DOCSLIB.ORG

United Nations Millenium Declaration

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
United Nations Millenium Declaration BRIDGING BRIDGES FROM CHEMICAL SAFETY TO CHEMICAL SECURITY AT THE NATIONAL AND REGIONAL LEVEL Working Session 3: Chemistry for Sustainability IRMA R. MAKALINAO, MD, MA (PSS),FPSCOT, FPPS Professor 12 and Immediate Past Chair Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology College of Medicine University of the Philippines Manila International Meeting on Chemical Safety and Security Tarnow Poland 8-9 November 2012 BIOTOXINS SPANNING THE THREAT SPACE: Could there be a convergence between chemistry and biology? BIOTOXINS CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS • CWC WEAPONS • BTWC THUS biotoxins have MOST natural toxins greater potential have few controls availability than over possession, conventional transport, and use THREAT AGENTS Jatropha Curcas as a source of alternative biofuel and its dual use potential Image source: Handbook on Jatropha curcas Toxicity may be due to curcin a chemical similar to ricin NOTE: Photo showing Hydrocarbons like Kerosene in Soft drink bottles HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INCIDENTS: PHILIPPINE CASE STUDIES BFP SRU Chemical Incidents Responses 2004 Date Source/Location Type of People Agent affected 03/28/04 Ice plant in Ammonia 44 civilians Quezon City 05/24/04 Ice plant in Ammonia 1 barangay Quezon City 06/09/04 Raw Peanut Ammonia 1 compound Storage in Caloocan City 10/16/04 Junk shop in Chlorine 1 barangay Paranaque • JS Embang Jr , A Master’s Thesis on “Capability Level of the BFP SRU in Responding to Chemical Incidents and Emergencies”, March 2008 BFP SRU Chemical Incidents Responses 2005 Date Source/Location Type of People affected Agent 04/16/05 Pasig City Chlorine 1 barangay 08/21/05 Shell tanker in Gasoline several Quezon City spill barangays 09/21/05 Cavite City Chlorine 1 compound 10/14/05 Junk shop Depleted Undetermined Mandaluyong Uranium • JS Embang Jr , A Master’s Thesis on “Capability Level of the BFP SRU in Responding to Chemical Incidents and Emergencies”, March 2008 Why should WE be concerned about chemicals in school? Understanding the reasons Mercury Spill in a school No existing guidelines to clean up mercury spills, lack of equipment to clean up mercury – INTERAGENCY APPROACH Lack of awareness among school authorities including science teachers about the hazards of mercury – training was subsequently conducted Clean up process has been very costly and required assistance from the US Environmental Protection Agency thru the assistance of the US Department of State About 1,855 kilograms of chemical wastes and materials collected and secured from the school have been transferred to the treatment, storage and disposal facility duly accredited Joint Meeting of the Makati City Disaster Coordinating Council and Task Force on Environmental Health Then Mayor Jejomar C. Binay presided over the consultation meeting on HAZMAT incident held at Pio Del Pilar Conference room, 21st floor Makati City Hall, November 29,2006. DOH-HEMS, OSHC, DENR-EMB and consultant/experts attended the meeting and give their opinion and recommendation for the Clean-up Operation. 9 dead as truck carrying LPG tanks hits post, explodes in Philippines Nine people were killed when a truck carrying hundreds of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) tanks rammed into a post and a car and exploded in northern Philippine province of Cavite early Wednesday, local newspaper Philippine Daily Inquirer reported on its website. Copyright by People's Daily Online From A Natural Disaster to a Potential Chemical Disaster The MV Princess of the Stars ferry capsized about three kilometers from the shore of Sibuyan Island, in central Philippines, on 21 June 2008 during the passage of Typhoon Fengshen. Less than 60 of over 850 passengers survived the disaster. Interagency approach With WHO WPRO and EU assistance During rescue and recovery operations, it was discovered that the ferry carried a substantial amount of highly toxic pesticides in its cargo. It appears that these and many other chemicals were packed in a 40-foot container and a 10-foot container. The capsized ship also contained 100,000 litres of fuel Chemical Security Issues in a Fixed Facility or While in Transport Release • Toxics • Flammables • Explosives Theft/Diversion • Chemical Weapons/ Chemical Weapons Precursors • Weapons of Mass Effect • Explosive Device and Improvised Explosive Device Precursors Sabotage/ Contamination Executive Order No. 39, s. 2011 • BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE PHILIPPINES • EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 39 • DESIGNATING THE ANTI-TERRORISM COUNCIL AS THE PHILIPPINE NATIONAL AUTHORITY ON THE CHEMICAL WEAPONS CONVENTION AND OTHER DISARMAMENT ISSUES • AN important step towards chemical safety and security Chemical International Health Safety Regulations IHR Chemical Security • SAICM AND IFCS • GHS • Chemical Weapons • ROTTERDAM Convention and the • BASEL OPCW • STOCKHOLM • Dual Use Chemicals • OTHERS • CFATS? • Others Situational Analysis The Continuum from Safety to Security Suggesting A Way Forward: Networking, Sharing of Best Practices and Policy Formulations • Strengthening greater Interagency Cooperation alongside with Public and Private Partnerships at the National Level to promote chemical safety and chemical security thru training and awareness raising • Enhance existing chemical safety nets to promote chemical security • Explore common priorities for action at the regional level • Forming Regional and International Partnerships on chemical safety and security Building a Chemical Security Network in the Philippines Academe and Chemical and Poison Control School Transport Centers Laboratories Industries Community From Organizations Chemical Safety to Security International LGUs and Partners DEFENSE and Relevant Security Other Regulatory SECTOR Relevant Agencies Organizations Source: IR Makalinao , Chemical Security in the Philippines : A Work in Progress Regional Meeting on Chemical Safety and Security in Manila July 2010 WHO Internation US al Health Global Departmen Regulation Partnershi t of State s (IHR) p Program BEP UN Security EU CBRN Council CoE Resolution 1540 SYNERGY OPCW AND Others COOPERATION A WAY FORWARD FOR CHEMICAL SAFETY AND SECURITY HARMONIZING Program Assistance and Donor coordination towards sustainability Thank you very much! For any questions please contact Dr. Irma R. Makalinao Email: [email protected] .