ILOILO CITY – Health officials in Guimaras found dangerously high levels of the deadly heavy metal lead in water samples taken from five villages in two towns in the province.
Dr. Felicito Lozarita, provincial health officer, said results of tests held April 16 showed that lead content in water sources in five villages in Nueva Valencia and Sibunag towns were above .01 mg per liter, the level of lead considered safe.
Lozarita said four villages in Nueva Valencia and one in Sibunag registered higher than normal levels.
These are Barangays Algeria in Sibunag (.05 mg/l) and San Antonio (.82 mg/l), Igdarapdap (.011 mg/l), Cabalagnan (.013 mg/l) and Panubulon (.022 mg/l) in Nueva Valencia.
Chronic exposure to high levels of lead is toxic and could lead to serious ailment and death, Lozarita said.
But he said the levels were not yet that significant to lead to serious ailments.
As a result of these findings, health officials would continue to monitor water on the island.
Lozarita presented the results of the tests at a briefing that marked the second anniversary of the August 2006 Petron oil spill.
However, he said they could not conclude that the increase in lead levels was a result of the oil spill.
Lozarita said scientists have yet to study whether the results of the water tests were related to results of blood tests made on residents after the oil spill.
More than 2.1 million liters of bunker fuel were spilled into the waters and shores of Guimaras after the MT Solar 1, chartered by Petron Corp., sank in stormy seas off Guimaras enroute to Zamboanga from Bataan.
The oil spill had brought sufferings to 5,437 families in Guimaras alone and contaminated fishing grounds and devastated the island’s rich marine life and tourism sites.
Scientists last year reported a 65-percent drop in fish catch after the oil spill and the death of hundreds of mangrove trees.
Experts have said there was a need to determine the long-term effect of the oil spill on the island’s ecosystem and health of residents especially those exposed to bunker fuel fumes and those living in areas contaminated by the oil sludge.
At the height of the oil spill, hundreds of residents suffered from skin and respiratory illnesses.
Hundreds of families were also evacuated for several months from the contaminated areas.
During the anniversary of the oil spill, officials and experts said the island is showing recovery and coping from the impact of the calamity.
Guimaras Gov. Felipe Nava said the island’s activities were back to normal.
Nava said fish catch has gone down but this could also be caused by over fishing.
Nava said more tourists have started to arrive in the island’s beach and mountain resorts but the number has not yet reached pre-oil spill levels.
He said there was still a need to determine the long-term effect of the oil spill on the island’s ecosystem.
