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Monday, March 13, 2006
Power firm commits clean-up of Semirara oil spill
THE National Power Corporation (NPC) affirmed its commitment recently to clean up, rehabilitate, and compensate the areas in Semirara Island affected by an oil spill that occurred last December 2005.
NPC President Cyril C. del Callar reiterated that the state-owned generation company has taken full moral responsibility over the incident, and that it has made available all resources to mitigate whatever effect the oil spill may have on Semirara Island, both to its environment and residents.
Del Callar also assured the senators, particularly Senator Pia Cayetano, who chairs the Senate Committee on Environment and Natural Resources, that NPC is taking extra precautionary measures to prevent the occurrence of such incidents in the future.
The oil spill affected some 113 hectares of mangrove and beach area in the island, comprising of 800-meter rocky and sandy beach (about 13 hectares), 70 hectares of mangrove that were heavily-affected, and 30 hectares of mangrove that were slightly-affected.
On the other hand, almost 160 residents were affected, mostly of fisherfolk and farmers.
"We are doing everything that we can to expedite the clean up. This is the first phase of our total package in mitigating the effects of the oil spill. The second phase, which we want to implement immediately, is the rehabilitation of the mangrove areas and the livelihood assistance for the residents of the affected, comprising of fisher folk and farmers," del Callar said.
In the meantime, the clean-up of the affected rocky and sandy beach is substantially completed.
On the other hand, some 40 hectares or about 36 percent of the total affected mangroves has also been cleaned both heavily and slightly affected.
On the collected oil and oily debris, more than 45,000 out of the estimated 60,000 sacks of the contaminated debris and materials have already been collected by an average of 260 locally hired personnel.
Almost 40,000 sacks out of this number were already transferred to the designated permanent dumpsite.
Forty 210 liter drums of contaminated bunker oil have likewise been collected.
The cost of the clean-up, according to the Philippine Coast Guard, has been estimated at least P90 million. National Power has so far spent P21 million.
"We are doing our very best to expedite the clean-up so that we can immediately start with the rehabilitation of the affected areas. We would also like to immediately begin the implementation of livelihood programs, not only for the 160 individuals directly affected by the incidents, but also those that were indirectly-affected by it," del Callar said.
Foremost in the plan is finishing up the oil spill clean-up, ensuring that no additional damage to the mangroves and other ecosystems in the Semirara environment.
This would be followed by the final disposal of the collected oil debris to the permanent dumpsite.
"After the clean-up, we shall begin the second phase of the program which is the rehabilitation of the mangrove areas and other ecosystems in the island, in collaboration with other concerned government agencies and local government units. Part of the rehabilitation we are proposing is the establishment of new mangrove plantation equivalent to the area affected, which is about 100 hectares," del Callar said.
Task Force
Del Callar said the National Power Task Force was created for this purpose, headed by Senior Vice President Pio J. Benavidez.
One of the responsibilities of the task force, aside from overseeing the clean-up operations, is the coordination with the various agencies involved, specifically in the assessment of the impact of the oil spill on these areas, to determine the possible mitigation measures to be implemented.
Affected residents, on the other hand, shall be provided with livelihood assistance.
"Discussions with the concerned government agencies and LGUs (local government units) are also ongoing to determine the appropriate livelihood assistance that we should provide," del Callar said.
(March 13, 2006 issue)
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