Sign the Petition
Sign this petition and tell Petron to accept full responsibility for the Guimaras oil-spill.
Write directly to Nicaso I. Alcantara, chairman of Petron using this letter. (This link will bring you directly to the Greenpeace take action page.) You can also write a personal letter addressed to the following:
contactus@petron.com, mtong@petron.com, rrledesma@petron.com and varuivivar@petron.com
Sign the petition written by the Overseas Filipino workers and their friends and demand immediate action from the government.
Write to President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and demand transparency of ecological information and accountability for the guilty parties.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:29 pm
MA. GEOBELYN LOPEZ – September 6, 2006
MADIAAS ECOLOGICAL MOVEMENT (MEM) – Panay
c/o Room 203 La Salette Bldg.
Valeria St., Iloilo City
Tel./Fax No.: (033) 300-0408
Email Ad: madiaas_panay@yahoo.com.ph
BEARING THE BRUNT OF OIL SPILL
It is truly painful and disgusting to bear the brunt of oil spill courtesy of Petron Corporation and Sunshine Maritime Development Corporation (SMDC). The spill was not merely an accident that everybody must wholeheartedly accept. Making matters worse is the snail-paced response of the national government in immediately addressing the problem. Madiaas Ecological Movement sees it as a foot-dragging response of the Arroyo government, together with Petron and SMDC. And the people, again, are made to suffer of the consequences.
The problem will go down to the government’s failure to strictly adhere to international conventions it had committed to. It fell short in putting prime consideration to protect the life and limb as well as the ecosystem with regards to the implementation of appropriate maritime policies. For so a long time even during previous regimes, our government failed to identify the sea lanes for vessels carrying bunker fuels and hazardous chemicals.
Petron declares it has no legal responsibility for the oil spill.. But it cannot escape ultimate accountability for the oil spill just because it sub-contracted shipping of the oil to an outside company. In fact, instead of cost-cutting and negligence, it could have used its considerable economic power to ensure more overall safety in the oil transport industry by requiring its shippers to use double-hulled vessels, in line with international standards.
The damage wrought by the oil spill is wide-ranging and may take decades to rectify. If Petron is unwilling to face up its responsibilities, then government should step in and use its 40% share in the company to compel the oil giant to shoulder the costs of clean-up, rehabilitation of the local environment, and aid to affected residents.
Madiaas, together with Save our Lives – SOS (Panay-Guimaras), has initially rendered its relief delivery operation to the affected families of Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. Madiaas will also join the thousands of people in seriously contemplating for a possible filing of a class suit against Petron and SMDC.
The oil spill is indeed a crime against humanity! And eventually, Madiaas believes that the Arroyo government will be held accountable to the people.#
September 19th, 2006 at 1:31 pm
Do something now!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:32 pm
Let’s help one another! Take care of God’s gift to us…. the sea, trees, fishes and all that surrounds us.
May the people be responsible for all these gifts from the Lord, nurture and preserve it for the next generation!
Save the nature that surrounds us!!!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:34 pm
This is disgusting. How much longer are we going to allow such tragedies to take place? You can’t tell me there isn’t a better way.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:36 pm
What happened in Guimaras shows once again the dark side of corporate greed and incompetence, and the pass the buck attitude of big corporations whenever their shenanigans and high crimes are exposed to the public.
Petron and their cohorts, including the giant Saudi Aramco (Petron’s majority owner), as well as those in government agencies directly or indirectly responsible for letting that moron ship captain sail to the sea, must pay all the damages they caused in Guimaras.
This environmental disaster happened while another political and economic disaster in the Philippines is happening — that is, the bogus government of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, and her kowtoing to the dictates of global institutions to impose pro-elite economic policies.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:38 pm
Something needs to done like yesterday! This is of the utmost importance.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:39 pm
I hope something to be done soon.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:40 pm
save the earth’s body and blood…sacred waters…make all people responsible when they destroy our natural Goddess-given resources
September 19th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
Disgusting, we will choke in out negligence soon
September 19th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
IT IS SO SAD, WE KNOW ALREADY IT IS ALMOST TOO LATE SAVE NATURE….AND ANYWAY, BUSINESSMEN , OF MONEY AND GREED, THEY DO NOT CARE…..!!!!!
WHAT WE DESTROY OF NATURE WE CAN NEVER REBUILT !!!!!
MAY THE POOR PEOPLE GET HELP TO GO ON IN THEIR LIVES !!!!!
I HOPE POLITICIANS AND LEADERS OF THE WORLD WILL WAKE UP TO THE SAD REALITIES !!!!!!!!!!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:44 pm
Something has to be done and soon!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
Just today I was wondering about the fact that our ocean water at least in most parts of the world still looks BLUE! There is so much oil and rubbish and pollution and poison and blood in it, that it’ s a sheer miracle it still looks nice in the places uneffected. But there are limits to everything and we overdid it long ago. What needs to be done to start with is clear: STOP all polluting ways of action as well as all unnecessary killings and that immediately! Still the problem will not be out of this world with that, even if we could enforce it. We need to do something to balance the poison we put inside the oceans. How I do not know but I know something needs to happen!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
let this be a reminder to us how fragile nature is. things happen for a reason and for this one, is to remind, show and make us realize that we all need to do our part in taking care of it. everything is not too late. and if we will it, we all can do it, just like what we are doing now. let’s keep our country clean, our forests green, our oceans blue, our air fresh. no matter how insignificant your effort is, mother nature will be grateful. let’s help save the earth. our one and only home.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
I am sure there are ASEAN efforts in combating environmental problems like this. Work together with the relevant authority, I am sure it’s not too difficult.
