Director and Claims Managers visit the Philippines

The Director, Gaute Sivertsen, visited the Philippines during the week of 1 September 2025 to hold meetings with officials from the relevant national authorities involved in the Princess Empress and Terranova incidents. Mr Sivertsen was joined by Claims Managers, Matthew de Plater and Ana Cuesta.

During their visit they met with Commodore Christopher Meniado and colleagues from the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila. The Director gave a presentation on the role of the IOPC Funds and provided guidance on the claim submission and assessment process. The PCG provided an update on the progress made on the preparation of its claim for compensation following the impact of the Princess Empress incident.  The incident occurred in February 2023 and the three-year time bar for lodging claims in this case is therefore approaching. The IOPC Funds Secretariat took the opportunity to draw attention to the time-bar issue and urged the PCG to submit its claim as soon as possible.

The IOPC Funds also met with the Head of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Bulacan, Retired Colonel Manuel Lukban Jr.  A general introduction to the role of the IOPC Funds was provided before discussions focused primarily on the Terranova incident and the claims that PDRRMO and other local government units in Bulacan will likely be looking to submit.

A further meeting was held with Undersecretary Raul Vasquez of the Department of Justice. The Director again emphasised the importance of government agencies submitting their claims relating to the Princess Empress prior to the time bar.  Mr Sivertsen and the Claims Managers also provided an update on the progress on the assessment and payment of claims in the Princess Empress incident and the claims collection process for the Terranova incident, confirming that the assessment of submitted claims had begun for this later incident, which occurred in July 2024.

Finally, meetings were held with the Maritime Authority (MARINA) Administrator, Sonia Bautista Malaluan, and with the BFAR Fisheries Resource Management Team.  All meetings were focused on sharing information and developments and strengthening awareness about the claims process, in particular with regards to the strict deadline for claim submission.

The Director is grateful to all the officials who took the time to meet with him and Mr de Plater and Ms Cuesta during their visit to Manila.  It is always important to have strong cooperation between the IOPC Funds and the State impacted by an incident.  In the case of the Philippines, it has unfortunately suffered two significant incidents within 18 months of one another. However, the ongoing dialogue and regular engagement between the Government, the insurers and the IOPC Funds Secretariat have greatly assisted in the steady progress made in ensuring those impacted by either spill will be compensated for their losses.