STATE OF CALAMITY LOOMS: Guimaras town reels from oil spill

The town of Buenavista in Guimaras province may be free from indigenous cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) but it has not been spared from the ill-effects of the oil spill that hit Iloilo Strait last week.

Mayor Eugenio Reyes of Buenavista, Guimaras said they are currently reeling from the effects of the oil spill while trying to maintain their COVID-19-free status.

“Kon indi ka-pangisda aton pumuluyo paano ang ila pangabuhian, pagkagutom. Ang epekto sini sa ekonomiya kag palangabuhian dako gid kay gapangatubang ta pa gani sang Covid-19 nga problema kag nadugang pa ini,” Reyes told Daily Guardian.

According to Reyes, almost half of the barangays in their town were directly affected by the oil spill that reached their coasts.

“Close to half or 17 out of our 36 barangays are currently affected by the oil spill. May mga nakita kami na mga oil sludges sa mga baybayon and sa shorelines,” he lamented.

Reyes said that he is planning to recommend the declaration of a state of calamity to the Municipal Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council (MDRRMC).

The oil spill also took toll on the livelihood of coastal area residents as oil sludge contaminated the water.

“Ang dako nga impact ang palangabuhian gid ang mga fish cages, mga lambat, kag nets may yara na sang mga oil sludge. Naapektuhan gid ila pangabuhian,” he said.

Reyes said he received reports of fish kill in several barangays in Buenavista due to the oil-contaminated water.

“Dako ang epekto sa mga mangingisda kalakip man mga lawod damo man nagkalamatay tuga sang haklo sang isda sa oil sludge,” he said.

In Brgy. Getulio, milkfish or “bangus” fingerlings were decimated, according to Reyes.

The mayor admitted that they are struggling to contain the oil spill despite the presence of spill booms due to the wind and current changes.

“Naga-linapta ang mga oil sludges. Gabalik-balik despite may spill booms kay kis-a may low tide, high tide, kag galain-lain ang huyop sang current kag hangin dugangan pa nga kadako pa kag kalapad sang shorelines kabudlay icontain,” he added.

Residents of the affected coastal areas number to about 6,000 to 8,000.

Reyes said 60 percent of the residents are dependent on fishing as their main source of income.

Aside from their livelihood, even the mangroves in the town of Buenavista were also hit by the oil spill.

“Mabudlay indi tanan nga coastal barangays puro baras, may portion nga mangroves kabudlay tinluan. Ang mga mangroves may tendency na magkalamatay,” he said.

The mayor also raised his concerns over the health aspect of the residents in the coastal barangays.

“Ang ikaayong lawas concerned man kita kay gabalik-gabalik lang ang oil sludge. Ang mga residente nga gatinlo ginamano-mano lang nila kuha kag pala ang mga oil sludge,” he said.

Power Barge 102 of Ayala-led AC Energy Philippines exploded in Bo. Obrero, Lapuz, Iloilo and triggered the oil spill on July 3, 2020.

The company claimed that the oil spill had been fully contained since Friday following the rapid deployment of its personnel with the help of the Coast Guard, Petron Corp. and Global Business Power Corp. who sent their oil skimmers and multi-layered spill booms to facilitate the immediate clean-up effort.

In previous interviews, the company said they will be hiring personnel from the affected areas in Panay Island and Guimaras to help in the clean-up effort and provide them with compensation in return.

According to Reyes, the company said they will be hiring 20 individuals in every coastal barangay that were severely hit by the oil spill.

AC Energy assured that they will be providing them with appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) and P500 daily wage.

Reyes only hopes that the company will stay true to its commitment.

“Naga-apelar kita sa AC energy nga kon sa diin dapat balikdon nila kag tagaan sang komunikasyon ang mga residente nga directly naapektuhan sang sining oil spill,” he said.

In August 2006, Guimaras was severely devastated from the “worst oil spill in the country” that was caused by the sinking of MT Solar I.

Reyes said they are struggling as he foresees that it would take them months and even years to recover from the spill.

Apart from Buenavista, the spill also affected eight barangays in Jordan and two in San Lorenzo, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office. (ERS)