September 19th, 2006 at 1:45 pm
PLEASE DON’T FORGET how damaging oil spills are to the environment! In my opinion oil spills are worse for the environment than hurricanes! Oil covers everything and kills everything. It’s also very hard to clean up and contain an oil spill. Delayed reactions only worsen the situation.
That’s why we demand action and accountability NOW!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
We suppose to take care of the environnement we live, also for the next generation
September 19th, 2006 at 1:46 pm
Exxon Valdez, American oil tanker that went aground on a reef in Prince William Sound, Alaska, at night on March 24, 1989. The tanker started to leak oil, and the leakage continued for two days, totaling 260,000 barrels.38 million liters (more than 10 million gallons)
The cleanup of spilled oil was slow to be organized because Exxon and the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company were not prepared for the disaster.The oil slick eventually coated about 1770 km (1100 mi) of the Alaska shoreline.Tens, possibly hundreds, of thousands of shore-nesting birds were killed by the slick, as were several thousand sea mammals, especially sea otters.
The captain of the Exxon Valdez, had a history of substance-abuse problems(he was drunk at the time).
Fines and restitution payments totaling more than $1 billion were agreed upon, to be paid over a 10-year period.
The resulting environmental damage prompted the United States Congress to pass federal safety requirements for oil tankers and barges and to assign the principal cost of spill cleanup to oil companies.
A positive result???….”Maybe”…!
September 19th, 2006 at 1:55 pm
The small town of Squamish, British Columbia is being cleaned up from a recent oil spill, which could have been prevented. Help was slow in arriving, but it came. Guimaras deserves to have a temendous amount of help to clean up the oil and get the Island back on it’s feet again. I don’t understand why they haven’t received this immediately after the spill. My prayers are for the people and the land, as well as for the officials responsible, to help NOW.
September 19th, 2006 at 11:16 pm
i want help now, i said it to all my friend, cause that¨s only what i can to do.
September 22nd, 2006 at 2:54 pm
Petron should take full responsibility for the oil spill…and cleaning it up…
From: Portland, Oregon USA
September 26th, 2006 at 9:05 pm
From: your city, your Country
Lochmere,NH-USA.
Each time this happens-it is devistating to our planet and all those who choose to protect her.Someone needs to be accountable and help clean up the messes thay cause.
September 27th, 2006 at 7:39 am
From: Makati, Philippines
Please clean it up. This is our sea, our land, our life. If we don’t take responsibility for it, who will?
It’s not a time to point fingers. It’s a time to hold hands and work together.
September 27th, 2006 at 9:23 am
From: Paranque, Phil.
Something has to be done SOON!
September 27th, 2006 at 9:41 am
From: Quezon City, Philippines
we are entitled to help in this problem in any way. Petron has the sole responsibility for having this problem, let’s face it, it’s going to be a problem passing to the next generation if it leaves unresolved. The agency should not just bite their nails and scratch their heads. They need to ACT NOW!!!
PETRON, CLEAN YOUR MESS!
September 28th, 2006 at 6:24 am
From: Mandaluyong City/Iloilo City, Philippines
As much as we would like Petron to fully own the responsibility for this tragedy and pressuring them to act in a greater proportion, we need to do our part in tangible terms to help the people there.
I work for Accenture and along with other organizers, we promote in the company a fund drive for the people of Guimaras. I’m sure that all over the country and the world similar endeavors are being spearheaded by numerous individuals. In terms of the outpouring of help, we can still be thankful of the fact that Guimaras people are not alone in this and a lot of people are one with them in their hardship.
I’m sure that as I write, millions or even billions of pesos have already been pledged and are on its way to the local gov’t. of Guimaras. Let’s help make sure that all the aid/support(monetary or in kind) collected are not mishandled. By saying this, I am not questioning the integrity of the Guimaras officials, but I would like to point out the fact that a lot of things can happen. There are some people who can still think of themselves and their selfish motives despite this tragedy and it’s up to us to prevent them from realizing it.
Thank you.
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“What man is a man who does not make the world better?”
September 28th, 2006 at 1:01 pm
From: Port-au-Prince, Haïti
What affect a part of the body (earth), affect the whole body.
Show indulgence before such a nightmare (oil spill) will kill the all environment and, at the end, the humanity.
In the process of looknig for WEALTH, people dont have to forget, what is important: “HUMAN LIFE”.
MAY GOD PROTECT PHILLIPINES!
September 30th, 2006 at 4:22 am
California, United States of America
Make a change for a better county! We are responsible to spread good things to our people.
Do it now!
October 2nd, 2006 at 7:43 pm
Arkansas, USA
It’s time to be responsible. Those that created this disaster need to clean it up now before more fragile life is affected and killed.
Clean, alternative energy is the way we must go to save our home the Earth and its precious inhabitants.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:49 am
From: Manila, Philippines
just do it.
October 16th, 2006 at 6:51 pm
From: Toronto, Canada
What are these moron doing now? What are you guys waiting for? Do something to my friend named, Philippines! For the sake of love to our nature!
October 19th, 2006 at 4:02 am
From: QC, Philippines
Please do the right thing. Hope something like this does not happen again.