Thursday, September 07, 2006
President vows to make Guimaras 'rise from oil spill calamity'
MANILA -- President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo on Wednesday promised residents of Guimaras that the island would be "great again" despite the national calamity brought about the Solar 1 oil spill last month.
Arroyo formed the Metro Iloilo-Guimaras Economic Development Council (MIGEDC) that would oversee the development of Iloilo City, five municipalities in Iloilo and the whole Guimaras province.
The President, on her third visit to Guimaras since the oil spill last August 11, ordered the justice department "to ensure an airtight care" against those who would be found liable for oil spill.
Arroyo also assured that there would be no whitewash in the investigations while Press Secretary Ignacio Bunye said, "no one culpable in this national tragedy shall walk away scot-free."
"As we clean up the coast of Guimaras with all the intensity we can muster, we will make sure that there will be no whitewash in ferreting out the truth behind the accident. I am directing Secretary (Raul) Gonzales of the DOJ (Department of Justice) to ensure an airtight case against those found liable for violations of law," Arroyo said.
She also ordered the agencies involved in the cleanup, both from government and the private sector led by Petron Corporation, to speed up the cleanup.
She said Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC) from Guimaras and Negros and Panay Islands could be tapped to assist in the cleanup. He said it could form part of their ROTC requirements and merit system.
Arroyo said the government and the residents of Guimaras are all committed in wiping out the oil smudge and in seeing to it that the "this accident will not tar the reputation or the future of Guimaras."
She pledged to make Guimaras "great again" and "its future as bright as the beaches like the one outside here, will be clean."
"To those who have offered help and prayers, the best way to thank you is to make this declaration: It will take more than an oil slick to sink this island. The disaster has been effectively contained but as we speak, the effective handling of the Solar 1 oil spill shall be sustained. The cleanup continues and will be intensified as we bring into the fold of justice the responsible parties of the spill, and the rehabilitation effort is being fast tracked," she said.
Arroyo issued Executive Order (EO) 559 creating the MIGEDC, which would formulate, coordinate and monitor programs, projects and activities that would accelerate the economic growth and development of Guimaras and the municipalities of Leganes, Oton, Pavia, San Miguel and Sta. Barbara in Iloilo.
The MIGEDC will be chaired by Guimaras Governor Joaquin Carlos Rahman Nava and Iloilo City Mayor Jerry Treñas with Mayors Carina Flores of Oton, Adolfo Jaen of Leganes, Arcadio Gorriceta of Pavia, Gregorio Villarico of San Miguel and Isabelo Maquino of Sta. Barbara as members.
Executive Secretary Eduardo Ermita said the creation of the MIGEDC was brought about by the oil spill in Guimaras.
Meanwhile, the Task Force Guimaras said the Japanese salvage firm and other agencies are due to submit a formal recommendation on Thursday how to recover the remaining bunker oil at the sunken Solar.
"I'll be getting in one and half day or two days the official recommendation of Fukada Salvage," said Defense Secretary Avelino Cruz, task force chairman.
The recommendation is expected to be prepared in collaboration with the Petron Corporation, which hired Solar I; the International Oil Compensation; Philippine Coast Guard; and PNI Club, Petron's insurance firm.
Cruz said he has been told that the recommendation will include the siphoning of the remaining oil. "Preliminarily, what they are looking at is to siphon the oil remaining in the vessel," said Cruz.
"This preventive measure of siphoning of the oil from of the sunken vessel, while expensive, can be subject of re-compensation from the IOPC fund. It will be an expert company that will be doing this," he said.
Cruz also said one of the 10 containers of oil inside the tanker is already empty.
"Out of the 10 containers, one container is emptied already and one container is slowly leaking. They don't know what exactly is the amount of oil that is still there," added Cruz.
At the same time, Cruz urged residents and establishments affected by the oil spill to file their claims from the IOPC fund. The fund shoulders damage incurred from oil-related calamity. "There is a US$300 million fund that can answer for the damages and losses incurred," said Cruz, adding that IOPC and PNI representatives are currently in Guimaras conducting seminars on how the residents can file their claims.
"One of the options they (IOPC) are thinking is to set up an office in Guimaras to receive the claim or pass this to their insurance adjusters here in Metro Manila," said Cruz, adding that the office of Energy Secretary Rafael Lotilla will be assisting the residents in filing their claims.
"Secretary Lotilla of the DOE (Department of Energy) will oversee and assist the PDCC (provincial disaster coordinating council) in filing the claims, establishing the claims procedure, informing people what document or documents would be needed so that they can file the appropriate claims relating to property damage, preventive measures, cleanup operations, environmental damage and other economic losses," said Cruz.
Cruz also said a multi-agency has completed the draft on the proposed rehabilitation of Guimaras. He said the draft will be submitted to the PDCC for approval and later on to President Arroyo. (JMR/VR/Sunnex)
(September 7, 2006 issue)
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