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Disaster Preparedness Level, Graph Showed the Data in %, Developed on the Basis of Survey Conducted in Region Vi
    2014 Figures Nature Begins Where Human Predication Ends Typhoon Frank (Fengshen) 17th to 27th June, 2008 Credit: National Institute of Geological Sciences, University of the Philippines, 2012 Tashfeen Siddique – Research Fellow AIM – Stephen Zuellig Graduate School of Development Management 8/15/2014 Nature Begins Where Human Predication Ends Contents Acronyms and Abbreviations: ...................................................................................................... iv Brief History ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Philippines Climate ........................................................................................................................... 2 Chronology of Typhoon Frank ....................................................................................................... 3 Forecasting went wrong .................................................................................................................. 7 Warning and Precautionary Measures ...................................................................................... 12 Typhoon Climatology-Science ..................................................................................................... 14 How Typhoon Formed? .............................................................................................................. 14 Typhoon Structure .....................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • World Bank Document
    Report No. 105363-PH Public Disclosure Authorized ENHANCING COMPETITION CONDITIONS AND COMPETITIVENESS OF PHILIPPINE DOMESTIC SHIPPING September 2014 Public Disclosure Authorized The World Bank and International Finance Corporation Philippine Country Office East Asia and Pacific Region Public Disclosure Authorized A project of the World Bank, with the support of the Australian Government through the Australia-World Bank Philippines Development Trust Fund Public Disclosure Authorized Document of the World Bank Group 1 Enhancing competition conditions and competitiveness of Philippine domestic shipping services1 Contents Executive Summary ..................................................................................................................................... 4 The need for clarity and simplicity ...................................................................................................... 5 Direction forward ................................................................................................................................ 6 Creating a level playing field ............................................................................................................... 7 Facilitating greater competition between operators ......................................................................... 8 More efficient and cost effective logistics .............................................................................................. 9 Promoting better decisions ..............................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Typhoon Fengshen
    Emergency appeal n° MDRPH004 Philippines: GLIDE n° TC-2008-000093-PHL Operations update n° 3 24 September 2008 Typhoon Fengshen Period covered by this Operations Update: 28 July – 12 September 2008 Appeal target: CHF 8,310,213 (USD 8 million or EUR 5.1 million) Appeal coverage: To date, the appeal is 19 per cent1 covered. Funds are urgently needed to enable the Philippines National Red Cross to provide assistance to those affected by the typhoon. <click here to go directly to the interim financial report, or here to link to contact details > Appeal history: • A preliminary emergency appeal was launched on 24 June 2008 for CHF 8,310,213 (USD 8 million or EUR 5.1 million) for twelve months to assist 6,000 families. • Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF): CHF 200,000 was allocated from the International Federation’s DREF. Dedicated volunteers enable the Philippine National Red Cross, with further support from the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement, to reach the most vulnerable communities with essential support, including water and shelter. 1 Including soft pledges; please note that interim financial report reflects income up to end August 2008. Click here to access the live donors’ response list. Philippines: Typhoon Fengshen (MDRPH004), Operations Update no. 3 2 Summary: The onslaught of typhoon Fengshen which hit the Philippines on 18 June 2008, followed by floods and landslides, has left in its wake urgent needs among poverty-stricken communities. According to the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC), approximately four million people have been affected through out the country by typhoon Fengshen.
