Guimaras' gems ... going, going, gone!
Few months before the 8-11 Tragedy, Manila-based Guimarasnon businessman Henry Babiera commissioned an assessment of the dive sites of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. 
Among those surveyed were the underwater world of the coasts of the villages of Tando, Cabalagnan and the Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, areas that are badly hit by the oil spill.
Without fear of contradiction, these sites are now in a dismal state as thick, black oil engulfs the southern shores of Guimaras Island following the 11 August 2006 sinking of MT Solar 1, which was carrying two million liters of bunker fuel, discharging its cargo into the seas.
These sites primarily serve as spawning grounds of fishes that supply the needs not only of Guimaras but also of its neighbors. 
With their destruction also comes the destruction of the livelihood of the fishers of Guimaras and brings a bleak future to the food security of the region.
The only logical move to cushion the impact of the oil spill is to remove the tanker below before it can discharge the
rest of its cargo and wreck more havoc. 
Clean up drives and relief efforts will be meaningless as long as MT Solar 1 remains down there.
Help the people of Guimaras stand on their feet again. Log on to www.projectsunrise.org.
Task Force Sunrise | Canadian Urban Institute | Environmental Policy and Information Center | The News Today