The water is fine for swimming in Mactan and the seafood is safe.
That’s the message Lapu-Lapu City Mayor Paz Radaza and hotel and resort managers want to put across by jet-skiing over the weekend and having fish for lunch.
They rode jet skis and ate fish served by the Crimson Resort where traces of oil sheen were reported last week right after the Aug. 16 collision of MV St. Thomas Aquinas and Sulpicio Siete Express.
“We are sending a message to all especially the foreign guests that fish bought in the city’s public market is safe,” Radaza said.
Some hotels and resorts earlier advised guests to avoid swimming in the beach as staffers used old linens to catch traces of bunker oil in the Hilutongan channel .
Radaza said the city government is on top of the situation and coordinated with all stakeholders in containing the oil spill.
“Look at this (Crimson) resort, we see foreigners enjoying the water. There’s no more problem here about the water quality,” she said.
Youngki Lee, a representative of the Korean Travel Agency said the months of July and August are vacation time in South Korea which is why they didn’t have any cancellation of bookings to Cebu and Boracay.
Imperial Palace Hotel’s General Manager Christopher Shim said most of their Korean guests continue to enjoy their water park with spacious pools.
Crimson Resort manager Christopher Quadras said they found traces of oil sheen last week but were able to clean the beach area with improvised spill booms.
“You no longer notice traces of oil slick at the beach. The water is very clear. It it is surely clean and safe,” he said.
Food assistance was given to 2,000 residents in barangays Canjulao, Kalawisan and Babag after the oil slick affected mangroves planted in these areas. /Norman V. Mendoza, Correspondent