Thursday, July 31, 2008

Philippine Coast Guard Gets Chinese Equipment

MANILA, Philippines (Mindanao Examiner / July 31, 2008) – Some P20 million worth of Chinese marine pollution control equipment were handed over Thursday to the Coast Guard and Filipino officials said it would be sent immediately to central Philippines where a ferry capsized in June during a typhoon.

The Chinese government donated the equipment last year to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and it was only on Thursday that they had been formally transferred to the Coast Guard.

The equipment include 10,800-meter oil spill boom, 500 pairs of protective overalls, 200 units of high pressure sprayers, among others, according to Coast Guard spokesman Armand Balilo.

He said it would be sent to Sibuyan Island where the 23,800-ton Princess of the Star which was carrying more than 800 passengers and crew capsized. About 5 dozen people had survived the tragedy. The ship was also carrying cargoes of pesticides and poisonous chemicals. (Chris Navara)

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