The Crisis Corps
Crisis Corps Oil Spill Clean Up Deployment to the Philippines
Greetings from Peace Corps Headquarters,
The Crisis Corps has been requested to deploy a team to the Philippines to work on the oil spill that occurred there in mid-August. The government of the Philippines and Post are requesting higher level health workers and volunteers knowledgeable in the areas of environmental cleanup.
We need to get the team out the door ASAP, so any RPCVs that you could send this on to would be immensely appreciated. The description of situation follows.
All my best,
Robert
Robert Disney
Humanitarian Assistance and Post Conflict Development
The Crisis Corps at the Peace Corps
www.peacecorps.gov/crisiscorps
Crisis Corps Oil Spill Clean Up Deployment
The Crisis Corps anticipates volunteer assignments in the Philippines in response to an Oil Spill in area near Guimaras and is currently short listing qualified candidates.
Situation Summary: August 11, 2006, an oil tanker carrying 2.0 million tons of industrial fuel sank off the island province of Guimaras (several hundred kms south of Manila, Philippines) leaking fuel and affecting marine and coastal ecosystems. The government has hired local villagers to scoop up the sludge from the Guimaras shoreline. Petron, the Philippine oil company, that chartered MV Solar I has engaged the services of a Japanese salvage vessel to determine the location/condition of MT Solar I and options for recovering about 1.8 million tons of fuel in the vessel. Philippine President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo has declared the incident as a national calamity.
The oil fumes have affected the health of at least 29 residents (respiratory diseases, dizziness, shortness of breath, coughs, chest pains, allergies and skin rashes). The health, livelihood and food source of at least 7 coastal municipalities, 26 barangays (villages), 3,920 families representing some 26,000 people who are mostly fisher folk have been compromised. The loss of livelihood and food source will further aggravate poverty, poor nutrition and health problems.
Crisis Corps is short-listing RPCVs who have relevant experience in the following areas:
Oil spill clean up:
Crisis Corps seeks Volunteers with a basic understanding of handling hazardous waste and environmental clean-ups, preferably with actual oil spill mitigation experience. The CCVs will work with wide variety of people in performing clean-up operations including fisher folk residents most affected by the oil spill, Coast Guard personnel, and provincial government staff. The CCVs will plan, design procedures for safe oil sludge and debris collection, handling and disposal; train and organize affected residents in those procedures; help distribute safety equipment and supplies such as gloves, masks and provide corresponding orientation; conduct bathing and drinking water surveillance and pollution monitoring; prepare long-term rehabilitation plans for marine and coastal ecosystems affected.
Public health:
In collaboration with the Provincial Health Office, CCVs will be involved in community health surveillance focusing on 11 barangays (ward, Filipino term for basic local government entity) most affected by the oil spill and evacuation centers. CCVs will conduct surveillance of disease outbreaks, assist doctors and health professionals in holding mobile and stationary clinics help distribute food and medicine supplies, conduct stress management, health/hygiene, oral re-hydration and cooking/nutrition seminars, disseminate safety precautions and educate the affected communities on the health hazards of the oil spill.
If you are an RPCV with experience described above who is ready and available to go overseas,
please send a current resume to crisiscorps@peacecorps.gov with "Philippines" in the subject line. You can also call the Crisis Corps office at 202-692-2250.
Complete position descriptions under development will be available shortly. Please visit on our
website at www.peacecorps.gov/crisiscorps for additional information or to download an application.
Thank you,
Crisis Corps
Robert Disney
Humanitarian Assistance and Post Conflict Development
The Crisis Corps at the Peace Corps
www.peacecorps.gov/crisiscorps
"Peace Corps at 45, a legacy of service at home and abroad"
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