Sulpicio role in retrieval efforts ‘not enough’--DoTC exec
By Katherine Evangelista
INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:38:00 07/18/2008
MANILA, Philippines -- The extent of Sulpicio Lines Inc.’s involvement in efforts to recover one of its ships that sank off Romblon province during typhoon “Frank” (international codename: Fensghen) is “not enough,” the head of the task force looking into the incident said Friday.
“Kulang pa [It’s not enough]. They can do more,” Transportation undersecretary Ma. Elena Bautista said during a press conference.
Bautista heads the inter-agency team that was formed by the Department of Transportation and Communication to oversee rescue and retrieval operations of the MV Princess of the Stars.
Comparing the accident last June 21 with the bombing of the Superferry 14 that killed 116 people in 2004, Bautista said the “the government did not even lift a finger” to help WG&A, owner of the vessel.
“All government agencies and the governments of different countries are now involved in this [MV Princess of the Stars tragedy],” Bautista added.
Bautista said the shipping firm has failed to submit the complete list of chemical cargoes for the appreciation of the task force and the European Union (EU) -- United Nations (UN) expert team.
The joint EU-UN team was deployed to provide expert assistance to local groups assessing the total environmental damage caused by tragedy, Bautista said.
Bautista added that the task-force has formed sub-groups to conduct individual tasks.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the EMB will continue to test sea water, sediments, and other marine life from the site to see whether chemical leakage and poisoning, Bautista said.
The Department of Health (DoH) will conduct “contingency measures” to identify possible health risks and assist the affected community for “disaster preparedness” and disaster operations, Bautista said.
“A drill will be conducted on site by the first week of August before the start of the salvage operations,” Bautista said.
The World Health Organization has also pledged its commitment to help the DoH “assess and address” health and nutrition concerns of affected communities, said Bautista.
She appealed to SLI to provide livelihood, education and health services to the local community. The livelihood of the residents of San Fernando, Romblon has been severely affected after a temporary fishing ban was imposed within the five kilometer radius of the site where the ship sank due to possible toxic chemical poisoning.
The task force hopes to begin salvage operations by August 4 and finish the task within 60 days thereafter, Bautista said.
“Ideally, Sulpicio should be doing all of these things,” Bautista said when asked what the shipping firm has done to aid the task force.
So far, SLI has selected a salvor to recover the toxic chemicals and 250,000 liters of special fuel oil still aboard the vessel, Bautista said.
The selection was announced Monday evening after task force officials imposed a deadline on the shipping firm.
“This is their [SLI] mess so they have to spend for it,” Bautista said when asked about who would shoulder the expenses for the salvage operations.
From the original estimated cost of $8.9 million, Titan Salvage lowered it to $7.5 million after the Philippine government agreed to provide assistance to the foreign-based company, Bautista said.
Titan has requested the Philippine government provide on-site medical services to salvage operators and for assistance in the processing of working permits for 20 expatriates and in Customs procedures since they would be bringing in 18 tons of equipment via chartered planes.
Retrieval operations were ongoing when a consignment of 10,000 kilos of toxic pesticide endosulfan was discovered, prompting officials to halt operations and impose a temporary fishing ban in the area. Del Monte Philippines Inc. owns the shipment which it imported from Israel.
It was also later discovered that another batch of chemicals -- Antracol 70 WP, Tamaron 600SL, Trap 70 WP and Fuerza GR -- this time owned by Bayer Crop Science Inc. was also on board the vessel. But Bayer said these chemicals were biodegradable and would dissolve within days after contact with water.
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