New oil sheen spotted; number of sick people on the rise
Oil continues to seep out from the sunken M/T Solar 1 as the number of people stricken by the disaster rise.
A satellite photo revealed a new oil sheen, prompting the Philippine Coast Guard to conduct aerial and surface surveys.
It is about two kilometers long and 60 meters wide, said Rafael Coscolluela, incident commander of the Regional Disaster Coordinating Council in Friday's press briefing.
He said that sunken tanker off the southern coast of Guimaras continues with her "slow, minimal release of oil" through the air vents. The PCG likewise continues spraying oil dispersants on the surface to prevent the oil from reaching the shorelines. On the surface, an oil sheen appears shiny, and is actually a thin film of oil. An oil slick, on the other hand, is thicker and is black.
This comes after President Arroyo declared on her third visit to Guimaras Wednesday that the country's worst oil spill has been 'effectively contained,' but that clean up operations will continue.
The Department of Health also monitored a steady increase in the number of persons in Guimaras and neighboring Iloilo affected by the oil spill.
As of 10 a.m. September 8, there were 1,070 persons with oil spill related diseases or symptom, according to the RDCC status report. This present figure present a sharp increase from September six's number of 677 persons. In August 24, there were only 329 persons with oil spill related sickness.
DOH regional director Lydia Depra-Ramos noted that most of those diagnosed with oil spill related sickness were those involved in the shoreline operations, and where suffering from either respiratory, gastro-intestinal diseases or dermatitis. The DOH has ordered that persons enlisted in Petron Corporation's cash for work program be not allowed exposure for more than five hours.
'NO TOUCH POLICY'
Coscolluela said that the authorities have adopted a 'no touch policy' regarding the sunken tanker.
This means, he said, that nothing is to be done with the ship for the meantime.
He said that they are waiting for the report and recommendation of Fukada Salvage and Marine Works Co. Ltd., the Japanese firm contracted by Petron Corporation to conduct an underwater survey of the sunken tanker. Fukada deployed its Shin Sei Maru last week to check on the condition of Solar 1.
Meanwhile, pending receipt of Fukada's recommendation, the PCG has consulted Norwegian salvaging firm Framo on how to siphon the remaining bunker fuel from the ship.
Coscolluela clarified that the PCG has not yet contracted the services of the Norwegian firm.
They're just asking for a second opinion, he said.
The PCG is waiting for the Fukada's report and recommendation. After they have received it, they will evaluate the same and make their recommendation, Coscolluela said.
In the meantime, authorities are eyeing the option of siphoning the oil from the ship.
"That's the more preferred option but not necessarily the approved option," he stressed.
Coscolluela said that they have no idea on when the recommendation will come in. In the meantime, the ship is not to be tinkered with, he said.