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Map showing the extent of the Guimaras oil spill in 2006. Photo by Jesse Allen.

Top 10 Facts about the 2006 Guimaras Oil Spill

August 11^th, 2006 was a tragic date for the people in Guimaras Island in the Philippines because of the oil tanker that accidentally spilled oil into the gulf. The tanker that was traveling on the coast sank into the water due to the violent storm in the middle of the night. The MT solar 1 was in transit delivering gallons of oil from a petrol corporation, spilling more than half a million gallons of oil. The accident is recorded in the Philippines and is the most devastating oil spill in the history of the nation. The oil spread quickly into the water body threatening the water lives including fish and other water animals. The oil spill also negatively affected the coast, the sea, and the surrounding environment. However, many people do not have information about the Guimaras oil spill.

Below are the 10 facts about the 2006 Guimaras oil spill:

1. The Guimaras Oil Spill Was Linked To Several Causes 

There were several reasons for the sinking of the oil tank that led to the spillage of oil into the water body and on the land. The researchers have cited human error as a possible reason for the sinking of the vessel into the ocean spilling the oil. Several people have speculated that the drivers might have been exhausted and slept during the journey leading to the tanker losing direction and plunging straight into the ocean. However, other people have stated that the tanker lost control because of bad weather conditions. Reportedly, a violent storm at night caused the driver to lose control of the tanker, plunging it into the ocean and spilling the oil. Others maintain that the tanker lost control due to being overloaded as there was a capacity of more than a million liters of oil. All these reasons might have contributed in one way or the other for the tanker to sink.

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2. What Were the Instant Effects of the Spill to the People and Environment?

National Marine Reserve was severely damaged. Photo by Shubert Ciencia.

The MT solar 1 tanker carrying fuel of almost 2 million liters was in transit when it sank a few miles off the Coast of Guimaras Island. The oil spilled in the area spreading to the adjacent provinces such as the Iloilo. The spilled oil into the water bodies immediately killed the marine animals including the fish which would be seen floating lifelessly. The oil also released gases and fumes into the air which led to the death of every living creature that was in the vicinity, including three men. More than seven thousand families were immediately and a total population of almost forty thousand people was displaced from their homes. The oil contaminated the air and water, making the place inhabitable. People had to run to look for fresh air and water to continue with life.

3. Did The Oil Spillage Cause Any Deaths?

Guimaras’ oil spillage is not considered a calamity because it did not result in the instant loss of lives in the region. However, the effects of the spillage have been felt over years including people dying from the side effects. A person from Barangay Lapaz was the first person to be reported missing after the oil spillage as reports suggest that he inhaled the fumes from the spilled oil, suffocated, and died. Furthermore, two other people sailing in the boat were also reported missing and they might have also succumbed to the gases released from the spilled oil. The incident might have caused a few deaths initially, but the long-term effects have been more devastating. More people have continued to die from consuming the gases indirectly, through water or food and dying.

4. The Local People Responded To The Crisis Faster To Salvage The Situation

Cleanup in Barangay La Paz, Nueva Valencia, Guimaras. Photo by Shubert Ciencia.

After the occurrence of the oil spill, the local government ordered steps that helped in recovering some oil and save lives. The governor of Guimaras JC Rahman Nava was at the forefront with the president to form task forces to help recover the oil. The president of the Philippines ordered the local investigative agents to dig deep into the matter to find out the root cause of the spillage to avoid the same scenario in the future. The investigation also included cleaning up the island and getting rid of the excess oil to save marine life and avoid environmental pollution.

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5. The International Organization Intervened In A Few Days To Investigate

The local government had done everything in its power to mitigate the risks that would have arisen in the aftermath of the oil spill. However, the process did not stop as the people of the Philippines continued to feel the effects of the polluted environment. Therefore there was a need for international intervention. The government of British sent oil experts to the affected region to find out the extent of the situation. The British oil experts surveyed Guimaras Island and made recommendations. Furthermore, the United States American president also sent experts to the island a few days after the British investigation. These investigations together with the local search helped the Philippines to rise from the world’s worst oil spillage.

6. The Quality Of Lives Of The Local Population Deteriorated For Lack Of Food

Photo by Ehteshamul Haque Adit on

The Philippines is a small country that is still developing and some remote places such as Guimaras have a lower-class population. People in Guimaras Island depend on fishing as their major source of food and income. Therefore the oil spill in the water destroyed a huge number of fish and sea animals taking a toll on the people’s main food. There are fishery projects developed in the region and more than half the population lives along the coast and depends on fish and seafood for livelihood. These people also depend on seaweed to generate income and aquaculture is their way of life. Therefore the oil spill did not just pollute the environment but destroyed people’s livelihoods.

7. The Oil Spill Damaged The National Reserve Destroying Fish Projects

Taklong Island was among the hardest hit places in the region after the oil had spilled all over the place. The Taklong island maritime reserve, a national reserve for breeding sea creatures such as fish, crabs, and other animals was hit by the oil spill. The oil contaminated the water in the area killing every breed of fish that had been kept for years. The tourism attraction region was left without anything to admire and tourists stopped visiting the reserve. However, tourism was also banned for some months as the clean-up began to get rid of the oil from the environment.

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8. Agricultural Sector Stalled Due To Low Production 

Photo by Jo-Anne McArthur on

The island of Guimaras is a small region with a population of slightly above a hundred thousand people. The island is located in the central region of the Philippines where people depend on rice planting and coconut as their primary agricultural products. These people also grow fruits such as mangoes in the region. Therefore the oil spill destroyed the soil on which they planted their cash crops and subsistence crops. The oil spill on the soil rendered the soil infertile and unproductive to grow any type of crop for many years. The oil killed the soil microbes that help in aeration inside the soil, making it fertile and viable for crop growing. Therefore the agriculture sector was adversely affected by the oil spillage making farmers look for alternative ways to survive.

9. What was the Real Extent of Damage Caused by the Oil Spill?

The media has made efforts to report the damage that the oil spill caused in Guimaras but the report has not included everything that is happening. The damage to the environment is beyond what people have seen or heard in the media. The adjacent provinces to the island such as Calabagnan were less affected because the residents have to complain about the absence of fresh water. These people also have their financial lives negatively impacted because they are not able to sell fish. After all, buyers are afraid of purchasing food from the region. Furthermore, the province relied on the ecosystem that attracted tourists for sustenance, and thus, the oil spillage crippled the sector.

10. The Cleaning Up Process That Facilitated Restoration Of The Environment

The process of cleaning up the region began as soon as the tanker sunk when the local government ordered forming task forces to initiate the clean-up. However, a few days after the incident, international organizations intervened in the situation to try and help clean up the environment. The national oceanic and atmospheric administration was among the organizations that invested in the cleaning process. They employed different methods such as mechanical removal of oil, burning, and other activities depending on the amount of oil that was being removed. The organizations have also used scientifically based methods to clean the oil from the soil to minimize polluting the environment.

The august 11^th, 2006 Guimaras oil spill is recorded in history as the worst oil spill, not only in the Philippines but globally. The tanker sank in the sea spilling more than 2 million liters of fuel that killed marine animals including fish. The oil polluted the environment, killing some people instantly while others were affected in the long run.