Princess Empress incident – IOPC Funds’ Director conducts onsite visit to the Philippines

IOPC Funds’ Director, Mr Gaute Sivertsen, and Claims Manager, Ms Ana Cuesta, returned to the Philippines from 6 to 8 June 2024 and held meetings with officials and stakeholders involved in the Princess Empress oil pollution incident.

The Philippines is a Party to both the 1992 Civil Liability Convention and the 1992 Fund Convention, and the IOPC Funds has worked closely with the insurer of the Princess Empress, the Shipowners’ P&I Club, following the incident. This cooperation led to the establishment of a joint claims submission office (CSO) and several mobile claims collection centres, also known as “caravans”, to facilitate the submission of claims for compensation by those affected by the oil spill in remote areas.

During this latest visit, the Director and the Claims Manager met with representatives of the 1992 Fund Member State’s Department of Justice, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and other stakeholders.

The team also travelled to Calapan, where the Claims Submission Office is located, and to Puerto Galera. In the latter, they visited two barangays where the process of payments was taking place, with fishers signing receipt and release documents and receiving their unique payment code enabling them to collect their compensation at a remittance centre. Throughout their engagements in the Philippines, Mr Sivertsen explained the role of the IOPC Funds and provided guidance regarding the submission of claims.

He commended the officials and all stakeholders for their cooperation with the IOPC Funds and affirmed the organisation’s commitment towards facilitating the submission of claims and to ensuring the prompt payment of compensation to all eligible claimants.

Further information regarding the latest developments in the Princess Empress incident is available  here, and specific information for claimants, including claim forms, which are available in both English and Tagalog, can be accessed here.