VZCZCXRO9697
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHML #3549/01 2361129
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 241129Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY MANILA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2633
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO IMMEDIATE 2832
RULSJGA/COMDT COGARD WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUSICWP/COMLOGGRUWESTPAC SINGAPORE IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/CDRUSPACOM HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RHHMUNA/USCINCPAC HONOLULU HI IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHRC/DEPT OF AGRICULTURE WASHDC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 MANILA 003549 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR EAP/EX AND EAP/MTS 
STATE PASS EPA 
STATE PASS USAID 
USDOC FOR NOAA/NMMS 
USDA PASS FOREST SERVICE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: SENV EWWT TPHY EAID SOCI RP
SUBJECT:  USG TEAM ARRIVES TO ASSESS PHILIPPINE OIL SPILL 
 
REF: MANILA 03478 
 
-------- 
SUMMARY 
-------- 
 
¶1.  A USG oil spill response team arrived in the Philippines on 
August 23 to help the government assess the damage from the oil 
spilled by tanker "Solar I" in the Guimaras Strait and to plan 
remediation efforts. The team met with the Embassy's ad hoc oil 
spill working group, the Department of Foreign Affairs, the 
Philippine Coast Guard, and the Philippine Undersecretary of 
Defense.  The team is now on site inspecting the spill and 
coordinating with GRP responders.   End Summary. 
 
------------------------- 
U.S. STRIKE TEAM MEETINGS 
------------------------- 
 
¶2.  Three oil spill experts from the U.S. Coast Guard and one 
scientist from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 
(the Pacific Strike Team or PST) arrived in Manila on August 23. 
Members of the PST bring years of experience in analyzing and 
suggesting remedies for oil spills.  During a meeting with the oil 
spill team, the Charge noted that the USG has a long history of 
cooperating with the Philippines on a wide range of issues 
including: military coordination; counter-terrorism; and disaster 
response.  This opportunity for the U.S. Coast Guard to work with 
their Philippine counterparts to address the oil spill will help 
support this partnership and build capacity within Philippine 
government agencies. 
 
¶3.  The PST then met Transportation Secretary Leandro Mendoza and 
Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Vice Admiral Arthur Gosingan at Coast 
Guard Headquarters.  The PCG briefed the PST, Embassy Reps, and two 
officers from the Japanese Coast Guard, which had deployed a team to 
Guimaras Island earlier that day.  The group viewed fly-over videos 
of the affected area and PCG outlined its priorities:  to salvage or 
offload the leaking vessel; contain the free-floating oil with 
booms; continue to apply dispersants; and conduct shoreline 
clean-up. 
 
¶4.  The PST also met Undersecretary Ernesto Carolina from the 
Department of Defense.  Carolina said Petron had contracted Japanese 
firm Fukuda Salvage and Marine Works to use a sonar sweep to 
determine the exact location of the vessel, siphon out its contents, 
and retrieve the tanker.  The tanker sank to an estimated 1,000 
meters, but the company can retrieve vessels as deep as 2,000 
meters. Carolina remains anxious to receive satellite images to 
support the ongoing damage assessment.  He expressed concern about 
the disposal of the recovered oil and contaminated material, and the 
need to obtain booms, skimmers, protective covering for personnel, 
and other machinery and equipment related to spill clean-up. 
 
----------------- 
CURRENT SITUATION 
----------------- 
 
¶5.  The PST and Japanese team completed their first aerial survey on 
August 24 of some of the affected areas, and witnessed dispersal 
operations, shoreline clean up, and further oil leaks from the 
vessel.  PST Commander reported that it is difficult to determine 
the release rate of the bunker oil and estimate the amount already 
spilled.  The PST believes that the assessment phase will take up to 
seven days.  They will analyze the incident, survey the area of the 
spill, assess available resources, determine response priorities, 
and suggest options.  After this initial phase, the PST would stay 
up to two additional weeks, if desired by the Philippine 
government. 
 
¶6.  Petron has hired 1,000 local residents for 200 pesos per day 
(about $4) to clean up the shoreline.  A cadre of volunteers is 
working without protective gear.  Scrubbing off with turpentine 
afterwards is causing rashes, so local health officials are advising 
citizens not to participate without protective gear.  Guimaras' 
Governor told the press that 26,000 fishermen have lost their source 
 
MANILA 00003549  002 OF 002 
 
 
of livelihood.  According to the National Disaster Coordinating 
Council (NDCC), damage has occurred in over 1,000 hectares of 
Taklong Island National Marine Reserve, 200 kilometers of coastline 
and 1,128 hectares of mangrove forest. 
 
¶7.  Post appreciates the interagency support for the PST deployment 
to help the Philippines with this enormous on-going operation. 
 
JONES