Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 30) – The entire province of Oriental Mindoro may be placed under a state of calamity, as the oil spill reaches the waters of Baco and San Teodoro towns, Gov. Bonz Dolor said Thursday.
“Ngayong araw na ito, ayon sa meeting ng Sangguniang Panlalawigan they request to declare the entire province under (a) state of calamity dahil may mga reports (of oil spill sightings) na rin na natanggap na bina-validate pa namin ngayong araw na ito,” Dolor said.
[Translation: Today, according to the meeting of the Provincial Board, they requested to declare a state of calamity in the entire province because of reports of oil spill sightings we received that we’re still validating.]
“‘Yun pong mga areas na marine protected areas sa Baco at sa San Teodoro, meron na ring presence of grease and oil beyond the (allowable) standard,” he added.
[Translation: Marine protected areas in Baco and San Teodoro already have presence of grease and oil beyond the allowable standard.]
Dolor said he has directed the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to take water samples, with results expected on Friday.
“Wala sa shoreline pero nasa dagat,” the governor said of the oil slick sightings. “So ibig sabihin di na safe maligo at di na rin siya safe pangisdaan for now until after ma-confirm ng BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources) na ‘yung mga isda dito ay safe pa rin.”
[Translation: The oil slick is in the sea and not on the shoreline. It means it’s unsafe for swimming and fishing for now until BFAR can confirm that the fish are safe for consumption.]
Dolor said a fishing ban will be implemented in affected waters. He also said he had written to BFAR requesting the bureau to identify alternative fishing grounds.
Baco and San Teodoro are neighboring towns of Calapan City, and are facing the Verde Island Passage, a marine corridor recognized as the center of global shore fish biodiversity.
Next to these towns is Puerto Galera, a tourist destination in the northernmost part of Oriental Mindoro known for its dive sites and beaches.
Authorities have yet to plug the seepage from the MT Princess Empress, a tanker carrying at least 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, which capsized and sank in waters off Naujan last Feb. 28.
RELATED: PCG: 60% of oil spill-affected areas already cleaned up
A state of calamity has already been declared in 76 coastal barangays across the nine of 13 municipalities in Oriental Mindoro.
These are the towns of Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalacao, Gloria, Mansalay, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Pola, and Roxas.
Affected households
With the oil spill reaching more towns, Dolor said he ordered the province’s offices for social welfare and agriculture to identify households near the seas of Baco and San Teodoro, and include them in the list of affected residents.
He said he has reached out to Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Secretary Rex Gatchalian Wednesday night to request for more family food packs.
The governor also said he is coordinating with the DSWD to update the list of affected households by the oil spill.
According to the latest report of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), 36,658 families or 172,928 individuals were affected by the oil spill in Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and Western Visayas.
Around 203 residents got sick, the NDRRMC also said.
The agency added that 16,930 fisherfolk have been impacted by the oil spill.
