Philippines seeks help from US, Japan, Indonesia to clean up worst oil spill

Shannon Norwood
SOC 202 – Current Event Log #2
08/25/06
In the Philippine newspaper, Philippine Daily Inquirer, on August 20, 2006 the headline read, Philippines seeks help from US, Japan, Indonesia to clean up worst oil spill. (http://libproxy.uncg.edu:2084/universe/printdoc) Off the Guimaras Island a tanker carrying 13,000 barrels of bunker fuel sank on August 11, 2006. It is estimated that 450,000 gallons is still trapped underwater. The tanker is still leaking oil and it is estimated that 100 to 200 liters an hour is leaking. The government has asked Indonesia, the US, and Japan to help them re-float the tanker. The Philippines do not have enough resources to handle the clean up of this disaster. This spill is the biggest in the country’s history. Three towns and at least twenty-two neighborhoods have been affected and it is estimated that at least 15 to 20 percent of the province’s population has been displaced. The article goes on to discuss who is responsible and liable for the disaster.
This spill is affecting the people who live close by; it is not safe for them to live with. The spill is causing the death of a lot of ocean life and fishermen can not fish in the area. Also tourism will be affected.
The first problem and the most important, I believe, is that the leak is still continuing. The problem is only going to worsen and affect more people and more ocean life until the leak can be stopped. I do not know if the US, Japan, or Indonesia is going to help, the article did not say. If they do then this oil spill problem of the Philippines is now taken on as a problem for the US, Japan, and Indonesia.
The article spent a lot of time discussing who was at fault for the oil spill. I believe that is not essential at this time. The company of the tanker has taken responsibility but the company needs tons of assistance to clean up the spill. I think more of the article should have proposed ways to stop the leak and clean up the oil and the article should have spent less time placing blame.