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Thursday, August 31, 2006
PB to Petron: We appreciate the offer, but boycott stays
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
THE Iloilo Provincial Board recognized Petron Corporation's efforts in containing the spill caused by its chartered oil hauler, M/T Solar 1, which sank, but the pronouncement of boycotting its petroleum products remains.
"I've seen the sincerity and effort of the corporation to contain the spill, but there was no assurance of totally solving the problem, which is to re-float the sunken vessel which they chartered or siphoning the remaining 1.8 million liters," Board Member Domingo B. Oso Jr. said.
Though the corporation gave assurance that a Japanese Salvage Vessel-Shinsei Maru is coming this week to the sunken area to "locate the position of M/T Solar 1", by using its Remote-Operated Vehicle (ROV), there is no "assurance that the ship will be re-floated nor the unspilled oil will be siphoned."
Oso was the proponent of the board's resolution "encouraging Ilonggos to boycott Petron products" if it does not re-float the vessel or siphon the unspilled oil in M/T Solar 1.
Petron asked that they be given until November to properly act on the problem but the PB members find it too long a timeline that the ship might blow up and the spill to totally contaminate the Visayan Sea.
On the one hand, the PB has agreed to the suggestion of Governor Niel Tupas Sr. to give the corporation one week in properly addressing the situation otherwise do the conditions of the PB and all other local government units here. Or else, a boycott shall be announced officially.
Meanwhile, Sta. Barbara Municipal Council Member Bing Gonzaga expressed unity of his constituents in the encouraged boycott.
Dumangas Mayor Rolly Distura voiced urged for a boycott earlier.
Experts
Meanwhile, the Provincial Government wants to gather many environmental experts and scientists here in a forum, to evaluate and make comprehensive recommendations on the course of actions to save the ecological areas affected of the oil spill.
Through the initiative of Board Member and Chairman on Environment Committee, Lilia Gonzales, the PB has approved the conduct of the forum at the Capitol.
In her proposed resolution, Gonzales cited that though "there were matters published regarding the oil spill, no concrete and definite course of action had been proposed."
The forum's purpose is to make concrete findings on the effect of the spill, which would pave the way to finding out the best action to take in addressing the spill.
Financing the activity is yet to be settled. Gonzales's committee will create a proposed program of activities to ascertain the expenses and prepare the venues and start inviting resource persons.
(August 31, 2006 issue)
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