Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 3) — Over 24,000 hectares of coral reef in Mindoro may be at risk following the recent oil spill in waters off the province, according to marine experts.
\”At risk is over 24,000 hectares of coral reef area in Mindoro alone – from Bulalacao, Oriental Mindoro, all the way to San Jose, Occidental Mindoro,\” the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) said in a bulletin on Friday.
The spill – which came from a sunken tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel – has already affected majority of the marine protected areas in Oriental Mindoro, local officials reported.
The MSI said the oil is projected to reach the southern tip of the province \”in a matter of days,\” citing the current direction of winds and waves.
The institute also noted that it has been working with the Environment Department, the Philippine Coast Guard, as well as experts from UP Visayas and Mindanao State University on some \”countermeasures\” that would help address the effects of the slick.
\”The team is already considering possible contingencies to address the spread of the oil, made difficult by the prevailing strong winds and waves,\” the MSI said.
Call for cleanup
In a separate interview with CNN Philippines, UP MSI Associate Professor Irene Rodriguez also underscored the importance of ensuring the safety of coastal areas.
“In cases where organisms are laying their eggs, siyempre, this will lead to immediate death. Ito sana ‘yung kailangang tugunan agad, ‘yung matanggal (ito) sa ating coastal areas,” Rodriguez said.
“Kung ma-mobilize agad ang coastal communities in the cleanup, mas mabuti ‘yun,” she added.
[Translation: In cases where organisms are laying their eggs, of course, this will lead to immediate death. This is what we should immediately respond to, making sure to remove them from coastal areas. If we can immediately mobilize coastal communities in the cleanup, that would be better.]
