Task force focuses on oil siphoning to manage spill

By Charles Dantes

OFFICE of Civil Defense (OCD) administrator Ariel Nepomuceno on Thursday said siphoning off the remaining industrial oil should be a priority to manage and prevent further damage to affected areas of a recent oil spill.

In a press conference with the National Task Force for Oil Spill, Nepomuceno added that siphoning operations usually take two months to finish and can prevent additional harm to other coastal areas.

The operations will include 7 to 10 days of evaluation, 7 days for the arrival of the machines, and 21 days for actual operations.

Nepomuceno also said that the lack of personal equipment is proving to be detrimental to the clean-up efforts.

“Wala po tayong sariling equipment, inaamin po natin ‘yan. Kaya dapat meron tayong sariling equipment, that is the lesson,” Nepomuceno said.

Nepomuceno also added that the bagging operations have been a tremendous help in slowing down the leak from the sunken vessel.

“Nakita po noong una na may 23 pinaglalabasan po ng langis, based on the recent reports from th e Coast Guard, out of 23, 11 na lang ang nilalabasan ng langis,” he added.

MV Princess Empress sank in the waters off Naujan, Oriental Mindoro last February 28, while carrying more than 800,000 industrial fuel.

As of April 20, the OCD reported more than P3.7 billion worth of damages and losses to agriculture from the incident.

Meanwhile, 103 areas in Oriental Mindoro, Palawan, Antique, and Batangas have been affected by the oil spill and a total of 37,871 families or 178,306 individuals have also been affected.

‘MONTH OF FILIPINO

FOOD.’ Makati 2nd District

Representative Luis Campos, Vice Mayor Monique Lagdameo, and other officials lead the ribbon-cutting to celebrate “Buwanang Kalutong Filipino (Month of Filipino Food)” as mandated by Proclamation #469 and approved by former President Rodrigo Duterte in 2018. Diana B. Noche

TAGALOG IN HARVARD. Speaker Ferdinand Martin G. Romualdez says the introduction of a Tagalog course in Harvard University’s academic offerings is a source of national pride. Romualdez made the statement before a gathering of Filipino students at Harvard University in Massachusetts. Members of the Filipino community also performed the tinikling (inset photo). The House Speaker delivered a policy speech at the school’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Thursday morning. (See story on A2) Ryan Ponce Pacpaco

Pascual says DTI backs SIM reg extension

DEPARTMENT of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Alfredo Pascual said the DTI is supporting calls to extend SIM registration, noting its importance in digital transactions.

Pascual, quoted by ABS-CBNS News, said SIM registration will help in “the country’s shift to digital payments.”

SIM registration will only run until April 26, although calls have been made to extend the deadline.

“Digital payments are what we need to happen to further promote and develop our MSMEs because that’s how they can facilitate accessing the market and being able to sell online,” Pascual, quoted by ABSCBN News, said.

The official said it is a “major concern” if the deadline is imposed and not all SIMs have registered.

“If we really need registration, we need to be able to accommodate such a deadline. Personally, I will go for it, but I do not know the official position of the concerned department,” said Pascual when asked if he was amenable to suggestions the registration must be extended. The campaign has to be done and make sure that registration happens. It’s like voter’s registration,” Pascual said.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) earlier said they have the prerogative to extend the extension for another 120 days, based on the laws implementing rules and regulations.

National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Arsenio Balisacan meanwhile said SIM registration will fast-track the country’s digital economy.

This includes the government’s public sector engagement, Balisacan said.