    [Show full text]
  • USINDOPACOM Foreign Disaster Response in the Indo-Asia-Pacific June 1991 – June 2019
    CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN DISASTER MANAGEMENT & HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE USINDOPACOM Foreign Disaster Response in the Indo-Asia-Pacific June 1991 – June 2019 WWW.CFE-DMHA.ORG Contents About the Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance ...3 Introduction ...........................................................................................................................4 June 1991 – Philippines: Mount Pinatubo Eruption ..............................................................6 April 1991 – Bangladesh: Cyclone Gorky (Marian) ............................................................10 January 2001 – India: Gujarat Earthquake .........................................................................16 December 2004 – Indian Ocean Earthquake and Tsunami ................................................18 October 2005 – Pakistan: Kashmir Earthquake .................................................................25 February 2006 – Philippines: Leyte Landslide ...................................................................29 May 2006 – Indonesia: Yogyakarta Earthquake .................................................................33 April 2007 – Solomon Islands: Tsunami .............................................................................37 November 2007 – Bangladesh: Cyclone Sidr.....................................................................39 May 2007 – Myanmar: Cyclone Nargis ..............................................................................43 May 2008 – China: Sichuan
    [Show full text]
  • Court of Appeal Judgment Template
    Neutral Citation Number: [2014] EWCA Civ 1135 Case No: A3/2013/2395 IN THE COURT OF APPEAL (CIVIL DIVISION) ON APPEAL FROM THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE QUEEN’S BENCH DIVISION, COMMERCIAL COURT MR JUSTICE FIELD 2010 Folio 1383 Royal Courts of Justice Strand, London, WC2A 2LL Date: 07/08/2014 Before : THE MASTER OF THE ROLLS LORD JUSTICE DAVIS and LADY JUSTICE GLOSTER - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Between : (1) AMLIN CORPORATE MEMBER LTD Claimants/ (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 2001 Respondents at Lloyd’s in relation to policy reference B0738MC000720B) (2) TALBOT 2002 UNDERWRITING CAPITAL LTD (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 1183 at Lloyd’s in relation to the aforesaid policy) (3) LIMIT (No.2) LIMITED (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 1036 at Lloyd’s in relation to the aforesaid policy) (4) AEGIS ELECTRIC & GAS INTERNATIONAL SERVICES LTD (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 1225 at Lloyd’s in relation to the aforesaid policy) (5) NOAVE CORPORATE UNDERWRITING LTD (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 2007 at Lloyd’s in relation to the aforesaid policy) (6) BRIT UW LTD (on its own behalf and on behalf of all other members of Syndicate 2987 at Lloyd’s in relation to the aforesaid policy) - and - ORIENTAL ASSURANCE CORPORATION Defendant/ Appellant - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Mr Roger Ter Haar QC and Ms Caroline McColgan (instructed by Browne Jacobson LLP) for the Appellant Mr Peter MacDonald Eggers QC (instructed by Norton Rose Fulbright LLP) for the Respondents Hearing dates: Monday 17th March 2014 Tuesday 18th March 2014 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Approved Judgment Judgment Approved by the court for handing down.
