International Peer Reviewed Journal

9
Vol. 1 January 2013
International Peer Reviewed Journal
doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7718/iamure.ijme.v1i1.338
IAMURE: International Journal of Marine Ecology
This journal is published by IAMURE
Multidisciplinary Research, an ISO 9001:2008
Certifed by AJA Registrars, Inc.

The Afer Efects of Oil Spill in Guimaras,
Philippines
ROLANDO A. ALIMEN
ORCID No. 0000-0002-3040-9339
MA. CECILIA D. ALIMEN
ralimen@yahoo.com
John B Lacson Maritime University
Molo, Iloilo City, Philippines
Abstract - The Guimaras oil spill was a massive oil spill at the
Guimaras Strait, the Philippines. It was dubbed as the worst oil spill ever
in the Philippines. The oil tanker M/T Solar 1, carrying more than two
million liters of bunker fuel, sank on August 11, 2006 at the Guimaras
Strait of the coast of the Guimaras and Negros Occidental provinces,
causing some 500,000 liters of oil to pour into the strait. It has been
said that the recent oil spill has adversely afected marine sanctuaries
and mangrove reserves in three out of fve municipalities in Guimaras
Island and reached the shores of Iloilo and Negros Occidental. The
oil spill occurred in the Visayas Sea which is considered a rich fshing
ground that supplies most of the fsheries demand for the entire
country. This study was therefore conducted to determine what life is
among the Guimaras fsher folks afer the oil spill in 2006. Interviews
were conducted to generate the data needed in this investigation.
Results showed that life was not the same before and afer the oil spill.
Fish catch and sea shells became few and children are now afraid to
bathe in the waters for fear of the oil spills efects. Development of
milkfsh fsh cage, handicrafs, and food preservation were top most
livelihood activities resorted to by the fsher folks afer the oil spill.
Budget inclusion, research and other trainings were part of the LGU
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and International interventions that were done afer the oil spill.
Keywords - Ecology, oil spill, interview method, document analysis,
Guimaras, Philippines
INTRODUCTION
Haribon sent its two biologists to Guimaras to rapidly assess the
damage and talk to the afected communities regarding their immediate
needs. Defnitely Haribon provided assistance to the area particularly
for the long-term rehabilitation of the area. Finally, the government
has evacuated the afected families who have already been exposed
to the toxic elements of the crude oil. According to reports gathered in
the feld, people have already contracted skin diseases.
The spill has damaged Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, a
marine sanctuary for feeding and breeding ground for fsh and other
species. Dr. Jose Ingles, eco-region coordinator of the World Wide
Fund for Nature in the Philippines, Indonesia and Malaysia, said that
the damage may be felt by at least two generations. He warned that
the disaster may have damaged the reefs and mangroves, scarring
the ecosystem and causing seafood yields to signifcantly decrease.
According to him, the worst hit would be the shorelines, the coasts and
the swamplands with mangroves. This has great impact the livelihood
of the fshermen, mostly living in poor conditions.
The oil slick also poses as a threat to the blue crab industry of Enrique
B. Magalona, Negros Occidental. In the south-southeast of the spill site
is located the Sulu Sea, a deep water area frequented by commercially
valued fshes. The towns of southern Negros Occidental province pride
themselves as the home of the Blue Marlin and the Yellow Fin Tuna.
This is an important source of income for the communities. When the
slick is not efectively contained, this will surely damage this thriving
local industry.
The Philippine Coast Guard says that the spill has afected 20
communities in 4 municipalities in Guimaras as of August 22, 2006.
It also threatens 27 communities in Iloilo province and 17 others in
Negros Occidental. A villager from Barangay Lapaz, Nueva Valencia,
Guimaras became the frst casualty directly afected by the spill. He
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died afer inhaling the fumes of the oil sludge causing him to contract
cardio-respiratory disease. Two workers from the ship have also been
reported missing.
What is life then afer the oil spill? This study was conceived to fnd
out what life is at the area afer that oil spill.
FRAMEWORK
An oil spill which occurs near a coastline will always impact more
living organisms then one which occurs in the open ocean. This is
simply because coastal areas are home to much more concentrated
and diversifed populations of marine life than the open ocean.
Nevertheless, all oil spills have an impact on marine organisms, and oil
from open ocean spills can end up contaminating beaches hundreds of
miles away. Oil spills can harm marine life in three diferent ways, by
poisoning afer ingestion, by direct contact and by destroying habitats.
Oil spills into rivers, bays, and the ocean are caused by accidents
involving tankers, barges, pipelines, refneries, and storage facilities,
usually while the oil is being transported to us, its users. During oil
spills many things are afected, one of the major things being animals
and birds in the sea, fsh, shrimp, and crabs, penguins and other water
birds, sea oters, sea lions, seals, and killer whales. The oil gets into
their bodies and they die of sufocation. All these creatures swallow
the oil and also breathe in the poisonous fumes. Their bodies become
coated with oil and thousands of these die in no time (Environment
and Nature, 2010).
In this same source, it states that spills can be caused by the
following: 1) people making mistakes or being careless. 2) equipment
breaking down. 3) natural disasters such as hurricanes. 4) deliberate
acts by terrorists, countries at war, vandals, or illegal dumpers.
Oil spills can also bring about adverse efects. Oil foats on salt water
(the ocean) and usually foats on fresh water (rivers and lakes). Very
heavy oil can sometimes sink in fresh water, but this happens very
rarely. Oil usually spreads out rapidly across the water surface to form
a thin layer that we call an oil slick. As the spreading process continues,
the layer becomes thinner and thinner, fnally becoming a very thin
layer called a sheen, which ofen looks like a rainbow. Depending
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on the circumstances, oil spills can be very harmful to marine birds
and mammals, and also can harm fsh and shellfsh. Oil destroys the
insulating ability of fur-bearing mammals, such as sea oters, and
the water-repelling abilities of a birds feathers, thus exposing these
creatures to the harsh elements. Many birds and animals also ingest
(swallow) oil when they try to clean themselves, which can poison
them. Depending on just where and when a spill happens, from just a
few up to hundreds or thousands of birds and mammals can be killed
or injured.
The negative efects of ingesting toxic levels of oil are poorly
understood for many specifc organisms, especially micro-organisms
such as plankton, botom dwelling organisms and larval fsh. The
efects on larger creatures such as fsh and marine mammals are much
more fully documented. Fish ingest large amounts of oil through
their gills. If this does not kill them directly, it can inhibit their ability
to reproduce or result in ofspring which are deformed. Especially
vulnerable are slow moving shellfsh such as clams, oysters and
mussels. These creatures cant escape from an oil slick.
Because oil and oil products in the environment can cause harm,
this problem can be prevented. For example, by avoiding dumping oil
or oily waste into the sewer or garbage, polluting in the environment
can be avoided.
OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
This study determined what life is among the Guimaras fsher folks
afer the oil spill in 2006.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
The Research Design
The descriptive method of research was employed in this
investigation. According to Good and Scates (2001), descriptive
research involves collecting of data to test hypothesis or answer
questions concerning the life of fsher folks afer the oil spill.
Descriptive research according to Evans (2009) is concerned with
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the description of the existing distribution of variables, as opposed to
theory building.
The Research Environment

