Oil firm starts rehabilitation programs in Guimaras
NUEVA VALENCIA, GUIMARAS--The operation to remove the remaining oil from the wreck of Solar I is going smoothly, Petron President Khalid Al-Faddagh said yesterday.
Al-Faddagh said pieces of equipment of the salvage firm Sonsub have been deployed over the site of the wreckage and are undergoing testing of its systems.
"They will be ready to go very soon to start the retrieval," Al-Faddagh told reporters in Barangay Tando here where a groundbreaking ceremony for a school building donated by the oil firm was held.
He said they are closely monitoring the operation that started on March 11 and is expected to last from 20 days to around a month costing around $6 million.
"We are hopeful that the whole operation will go on smoothly without any incident," said Al-Faddagh.
Remote Operated Vehicles have been deployed over the wreck and are preparing the installation of safety valves before holes will be drilled over the sunken tanker's cargo tanks, according to a report prepared by Jon Walker, a representative of the London Offshore Consultants.
The holes will be drilled to allow sea water to come in and where the oil can be released from the tanks of Solar I.
Al-Faddagh said any recovered oil will be handled safely to ensure that there will be no oil spills. He said the final disposal of the tanker's cargo will depend on the condition of the oil.
Solar I was carrying 2.1 million liters of oil when it sank on Aug. 11 last year amid stormy weather. An estimated 300,000 liters of oil have been spilled in the waters that triggered the worst oil spill in the country's history.
Petron chairman and chief executive officer Nicasio Alcantara said the retrieval operation "will finally end all speculation whether there is still oil in the vessel, and more importantly, ease the apprehensions of Guimarasnons."
Nueva Valencia Mayor Diosdado Gonzaga said the people are thankful that the operations have begun seven months after the oil spill devastated wide stretches of coast line and severely affected the people's livelihood.
"Now we can focus on our rehabilitation efforts and programs," Gonzaga said in an interview.
Petron and Guimaras officials led the groundbreaking rites of a four-classroom Petron school building in Barangay Tando, one of the villages worst hit by the oil spill.
The P1.5-million building will be ready for occupancy by the middle of May, said Al-Faddagh.
He said the building is part of their livelihood and rehabilitation program for residents and areas affected by the oil spill.
The existing Tando Elementary School building catering to 98 students has been condemned for demolition last year.
Al-Faddagh said they will also provide funds for chairs, blackboard, school supplies children and toilets. They have also allotted a budget for the training of teachers and the maintenance of the school building.
A Library Hub will also be put up in the capital town of Jordan by Petron along with Saudi Aramco, Sa Aklat Sisikat Foundation, San Francisco Public Library (USA), Bato Balani Foundation and Petron Dealers Association.
The hub which will be operational by May will provide books and resources to teachers and school administrators in Guimaras. Schools will be allowed to borrow the books for their libraries and learning centers. The San Francisco Public Library (USA) and Bato Balani Foundation have donated 36,000 books for the hub.
Al-Faddagh said these projects are part of their programs for the rehabilitation of Guimaras Island.
"The clean up, we're glad to say, is all behind us," he said.
He said that the areas affected by the oil spill have been declared clear by various committees and government agencies.
Residents, church groups and officials of Nueva Valencia had protested the stopping of the clean-up operations saying that oil sludge are still present in some areas and can be found a few inches below sand. They have demanded that Petron continue its clean-up operations.
Al-Faddagh said they will look into these claims.
"If there is need for certain (cleanup) work to be done, we will definitely not walk away
look into claims," he said.