Execs watch for fish kill from Olongapo oil slick
By Allan Macatuno - Inquirer
OLONGAPO CITY—While efforts have been intensifiedfected areas in Subic Bay.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said even if they have contained the oil slick, its residues remain hazardous and could pose risks to public health and the bay’s marine life.
“Although we cannot quantify the environmental damage of the oil slick in the waters of Subic, we are still closely monitoring a possible fish kill,” Arreza said.
He said the SBMA has also provided mitigating measures to protect the Ocean Adventure Theme Park at the Subic Bay Freeport to save several whales and dolphins from possible poisoning due to the spill.
“We have bought some dispersant agents, such as oil skimmers, as part of the clean-up efforts,” Arreza said.
Mayor James Gordon Jr. said the vessel that was believed to have dumped used bunker oil off the waters of Subic Bay on Thursday might have come from Mariveles, Bataan.
He said a foreign vessel could have dislodged the used oil since no ship was anchored within Subic Bay.
Arreza has advised residents and visitors to avoid water activities, such as jet skiing, in Subic Bay “since the oil slick is hazardous to health.”
The sludge has reached the beach fronts of at least 20 resorts in a 7-km stretch of shoreline in Barangay Barretto here, prompting village chief Carlito Baloy to order the temporary closure of beaches to the public.
“Most of the beaches are not suited for swimming and water sports activities,” Baloy said.
“This is actually the first time we experienced this and so we are trying to gather all beach resort owners and other stakeholders to form composite teams to fast-track the clean-up operations,” Gordon said.
SBMA officials were still trying to trace the source of the bunker oil that was placed in plastic bags found floating on the bay on Thursday.
“We are checking all vessels that came here [to] find out if they have the same kind of plastic bags that were dumped off Subic’s waters,” Arreza said.
Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Administrator Armand Arreza said even if they have contained the oil slick, its residues remain hazardous and could pose risks to public health and the bay’s marine life.
“Although we cannot quantify the environmental damage of the oil slick in the waters of Subic, we are still closely monitoring a possible fish kill,” Arreza said.
He said the SBMA has also provided mitigating measures to protect the Ocean Adventure Theme Park at the Subic Bay Freeport to save several whales and dolphins from possible poisoning due to the spill.
“We have bought some dispersant agents, such as oil skimmers, as part of the clean-up efforts,” Arreza said.
Mayor James Gordon Jr. said the vessel that was believed to have dumped used bunker oil off the waters of Subic Bay on Thursday might have come from Mariveles, Bataan.
He said a foreign vessel could have dislodged the used oil since no ship was anchored within Subic Bay.
Arreza has advised residents and visitors to avoid water activities, such as jet skiing, in Subic Bay “since the oil slick is hazardous to health.”
The sludge has reached the beach fronts of at least 20 resorts in a 7-km stretch of shoreline in Barangay Barretto here, prompting village chief Carlito Baloy to order the temporary closure of beaches to the public.
“Most of the beaches are not suited for swimming and water sports activities,” Baloy said.
“This is actually the first time we experienced this and so we are trying to gather all beach resort owners and other stakeholders to form composite teams to fast-track the clean-up operations,” Gordon said.
SBMA officials were still trying to trace the source of the bunker oil that was placed in plastic bags found floating on the bay on Thursday.
“We are checking all vessels that came here [to] find out if they have the same kind of plastic bags that were dumped off Subic’s waters,” Arreza said.
posted by OlongapoCity Zambales at
6:48 AM
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