The Guimaras oil spill is an ongoing environmental and economic disaster that started on 11 August 2006. Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It is dubbed as the worst oil spill the Philippines had ever seen. For the fictional character see Oil Slick (Transformers. An oil spill is the release of a Liquid Petroleum Hydrocarbon into The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP ^[1]

Contents 1 Background 2 Causes 3 Effects 4 Response 4.1 Local Response 4.2 International Response 5 References

Background

The oil tanker M/T Solar I, carrying more than two million liters of bunker fuel, sank on August 11, 2006 at the Guimaras Strait off the coast of the Guimaras and Negros Occidental provinces, causing some 500,000 liters of oil to pour into the strait. History The technology of oil transportation has evolved alongside the oil industry Events 2492 BC - Traditional date of the defeat of Bel by Hayk, progenitor and founder of the Armenian nation Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Guimaras is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Siphoning the remaining 1. A siphon (also spelled syphon) is a continuous tube that allows liquid to drain from a reservoir through an intermediate point that is higher than the reservoir the flow being 5 million liters from the sunken tanker, at a depth of more than 600 meters, is scheduled for January 2007. ^[2]

A lot has already been reported and said about the recent oil spill which has now adversely affected marine sanctuaries and mangrove reserves in three out of five municipalities in Guimaras Island and reached the shores of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. It is heartbreaking that the oil spill occurred in the Visayas Sea which is considered a rich fishing ground that supplies most of the fisheries demand for the entire country. (NDCC, August 2006) Oil spills inhibit the growth of phytoplankton which are the primary source of food for all marine life (Castro and Huber, 2000). Oil clogs the gills of fishes and the filtering structure of benthic organisms such as oysters and clams. Feeding and reproduction are also hindered and these organisms become susceptible to diseases. Its effects on corals are swollen tissues, excessive production of mucus and tissue degeneration. For marine birds and mammals, such as whales and dolphins, their insulation and buoyancy are affected since their feathers and fur become matted and soaked with oil (Sumich, 2000).

Among coastal ecosystems, the mangrove forest and salt marshes are the most sensitive since oil cannot be dispersed by wave action and is absorbed by the fine sediment characteristics of these areas. It can remain in these areas for more than a decade. Lightly oiled mangroves are likely to recover after a year while those that were heavily oiled will delay its recovery. There are also observed decrease of flower and seed production and defoliation resulting in seeding mortality and a lower growth rate.

Haribon sent its two biologists to Guimaras to rapidly assess the damage and talk to the affected communities regarding their immediate needs. The Haribon Foundation for the Conservation of Natural Resources, simply known as Haribon Foundation, is a membership organization dedicated to the conservation of Definitely Haribon will be providing assistance to the area particularly for the long-term rehabilitation of the area. Finally, the government has evacuated the affected families who have already been exposed to the toxic elements of the crude oil. According to reports gathered in the field, people have already contracted skin diseases.

Causes

Several causes has been mentioned, including bad weather and human error.

Allegations have been made stating that the tanker only had a capacity of 1. 2 million, implying the possibility of overloading. Other investigations have claimed that the captain of the ship has no capacity to manage it.

Effects

The spill has damaged Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, a marine sanctuary for feeding and breeding ground for fish and other species. ^[2]

Dr. Jose Ingles, eco-region coordinator of the World Wide Fund for Nature in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, said that the damage may be felt by at least two generations. He warned that the disaster may have damaged the reefs and mangroves, scarring the ecosystem and causing seafood yields to significantly decrease. According to him, the worst hit would be the shorelines, the coasts and the swamplands with mangroves. This will greatly impact the livelihood of the fishermen, mostly living in poor conditions. ^[3]

The oil slick also poses as a threat to the blue crab industry of Enrique B. Magalona, Negros Occidental. Portunus pelagicus, also known as the flower crab, blue crab, blue swimmer crab, blue manna crab or sand crab, is Enrique B Magalona is a 3rd class municipality in the province of Negros Occidental, Philippines. ^[4]

In the south-southeast of the spill site is located the Sulu Sea, a deep water area frequented by commercially valued fishes. The towns of southern Negros Occidental province prides themselves as the home of the Blue Marlin and the Yellow Fin Tuna. This is an important source of income for the communities. When the slick is not effectively contained, this will surely damage this thriving local industry.

As of 22 August, the Philippine Coast Guard says that the spill has affected 20 communities in 4 municipalities in Guimaras as of 22 August 2006. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. It also threatens 27 communities in Iloilo province and 17 others in Negros Occidental. Iloilo is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. Negros Occidental is a province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ^[5]

A villager from Barangay Lapaz, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras became the first casualty directly affected by the spill. Nueva Valencia is a 4th class municipality in the province of Guimaras, Philippines. He died after inhaling the fumes of the oil sludge causing him to contract cardio-respiratory disease. ^[5] Two workers from the ship has also been reported missing.

Response

Due to the extent of the disaster, the cleanup is expected to reach three years. ^[2]

Local Response

On August 19, the Philippine government has asked the governments of Indonesia, Japan and the United States to help assist with the cleanup. Events 43 BC - Octavian, later known as Augustus compels the Roman Senate to elect him Consul. The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the ^[6]

President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo created Task Force Guimaras on 22 August in order to oversee both the cleanup of the oil spill and the retrieval of the 1. Maria Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (born Maria Gloria Macaraeg Macapagal on April 5 1947 is a Filipina Politician. Events 392 - Arbogast has Eugenius elected Western Roman Emperor. 5 million liters or so of tanker fuel oil still remaining inside the tanker. The government has also ordered the creation of the Special Board of Marine Inquiry to determine who and what caused of the spill . ^[1]

Guimaras Governor JC Rahman Nava has objected to the proposal of disposing the oil wastes within the province. Guimaras is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ^[5]

Clemente Cancio, president of Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation (SMDC), the company which owns M/T Solar I, said that their foreign insurer is willing to pay the cost of damage brought about by the oil spill. ^[5]

Antiguas and Barbuda a suffering for oil lost because of te tragic accident they had 5 years ago.

President Gloria Arroyo vowed a full investigation into the country's worst ever oil spill that has devastated marine ecosystems in the central Philippines. Arroyo also ordered the justice department to join a special task force heading an investigation and clean up on the island of Guimaras, where some 300 kilometers (180 miles) of coastline, including stretches of pristine beaches, have been affected by the oil slick from the sunken Solar 1 tanker. "We shall do everything in our power to right the wrongs caused by this unfortunate incident," Arroyo said after visiting the island, adding that she was deeply pained by the disaster that she has declared a "national calamity". ^[7]

International Response

On August 17, British oil experts,sent by SMDC's foreign insurer, arrive in Guimaras to help assess the situation. Events 986 - A Byzantine army was destroyed in the pass of Trajan's Gate by the Bulgarians under the Comitopuli The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located SMDC states that the experts will check the extent of the oil pollution. The Britons conducted an aerial survey over Guimaras Island and will come up with the recommendations based on their findings. Guimaras is an island province of the Philippines located in the Western Visayas region. ^{[8] [9]}

A four-man team from the U. S. Guard has arrived on 23 August to help in determining the exact location of the tanker. Events 79 - Mount Vesuvius begins stirring on the feast day of Vulcan the Roman god of fire . . ^[5]

References

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