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Saturday, September 09, 2006
2-year-old boy who died of asthma is 1st oil spill-related fatality
By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
A TWO-year-old boy was declared the first casualty of the oil spill that contaminated parts of Guimaras province.
Alejandro De Castillo Jr., according to the Department of Health (DOH), died of severe asthma, which was triggered by the "killer fume" emitted by the month-old oil sludge and debris stocked just beside their house.
De Castillo was from Naoway Island, one of the worst-hit islands in Guimaras.
Region 6 Health Director Lydia Depra-Ramos confirmed De Castillo's death as being caused by the spill based on records of the Guimaras Provincial Hospital where the victim was declared dead on arrival last August 28.
In a telephone interview, Carlos Tan, Petron's health, safety and environment officer, said he needs first to hear the official report from the DOH.
However, he stressed that in case it is confirmed, Petron will definitely extend assistance for the family of the victim.
"As of now, it is still premature to say something about the assistance since we have no official basis yet about De Castillo's death. But one thing I am sure is that Petron is more than willing to give due assistance to the bereaved family," Tan told Sun.Star Bacolod.
De Castillo was reportedly attacked by asthma at around 5 p.m. on August 28.
He was rushed to Guimaras Provincial Hospital but after a 30-minute travel by sea and land, the boy expired before arriving at the hospital.
Earlier, Remelio Dalida, a fisherman from Barangay Lapaz in Nueva Valencia town was also reported to have died of the fumes caused by the oil spill.
Later, the DOH refuted the report by showing the official health record that Dalida only died of heart attack.
Meanwhile, DOH Region 6 on Friday disclosed that at present, there are 707 respiratory cases both in Iloilo and Guimaras that may have been triggered by the oil spill.
Tan, on the other hand, said as of presstime Friday, Petron was able to clean a total of 120 kilometers of the Guimaras shoreline.
It was also able to gather a total of 1,300 metric tons of oil and debris.
Presently, Petron has 70 regular employees and 1,600 hired local residents doing the clean-up operations.
Each is paid P300 per day.
"No let up. If we feel and see that there is really a need to increase the number of workers, we will do that just to speed up the clean-up operations," Tan added, also reiterating the statement of Joey Campos, Petron's Vice President for Marketing, that the gas giant won't leave Guimaras until the mess is over.
If there's a need for us to stay for one year, three years, or even five years in Guimaras until this province is restored, we will do that because we are already committed to help clean and restore Guimaras, Campos said.
As to the plan to salvage the ill-fated Solar 1 from the belly of Panay Gulf, Tan said it is the Philippine Coast Guard that is tasked to receive the recommendations from Fukada Shipping Agency, the company contracted to do an under water survey using the remote-operated-vehicle (ROV).
Tan said he is yet to receive to receive a report or message from Fukada.
Campos, in a press conference in Bacolod Wednesday, clarified that the salvaging of Solar 1 will solely depend on the Coast Guard.
Negros Occidental Governor Joseph Marañon, on the other hand, expressed disgust over this pronouncement of Campos as he also feared that the longer the Solar 1 stays at the bottom of the sea, the more it will cause damage to Guimaras, Negros and Iloilo.
(September 9, 2006 issue)
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