Marcos: Government to speed up oil spill cleanup

MANILA, Philippines — The government aims to finish the oil spill cleanup in Oriental Mindoro in less than four months, President Marcos said yesterday.

“During the Guimaras oil spill, it took four months before the cleanup was completed. Maybe this time, because the oil spill is a little less, we can speed it up. Even if not in a month, maybe we won‘t last four months,” Marcos said in an interview after attending a Kadiwa ng Pangulo event in Quezon City.

The President was referring to the oil tanker M/T Solar I, which was carrying more than two million liters of bunker fuel when it sank off the coast of Guimaras in 2006.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) had earlier said the oil spill cleanup would likely take more than a month, citing the lack of manpower and equipment.

The Empress was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil when it sank near Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Feb. 28.

Marcos said private companies are providing equipment to help contain the oil spill and prevent it from reaching fishing sanctuaries and tourist areas.

He said he instructed the Department of Labor and Employment and Department of Social Welfare and Development to continue providing assistance to affected individuals through the cash for work program.

11,000 fishermen affected

Up to 11,000 fishermen have been affected by the oil spill, according to the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

In a radio interview, BFAR spokesperson Nazario Briguera said the oil spill may result in the decline in fisheries production in Mimaropa.

“Thousands of hectares of seaweed were affected and the oil slick will also affect the fisheries production, particularly the marine municipal fisheries in Mimaropa,” he added.

Briguera warned the public of a possible shortage in the supply of round scad or galunggong if the oil spill reaches Palawan.

He said BFAR released an initial P4 million to provide assistance to affected fishermen.

Briguera said a fishing ban is being implemented in Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay and Bulalacao following the oil spill.

Oil spill boom

The PCG said installation of an oil spill boom in the area where the motor tanker was believed to have sunk started yesterday.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources said the BRP Hydrographer Ventura detected the site of the sunken vessel 1,200 feet or around 400 meters below sea level northeast of Pola town in Oriental Mindoro.

Oil spill response teams were deployed even as residents and volunteers in Sitio Sabang, Barangay Tinogboc in Caluya, Antique helped in the coastal cleanup and collected “oiled debris” in the affected shorelines.

The PCG said its personnel collected around 92 sacks of oiled debris, sea grasses and used oil absorbent pads during the cleanup drive in Sitio, Bagong Silang in Barangay Buhay na Tubig in Pola.

Meanwhile, the Department of Health convened the Inter-agency Committee on Environment and Health to discuss measures to prevent a possible outbreak of diseases due to the oil spill.

DOH officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said panel members discussed key areas concerning the oil spill and updates on the reported cases of diarrhea in San Carlos City, Negros Occidental. – Robertzon Ramirez, Mayen Jaymalin