It’s oil spill déjà vu for Guimaras

By Francis Allan L. Angelo

 

It’s déjà vu for the island province of Guimaras as 20 villages claimed to have been affected by the oil spill triggered by an explosion in Power Barge 102 of Ayala-owned AC Energy Philippines last July 3, 2020.

The term déjà vu is French which literally means “already seen.” It describes the feeling of an overwhelming sense of familiarity with something.

Guimaras was the epicenter of the August 11, 2006 oil spill triggered by the sinking of oil tanker MT Solar 1 owned by Sunshine Maritime Development Corp. and chartered by Petron off the southern coast of Guimaras. It was considered the worst environmental mishap in the Philippines.

An estimated 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel damaged more or less 300 kilometers (190 miles) of coastline, including stretches of pristine beach in the island province, particularly the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, a marine sanctuary for feeding and breeding ground for fish and other species.

In a press statement, the provincial government of Guimaras said bunker fuel from PB 102 contaminated the shorelines of 20 barangays in the municipalities of Jordan and Buenavista.

Based on the survey conducted by the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO), the affected barangays are Rizal, Hoskyn, Balcon Milleza and Morobuan in Jordan and Montpiller, Rizal, Sto. Rosario, Magsaysay, Zaldivar, Sawang, Taminla, Dagsaan, Tacay, Getulio, San Miguel, Navalas, Bacjao, Tanag, Umilig and Avila in Buenavista.

Social media posts by residents in affected areas showed how the bunker fuel decimated fish farms in the province.

Guimaras PDRRM Officer Teresita Siason said municipalities and the coastal barangays of the province were immediately alerted of the oil spill incident.

Siason said barangays immediately deployed spill booms and initiated the clean-up operation.

Commander Jose B. Jacinto Jr. of the Philippine Coast Guard-Guimaras station said that they had conducted coastline patrol to identify areas affected by the oil spill.

Jacinto said that they advised and assisted the affected barangays on the deployment of improvised oil spill booms.

Jacinto added that they have also requested assistance from the Philippine Coast Guard-Iloilo Station on the removal of the bunker fuel.

“The bulk of oil spill entering our ports is dependent on the sea current. Minsan nandiyan sa ports, maya-maya nababalik ulit sa gitna ng Iloilo Strait. After we finished our improvised boom, we will try to contain the oil,” Jacinto said.

Explosion from Power Barge 102 of the Ayala-owned AC Energy Philippines docked at Barangay Bo. Obrero, in Lapuz, Iloilo City caused 251,000 liters of bunker fuel to spill into the Iloilo Strait.

The power barge was estimated to be loaded with 268,000 liters of bunker fuel when the explosion happened.

The oil spill is among the biggest since 2006 when 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel spilled into the waters of Guimaras after motor tanker Solar 1 sank.

Guimaras Governor Samuel T. Gumarin cautioned the residents in affected barangays on the health hazards brought by the bunker fuel.

“Ang bunker fuel kadamo sang chemicals nga dala niya that will affect sang ikaayong lawas sang aton pumuluyo. Kun ara na gid man ini sa aton shorelines, we will handle this carefully. Dapat may PPEs (personal protective equipment) kita,” Gumarin explained.

He also lamented the effect of the oil spill on the marine resources and the livelihood of the people in the island province, especially that Guimaras is fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

“May pandemya kita, nagasaka man ang numero sang dengue fever, naglupok pa gid ini. Aside sang tawo, ang aton naman coastal areas, ang source na naman sang aton mga sud-an ang maigo,” he added.

Gumarin said that the province is coordinating with the Office of the Civil Defense and the Philippine Coast Guard for the clean-up operation.