Wednesday, November 29, 2006 Scientists can't ascertain timetable for rehabilitation of Guimaras By Erwin Ambo S. Delilan
ILOILO CITY -- Top scientists gathered for a two-day scientific conference on the assessment of damages caused the oil-spill in Guimaras failed to determine the duration of the rehabilitation program.
In a press conference held at the Grand Hotel Tuesday afternoon, Jose Maria Lorenzo Tan, president of World Wildlife Fund (WWF)-Philippines, said not one of the scientists present during the conference could give the exact period needed to fully rehabilitate Guimaras.
Tan said the main reason could be the "lack of basic knowledge regarding oil spill."
Tan told mediamen that each of the scientists has his/her own estimate depending on the scope of the affected environment that is to be rehabilitated.
"For example, rehab plan for shellfish environment is different from the rehab plan for mangroves, fishing grounds, coral reefs, among others. Even the livelihood, water sources and health problem of the affected people also have different rehab plan designs," he added.
The group (of scientist) said each of the affected natural resources has its own recovery date.
Nevertheless, Petron's chairman and chief executive officer Nicasio Alcantara said their company is committed to even spend billions of pesos just to keep their promise not to abandon Guimaras until it is fully rehabilitated from the oil-spill damages.
Today, is exactly 110 days since the oil tanker m/t Solar I, loaded with 2.19 million liters of bunker fuel, sank off Panay Gulf near Guimaras island to a depth estimated at 640 meters.
The spilled oil affected almost the entire coastline of the towns of Nueva Valencia, Sibunag and San Lorenzo.
A total of 3.357 families were affected, involving 27 out of 40 barangays.
A total of 220 kilometers of shorelines were also blanketed by the oil sludge damaging about 454 hectares or 48 percent of mangroves area as well as 58 hectares of seaweed farms.
"We assure the public that we have our insurer which pay P51 million in yearly due that is ready to fund the rehabilitation program in Guimaras," Alcantara said.
He has also assured the public that Petron will not make-up for the rehabilitation expenses by "jacking up prices of Petron fuels."
To cope with the expenses, Alcantara said they (Petron) will probably cut back their operational expenses.
He, however, refused to divulge the approximate amount needed for the project.
On the other hand, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) has already shelled out a total of P5 million for the partial monitoring and assessment of damage in Guimaras, disclosed Glenn Rabonza, current NDCC's executive officer who was also at the press conference Tuesday.
Rabonza also revealed their proposed revisions on the oil spill contingency plan - the none use of chemical dispersant to contain the still underwater sludge and rerouting of oil tankers to keep them from passing through any marine sanctuary.
Undersecretary Manny Gerrochi of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), on the other hand, said that with the newly-concluded scientific conference, "at least we could now have the concrete detailed plan that will enhance, augment and support the rehab plan of Guimaras Governor Rahman Nava."
"Our findings in this conference will back up Nava's plan making it more realistic as it is base on the actual observation and scientific assessment," he added.
Meanwhile, among the areas covered by the biological assessment include the mangrove and seagrass, submerged coral reefs, bethnic infaunal assemblages and grassbed, crabs and shrimps, mollusks, microbial population, health consequences and effects, nutritional status of vulnerable household members, workers' protection, psycho-social study, health care services, perceived effects and coping strategies, international compensation regimes, chemical assessment, environmental quality on coastal waters and fisheries and aquatic resources.
The scientists were from the University of the Philippines-Visayas, Silliman University, West Visayas State University, Kagoshima University in Japan, DENR, UP-Philippine General Hospital, International Oil Pollution Fund, among others.
