“When banks like JBIC fund destructive projects like the LNG terminal of AG&P, they are also funding the loss of livelihood of fisherfolk like us. We trust that they will be thorough in the conduct of this investigation. On our part, we will be vigilant to make sure that fisherfolk and communities in the VIP are given justice"
“We the fisherfolk in the VIP are facing a very difficult life. We are crying for help. Aside from declining fish catch, fossil gas (projects) are sprouting here and there, producing very dirty emissions that are dangerous to human health and polluting the Verde Island Passage,”
Even before commercial operations began, AG&P’s Linseed import terminal impacts were already infamous.
A 2022 report revealed alarming levels of pollutants, including heavy metals like phosphates, chromium, copper, and lead, in the water near the gas facility construction site. While fish biomass in the area remains high, marine biodiversity and fish abundance have declined compared to other parts of the Verde Island Passage, due to stressors. In 2024, the Court of Appeals issued a decision on a Continuing Mandamus case filed by groups including Protect VIP, CEED, and BMB urging the DENR to issue guidelines on the designation of non-attainment areas in the VIP under the Clean Water Act - which entails preventing new sources of pollution in sites that already exhibit high levels of pollutants.
Determined to hold those responsible accountable, Bukluran ng mga Mangingisda sa Batangas, fisherfolk leaders with the Protect VIP network, filed a complaint with JBIC in December 2023. The complaint pertains to the bank’s failure to monitor AG&P’s compliance with Philippine laws, failure to properly classify the environmental sensitivity of the project, and failure to take action as demanded by their own guidelines.
