THE oil spill, which resulted from the capsized tanker Princess Empress, continues to spread and is said to be approaching the Verde Island passage. In this archipelago, the transport of oil primarily relies on sea transport which consequently creates a sense of apprehension on threats of oil spills happening but, at the same time, motivates concerned parties, particularly the government, to prepare for such an eventuality.

Confronting an oil spill incident was one reason why the Philippines ratified the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1992 (CLC), the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage 1992 (1992 Fund Convention), and the Oil Pollution Preparedness, Response and Cooperation (OPRC) 1990. The civil liability convention requires a shipowner to maintain insurance or financial security to cover his liability for damage to the environment to be afforded the right to limit his liability.