Tubbataha tells U.S. Embassy to 'actualize, not verbalize' settlement of coral damages

From the Philippine News Agency (Jan 7): Tubbataha tells U.S. Embassy to 'actualize, not verbalize' settlement of coral damages

In its continuing quest to seek settlement for damages caused on more than 2,000 square meters of corals in the Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park (TRNP) by the USS Guardian, Tubbataha Management Office (TMO) top executive Angelique Songco denied firmly Tuesday that it is not true that they did not communicate with the U.S. Government.

In an early morning local radio interview on the said day, the obviously perturbed TMO manager stated firmly that they immediately communicated with the U.S. government last April to seek for compensation for over 2,000 square meters of damaged corals that the minesweeper warship caused when it ran aground in Tubbataha.

“They know that we wrote to them early, and they replied to us two times, acknowledging the receipt of our letter,” Songco asserted.

Songco also maintained that their communication with the U.S. government is within the knowledge of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in the Philippines since they were furnished with copies.

“They told us that what we did was out of protocol, but being superintendent of the marine park does not know international diplomacy course. Nonetheless, we acknowledged our mistake, and we furnished them copies that they acknowledged also. Meaning they know, but they’re just storytelling on this,” Songco added.

Songco furthered that particularly for this year, sadly, the funds that the TMO were able to save from donors, supporters and patrons for the maintenance of the marine park, have been depleted to rehabilitate the park.

“The funds that we’ve saved from years back, those we kept for rainy days and for the next few years, are now already on their end. And we are getting anxious and nervous,” she said, adding they spent big amounts to complete the assessment, including that of the damages caused by F/V Min Long Yu.

The US$ 1.5 million the TMO is trying to collect are miniscule to be considered for the U.S. government, said Songco.

“The amount is probably little to them, but it means the world to us, to Tubbataha to maintain its protection,” she said.

Songco said that U.S. government’s reply told them that it was willing to pay for damages, but recently, they were told that there was a new claims process to be followed to be able to make the settlement.

She said it should “actualize, not verbalize” what it is willing to do in lieu of the damages its warship caused to Tubbataha.

”This is really unfair. The USS Guardian caused the damage, however, it is the Philippines and Tubbataha that have to beg to be paid,” she stated.

http://www.pna.gov.ph/index.php?idn=2&sid=&nid=2&rid=602501