GUIMARAS, Philippines – The crew from Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza and marine experts from
the University of the Philippines Visayas (UPV) on Monday set up booms
at the most critical areas in Taklong marine reserve, which is highly
threatened by the oil spill. The booms, made of bamboo, rice straw and
sacks, were made by UPV to serve as a prototype for communities who
plan to use indigenous and biodegradable materials to stem the tide of
oil slick from their coasts. Equipment for oil spill clean-up, boots
and gloves were also donated to officials managing the marine reserve.
Meanwhile, Guimaras
Governor Joaquin Nava, in a joint press conference with Greenpeace at
Taklong marine reserve, expressed frustration for the absence of
commitment from the national government and Petron to halt the worst
oil spill in Philippine history which smothered important marine
ecosystems and has already affected 40,000 people on the island.
Greenpeace fears,
however, that the worst may yet to come if the remaining 1.9 million
litres of Petron oil contained in the sunken tanker is unleashed into
the sea.
"We reiterate our
demand for Petron to immediately raise the ship out of the seabed or
pump out remaining oil from its tanks. Unless this is quickly dealt
with, there looms the prospect of a bigger catastrophe," said Von
Hernandez, Campaign Director of Greenpeace Southeast Asia. "Relief
operations must continue to help the people of Guimaras. Petron must
also compensate villages for loss of their livelihood, and set up
plans to give these communities long-term livelihoods. It appears now
that Petron is just making them janitors for the oil spill."
Greenpeace urges the
Philippines government to conduct a wider impacts assessment work,
which must include all affected areas in Guimaras, Iloilo and Negros.
The government must also hold Petron accountable for the long-term
rehabilitation of the affected marine sanctuaries, mangrove areas,
reefs and coastal ecosystems.
"The impacts of this
oil spill on the environment will linger for years, even decades. The
government must learn from this disaster and put in place policies
that protect the marine environment and millions of Filipinos who rely
on them for food and livelihood," said Hernandez.
The Esperanza is in
the Philippines on the latest leg of her global Defending Our Oceans
expedition to highlight the wonders and the environmental threats to
the world's oceans and to campaign for the establishment of marine
reserves around the world. Scientists recognize the Philippine
archipelago as the world's centre of marine biodiversity, but is also
the most highly threatened due to pollution, and destructive fishing.
