Calimlim: No second oil spill in Subic Bay

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — Contrary to reports, there was no second oil spill off the coast of Grande Island in Subic Bay, an executive of the Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) said yesterday.

Nevertheless, SBMA senior deputy administrator Jose Calimlim said their oil skimmers are ready for any eventuality.

"The report of another oil slick was a false alarm. What we saw was debris that may have drifted (there) because of the strong current," he said.

Calimlim said the oil slick that affected seven kilometers of beaches in Barangay Barretto last weekend, could have triggered the report.

Olongapo City officials have directed a cleanup of the polluted beaches, but some residents still reported a thin film of oil in the water.

"We spotted some oil sheen during the inspection, but it was very thin and was possibly part of the debris that was floating around," Calimlim said.

He gave assurances that SBMA personnel would attend to the oil-slicked garbage washed back and forth by the current.

SBMA ports deputy administrator Percy Suballa and seaport general manager Perfecto Pascual accompanied Calimlim during the inspection on board MV Binictican, the SBMA’s patrol vessel.

The MV Binictican is an oil-skimming vessel whose equipment was loaned to the Philippine Coast Guard to help in the cleanup of the massive oil spill in the coastline of Guimaras.

Pascual said the SBMA has dispatched garbage collector-type ships to remove the floating debris in the Subic Bay.