Guimaras ([gimaras]) is an island province of the Philippines
located in the Western Visayas region. Among the smallest provinces,
its capital is Jordan. The island is located in the Panay Gulf, between
the islands of Panay and Negros. To the northwest is the province of
Iloilo and to the southeast is Negros Occidental.
The province includes the islands of Guimaras and Inampulugan
and many smaller islands.Guimaras was a sub-province of Iloilo until
it was made an independent province on May 22, 1992.
People and culture
The people of Guimaras are considered as Guimarasnon and their
languages are Hiligaynon and Kinaray-a as it was once a sub-province
of Iloilo. Hiligaynon is the major language spoken, although the people
can understand and speak Tagalog and English.
Geography
Located southwest of Panay, Guimaras is separated physically from
Iloilo by a narrow channel, which takes about ffeen minutes to cross
by pumpboat from the Ortiz landing on Iloilo to Jordan. There are two
other ways to get there, the Parola wharf in Iloilo to the municipality
of Buenavista. The Parola wharf is used exclusively whenever the
water is rough. There also is a roll on roll of (RORO) ferry that travels
around fve times a day and is used by the Iloilo bicycle clubs on
Sunday to travel to Guimaras. Geologists opine that the island formed
one landmass with Panay in the past. Guimaras was formerly known
as Himal-us.
Guimaras is also famous for its beaches. Clear blue waters, white
sand and marine life rivals that of Boracay. Commonly visited ones are
at Roca Encantada, Alubihod and Puerto del Mar.
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Two DOH toxicologists have been sent to Guimaras to look into the
possibility of relocating some coastal residents away from the shore.
Duque has warned that resident's exposure to the oil could lead to
illnesses and advised them not to eat any marine products taken from
the polluted waters. Residents have been forced to use improvised
spill booms, made of bamboo and dried grass to try to prevent black
sludge washing up onto beaches. They were also using buckets and
shovels to scoop the sludge from the beaches.
Oil has contaminated more than 300 kilometers of coastline on
Guimaras island and is now threatening Negros, the countrys fourth-
largest island, as well as Panay Island. Oil has also destroyed 454
hectares of mangroves and 58 hectares of seaweed farms.
Guimaras: Where the Oil Spill was

