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Tuesday, September 12, 2006
267 city fisherfolk seek assistance amid oil spill threat
By Lory Ann B. Bilbao
ILOILO City's 267 registered fisherfolk coming from six oil sheen affected coastal villages, asked for "immediate assistance" to alleviate their "economic displacements."
Iloilo City Disaster Management Office OIC Jose G. Papa represented the fishers' request in a letter addressed to Mayor Jerry P. Treñas Friday last week.
The letter stated that out of the 267 registered fishermen affected, 86 were living in Barangay Sto. Niño Sur; 56 in Sto. Niño Norte; 19 in Calaparan -- all villages of Arevalo District; 14 were in Barangay San Juan and 57 in Calumpang, Molo District and; 35 in Bito-on, Jaro District.
The village chiefs reported the number and requested Papa to write to the proper agencies.
"The M/T Solar 1 oil spill along the southern waters of Guimaras, had caused a big alarm and have displaced the daily sustenance of the fisherfolk of their respective villages, more particularly when the presence of bunker fuel debris and patches were observed within the area starting August 31, 2006," the letter stated.
"Because of information that the city's coastal areas were affected of the oil spill, the sales of fish have gone down, the fishermen said," Papa said.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources recently forwarded the city's test result to the City Agriculturist Office and said that fish is still free from oil and is still safe to eat.
However, the fishers who were used to earn more or less P1,000 out of their fish catch, now there was only an approximately P100 sale.
Papa said there were more than 267 affected fishermen. Some were in Boulevard, South and North Baluarte, which were also identified to have been affected with the oil spill.
Bunker fuel debris and patches were found in the waters of these coastal villages, said Papa, but its fisherfolk can't be included in the request because they weren't registered.
There are 24 coastal villages in the city and 16 in the province that were found to have oil sheen in their waters.
The 267 only reflected the fishers from six villages not even close to half of the affected areas. However, said Papa, it isn't too late for the fishers to register so as to avail of the economic relief that would made available for them once the request would be acted upon by the concerned agency.
Papa said that the Mayor said he would forward the request to the proper agency. Meawhile, Papa said he would furnish a copy of which to Presidential Adviser for Western Visayas, Raphael Cosculluela, hoping that the National Disaster Coordinating Council would be notified and so as Petron "so they would be informed and the request of the fishermen be addressed properly."
In whatever form of relief, the fishers would be glad to receive but they most prefer cash to cover up their economic needs, said Papa.
The city remains prepared for the possible spill from the sunken oil tanker. Oil spill booms from various villages and oil absorbent, provided by Petron are ready for installment when the patches turn into thick oil.
Papa also said that the patches have not reached the shores as of Monday.
(September 12, 2006 issue)
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