More materials needed for boom

CEBU, Philippines - Officials are urging the public anew to donate raw materials that can be used to make an organic spill boom that would protect Cebu City shores from the oil from the sunken M/V St. Thomas Aquinas.

Cebu City Bantay Dagat Director Arnulfo Sebusa said during the regular command conference yesterday that more coconut husks, cogon leaves, nets and jute sacks are needed to produce more oil spill booms.

“We need more coconut husk and jute sack. We got a truckload from a private donor but we need more. We already secured the shores off barangay Inayawan right at the Talisay-Cebu City coundary portion of SRP, and today (Saturday) we will set up additional booms at Duljo Fatima,” Sebusa said.

The first two days of installation, which started three days ago, had approximately 50 meters of booms in two layers along the shores of Inayawan, protecting the spillway connecting waterways in the interior portion of the city.

Sebusa explained about 500 meters more of oil spill boom is needed to secure the remaining coastal barangays from oil spill.

While Bantay Dagat in cooperation with quick response team is applying this “proactive measure”, Sebusa stressed the oil has not officially entered Cebu City coastal barangays.

“As per monitoring of the sea current, the oil is no longer heading to Cordova but to Talisay city. But we are still on the lookout just in case it enters our waters,” he said.

While some fishermen were found to have cut the first batch of booms installed near the South Road Properties, Sebusa said he has met with Cebu City fisher folk who were accordingly convinced of the importance of guarding the oil spill boom and our shores from the ill-effects of the spill to the marine habitat, as well as to their livelihood.

With this, some 30 of them volunteered to help the city government  produce oil spill boom and monitor the boom installed at the shores.

Moreover, DOLE and DSWD have pledged to give the affected fisher folk aid in forms of livelihood and goods to meet basic needs considering that fishing in nearby seas have been halted due to contamination.

Meanwhile, Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes Manager Engr. Bong Ebo reported that the total fatalities have reached 98 with 39 missing and 35 unidentified.

The office of Councilor Mary Ann Delos Santos also reported a total of four survivors left at the hospitals with three in Chong Hua Hospital and another one in Perpetual Succour Hospital.

On Monday morning, Mayor Michael Rama will lead the blessing and floral offering off Lawis Ledge where the sunken ship lies following a collision with cargo vessel M/V Sulpicio Express Siete last August 16. – (FREEMAN)