What is Petron going to do about the vessel? Isn't it a ticking
environmental time bomb?
Petron has engaged the services Fukada Salvage & Marine
Works Co. Ltd - the no.1 marine salvage company in Japan - to undertake
deep-sea underwater inspection and salvage operations employing the best
available technology. The primary goal is to determine whether and how the fuel
cargo can be safely retrieved from where it is, under 620 meters of water.
The Fukada vessel, Shinsei Maru, with a remote-operated vehicle
(ROV), will arrive Tuesday, August 29.
What about the waste collected from the shoreline?
Petron is currently coordinating with the local government to
identify a site where we can safely put the debris being collected from the
shore. We need a temporary site to treat the debris for bio-remediation.
To ensure that the recovered oil does not seep into the ground,
we will be applying High Density Polyethylene at the site to ensure that the
oil stays inside.
Eventually, Petron will ship the treated debris to a plant in
Misamis Oriental where it will be used to produce cement.
What is Petron doing about reports of ailments in the area?
The Department of Health is closely monitoring these reports and
so far has not confirmed cases of illness due to the oil spill, but we believe
the best way to protect the local community is to expedite the shoreline
clean-up.
While the oil has sufficiently weathered enough to discount any
toxic fumes, we urge residents not to touch the oil to avoid skin irritation.
What about the damaged seaweed farms, fishponds etc.?
Petron will definitely help in the rehabilitation and
restoration of the marine ecosystems that have been damaged by the oil spill,
in coordination with environmental experts from U.P. Visayas, Silliman
University and WWF.
Petron is also coordinating with the National Disaster
Coordinating Council on ways to provide alternative livelihood programs for
affected communities.
How much is Petron willing to spend?
Petron will extend all the assistance needed to the province of
Guimaras. The company is committed to stay and help in the province as long as
necessary.
At this point, it is hard to say how much we will have to spend.