    [Show full text]
  • 'Demonizing' Media
    Cebu Journalism & Journalists CJJ12 2017 ‘Demonizing’ media Fake news inflicts more damage in social media Restoring faith in journalism 23+2 / 33 CEBU PRESS Freedom WEEK 25th fete, 33rd year 1984 | Sept. 9-15 1999 | Sept. 19-25 was revived with SunStar as lead managers signed a memorandum The Association of Cebu Journalists, Lead convenor: The Freeman news group. of understanding on valuing public the Cebu Newspaper Workers’ The convenors’ group institutionalized safety in the coverage of crisis Foundation (Cenewof) and Cebu Cebu Press Freedom Week and 2006 | Sept. 17 to 23 situations. A street in Barangay News Correspondents Club organized agreed that each of the three Lead convenor: Cebu Daily News Sambag II, Cebu City was named after the Cebu Press Week celebration newspapers take turns in leading the CJJ2 was launched, and Lens held a sportswriter Manuel N. Oyson Jr. to remind the public and the press activity every year. photo exhibit. SunStar produced the that the freedom it enjoys must be documentary “Killing Journalists.” 2012 | Sept. 15-22 protected from all threats. 2000 | Sept. 17-23 Lead convenor: Cebu Daily News Lead convenor: Cebu Daily News 2007 | Sept. 15-22 Firsts for the celebration included 1988 | Sept. 4-10 The Cebu Federation of Beat Lead convenor: SunStar Cebu the Globe Cebu Media Excellence The Council of Cebu Media Leaders Journalists was organized. SunStar debuted its “Reaching Awards, and the launch of an e-book (CCML)—organized to promote out to future journalists” forum version for the CJJ7 magazine. the development of media as a 2001 | Sept. 16-22 with Masscom students from Cebu profession, upgrade its practice Lead convenor: SunStar Cebu universities.
    [Show full text]
  • 701 Gerard Joseph M. Jumamil
    TOWARDS A SAFETY CULTURE IN THE PHILIPPINE SHIPPING INDUSTRY: RE-ALIGNING THE DOMESTIC MARITIME SAFETY REGIME ! WITH THE INTERNATIONAL SAFETY MANAGEMENT CODE Gerard Joseph M. Jumamil!! “Vessels do not engage in conduct; they are merely the instruments of human actors.” – Brian D. Smith1 ABSTRACT The Philippines is the second largest archipelagic state in the world. A vast number of Filipinos regularly utilize domestic passenger ships to traverse the waters in and around the 7,107 islands of the state. Despite the critical importance of the industry in mass transportation, innumerable losses and tragedies continually transpire. The current state of the domestic maritime safety regime undermines the critical role of the industry in the sphere of mass transportation, and degrades the nature of the industry as one imbued with public interest. In particular, various issues concerning ship management persistently plague the regime and significantly contribute to the savage deterioration of domestic maritime safety. These issues reveal a regulatory and enforcement framework marked by tolerance and condones an environment of ‘absolute minimum maintenance’ amongst shipowners. Notwithstanding the international movement towards a safety culture through enhanced ship management systems, the Maritime Industry Authority has implemented inadequate regulatory measures to comply with the Philippines’ international obligations under the Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea 1974, particularly Chapter IX thereof on the International Safety Management (ISM) Code. The rules and regulations implementing the ISM Code and the enforcement thereof have proven to be ! Cite as Gerard Joseph Jumamil, Towards a Safety Culture in the Philippine Shipping Industry: Re-Aligning the Domestic Maritime Safety Regime with the International Safety Management Code, 84 PHIL.
