Guimaras emerges as multi-awarded province in WV Tourism Assembly

By JUDY D. BULQUIREN
Panay News, Nov. 4, 2006

ILOILO City – Rising above the challenges of the oil spill calamity, the Province of Guimaras still emerged as the most awarded local government unit (LGU) in the recent Tourism Excellence Award during the Western Visayas Tourism Assembly last October 23-29, 2006.

The awards Guimaras received were: Best Tourism Oriented LGU, the Lifetime Achievement Award won by Henry Babiera , the KAMADO Regional Director Award (Guisi Community Based Heritage Tourism Project), Best Tourism Emerging Destination and Best Barangay Tourism Council (Brgy. Dolores in Nueva Valencia, and barangays Salvacion and Tastasan in Buenavista) and the Best WV Tourism Officer Provincial Category won by Angeles E. Gabinete.

Guimaras Gov. J.C. Rahman A. Nava happily congratulated the Guimaras stakeholders and was very glad that the area-specific tourism masterplan was integrated with the 30-year Provincial Comprehensive Land Use Plan and AgriTourism as its tourism image being set.

This year’s theme ” Sustaining Domestic Tourism:Turning Ideas into Action ” aims to promote opportunities to showcase the different cultural heritage, tourist destinations, events and products of the provinces in Western Visayas (Iloilo, Antique, Aklan, Capiz, Guimaras, and Negros Occidental) in the local, national and international markets.

Aside from the Tourism Excellence Award, the other activities at the Western Visayas Tourism assembly were: Tourism congress, parade of festivals, destination booth showcase, trade exhibits, food festivals, travel exchange and the Search for WV Miss Tourism won by Panaad of Negros Occidental and the province of Aklan as the first runner–up.

“Tourism development is everybody’s concern, it must be a shared responsibility, shared vision and benefits for all. It must be community based” said Department of Tourism undersecretary Oscar Palabyab during the opening program.

Guimaras spill a precedent for IOPC

In Guimaras, meanwhile, the approval in principle of the siphoning of the remaining oil from the sunken MT Solar I that would cost between eight to 10 million dollars, established a precedent for the International Oil Pollution Compensation (IOPC) fund, according to Presidential Assistant for Western Visayas, Secretary Rafael Coscolluela.

Even the IOPC assembly which was held last October 23 said the Philippine case established a precedent because IOPC was most proactive this time and that they were working closely with those affected which made things move faster.

The Presidential Assistant said it was the first time that the IOPC agreed to compensate even before the claim was made because they saw conditions firsthand. Coscolluela said it was very necessary to get IOPC’s approval before the siphoning so that we would not suffer the same fate as Spain.

In the case of Spain, they conducted recovery operations before IOPC gave its approval and after studying the matter, they disapproved the claim, where Spain already spent several millions of dollars.

It was also decided during the IOPC meeting, Coscolluela said that the siphoning would start in January, considering the weather, technical, legal and other considerations.

Besides, the IOPC said there is no immediate threat, but only a matter of time.

The first part would consist of the mobilization which would involved the making of a detailed work program, putting together personnel and resources which would take from 30 to 45 days, which the actual operations would take about 30 days. (with press release)

Donors spill in Guimaras

By Francis Allan L. Angelo
The Guardian Iloilo, Nov. 4, 2006

THE more donors who give aid to those affected by the Petron-Solar 1 oil spill in Guimaras, the better—provided they are properly accounted.

This was the reaction of Task Force Solar Oil Spill chief Rafael Lito Coscolluela on the numerous efforts to gather aid for the rehabilitation of Guimaras.

Guimaras officials led by Governor JC Rahman Nava held a Donors’ Forum with non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and corporate foundations Oct. 26, 2006 at the Shirven Hotel in San Miguel, Jordan town.

Seeking to solicit funds for the rehabilitation of the island, the forum was organized by the Guimaras provincial government through its quick-response team, Task Force Sunrise.

