Helping out a
friend spread the word.
AN APPEAL FOR HELPDear Friends,
With 2 million liters of oil spillage each day leaking out to destroy what is left of our natural resources along in Guimaras, recent reports say it is the worst natural disaster our country is facing. As i type, the oil spillage slowly encompasses the areas around Guimaras Island and is now moving up towards the north through Guimaras Strait, damaging Panay and Negros in its wake. Families dependent on their fishing livelihood are robbed of their means of living. Our rich seafood is contaminated, and we are slowly but surely killed with health problems resulting from this terrible environmental disaster.
The
Visayan Sea Squadron have started volunteer work to help out fishermen, residents and fellow ilonggos who have been badly affected. Atty. Antonio Oposa, a lawyer specializing on environmental law, is currently heading the organization. Yesterday, the group along with Senator Cayetano, Congressman Acosta and Congressman Roces assessed the damage along Guimaras. With heavy hearts and tearful eyes, they watch helplessly as oil slick and sludge slowly ate up what was left of the rich marine life that was carefully proected by Guimaras. A few more days and it will reach Eastancia and the northern area of Iloilo, where Panay's fishing port is located.
We encourage fellow filipinos to help out in the cause of preventing its spillage to reach further waters, and as much as possible, clean up the damage done. We appeal to all filipinos to help out and be more aware of the situation. We appeal to members of Congress, the Senate and other government officials to help us by thoroughly investigating this matter and TAKE ACTION.It is for this cause that i am coordinating with them to create this donation drive. In lieu of cash, we are readily accepting donations of fishing rubber boots, rubber gloves and masks for the volunteers and fisherfolk who are, as i type, working to clean up the damage, with no thought of their health. They go through the muck in sandals and slippers, with not even a mask to protect their lungs. We also accept donations of hair and chicken feathers to create brooms needed to mop up the oil.
Our first shipment of donations will be on the 30th of August, 2006. Due to those who were unable to send us donations during the week, we have extended our initial deadline to that date. For those in the QC area, please send over donations to
12 Highland drive Blueridge A, Katipunan Q.C. Please contact the number below if you want to have your donations picked up instead. :-) Cash is also a good alternative, for those who shall donate this, we will be buying the much needed materials for you, and put the donation under your name. Please contact the individuals below on where to channel the cash donations if ever, since we don't have an account up yet. You can also send it in through the address given.We thank all those who have readily sent cash and the abovementioned donations, your efforts and willingness to help have given much needed hope to us and families affected by this disaster. Our next shipment shall be on the Sept. 5, 2006.
Please attach with your donations your name and contact number so we can update you on the progress .You can also contact these numbers for more info and volunteer help:
Archie (0919 2253262)
Haydee (0928 2313193)
Lette (0915.7854035)
You can also email us at cleanupoilspill@gmail.com.
You can also drop off donations (cash or kind) at the College of Fine Arts in UP-Diliman, Q.C. Please look for Jen Alfon (faculty)
For more information and updates, please check
greenpeace.org, and
projectsunrise.org
