Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, March 4) — At least eight more towns in Oriental Mindoro will be placed under a state of calamity starting Monday due to an oil spill from a sunken tanker.
This will allow local governments to use calamity funds to help affected communities.
There are no details yet on which towns will be placed under a state of calamity, but the provincial government has said the slick has already affected the livelihood of over 10,000 fishers in the towns of Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, and Mansalay.
“[It’s very] worrisome…may effect kasi sa production namin kasi ‘yung areas na ito, ‘yun ang breeding ground,” Oriental Mindoro Gov. Bonz Dolor told reporters Saturday.
“Pag affected na ‘to, ‘yung source ng isda namin problema din namin. So definitely, may effect ito sa market chain,” he added.
[Translation: It’s very worrisome. This affects our production because fish breeding grounds are located in these areas. If these are affected, our source of fish will also be a problem. So definitely, this will affect our market chain.]
Pola town already declared a state of calamity on Friday.
“Siyempre, nangangamba dahil ang mga turista, paano dadating dito? Eh, magsa-summer pa po,” resort owner Lemuel Enriquez told CNN Philippines. “Nalulungkot po kami. Parang balik pandemic na naman ang aming lugar. Talagang napakahirap,” he added.
[Translation: We are worried because how can tourists come here? Summer time is approaching. We are sad because it looks like we returned to the COVID-19 pandemic state. It’s really difficult.]
Around 10,000 families from Pola were said to have already received food packs. Social Welfare Secretary Rex Gatchalian said a cash-for-work program will also be implemented for residents so they can earn while helping with coastal cleanup efforts.
Meanwhile, Dolor urged the Philippine Coast Guard to hasten efforts in pinpointing the exact location of the oil tanker, as some dreaded this might turn out like the 2006 oil spill in Guimaras — considered the worst the country has seen.
“Hindi pa namin siya kinukumpara sa ganu’ng magnitude, but it might come to that point kung hindi ito mapipigilan,” he warned.
[Translation: The magnitude is not yet on the same level but it might come to that point if this is not contained.]
Marine experts from the University of the Philippines estimated that 20,000 hectares of coral reef, 9,900 hectares of mangroves, and 6,000 hectares of seagrass are potentially affected by the oil spill.
They projected the slick — roughly 25 kilometers long and between 300 and 500 meters wide based on the latest data — might reach the waters of Palawan over the next four days.
