BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental - An oil spill was spotted around a nautical mile from the shoreline of Bacolod City, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) reported yesterday.
Lieutenant Commander Armando Balilo, PCG Public Information Officer said that the Barangay Captain of Barangay Dos, a certain Mr. Barber went to the office of the PCG Marine Environmental Command (MEPCOM) in Bacolod City after residents, particularly local fishermen, expressed anxieties when a portion of the said coastal community became apparently affected by an oil spill which they believe came from an underwater pipeline in an oil depot near the area.
"When the MEPCOM personnel inspected the area, the team discovered that the oil spill actually came from a deteriorated underwater condemned pipeline of Chevron Depot-Bacolod which is only around a few meters away from the residential area," Balilo said.
MEPCOM personnel immediately laid down an oil spill boom in the affected area and later recovered more than 40-liters of bunker fuel which was brought to the Coast Guard Station-Bacolod for proper disposal.
Balilo said the PCG already advised Chevron to assess and immediately fix the damaged underwater pipeline to prevent further damage in the said coastal community. (John Carlo Cahinhinan)