    [Show full text]
  • WAVES 2012.Indd
    Republic of the Philippines Philippine Merchant Marine Academy San Narciso, Zambales “Conduct of Relevant Research Geared Towards Growth and Development of our Country, A Must!!!” In order for any organization, be it small or large, to enable itself to effectively meet the challenges that lie on its path head on, it must ensure that it has a strong research capability in order to better prepare itself and all offi cial actions made are properly guided and not just based on mere conjectures or suppositions without being based on educated and well founded grounds. Another signifi cant aspect of a relevant research is its timeliness and responsiveness to the demands of the business sector or industry to where we belong. Furthermore, a focused action congruent to pre- identifi ed goals must be ensured at all times so we won’t waste scarce government resources in the process. We in the Academe must contribute our own fair share towards national growth and development and be very instrumental in alleviating the conditions of our countrymen to more decent and acceptable levels. We can say that we are truly effective and responsive, if and when our actions reverberate to a wider spectrum of the citizenry, resulting to positive gains through the conduct of relevant and timely research works. COMMO RICHARD U RITUAL PMMA President Republic of the Philippines Philippine Merchant Marine Academy San Narciso, Zambales The Waves, the research journal initiated by the PMMA Department of Research and Development (DRD), showcases how our institution is getting involved in advanced learning through research. In every learning institution, the research department can be considered as the soul of learning.
    [Show full text]
  • Vol7no4 EDM July-August 2008.Pdf
    ISSN 1655-5295 ISSN 1655-5295 Education for Development Magazine is published by Education for Development IBON International GLOBALIZATION ISSUES ▼ IBON Center Vol. 7, No. 4 JULY-AUGUST 2008 24 CSO roadmap to Accra 114 Timog Avenue, Quezon City Reileen Joy Dulay 1103 Philippines Secretariat, Reality of Aid E-mail Address: [email protected] COVER Tel. Nos. +632 927 7060 to 62 Local 202 26 Towards a more broad-based Fax +632 927 6981 view of ownership Felix Zimmermann OECD Development Centre Antonio Tujan, Jr. 28 CLIMATE CHANGE ▼ International Director CSOs condemn G8’s distorted International Department climate ‘vision’ Asia Pacifi c Research Network Maria Theresa Nera-Lauron Head, International Department THIRD WORLD ▼ 30 People’s struggle for justice and existence against Gandak Dam Water and Energy Users’ Federation, Layout Artist 3 Resist privatisation, Nepal Florenio Bambao reclaim public Cover Artist The Philippine labor situation Florenio Bambao 33 Ecumenical Institute for Labor services Education and Research Jane Kelsey Photo Credits ARENA-New Zealand Wendy House COMMENTARY ▼ ogwen/flickr.com NEWS ▼ rycordell/flickr.com 7 37 Seaworthy verdesam/flickr.com Dr. Giovanni Tapang Anthony Morland / IRIN 10 SPECIAL FEATURES ▼ AGHAM Tiggy Ridley / IRIN “Free trade”, neoliberal im- Jaspreet Kindra / IRIN LETTERS ▼ Jerry Wen / flickr.com migration and the globalization Rev_Bri / flickr.com of guestworker programs 39 PAN AP to the Philippine Thomas Sennet / World Bank Aziz Choudry government: Protect your Donnaphoto/flickr.com GATT Watchdog & bilaterals.org people! Institute a TOTAL ban Allison Acosta / flickr.com Manoocher Deghati / IRIN on Endosulfan! Asia Pacific Research Network 19 On the global economic and Dey Alexander / flickr.com financial crisis: Roots and Eric Draper / White House prospects Muji Tra / flickr.com Sonny Africa Ratan Bhandari / WAFED IBON Foundation, Inc.
    [Show full text]
  • Every Man for Himself: Gender, Norms and Survival in Martime Disasters
    A Service of Leibniz-Informationszentrum econstor Wirtschaft Leibniz Information Centre Make Your Publications Visible. zbw for Economics Elinder, Mikael; Erixson, Oscar Working Paper Every man for himself: Gender, norms and survival in martime disasters Working Paper, No. 2012:8 Provided in Cooperation with: Department of Economics, Uppsala University Suggested Citation: Elinder, Mikael; Erixson, Oscar (2012) : Every man for himself: Gender, norms and survival in martime disasters, Working Paper, No. 2012:8, Uppsala University, Department of Economics, Uppsala, http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:se:uu:diva-172527 This Version is available at: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/82617 Standard-Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Die Dokumente auf EconStor dürfen zu eigenen wissenschaftlichen Documents in EconStor may be saved and copied for your Zwecken und zum Privatgebrauch gespeichert und kopiert werden. personal and scholarly purposes. Sie dürfen die Dokumente nicht für öffentliche oder kommerzielle You are not to copy documents for public or commercial Zwecke vervielfältigen, öffentlich ausstellen, öffentlich zugänglich purposes, to exhibit the documents publicly, to make them machen, vertreiben oder anderweitig nutzen. publicly available on the internet, or to distribute or otherwise use the documents in public. Sofern die Verfasser die Dokumente unter Open-Content-Lizenzen (insbesondere CC-Lizenzen) zur Verfügung gestellt haben sollten, If the documents have been made available under an Open gelten abweichend von diesen Nutzungsbedingungen die in der dort Content Licence (especially Creative Commons Licences), you genannten Lizenz gewährten Nutzungsrechte. may exercise further usage rights as specified in the indicated licence. www.econstor.eu Department of Economics Working Paper 2012:8 Every man for himself Gender, Norms and Survival in Maritime Disasters Mikael Elinder and Oscar Erixson Department of Economics Working paper 2012:8 Uppsala University April 2012 P.O.
