Island Folk prepare booms made of corn stalks: Oil slick may be heading for Bantayan Island

Bantayan Island folks are now bracing for the possible arrival of an oil slick sighted in the Visayan Sea between Bantayan Island, Masbate and Biliran waters through a satellite photograph taken last Thursday.

Antonio Oposa, team leader of the Visayan Sea Squadron, said the slick is about 18 kilometers off Madridejos' shores. The quantity and quality of the slick could not be determined yet and he surmised it might be just thin films of oil.

Oposa's team was supposed to conduct an aerial survey yesterday of the slick but bad weather stalled their operation. Captain Paul Anthony Rosita, who was to fly their plane said they could not penetrate the thick clouds and heavy rains that poured past noon yesterday.

Heavy rains and thick clouds also covered at least 20 nautical miles between Bantayan Island and Masbate.

Marine biologist Gary Cases, a member of the Visayan Sea Squadron said they have been closely coordinating with Mayor Mac John Seachon of Esperanza, Masbate. Masbate, part of the Visayan Sea, is also seen as possible destination of the slick. Cases said Seachon texted him that they have not conducted their sea borne survey also due to bad weather.

Oposa remains optimistic the crisis will soon be over since the sunken vessel has already been located. His team will conduct a sea borne survey of the area where the oil slick was sighted today if weather permits.

Since last Friday, Bantayan folks have started making booms out of corn stalks and hay as stoppers of the oil slick should it reach their shores.

Volunteer Rolando Baldon said he was prompted to help because he fears the oil slick's possible impact on the marine wildlife.

A meeting was also called by mayors Geralyn Escario of Bantayan town and Letty Mancio of Madridejos town to come up with measures on how to deal with the oil slick.

Two weeks ago the M/T Solar I which was chartered by Petron to transport 50,000 gallons of bunker fuel to Iloilo City, was sunk by a typhoon off Guimaras Island, spilling copious amounts of oil. - with Flor Perolina/BRP