Lawmakers propose P2-B Guimaras cleanup fund

Opposition congressmen proposed yesterday the allocation of at least P2 billion in taxpayers’ money for the oil spill cleanup in Guimaras and neighboring areas.

"This is to kick things off for the part of the government, to start and sustain the initial cleanup, and to assure the communities in Guimaras and adjacent areas that things are actually moving for them," said Minority Leader Francis Escudero.

He said the use of the money for the immediate abatement of the oil spill would prevent pollution from spreading to other areas in the Visayas.

He added that the minority bloc has submitted its proposal to Albay Rep. Joey Salceda, chairman of the House appropriations committee.

Escudero and his colleagues suggested that the P2 billion be taken from the P3-billion rental fees for the EDSA rail transit system, which are included in the proposed P46-billion 2006 supplemental budget.

Iloilo Rep. Rolex Suplico, a member of the minority, warned authorities that the oil contamination is fast spreading in the Visayas.

"It is spilling into the Visayan Sea, and unless contained, it could affect neighboring provinces, including Negros island, Cebu, Boracay, and Masbate," he said.

For his part, Deputy Minority Leader Gilbert Remulla chided Petron Corp. for washing its hands of the oil contamination.

"They are making it appear that they should not be blamed when it was their oil that is polluting the environment in the Visayas. They should be more responsible than that," he said.

Another member of the minority, Parañaque Rep. Roilo Golez, said the Guimaras oil pollution is worse than the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska in the United States 17 years ago.

"In Alaska, 52 million gallons of oil spread into the sea. In Guimaras, the oil spill involved only 500,000 gallons. But there are more people and there is more economic activity in Guimaras than in Alaska, so in terms of per-gallon damage, Guimaras is worse," he said.

He said in Exxon’s case, a court awarded damages totaling $5 billion, but the company had challenged the decision and the case is still pending.

In a related development, Bataan Rep. Antonino Roman urged the Senate yesterday to immediately pass the proposed Oil Pollution Compensation act, of which he is the principal author.

Roman said the House had transmitted the measure to the Senate about a year ago. "With the escalating maritime traffic of oil, the Guimaras incident, following that of Semirara, demonstrates that the risk of oil spill, together with the environmental and economic damage that it can create, may well swell up," he said. — Jess Diaz