    [Show full text]
  • The Permanent PEOPLE's Tribunal SESSION on Agrochemical
    THE PERMANENT PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL SESSION ON AGROCHEMICAL TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS December 3-6, 2011 BANGALORE, INdiA PAN International THE PERMANENT PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL SESSION ON AGROCHEMICAL TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS: INDICTMenT AND VERDICT December 3-6, 2011 BANGALORE, INdiA PAN International Copyright © Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific, 2015. All rights reserved. Pesticide Action Network Asia and the Pacific (PAN AP) holds the right to this publication. The publication may be cited in part as long as PAN AP is properly acknowledged as the source and PAN AP is furnished with copies of the final work where the quotation or citation appears. Comments and inquiries may be forwarded to: Pesticide Action Network (PAN) Asia and the Pacific P.O. Box 1170, Penang, 10850 Malaysia Tel: +604-657 0271 / 656 0381 Fax: +604-6583960 Email: [email protected] Web: http://www.panap.net PAN INTERNATIONAL 2016. THE PERMANENT PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL SESSION ON AGROCHEMICAL TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS: INDICTMENT AND VERDICT. Design & Layout: Public Media Agency www.publicmediaagency.org Published by PAN Asia and the Pacific on behalf of ANP International Cover Photo: royalty free stock image THE PERMANENT PEOPLE’S TRIBUNAL SESSION ON AGROCHEMICAL TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATIONS INDICTMENT AND VERDICT TEAM OF WRITERS OF THE INDICTMENT: Sarojeni V. Rengam, Chela Vazquez, Clare Westwood, Erwin Navarro, Bella Whittle, Chandrika Devi Subramaniam, Shakunthala Devi Shunmugam, Sivagurupatham Vadivelu, Katherine Gilje, Devika Ghai, Paige Tomaselli and Jobert Pahilga.
    [Show full text]
  • Manila Bulletin Online 7/2/08 12:27 PM
    Manila Bulletin Online 7/2/08 12:27 PM PRINT | CLOSE WINDOW MAIN SUNKEN VESSEL TO BE REFLOATED Thursday, July 3, 2008 To retrieve bodies and shipment of toxic pesticide Refloating considered ‘safest option’ Department of Transportation and Communications (DoTC) Undersecretary for Maritime Transport Ma. Elena Bautista, head of the task force for the MV Princess of the Stars, said yesterday that the government and the vessel’s owners Sulpicio Lines, Inc., have agreed to refloat the ship instead of cutting through it to retrieve the bodies of passengers still inside the capsized vessel as well as a shipment of toxic pesticide. The task force is in charge of the search and rescue, recovery, relief, and rehabilitation operations as well as assistance to survivors in capsizing of the passenger ferry off Sibuyan Island in Romblon province at the height of typhoon "Frank" last June 21. Bautista said this was agreed upon by the government and the ship’s owners during a Cabinet meeting in Iloilo last Tuesday. Refloating the vessel is the "safest option" as the cargo of endosulfan pesticide is in the "innermost part of the ship," she said. She added, however, that the process may take two to three months. Sulpicio Lines, Inc., by weekend should have already hired a private company that will do the salvage operations, Bautista said. The process to refloat the vessel should start at the soonest time possible because of the danger posed by the 10-metric ton shipment of endosulfan owned by Del Monte Philippines, Inc., which might leak off the coast of Romblon, she added.
    [Show full text]