PCG: Oil spill 30% controlled

CEBU, Philippines - Atleast 30 percent of the outflow of oil from the ill-fated M/V Thomas Aquinas, which sank after colliding with a cargo ship last week has been controlled, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said yesterday.

“30 percent yong reduction rate na lumalabas. May initial nag-report na rin sa akin na very thin lang yong lumalabas na oil,” PCG Central Visayas Chief Commodore William Melad said, citing that they already took appropriate measures to address the spillage.

Melad is also looking into the possibility of salvaging the sunken ship once the clearing of the remaining oil in the sunken ship’s tank and plugging down of the leak holes are done.

According to the PCG, a Vessel Traffic Management System (VTMS) may also be employed to enhance the safety and monitoring of the ships.

“Para rin itong air traffic controller kumbaga. Iko-call natin yong attention nila kung sa tingin natin wala na sila sa linya or mabilis masyado yong takbo nila,” Melad said.

Cebu City Councilor Gerry Carillo, during the meeting of the Incident Management Team yesterday, said that the PCG is still considering the use of indigenous materials as effective means of preventing the spill.

He is also pushing for the reconciliation on the number of fatalities to avoid further confusion.

He reiterated that the discrepancy may have rooted from the discovery of the body parts since the Cosmopolitan Funeral Homes and the Scene of the Crime

Operatives considered a body part as one fatality.

“We need to sit down and reconcile this item. We called upon Dr. (Expedito) Medalla to reconcile the figures because there are body parts that belong to the same body,” Carillo added.

As of 11am yesterday, the PCG reported 76 fatalities. One of the remains found in the island of Cuaming in Inabanga, Bohol, and four from an island in Lapu-Lapu have not been accounted for yet.

Carillo also stated that the Department of Social Welfare and Development encouraged the Local Government Units of Cordova, Lapu-Lapu, Mandaue and Cebu City to tap their local disaster funds to aid the families affected by the tragedy.

Meanwhile, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources will issue fines and penalties to the management of 2GO if it fails to fulfill it’s commitment to undertake clean-up operations on the oil spill.

DENR cited Sec. 27a of DAO 2005-10, which pointed out the liabilities one may face for discharging, depositing or causing to be deposited, material of any surface water.

DENR said the oil spill caused water pollution and impeded the natural flow of the body of water.

The oil contaminated spoils that are recovered along the shores of Day-as and Catarman in the town of Cordova are categorized as Hazardous Wastes as it has the characteristic of being flammable and poses health risks through continuous exposure, DENR added.

Due to this, DENR reminded 2GO that failure to undertake clean-up operations, willfully or through gross negligence, shall be punished by imprisonment of not less than two (2) years and not more than four (4) years and a fine of not less than fifty thousand pesos (P50,000.00) and not more than one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000,00) per day for each day of violation.

DENR added that failure or refusal, which results in serious injury or loss of life and/or irreversible water contamination of surface, ground, coastal, and marine water shall be punished with imprisonment of not less than six (6) years and one (1) day and not more than twelve (12) years.

It has also a fine of five hundred thousand pesos (P500,000.00) per day for each day during which the omission and contamination continues.

DENR pointed out that pursuant to Section 28 of DAO-10 2GO shall be liable for fines and penalties which include the amount of not less than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00) or more than two hundred thousand pesos (P200,000.00) for every day of violation.

Based on the recommendation of DENR, the fines shall be increased by ten percent every two years to compensate for inflation and to maintain the deterrent function of such fines, until such time that proper environmental safeguards are put in place.

According to DENR, if 2GO also fails to commit and observe DENR Administrative Order No. 2004-36, which states that generators of hazardous wastes which includes used oil, oil contaminated materials shall comply with the requirements for proper storage, handling, transport and disposal of hazardous wastes.

DENR convened with 2GO, Cebu Megalube and Sangguniang Bayan of Cordova, to address the problem considering that their first plan to use chemical, sawdust and coconut husks only brought danger to the mangroves.

EMB Officer-In-charge of Pollution control division, William Cuñato, concurred with the second option to use cordons with absorbent booms that will serve as oil separator.

Cunato said the cordon will be placed meters away from the shoreline, adding that 2GO will be on top of the operation.

Cuñato also said that with the cordon on the surface, it will prevent the oil from coming off shore.

With this, 2GO will do the scooping to remove the oil spill, Cuñato added.

According to Cuñato, one of DENR-EMB’s priorities is to save mangroves.

Cebu Mega Lube Manager Andrew Co said they are willing to help in the proper dispossal.

“We have to look at the best result and we have to follow a concrete plan”, said Cuñato. (FREEMAN)