Mayor Sitoy gives trisikad, fishing gear to residents

CEBU, Philippines - Cordova Mayor Adelino Sitoy has distributed yesterday 26 units of  "traysikad," seven fishing boats, lamp and nets to residents of Barangay Pilipog whose livelihood were affected by the oil spill brought by the sinking of MV St. Thomas Aquinas last year.

The municipality spent P548,000 from its calamity fund for the barangay and the recipients would pay in a rent-to-own basis so the money collected back will be purchased for another batch.

Sitoy said the fishing nets replaced the dragnet, locally known as baling, which is illegal in their place.

"Motalikod nata ug ato nang itaktak ang ngan nga baling," Sitoy said.

His daughter, Vice Mayor Mary Therese Sitoy-Cho, reported that she already talked to a Korean lawmaker who is willing to give 100 fishing boats in Cordova.

"Kana lang akong ihangyo kaninyo ug naa man ta ana nga fishing boats puhon gikan sa Korea, dili nata magbaling, kana lang maayo nga pangisda kung gusto jud mo sa dagat," said Cho.

Meanwhile, no more mortality of mangrove trees affected by the oil spill has been recorded in Cordova town.

Rex Sadaba, program manager of the University of the Philippines-Visayas' Oil Spill Response Program, announced yesterday that signs of recovery of the mangrove areas in Cordova, particularly in barangay Day-as, are already visible.

"Ok na siya in the sense na wala nang additional mortality. There are new seedlings coming out in the affected area, which is a good sign of recovery. But we cannot say that it is fully recovered," he said.

He, however, said they have still to monitor the area. The group, in coordination with UP-Cebu and University of San Carlos, has collected samples for chemical analysis and mapping of the affected areas in the town.

On Tuesday, the group involved in the assessment of the impacts of the oil spill finished the field sampling in the affected areas in Cordova. The result would be presented in June.

Barangay Day-as was badly affected by the oil spill when MV St. Thomas Aquinas sank after it collided with MV Sulpicio Express Siete at Lawis Ledge in August last year. — (FREEMAN)