Fisherfolk group PAMALAKAYA-Negros called a sham the consultations conducted by the Department of Energy on the scheduled gas drilling operation of Japan Petroleum Exploration Inc. at the Tañon Strait in November.

The group said in a press statement that DOE 7 Director Antonio Labios and Shigehiro Moriya of JAPEX are visiting mayors in northern Negros explaining the oil exploration drilling, but presenting only the benefits of the projects.

PAMALAKAYA-Negros said the DOE and JAPEX excluded "the real stakeholders, the marginal municipal fisherfolks" in the consultations.

"They made us believe that the visits and the information drive are consultations required by the law on Environmental Impact Statement (Presidential Decree 1586) to (make it) appear that there is widespread support for the project," PAMALAKAYA-Negros spokesperson Joan Locsin said.

After meeting with Negros Occidental Governor Marañon last Wednesday, the JAPEX group will visit Escalante Mayor Beboy Yap next, the group said.

PAMALAKAYA-Negros said the JAPEX oil exploration project is facing widespread opposition for its negative impact to the marine environment and the people's livelihood.

More than 70,000 marginal fisherfolk depend on the marine ecosystem of Tañon Strait, which is part of the Visayan Sea Basin and considered by environmentalists as "host to the world's richest marine biodiversity."

"PAMALAKAYA vigorously protests the proposed activity of JAPEX. We urge JAPEX to cease all preparatory activities pending resolution of the protest by the local fisherfolk," Locsin said.

They said the dislocation of fisherfolk and the destruction of their livelihood and of the marine ecosystem are concrete and strong grounds to reject the project.

We must not sacrifice the environment and national patrimony in favor of the profits of transnational companies, Locsin added.*

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