President Arroyo Urge Sea Lanes for Tankers

President Arroyo has ordered the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) to identify "dedicated sea lanes" for tankers carrying oil and other hazardous chemicals to keep them away from "ecologically sensitive areas" and areas providing tourism and other livelihood opportunities, Manila Bulletin reported. Arroyo issued the directive in her second National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) meeting on August 28 in Guimaras where she monitored the ongoing efforts to clean up and rehabilitate areas polluted by spilt oil from the sunken MT Solar I tanker. She will return to Guimaras on September 6 to convene another NDCC meeting during which the PCG will present its proposed dedicated sea lanes for tankers carrying oil and other chemicals. Reports by the NDCC said only four towns in Guimaras have been affected by the Solar I oil spill. These are Nueva Valencia, Sibunag, Buenavista, and San Lorenzo. MT Solar I sank in rough seas off Guimaras last August 11 while it was transporting to Zamboanga del Sur some two million liters of bunker fuel oil owned by Petron Corp. (Source: Manila Bulletin)