Coast Guard, Lafayette help contain oil spill

Bunker fuel coming out of a cargo ship that ran aground in Tabaco, Albay last Wednesday has been contained through the efforts of the Philippine Coast Guard and Lafayette Philippines.

The MV Accord was reportedly laden with 58,000 sacks of rice. So far, the bunker has stopped leaking when the hole was plugged after the ship settled on the seabed.

Cdr. Nelson Torre, Coast Guard station head, said he had asked that the shipping company first siphon out the remaining bunker before unloading the rice, which would make the ship float and leak out more bunker.

"A sister ship is already in the area but rough seas and shallow waters kept them from siphoning the oil. We are doing what we can to protect the waters and the nearby fishing villages of Malinao and Tiwi," he said.

Late last year, Lafayette was also among the first to help and rescue the residents affected by typhoons "Milenyo" and "Reming" and acted as overall coordinator for the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)-led effort.

Bayani Agabin, Lafayette spokesman, said the company is always ready to help. "Our capability to quickly react to situations comes from fully complying with all the DENR requirements for responsible mining."