectare buffer zone will be restored by Nov. 4, but operations will not resume without government clearance.
Environment Management Bureau–Negros Island Region director Vicente Losbañes said about 255,000 cubic meters of wastewater, or “spent wash,” leaked into the sea, contaminating over 1,000 hectares of the Tañon Strait.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) has issued an advisory against fishing and consuming seafood from the area due to possible chemical contamination.
Bais City has declared a state of calamity, while the provincial government is considering a similar move. Around 3,500 families in Bais City and 1,000 in Manjuyod have been affected.
Hundreds of fisherfolk held a peaceful rally at the URC distillery on Wednesday, calling for immediate aid and accountability.