By CESAR JOLITO III
A joint government and private sector response is underway to contain an ethanol spill from a lagoon of the Universal Robina Corporation (URC) Distillery in Negros Oriental’s Bais City, following a leak that caused fish kill and seawater discoloration in nearby coastal areas.
The incident, confirmed by the Bais City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), occurred on October 24, when one of the plant’s containment lagoons reportedly developed cracks due to a combination of recent earthquakes and heavy rains.
Bais CDRRMO head Engineer Roseller Lobaton said the city government and officials from the nearby Manjuyod town immediately convened with the company’s management to implement mitigation and cleanup measures.
“Our focus now is on containment and minimizing the environmental impact. Coordination among LGUs and the company is ongoing to protect the affected communities,” Lobaton said in an interview with GMA Regional TV.
In an official statement, URC Bais Distillery confirmed that a breach in its lagoon wall caused the ethanol-containing wastewater to flow out, describing the event as “unfortunate and triggered by earthquake-induced cracks and relentless rains.”
The company assured that it is working “closely with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources [DENR]” for immediate containment, proper cleanup, and compliance with environmental standards, adding that it is committed to strengthening its lagoon infrastructure to make it climate-resilient.
Following an on-site inspection, the DENR directed the distillery to temporarily halt operations to prevent further contamination and to ensure that affected residents and fishery stakeholders are compensated.
The City Environment and Natural Resources Office and barangay officials from affected coastal areas are conducting daily water monitoring to assess the extent of the spill’s impact on marine ecosystems and local livelihoods.
As of yesterday, cleanup and containment efforts remain ongoing, with URC pledging to work “hand in hand with local authorities” to restore the affected areas and prevent similar incidents in the future./CJ, WDJ