Philippines: Guimaras Oil Spill OCHA Situation Report No. 1

Source: United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)

Date: 28 Aug 2006
Ref: OCHA/GVA – 0168
OCHA Situation Report No. 1
Guimaras Oil Spill – Philippines

This situation report is based on information provided by the United Nations Resident Coordinator Office in the Philippines, the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) and media reports.

Situation

1. At around 16:00 hours on 11 August, 2006, the Depot Manager of Petron-Iloilo reported that Motor Tanker Solar I with a crew of 20 on board capsized due to weather and sea conditions approximately 16 nautical miles southwest of Guimaras Island. The exact location is N 10 15.31’ E122 29.09’ (13.3 nautical miles south of Lusacan Point, Guimaras) and it sunk to a depth of 640 metres. The tanker was chartered by Petron Corporation, the country’s largest oil refiner, from Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation to transport 13,000 barrels, or 2,067,000 litres, of industrial fuel oil or bunker oil, from Lamao, Bataan to Zamboanga City. Eighteen crewmembers survived while two were reported missing.

2. The tanker has spilled more than 200,000 litres of oil. A new oil spill was also reported in the general area, which is 7.5 kms long towards Guimaras Strait but the rate of the flow from the sunken tanker could not be determined.

3. A “State of Calamity” has been declared for the areas affected. Critical areas in Guimaras Province are in 28 Barangays in 4 municipalities – Neuva Valencia (11), San Lorenzo (7), Sibunag (9), and Buenavista (1); in Iloilo Province: 22 Barangays in 2 municipalities – Concepcion (5) and Ajuy (17); and, in Negros Occidental: 1 Barangay in Pulupandan Municipality. Threatened areas include 2 municipalities in Guimaras, 27 municipalities in Iloilo and 19 municipalities in Negros Occidental.

4. According to NDCC, 17,435 people (3,287 families) in 26 Baranguays on the island of Guimaras have been affected. NDCC also estimates that about 1,128 hectares of mangrove areas and 200 kilometres length of coastline area will be affected in other municipalities of Negros Occidental and Iloilo Provinces.

Municipalities in Guimaras No. of Baranguays Families Persons
Nueva Valencia 11 1,827 9,135
Sibunag 8 1,276 6,380
San Lorenzo 6 384 1,920
Buenavista 1 0 0
TOTAL 26 3,487 17,435

5. Agricultural Land Affected/Contaminated

Municipalities No. of Hectares and Types of Land Affected
Nueva Valencia - 1,143.46 hectares (183 terrestrial land, 960.45 brackish and marine water) of Taklong Island National Marine Reserve consisting of 41 islets in barangays Lapaz and San Roque
- 239 kms length of coastline areas
- 15.8 sq km of coral reef areas
- 105 hectares of mangrove areas
- 42 hectares of seaweed farms
San Lorenzo - 10 hectares mangrove areas
Sibunag - 200 hectares of mangrove areas
- 74 kms length of coastline areas
- 16 hectares of seaweed farms

National Response

6. On 23 August 2006, a Task Force Guimaras, composed of various lead and support agencies, was created to address the oil spill incident as directed by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

7. Two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and two civilian tugboats were seen around the whole day of 24 August 2006, cleaning up the spill. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is currently employing a multi-response action to combat the Guimaras Island oil spill.

8. Assessment Results:

- The need for the retrieval of the remaining oil in the sunken vessel is of paramount concern; this requires modern technology not available locally and there is a need for foreign expertise and assistance.

- The oil spill response operation may take a longer period of time to complete considering the extent of affected areas and the indications of continuous leaking of oil from the source.

- Continuous cooperation and support from the spiller, affected population, private responders, local government units, and other government agencies will greatly hasten the clean-up operation.

9. On-going Clean-up Operation

- The Task Force is supporting the clean-up operations base in Guimaras and supervising the Oil Spill Combat Teams in the shoreline of the affected barangays in Guimaras.

- PCG conducts regular meeting with Petron Corporation, Malayan Spill Operation Center, First Response Marine Service and Hamilton Sundstand Space Systems International on the action to be undertaken regarding oil spill.

- PCG spearheads the conduct of clean-up operation together with fisherfolks hired by Petron Foundation and private responders and in the containment operations.

10. A summary of the humanitarian assistance provided so far is presented below:

Agency/NGO Kind of Assistance Cost of Assistance
(PHP)
NDCC - Calamity Fund for Guimaras
- “ “ “ Iloilo
- “ “ “ Negros Occidental
- 600 sacks of NFA rice for PDCC Guimaras through RDCC-OCD 10,000,000.00
5,000,000.00
5,000,000.00
6,000,000.00
Provincial Government units 44 sacks of rice, 16 boxes and 68 tins of sardines 54,127.00
Municipality/Barangay local government units 60 sacks of rice, 14 boxes and 69 tins of sardines, and 15 boxes and 19 packs of noodles 50,904.00
NGO Assorted goods 146,580.00
DSWD 200 bags of rice 180,000.00
Petron Foundation - 16,410 kgs of rice, 24,615 boxes and 2,760 of canned goods
- Cash for work 771,750.00
750,400.00
Total - PHP 22,553,761.00
(USD 423,300)

International response

11. UNDP has an assessment team on the ground working with UNICEF. It has secured US$100,000 from BCPR, UNDP New York to be used for cash/food for work and to conduct damage assessment. UNDP has been providing technical assistance to the PCG and Department of Energy and Natural Resources on oil spill clean-up operations and guidance on procedures for compensatory claims against the International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund, respectively.

12. UNEP/OCHA Joint Environment Unit along with UNOSAT triggered the International Charter on Space and Major Disasters allowing for the collection and dissemination of satellite images of the disaster area. The UNOSAT Satellite produced a satellite-derived map showing the extent of the oil spill off the coast of Guimaras Island. The radar satellite image was acquired on 24 August 2006. UNOSAT is expected to monitor the oil slick in the coming days and will send out new maps when available.

13. The Maritime Organization (IMO) is in the process of assessing reports to determine what technical support to provide.

14. FAO is preparing to hire a consultant to conduct an initial assessment, particularly for rehabilitation and livelihood strategies

15. U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Agency personnel are on site to evaluate the form of assistance they can provide.

16. The Japanese Coast Guard’s National Strike Team and Maritime Disaster Prevent Center has sent a team to conduct assessment.

17. WWF is working with Petron, the Department of Energy, the Department of Environment, the Coast Guard, local governments, NGOs and communities and leading academic institutions involved in marine work. It is exploring front line alliances with the Red Cross as well as Save the Children. The GIS unit is processing satellite information to provide near-real-time information for national decision makers to use. It is also working with experts within the WWF Global Network to guide this process. WWF involvement to date includes a rapid assessment of damage on Guimaras Island, the process to draw up, fund, implement and monitor medium term rehabilitation and livelihood initiatives, and the promotion of prevention-related future options including, but not limited to, a review of shipping routes used for hazardous cargo; enhancement of oil spill response capacity at key local sites; establishment of a new trust fund that will be contributed into by oil companies for rapid response to future oil spills and to cover expenses beyond insurance coverage.

18. OCHA remains in close contact with UNDP in Manila and will provide further information as it becomes available.

19. This situation report, together with additional information on other ongoing emergencies, is also available on http://www.reliefweb.int.