The Research Respondents
Three key informants were utilized in this study. One was a
legislator, one lawyer spearheading the livelihood project, and one
project in charge.
The respondents were residents of Sto. Domingo, Guimaras.
The Research Instrument
The researchers made use of the interview instrument to generate
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data needed for this investigation. The interview served to answer the
questions advanced in this study.
The researchers also resorted to document analysis, specifcally the
local newspapers and online sources to substantiate the data derived
from the interview.
Data Analysis Procedure
The responses were transcribed, and were interpreted using the
categorization method. Site observation was also done to gather
pictures on the diferent livelihood projects that were done afer the oil
spill. No inferential statistical treatment was used in this paper.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Life Afer the Oil Spill
Based on the interview and document analysis, the following
were the interviewees descriptions of the afer efect of the oil spill in
Guimaras. Figure 2 has the data.
Figure 2. Life afer the oil spill
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Documents likewise show that life afer the oil spill has lessened
opportunities for life. The following documents proved the ill efects
brought about by the oil spill. Figure 3 shows how the local newspapers
unfold that:
Figure 3. Documents on life afer the oil spill
Source of Livelihood Resorted to by Fisher Folks afer the Oil Spill
It has been an accepted fact that the recent oil spill has adversely
afected marine sanctuaries and mangrove reserves in three out of fve
municipalities in Guimaras Island and reached the shores of Iloilo and
Negros Occidental. The oil spill occurred in the Visayas Sea which is
considered a rich fshing ground that supplies most of the fsheries
demand for the entire country (NDCC, August 2006).
In this premise, Haribon sent its two biologists to Guimaras to
rapidly assess the damage and talk to the afected communities
regarding their immediate needs. Defnitely Haribon was providing
assistance to the area particularly for the long-term rehabilitation of
the area. The government has evacuated the afected families who have
already been exposed to the toxic elements of the crude oil. According
to reports gathered in the feld, people have already contracted skin
diseases.
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The second question addressed source of livelihood resorted to by
fsher folks afer the oil spill. Based on the interviewees, the following
measures were done to provide livelihood resorted afer the oil spill.
Figure 4 shows the interview responses.
Figure 4. Interview responses on the livelihood provided
Aside from those mentioned, documents on the next fgure revealed
the livelihood for the fsher folks. In one of the visits in Iloilo City,
Budget Secretary Rolando Andaya said the national government would
only release funds on a case-to-case basis afer the oil spill. Andaya
said they are not in a hurry to release any fund without any purpose.
The fund should be spent only for rehabilitation purposes and not for
anything else. There are proposals from diferent national government
agencies that were disapproved because of its non-relevance.He
further stressed that the fund should not be spent for projects such as
road construction which is not in any way related to the rehabilitation
of the island as an afermath of the August 11, 2006 oil spill. The project
proponent should give exact and convincing reasons why they should
be given funds.One of those projects that were disapproved by the
government is the food for work of the Department of Social Welfare
and Development Ofce. There is no need for the government to give
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allocation to the food for work program since the afected residents
already returned to their normal lives (Calubiran, 2008). Figure 5 has
the data.
Figure 5. Documents on the livelihood provided
Interventions Instituted by Government or Non-Government
Organizations afer the Oil Spill
Interview results showed that the scars lef behind by the incident
continue to haunt the fsher folks there, the thought of what they had
experienced, and the fear of experiencing it again. One victim said
that they will never forget what happened in their place. It has taught
them a lot of valuable lessons in life. It has taught them how to value
their family as well as about nature.
One fsher folk even said that theyre like fsh out of water. That
is why, they pin their hope on some local government and non-
government units to help them with their coping especially the efects
that the oil spill has brought. Based on the interview, some interventions
that were conducted are shown in Figure 6.
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Figure 6. Interventions that were conducted for the fsher folks
Documents further revealed that the local government units also
did share in the recovery of the province of Guimaras. Figure 7 contains
the documents.


