IN FOCUS: How a devastating oil spill has sparked new fears about Southeast Asia’s gas ‘feeding frenzy’

The crisis that may occur, which sparked a crisis that has persisted to this day, was illustrative of the growing fear among the medical community, environmental organizations, and energy analysts. & nbsp,

In particular, a regional rush to expand the fossil fuel industry, particularly in the form of liquefied natural gas ( LNG ) hubs and possibly many more activated oil and gas fields, is endangering the environment, climate, and livelihoods of the local population.

According to Mr. Ivan Andres, the assistant head of research and policy from the Center for Energy, Ecology, and Development( CEED ), a non-governmental organization in the Philippines that focuses on lasting energy, industry and management,” more and more tankers – LNG ships will be able to go through the area.”

” Of course, there are more possibilities of capsizing and fatal events like the one we saw in Oriental Mindoro given the increased number of these containers in the area.”

Big delivery and possibly hazardous cargoes are one of the signs of that industry’s expansion. The development of offshore oil and gas boring has also drawn more attention, as has the leak of heavy metals into waterways.

In the Philippines, Batangas, a town to the south of Manila in southern Luzon, is the hub of business activity. There, new or rebuilt power plants and LNG stations are being quickly put online as part of the country’s infrastructure.

The MT Princess Empress had been traveling through lakes in and around Batangas that were frequently used by tankers and cargo ships. LNG ships are becoming more and more prevalent.

They are the same waters used for generations by small-scale fisherfolk from places like Pola, the community worst hit by the oil spill, toNaujan, the epicentre of the disaster response activities for the weeks and months that followed after the incident.

These developments, beginning with the oil spill, the local growth of fossil fuel and LNG, as well as the numerous problems being faced by the coastal communities and fisherfolk, are unquestionably a wake-up call for increased safety and safeguarding of the Verde Island Passage, Mr. Andres said.

The factual data indicate that the Verde Island Passage’s value and health are deteriorating. It serves as evidence that its latest laws and policies are inadequate.