BY LEILANIE G. A DRIANO
STAFF REPORTER
PAGUDPUD, Ilocos Norte— Resort owners and fishermen directly affected by an oil spill in Barangay Balaoi in this town are being threatened with loss their regular income in the next few years if gov- ernment authorities fail to respond quickly to contain the more than three-kilome- ter oil spillage of a wrecked North Korean vessel that ran aground the Pagudpud shoreline in early January.
Super typhoon Juan aggravated the cranks of the vessel’s bunker oil containing about 160,000 liters on its upper deck, leaking about 30 liters per hour.
Based on initial assessment of the Task Force MV Nam Yang 8 who went back for in- spection at site after the height of typhoon Juan on October 19, approximately P50 million worth of marine life damages has been recorded based on the more than two-hectare area covered with oil spill, affecting Balaoi’s prime coral reefs and fish breeding sites. The initial estimated cost of damages have yet to include damage in tourism particularly in its nearby resorts where the big- gest number of foreign and do- mestic tourists stay on vacations.
Later reports added that the oil spill has now reached the boundary between Pagudpud and Sta. Praxedes in Cagayan.
Before the typhoon, the Bureau of Customs and the local government unit of Pagudpud were in a custody dispute as to who has the right to salvage the North Korean vessel.
Regardless of who is the rightful owner, Ilocos Norte Gov. Ma. Imelda “Imee” R. Marcos said in a January 20 press con- ference that the problem on oil spill should be contained at the soonest possible time.
In mean time, Arthur Valente who is also a member of the Task Force and in his capacity as fish- ery regulatory officer of the pro- vincial government of Ilocos Norte has warned fishermen, and seaweed and seashell gath- erers in Balaoi not to fish in the oil-contaminated area, instead they shall be granted permit to fish in nearby Bangui bay. Due to the aggravated cost of damages of the oil spill, the concerned local officials led by Pagudpud Mayor Matilde “Maja” Sales has declared Pagudpud town under a state of calamity.
The Sangguniang Panlalawigan which earlier tackled the issue on custody dispute representatives of the claimants also set a public hearing inviting including the Bureau of Customs the MV Nam Yang’s task force on October 28.
source: The Ilocos Times - October 18-24, 2010 issue
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