Some 11 international funding and relief agencies vowed to help—Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the German Development Cooperation (GTZ), World Vision International and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), among others.

Petron Foundation, Mirant, Peace and Equity Foundation, the Philippine Business for Social Progress (PBSP) and the Panay Rural Development Council represented NGOs and private foundations.

This month, a scientific community forum led by the National Disaster Coordinating Council (NDCC) through the World Wildlife Foundation will draft a separate rehabilitation program based on the findings of various groups of experts assessing the damage caused by the oil spill to the island’s ecosystem.

The rehab plan will also be used to solicit funds from local and international organizations.

Coscolluela, reporting directly to the NDCC, said there is nothing wrong if the Guimaras leaders move apart from the intentions of the national government.

“We cannot stop them from making local initiatives to look for donations nor can we stop benefactors from giving aid to their desired recipients—although some groups might take advantage of generosity of donors,” Coscolluela said.

Coscolluela said donors should demand full accounting of their aid to any group asking help in behalf of the island-province.

Coscolluela, also President Arroyo’s adviser for Region 6, added that overlapping efforts to gather help for Guimaras will not complicate its rehabilitation.

“Kung mag-doble, swerte ang recipient, e (If there are many donations, the recipient is lucky).

Coscolluela said there’s even competition among NGOs with their own advocacies for Guimaras, saying, “While we cannot stop solicitors and benefactors from doing their own thing, we can only hope that everything they shell out will be accounted for.”

Guimaras is still recovering from the effects of the oil spill triggered by the sinking of M/T Solar 1 last August 11, 2006, some 21 kilometers off Guimaras’s southern coast.

The worst ecological disaster in the country contaminated 1,140 hectares of marine reserves, 234 kms. of coastline, 400 has. of mangrove, 100 has. of seaweed farms and 900 has. of fishponds.

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Hmmm…is it my imagination or doesn’t Gov. Lito’s statements sound like a thinly-veiled warning to donors about extending financial assistance to the provincial government of Guimaras? What a shame, considering that there is an outpouring of support to the island by many foreign and local donors. As usual there is some amount of politicking involved here as Guimaras Gov. JC Rahman Nava isn’t exactly the administration man on the island. But by publishing the complete list of donors to the province in Task Force Sunrise’s web site, and creating a separate trust fund for the oil spill victims, the provincial government is taking the step in the right direction of transparency.

Now compare these to the national agencies like the National Disaster Coordinating Council, the Department of Health and Department of Social Welfare and Development. I’ve seen the web sites of all these key agencies, and there is hardly even a mention of the oil spill, much less a comprehensive list of donations sent to Guimaras through them. Sure let’s talk about transparency Gov. Lito. Maybe you can start on the national level?

Bleak future for children of Guimaras oil spill victims

By Nestor P. Burgos Jr.
Inquirer, Nov. 03, 2006

GUIMARAS – The eldest of seven siblings, 15-year-old Jelly Gandecilla had dreams of finishing school, finding a job and helping her siblings finish their education.

But like many children of Nueva Valencia town, Jelly has to confront the painful reality that her dreams may no longer be possible, after a massive oil spill dislocated their family and destroyed their livelihood.

Jelly’s family has been staying at the Cabalagnan Elementary School after they were forced to leave their home in the subvillage of Unisanin in the island-village of Guiwanon.

The island’s coastline was contaminated with toxic fumes from the bunker fuel that spilled out from the sunken tanker Solar I. The village’s groundwater was also unsafe for drinking.

When interviewed by a multi-agency team that was conducting an assessment on the impact of the oil spill, Jelly broke down and said her father had told her that she and her 11-year-old sister Jerlyn would not be able to continue going to school next year because of financial difficulties.

The two children are among those severely hit by the oil spill that has created a huge impact on families of fisherfolk and shell-gatherers.

(For the full story, click Bleak future.)