P114m in oil spill claims filed

AN INITIAL batch of 3,457 victims from the fisheries sector has so far filed a combined P114 million in financial compensation claims for the economic losses that they suffered due to the MT Princess Empress oil spill, Surigao del Sur Rep. Johnny Pimentel, a member of the House committee on ecology, said on Sunday.

“Those figures from the International Oil Pollution Compensation Funds, or IOPC Funds, are very preliminary. Additional claims from capture fishery alone have probably been submitted by now, but have not been aggregated and reported yet,” Pimentel said.

DILG distributes new fire trucks to local gov’ts

LOCAL government units (LGUs) nationwide will have new firetrucks after the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) turned over 56 units to the Bureau of Fire (BFP).

In a news release on Sunday, the DILG said the fire trucks will be distributed to Ilocos Region, six units; Cagayan Valley, three; Central Luzon, five; Calabarzon, seven; Mimaropa, four; Bicol, three; Western Visayas, three; Central Visayas, four; Eastern Visayas, two; Zamboanga Peninsula, four; Davao Region four; Soccsksargen, five; Cordillera Administrative Region, two; and Northern Mindanao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, National Capital Region, and Caraga, one each.

Each truck has a complete set of firefighter’s personal protective equipment and breathing apparatus, hoses and nozzles, foam generating nozzle with alcoholresistant - aqueous film forming foam, and other tools and accessories using the appropriate fire service standards adaptable to the country’s conditions.

DILG Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. said the fire trucks are among the 94 units of 1000-gallon capacity fire trucks under the 2022 BFP procurement plan.

Sixty-three more units and other modern equipment are expected to be procured within the year.

“The distribution of these modern and state-of-the-art fire trucks is a testament that President Marcos and the DILG’s top priority is the safety of our communities and citizens),” Abalos said during the turnover ceremony at the BFP headquarters in Quezon City on Friday.