Update: Massive Philippines Oil Spill Raises Health Fears

Environmental Alert
Nueva Valencia (AFP) Philippines
Aug 24, 2006
Hundreds of people have fallen sick and one man has died in central Philippines following the country's worst ever oil spill, health officials said Thursday. The health department has sent medical teams to Guimaras island, which bore the brunt of the disaster, where 329 people have complained of a range of symptoms including skin irritation and respiratory problems.
Health Secretary Francisco Duque arrived in the nearby city of Iloilo Thursday to see conditions first hand following the sinking of an oil tanker off Guimaras on August 11.
The sunken ship has discharged more than 50,000 gallons of industrial oil into pristine waters.
The tanker, said to be resting on the seabed with 450,000 gallons still in its hold, has been described an ecological time bomb by environmentalists.
Petron Corp, the company that contracted the tanker, said it would continue to provide the assistance necessary to clean up contaminated coastline. {photo above: Hazardous work - Philippino residents clean up one of Guimaras island's beaches which was destroyed by the recent oil spill. Photo courtesy of AFP.}