Figure 7. Interventions on the part of the local government units
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CONCLUSIONS
The Oil Spill has provided an opportunity to demonstrate the
peoples community spirit and resilience in times of calamity, and a
strong determination to pick up the pieces and continue on their quest
for collective growth as a people.
Government and non-government units have the responsibility
to sustain the livelihood and provide the same to their constituents.
Intervention in the form of fnancial and non-fnancial forms must be
sustained to ensure that the fsher folks are helped and not exploited/
manipulated by some politicians and other private organizations.
RECOMMENDATIONS
A periodic evaluation of the oil spill efects in the area must be
done by authorities concerned. Livelihood must be sustained to uplif
the living conditions of the oil spill victims. More studies must be
conducted to further investigate on the afer efects of oil spill.
LITERATURE CITED
BBC NEWS
2006 Oil spill threatens Philippines.htp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
asia-pacifc/4795649.stm.
Calubiran, M.
2008 Guimaras chief hopes to receive additional oil spill fund. The
News Today.
Environment and Nature
2010 Chennai Interactive Business Services (P) Ltd.
Good, C.V. and D. Scates
2001 Methods of Research, (New York: Appleton Century Crofs, pp.
557.
Governor says no to oil sludge disposal in Guimaras. Sun.Star
Bacolod. 2006-08-23. htp://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/
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bac/2006/08/23/news/governor.says.no.to.oil.sludge.disposal.
in.guimaras.html.

INQ7.net
2006 Arroyo forms task force to oversee oil spill cleanup. htp://
newsinfo. inq7. net/breakingnews/nation/view_article.
php?article_id=16764
INQ7.net
2006 British experts to help with oil spill clean-up.htp://
globalnation.inq7.net/news/news/view_article.php?article_
id=15982.

INQ7.net
2006 Sensitive habitats can be smothered by oil.24.htp://newsinfo.
inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_article.php?article_
id=16966.
INQ7.net
2006 RP sends SOS on oil spill US, Japan, Indonesia help sought.
http://newsinfo.inq7.net/inquirerheadlines/nation/view_
article.php?article_id=16179.
PhilStar
2006 Arroyo vows to get to botom of oil spill.htp://www.
philstar.com/philstar/NEWS_FLASH082620061737_12.htm.

Sun.Star Bacolod
2006 Slick to ruin blue crabs habitat in EB Magalona. htp://www.
sunstar.com.ph/static/bac/2006/08/23/news/slick.to.ruin.blue.
crabs.habitat.in.eb.magalona.html.

YahooNews
2006 British experts to help with oil spill clean-up.
ht t p: / / ne ws . ya ho o . c o m/ s / a f p/ 2 0 0 6 0 8 1 8 / s c _ a f p/
philippinesenvironmentashippingoil_060818061700.