BALANGA CITY — The provincial disaster risk reduction and management council on Aug. 2 recommended to the sangguniang panlalawigan to place Bataan under state of calamity due to the threat of oil spill along Manila Bay.
A fishing ban was also imposed by the Limay municipal government within the four-kilometer radius from where MT Terra Nova sank.
Gov. Jose Enrique Garcia 3rd, PDRRMC chair, said the Bataan SP will act on the recommendation and hopefully approve Monday a resolution on the declaration of state of calamity because of environmental concerns and the effect of the oil spill to the livelihood of thousands, especially those dependent on fishing and tourism.
MT Terra Nova carried 1.4 million liters of industrial oil when it sank off Manila Bay in Limay, Bataan on July 25, while MT Jayson Bradley capsized off Barangay Mt. View and MV Mirola I ran aground off Barangay Biaan, both in Mariveles on July 27.
Bataan is still under a state of calamity that was declared on July 24 because of the damages left by Typhoon Carina.
The governor said the lives of fishermen were not yet back to normal from the reel of the super typhoon and here again, the oil spill. “We need the help of the national government,” he said.
Garcia said that the siphoning of oil from Terra Nova will still begin after two weeks. “Isang linggo kasi ang pag-fabricate ng mga metal capping at isang linggo yung paglalagay so two weeks pa bago ma-siphon. Matagal pa kaya hindi pa makakatulog ang mga kababayan natin, syempre nag-aalala.”
“Humihingi ng palugit na parang dalawang linggo para mapalitan ng metal plug o yung pinaka-nagtatakip doon sa mga valves. Mahalaga daw iyon na mapalitan ng metal capping bago magsimula yung siphon operations kasi very risky, napakaraming langis niyan 34 meters under water, syempre may pressure iyan kahit papaano,” Garcia explained.
He said that the owner was asking for time on the salvaging of the Terra Nova and the siphoning of oil. “Mahirap daw magkamali dahil ang expected halos puno pa yung main tank.”
“Kapag may nangyari, kapag may aberya pwedeng lalo pang lumala ang nararanasan natin ngayon kaya gusto nila pag-aralan mabuti. Dumating ang mga experts na galing sa ibang bansa para i-validate siguro titignan din yung site, titignan yung lahat ng litrato, imaging kung ano ang best way para ma-siphon at ma-lift yung vessel,” Garcia furthered.
Two other vessels are causing problems in Bataan, Garcia said, one of which is MT Jayson Bradley. “Nakita ng mga mangingisda natin diyan sa Mariveles na may nakalutang na nakaangat na parang antenna, tapos ang observation nga nakalubog na vessel.”
“So, walang nag mayday, walang nag-SOS, wala din ang crew doon kaya medyo nakakapagtaka kaya kailangan imbestigahan yan talaga ng PCG. Kanina nandoon kami. Simula pa nga daw noong Sabado may mga isda na naglalasang langis, lasang diesel kaya may mga namili na rin na nagbalik nung isda dahil hindi nila makakain,” the governor said,
Garcia said the real load of the vessel should be ascertained. “Sabi kasi nakapag-unload daw sa Navotas ng diesel fuel tapos hindi ko alam kung bakit siya pabalik dito. Dito na nagkaproblema pero bukod doon sa in-unload na diesel, meron pa siyang yung gamit mismo noong diesel kaya iyon ang kailangan higupin or kung papano man nila pupwedeng iangat itong tanker na Bradley.”
The other vessel the governor wanted to be fully investigated is MV Mirola I found without crew. “Kailangan din imbestigahan kasi ito parang bigla na lang nawala ang mga crew. Wala din nag-report so kailangan masusing pag-iimbestiga kung ano ba ang nature niyan, ano bang license to travel pati mag-voyage tapos bakit nga nangyari. “
Garcia said that the documents of Terra Nova seemed to be in order unlike the other vessels that need to be investigated.
On the fishing ban, the governor said he talked with Limay Mayor Nelson David. “Naglabas na sila ng executive order na ang fishing ban ay four-kilometer radius mula doon sa ground zero kung saan lumubog yung Terra Nova dahil yun nga hindi natin alam kung nagli-leak pa din iyon.”
“So, within four-kilometer radius, doon yung may fishing ban sa Limay. Sa ibang lugar naman, case-to-case nasa mangingisda na alam naman nila na kapag may nahuli sila na medyo itsurang may langis o nangangamoy langis syempre kailangan na i-dispose,” he said.
Threatened by the oil spill are nine of 11 towns and a city in Bataan which are adjacent to Manila Bay, namely Hermosa, Orani, Samal, Abucay, Balanga City, Pilar, Orion, Limay and Mariveles.
“Sa tantiya natin mga mangingisda nasa 14,000-15,000. Isama na natin yung mga nagtitinda sa palengke, isama na rin natin mga tricycle driver, PUV drivers dahil matagal silang hindi nakapagtrabaho noong Carina. Tapos ngayon medyo mahina ang kita dahil nababawasan ang pumupunta sa palengke kaya ang directly affected tantiya namin hindi bababa sa 30,000,” Garcia said.
Garcia said they have requested DSWD for 100,000 food packs for Carina. “Actually, para sa Carina pa lang nga ito eh kasi di ba naghahanda tayo nag-state of calamity kaya iyon ang inaayos natin at nag-request na din tayo ng emergency cash transfer mula sa DSWD for almost 57,000 individuals. Ito na nga yung mga pangunahin na mangingisda, tricycle driver, magsasaka.”
