CALAPAN CITY, Oriental Mindoro (PIA) – The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has been continuously doing its oil spill response operations in Oriental Mindoro by means of putting oil spill boom in the sea as part of containment of industrial fuel oil coming from the sunken MT Princess Empress a week ago.

PCG reported updates on concerned agencies’ participation in the ongoing rehabilitation activities brought about by the incident.  The municipality of Pola created Task Force Pola in pursuing legal actions against the owner of MT Princess Empress in proper courts due to the damages and serious impact of the incident in the town's fishing grounds.

The Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office (PENRO) continues its conduct of assessment and fuel fingerprinting at the affected coastal barangays.

Today, there is an ongoing coastal clean-up activity in the town of Pola with the participation of residents and local fisherfolks.

The Department of Health (DOH) required all participants in the coastal clean-up to wear full-face respirators in order to uphold public safety. Toxicologists, as reported by the PCG are also present in this initiative today.

The M/Tug TITAN-1 and M/Tug LIDAGAT conducted dispersant application, and containment and recovery operations as part of the rehabilitation process.

As of today, there are still traces and patches of oil floating on the surface of the water in areas of Pola going to the province’s southern towns.

The provincial government ordered putting fishing activities on hold, particularly in the shorelines of Naujan going further south in Bulalacao for the safety of the public.

Based on the consolidated report of the Provincial Tourism Office (PTO), 15 Community-based Sustainable Tourism Organizations (CBSTOs) in the province with 750 members were affected by the oil spill.  These organizations are in Naujan, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao.

PTO reported also that there are tourism sites composed of 28 marine protected areas (MPAs) which are affected by the oil spill in areas of Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Mansalay, and Bulalacao.

Moreover, PTO’s record based on their assessment showed that 51 tourism enterprises and 61 tourism attractions with a total number of 327 workers were also affected by the incident. (LTC/PIA-OrMin)

Photo Above: PCG’s containment of oil spill during response operations in Oriental Mindoro.  (Photo credit: Philippine Coast Guard)