Zambales execs baffled over booms found off Cabangan town

FISHERMEN in Zambales found these containment booms with Chinese markings in the waters off Cabangan town on Friday, prompting provincial officials to seek an investigation on the origin of the objects. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCG SUBIC SUBSTATION

SUBIC, Zambales, Philippines — Zambales provincial officials are investigating the recemt discovery of floating booms with Chinese markings in the waters off this province to determine where these came from.

Fishermen here first saw the orange containment booms, about a kilometer long, on Friday 5.5 km (3 nautical miles) from the shoreline of Cabangan town. A floating boom is a temporary barrier used to contain an oil spill.

Vice Gov. Ramon Lacbain III said the origin of the booms “remained uncertain” as of Sunday (July 26) and concerned agencies must verify why these objects were found in the province’s waters.

“Although there are Chinese markings on the floating booms, it is too early to say that these came from the Scarborough Shoal or from China,” Lacbain told the Philippine Daily Inquirer in a telephone interview on Sunday.

The disputed shoal, also called Bajo de Masinloc or Panatag Shoal by locals, is about 230 kilometers (124 nautical miles) west of Zambales.

Fishermen from Zambales and Pangasinan said that in several instances since 2011, they were driven away by Chinese Coast Guard personnel from the shoal, a rich fishing ground for locals.

“The [origin of the] floating booms must be investigated. We have to know where these came from and why these were floating within the province’s waters,” Lacbain said.

He said the provincial board might tackle the discovery in its sessions only after an investigation has been conducted by the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

“In the meantime, it’s difficult to assume that these objects are from China. We have to wait for the result of an investigation,” Lacbain said.

Chief Petty Officer Lino Torres, station commander of PCG substation in Masinloc town, said fishermen in Cabangan found the booms at 2 p.m. on Friday.

“They alerted the provincial office of BFAR about their discovery and we organized a team to pull the floating booms to shore,” Torres said.

FISHERMEN in Zambales found these containment booms with Chinese markings in the waters off Cabangan town on Friday, prompting provincial officials to seek an investigation on the origin of the objects. PHOTOS COURTESY OF PCG SUBIC SUBSTATION

On board nine fishing boats, the fishermen and PCG and BFAR personnel took the booms to Barangay San Agustin in the capital town of Iba on Saturday morning.

“It took us a day to tow the floating booms to shore because these were so heavy,” Torres said.

He said the origin of these objects has not been determined.

“We’re just guessing that these floating booms came from the Scarborough Shoal or are owned by China because of the Chinese markings,” Torres said.

He they were waiting for directives from the PCG headquarters on what to do with the booms.

“Based on the statement of the fishermen in the area, the floating objects pose hazard to navigation… and were found close to coral [reefs],” the report said.