Mindoro oil spill hits marine protected areas
By Kyle Aristophere T. Atienza, Reporter
AN oil spill from a tanker that sank near Oriental Mindoro province could endanger over 20 marine protected areas, according to the Philippines’ environmental agency.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said at least 21 locally-managed marine protected areas “can be potentially affected” by the spill from oil tanker MT Princess Empress, which had engine trouble Tuesday and had completely sunk by Wednesday.
The agency said the spill could have reached a maximum radius of 40 kilometers, at a point starting five nautical miles east of Balingawan Point in Naujan town in Oriental Mindoro.
It said the Biodiversity Management Bureau had mapped “potential risk areas including seagrass beds, mangroves, and dispersion pathways for spawned fish larvae.”
The sunken vessel, which carried 800,000 liters of industrial fuel, drifted towards Naujan due to strong waves.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) confirmed that the oil spill in the waters of Oriental Mindoro contained industrial fuel oil.
In a statement, the PCG said it had observed “patches of emulsified oil,” which has spread near Sable Island waters.
It had also seen an oil spill “stranding along the shoreline” of a village in the town of Pola.
Oriental Mindoro is one of the five provinces surrounding the Verde Island Passage, recognized globally as one of the most diverse marine habitats.
Citing the provincial government’s assessment, Oriental Mindoro Vice Governor Ejay L. Falcon said at least 16 “fish sanctuaries” are estimated to have been affected by the spill.
These protected sanctuaries are in the towns of Nauhan, Pola, and Pinamalayan, he told BusinessWorld via Facebook Messenger chat on Wednesday.
The incident has already hit 16 coastal villages in the three towns, he added.
Mr. Falcon said that based on a report as of Wednesday afternoon, the oil spill might have also spread to the towns of Bansud and Bongabong.
Earlier in the day, Governor Humerlito “Bonz” A. Dolor said the oil spill had affected an area of about six by four kilometers.
The coverage of the spill was getting wider, he told ABS-CBN’s Teleradyo.
“The provincial government, with the help of various government agencies, is monitoring the oil spill incident,” Mr. Falcon said, adding that authorities have been rushing to contain the spill and ensure that its impact on coastal communities would not worsen.
