More leaks plugged in sunken ship

CEBU, Philippines - Four more holes were plugged yesterday by the joint dive team of experts tapped by 2GO Group, the coast guard reported.

Philippine Coast Guard Cebu Station Commander Weniel Azcuna said the Malayan Towage and Salvage Corporation informed him this.

“Malayan informed our station that they have plugged four more leaks by the experts. A total of eight holes identified and plugged since the first dive. This is unofficial, though, because we have yet to receive the formal report from the joint team,” Azcuna told Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and others present at the city-initiated command conference last night.

At the midday command conference, Azcuna also referred to coast guard experts who told him that human hair is not recommended for oil spill boom saying it is not biodegradable and will only sink when mixed with chemicals.

Instead of human hair, Azcuna said their experts recommended coconut husks.

Rama will discuss with Vice Mayor Edgar Labella the emerging opinions against human hair for oil spill and stressed that he will not be calling for more coconut husks until thorough research and discussion are done on the matter.

Rama wishes to finally end the oil spill crisis as fish vendors and fisherfolks complained of losing about 50 percent of sales one week after the collision of M/V St. Thomas Aquinas and M/V Sulpicio Express Siete.

“What I want to hear is that a week after it happened, retrieval is done and there will be no more leaks,” the mayor addressed those present at the command conference.

Also in attendance were Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes representative Engr. Bong Ebo, Philippine Span Asia Carrier Corporation (formerly Sulpicio Lines) AVP Grant Go and Grace Golez of 2GO Shipping.

On the alleged liability of another shipping vessel owned by Trans Asia, Rama opined that this is not a good thing should they be proven guilty since these shipping companies are holding office in one city, which is Cebu City.

“If it is true that they overtook and did not rescue the passengers and crew of the sunken ship during the collision, it is not a good sign,” the mayor said.

Providing an update on the figures, Golez reported that from the total 870 victims, 733 were rescued composed of 629 passengers and 104 crew.

Death toll has reached 80 with 52 identified and 28 unidentified, while there are 42 missing passengers and 7 missing crew members.

Azcuna presented a lesser number of fatalities with only 78 composed of 48 identified and 30 unidentified. Coast guard listed 42 unaccounted.

Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes said as of 4 p.m. yesterday, there were a total of 79 bodies brought to them with 52 identified and 23 unidentified. Of the identified, 39 were adults and 14 children while unidentified list of fatalities was composed of 18 females and 5 males, all adults.A total of 43 bodies were shipped out from the funeral home and five cremated, while nine are about to be shipped.

Mangrove rehabilitation

Meanwhile, a specialist on oil spill issues says that the move made by the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) Region VII for the mangrove rehabilitation was just a waste of money.

Part of BFAR's allocation of the P1.4 million budget for mangrove rehabilitation and assistance of the fisherfolks in Cordova, was the planting of mangroves.

Dr. Resurreccion “Rex” Sadaba, the program manager of the Oil Spill Response Program (OSRP) of the University of the Philippines (UP)-Visayas, said that this is just a waste of money since this should be done a year after.

“Planting of mangrove propagules should not be done this time since there is still a threat on oil. Waste of money 'yong pag-plant ng propagules, dapat after a year na lang sana,” Sadaba said during the exit presentation of UP Visayas oil spill experts yesterday.

The forum was attended by the representatives of the various government agencies. (FREEMAN)