Negros Oriental board pushes for transparency in Bais Bay wastewater probe
Negros Oriental Board Member Erwin Michael Macias leads provincial officials in inspecting the collapsed portion of the URC Bais Distillery lagoon that spilled wastewater into coastal waters off Bais City and Manjuyod on Thursday, 30 October.
Photo courtesy of Erwin Macias
ILOILO CITY — The Negros Oriental Provincial Board is demanding full transparency in the ongoing investigation into the wastewater contamination in Bais Bay, as lawmakers move to keep the public and the provincial government informed of developments.
Board Member Erwin Michael Macias, who chairs both the Committees on Environment and Disaster Risk Reduction Management, said they have been formally included in the technical working group (TWG) created to investigate the incident involving United Robina Corporation’s (URC) ethanol plant.
“We were earlier out of the loop and learned about the incident only through social media, until I called for a special session attended by URC officials to give us a detailed report on the wastewater spillage,” Macias told members of the press on Friday.
The TWG is headed by DENR–Negros Island Region Director Charlie Fabre, who was designated as the point person for the investigation.
Macias, along with other provincial officials, conducted an on-site inspection on Thursday of the 17-hectare wastewater lagoon whose earthen wall collapsed earlier this week, releasing massive amounts of industrial effluent—known as “spent wash”—into the sea and affecting fishing and coastal livelihoods in Bais City and Manjuyod.
He clarified that while the Provincial Board’s role in the probe remains “minor,” the DENR and the Tañon Strait Protected Seascape’s Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) are leading the technical assessments.
“We are waiting for the TWG to complete its studies and data gathering before identifying what actions to take to prevent similar incidents in the future,” he said.
Macias added that the findings from the wastewater incident will guide the province’s disaster-response planning and future environmental legislation.
A proposed ordinance addressing the aftermath of the wastewater spill—including the reported fish kill and disruption of livelihoods—will be introduced at the Provincial Board’s regular session on Monday, although Macias declined to reveal details ahead of its filing.
“This is both an environmental and humanitarian concern. What we learn from this will shape how we protect our people and hold industries accountable,” he said.