Camiguin’s pristine waters in danger

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Just last January, Camiguin, a volcanic island province known for its sandbars, hot springs and pristine natural landscape, made it to The New York Times’ “52 Places to Go in 2026.”

Ranked 37th, Camiguin, described as a water lover’s paradise, was the only place in the Philippines that made it to the list which was topped by Revolutionary America, Warsaw, Bangkok, Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica and Bandhavgarh in India.

But just when this small island is finally gaining the world’s attention, its reputation as an international tourist destination is now being threatened.

This is after the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) launched a full-scale investigation into an incident involving a passenger ferry that was caught on video discharging what appeared to be untreated sewage directly into the waters off Camiguin province.

Social media on May 13 captured the actual discharge of apparent wastewater from MV Super Shuttle Ferry 6 near its port of call in Benoni, Mahinog town, Camiguin. The footage showed the ship releasing a murky-looking liquid from a portion of its hull directly into the sea.

The vessel is operated by Asian Marine Transport Corp. (AMTC) which has been struggling to keep up with nearly P5 billion in defaulted loans. The Philippine Coast Guard detained the vessel on May 26.

In a letter to the Environmental Management Bureau, Camiguin governor Xavier Jesus Romualdo said that the alleged act may result in adverse environmental impacts on marine biodiversity and coastal ecosystems.

EMB Region 10 instructed the provincial environment office on May 25 to immediately convene a multi-agency task force to inspect AMTC’s ship. The provincial environment team was given five days to report its findings and recommendations.

Mahinog Mayor Rey Lawrence Tan said inspectors from the municipal government found that the vessel had no septic tank system and no proper drainage installed in the kitchen area which are basic sanitation infrastructure.

A separate inspection by the Coast Guard found at least three violations: sewage discharge without treatment or disinfection within twelve nautical miles of the nearest shoreline, insufficient sorbent materials on deck for use in cleanups and no posted garbage disposal regulation placards in areas visible to passengers and crew.

The incident is not the first time an AMTC vessel has been caught discharging waste into Camiguin waters.

In 2013, the Coast Guard sanctioned the company’s Super Shuttle Ferry 1 after Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources personnel witnessed the vessel discharging around 10 liters of oil sludge near Benoni port, with the slick spreading toward the shoreline. The skipper was cited for the discharge and for failing to notify the Coast Guard.

Creditors have been pressing AMTC to settle loans it has failed to pay despite two rounds of restructuring. Last year, Land Bank filed a complaint in court seeking the seizure of 11 AMTC vessels and several assets mortgaged against P3.413 billion in unpaid loans. The Development Bank of the Philippines is separately pursuing P1.479 billion from the company.

Still too much unfinished business

A constitutional crisis is unfolding in the Senate, but its repercussions are turning out to be even more serious.

The Philippines officially lost its bid to secure a non-permanent seat on the UN Security Council for the 2027-2028 term which Malacañang directly blamed on the political noise and tensions coming from the Senate.

The first disruption of Senate business happened when the minority walked out on May 26, which broke quorum during debates on the proposed rules amendment covering remote participation. The minority had procedural grounds for its objection.

And then on June 3, 12 senators convened, declared all leadership positions vacant and elected Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian as the new Senate President pro tempore. The new majority invoked the 1949 Supreme Court ruling in Avelino vs. Cuenco, which recognized a quorum of 12 as valid in a Senate of 24 when two members were legally unable to participate.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano disputed the ruling’s applicability, arguing that the Senate had formally adjourned before the June 3 session convened, which means the Avelino doctrine, premised on a continuing session, does not apply. Under the Constitution, conducting Senate business requires a majority of all its members. The majority of 24 is 13. Senate rules provide the grounds for removing a Senate president: resignation, death, absolute incapacity or removal by the required vote. None of those conditions, according to Cayetano, were present on June 3.

Despite this, the Senate bloc aligned with Cayetano proceeded with the hearing on the public works corruption scandal last Thursday in defiance of the committee reorganization announced by the new majority that designated Senator Gatchalian as acting Senate president and Sen. Erwin Tulfo as Blue Ribbon Committee chair.

President Marcos said that he is inclined to call a special session of Congress to salvage the legislative agenda after the Senate lost several session days amidst the leadership dispute that stalled legislative proceedings.

The President expressed concern that disruptions in the Senate could affect the passage of priority measures intended to address pressing economic concerns.

Whether the courts ultimately agree with Cayetano or with the new majority, the dispute itself signals that the Senate has consumed its final session days in a leadership contest rather than in legislation and oversight.

The flood control investigation and the impeachment trial both require a functioning and organized Senate.

So much time wasted. With so many important bills still pending, the country’s future has once again been held hostage over nothing.

President up, VP Sara down

The Filipino people’s keen interest in understanding the issues being raised against Vice President Sara Duterte and about her performance could be the reason for the increase in their awareness of her impeachment trial in the Senate as well as for the recent decrease in her survey rating, according to OCTA Research president Ranjit Rye.

OCTA’s Tugon ng Masa (TNM) first quarter survey showed the first-ever decrease in VP Sara’s performance rating in the National Capital Region (NCR) and Balance Luzon, while President Marcos’ satisfaction rating and trust rating increased.

VP Sara’s performance ratings in the TNM survey dropped by seven points in NCR, six in Balance Luzon and four in the Visayas. Among respondents belonging to the Class D, her rating dropped by five points. Only Mindanao showed an increase, up by four points to 83 percent. Nationally, the number of undecided Filipinos on her job performance rose four points.

In the survey conducted on March 19-25, the President’s trust rating improved from 48 percent in the last quarter of 2025 to 54 percent, while his performance rating rose four notches to 55 percent.

All these, however, were before the global oil crisis.

Rye noted that the second quarter of 2026 was very hard for the everyday Filipino, adding that this is why both Houses of Congress should prioritize urgent national concerns such as inflation, wages, affordable food and jobs.

As for the impeachment trial, he noted that 69 percent of Filipinos support the impeachment trial and that what they are supporting is not conviction but the process as a way to move forward.

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