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Wednesday, September 10, 2003
EMB to shipping company: Clean up Boracay waters
THE management of Asian Shipping Corp. was ordered by the
Environment Management Bureau (EMB)-Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to clean up the waters of Boracay where one of its cargo vessels spilled about four tons of coal while on its way to Cebu.
"They will not be allowed to leave the area until they clean up the waters," said Samson Guillergan, EMB acting regional director, in a press statement.
The barge, Rizza, was cruising along the eastern coast of Boracay Island together with a tugboat, Michael, on Aug. 18 when it tilted and spilled some of its load at least 200 meters from the shoreline of the first-class resort Fairways and Bluewaters Country Club.
The coal came from Semirara Coal Corp. in Semirara island, Antique.
Capt. Mike Labatiao, commander of the Coast Guard Auxiliary in Caticlan, said the barge's captain tried to maneuver the vessel towards the shore but strong winds and heavy downpour prevented them from docking safely.
Malay municipal officials and Coast Guard authorities sent divers to the area to investigate and verify the damage.
It was later confirmed that about one ton (1,000 kilograms) of coal was spilled in the area about 250 to 300 meters away from the shoreline and another three tons (3,000 kilograms) 200 meters away.
Further investigation showed that the area where the coal was spilled is about 20 meters deep, 50 meters away from the coral reefs.
We fear that the coral reefs might have been damaged by the dissipating fine coal particles, Guillergan said.
Rescue vessel Eunice was dispatched to help in the clean-up but only a portion of the oil spill was recovered.
Asian Shipping Corp. also sent a team of divers but on Sept. 4, the clean-up was stopped.
The Coast Guard found out that the coal lifted from the sea bottom drains back to the sea with fine coal particles.
These fine coal particles are feared to dissipate in the white sand, Guillergan said.
The Asian Shipping Corp. management is required to institute precautionary measures in the clean-up, he added.
Guillergan said the fine coal particles that mixed up with the white sand and spread under the sea bottoms could have an environmental effect to the surrounding coral reefs.
It is also feared that it will result to the ultimate destruction of the corals, he added.
Moreover, the EMB chief said the dissipation of the fine coal particles in the seawaters worsened by bad weather and southeasterly winds might cause an environmental devastation in the seawaters of Boracay Island.
Guillergan said both the Asian Shipping Corp. rescue group and the rescue ship Eunice are not allowed to leave the shores of Boracay island until they are given a clearance by the Coast Guard and the municipality of Malay.
They will not be allowed to leave until the stack of coal under the sea have been satisfactorily gathered, collected and cleaned up and the spillage's environmental impact is mitigated, he added.
Malay Mayor Cicero Cawaling also directed the management of Asian Shipping Corp. to deposit a guarantee fund for the clean-up operation of the Boracay waters in the future.
(September 10, 2003 issue)
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