By Prince Golez
More than P40 million worth of assistance from the national government and the private sector has been provided to 74 areas in Regions 4-B (Mimaropa) and 6 (Western Visayas) that were impacted by the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.
National Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. reported to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. that the Office of Civil Defense, Department of Social Welfare and Development, Department of Health, local government units (LGUs), and non-government organizations gave a total of P43.35 million to said areas.
A total of 31,497 families or 143,713 individuals were affected in 122 barangays, as were the livelihoods of 13,654 fishermen, Galvez said, who also chairs the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.
The oil spill was said to have injured or sickened 169 people.
A state of calamity has been declared in the towns of Bansud, Bongabong, Bulalacao, Gloria, Mansalay, Naujan, Pinamalayan, Pola, Roxas in Oriental Mindoro and in Caluya, Antique.
According to Galvez, a total of 894 sacks of oil contaminated debris and 77.5 drums of waste for treatment were collected during the ongoing shoreline cleanup.
Experts and coast guards from other countries have offered to help the country contain the oil spill. A response team with Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) from Japan is expected to arrive on March 20 to assist with the cleanup efforts.
“The Task Force managing the oil spill in Mimaropa in collaboration with the LGU of Oriental Mindoro shall coordinate with the Bureau of Customs, Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Quarantine to expedite the entry of the incoming response team with ROV from Japan to arrive the country on March 20,” said Galvez.
The ROV was provided by Harbor Star, a private company contracted by the insurance firm of the owner of the shipping company.
On one hand, Malayan Salvage and Towing Corporation, a private company also contracted by the insurance firm of the owner of the shipping company, supports offshore oil containment.
Galvez said the Department of Transportation-Philippine Coast Guard will simultaneously look for an alternative ROV from a local source in order to detect and recover the source of the oil spill.
The oil tanker MT Princess Empress sank last month, spilling 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil .
