Authorities in the dark on Guimaras rehab
How long would it take before marine resources of Guimaras are restored to their pre-oil spill state?
The answer seems to elude government authorities and environmental groups.
Speaking to the media after a scientific conference on the Guimaras oil spill Tuesday, Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan of the World Wildlife Fund said that nobody can say how long before the Guimaras ecosystem is restored to its former state.
"Nobody can say," he admits. "We're not absolutely sure. We don't know for sure."
During the two-day conference, 101 scientists participated in the scientific sessions and 43 papers were submitted on various topics.
During the conference, scientists recommended that an oil spill contingency plan be made, containing the response and rehabilitation protocol and integrating local and national disaster plans.
Tan blames the lack of previous scientific knowledge regarding oil spill in the tropical region.
He said that each organism affected by the oil spill has a different recovery period from the others.
Like in the case of mangroves, Tan pointed out, it takes years before the effects of the oil spill are fully manifested.
According to chancellor Glenn Aguilar of the University of the Philippines in the Visayas, 48% of the mangroves in Guimaras were affected, with 5% of the 40 species showing mortality.
As regards coral reefs and seagrasses, Aguilar said that there was no mass mortality, and the effects of the oil spill was not significant.
Nonetheless, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has allotted P130 million for the rehabilitation of the Guimaras ecosystem damaged by the tragedy.
DENR Regional Director Julian Amador said that the allocation will be spent mostly for the rehabilitation of the mangroves, the upgrading of facilities and monitoring.