PA Banias allays fears of oil spill in N. Iloilo
Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas Raul Banias yesterday clarified that MV Lake Paoay is carrying coal when it capsized off the waters of Carles over the weekend. He thus allayed fears of another oil spill in Iloilo.
Banias said Lake Paoay was loaded with 5,000 metric tons of coal when it sank. The cargo ship was chartered by the DM Consunji Inc. to transport coal from Semirara Island to Toledo in Cebu for its coal-fired power plant. The cargo ship left Semirara Thursday night.
DMCI reportedly received a distress call before the cargo ship sank. The ship has about 24 crews. Only four of the crews survived while the remaining 20 crews remain missing at this time, said Banias.
Banias said the DMCI has been chartering the service of MV Lake Paoay to ferry coal from Semirara to various point of destinations in the country. The cargo ship has a capacity of 500,000 tons. The DMCI has an emergency order of coal for their power plant in Cebu.
Banias said the people should not worry of another oil spill after the Philippine Coast Guard and Carles Mayor Arnold Betita confirmed the cargo ship is carrying coal and not bunker fuel. The fuel seen floating along the waters of Carles probably came from the engine of the cargo ship, said Banias.
Carles is 147.6 kilometers north of Iloilo. It is a coastal town with 33 barangays including island-barangays. Most of the residents get their livelihood from the sea. The report on the presence of oil on the sea water alarmed the residents as their source of livelihood will be affected.
Banias, a doctor by profession, said the coal does not pose dangers to the people and the waters. The residents should not fear any harmful damage, he said.