The drive to remove all traces of oil spill from the fire that engulfed a warehouse in San Pedro City, Laguna continues, according to the city government under Mayor Art Mercado.
Last Wednesday, February 5, various national agencies and local government unit (LGU) departments participated in the extensive Inter-Agency Clean-Up Drive along the San Isidro River, where the effects of the oil spill continue to plague residents more than two weeks after a fire hit a warehouse in Barangay San Antonio last January 25.
Aside from the event being part of the city’s celebration of World Wetlands Day, the city government said the initiative aims to expedite the removal of oil spill debris, preventing it from spreading further and contaminating the vital waters of Laguna Lake.
“The City Government of San Pedro expresses its heartfelt gratitude to all the dedicated personnel who continue to contribute their time and effort to this vital clean-up activity. Your unwavering commitment plays a crucial role in protecting our environment and ensuring the safety and well-being of our communities,” the LGU said in its Facebook page.
Updates
Aside from the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the Bantay Lawa, the city government of Biñan, Laguna, through its own City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO), has conducted a 24/7 effort to clean up all traces of the oil spill from the San Isidro River.
The Biñan CDRRMO has sent a floating barge at the San Isidro River, as part of ongoing operations to remove the oil from the river.
As of February 7, only 353 meters of San Isidro River still bore traces of the oil spill, compared with the 592 meters affected the previous day, according to Nico Pavino, head of the San Pedro CDRRMO.
In its latest estimate, the Coast Guard, led by PCG Laguna Lieutenant JG Mark Anthony Cuevillas, said over 246,000 liters of oil have been removed from the river as of February 7.
“The environmental effects of the oil spill are still under investigation and assessment. [The San Pedro City Environment and Natural Resources Office] has conducted a series of tests; we are now waiting for results,” Pavino added in a message to OpinYon Laguna.
The CDRRMO is now expecting the cleanup of the oil spill to take up to two weeks, while assuring residents that the spill is no longer expected to breach into Laguna Lake.
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