MANILA, Philippines — The public should refrain from fishing and carrying out recreational activities in areas in Puerto Galera where high level of oil and grease contaminants were found, the Department of Health said Tuesday.
Health officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire said 26 out of 35 sampling areas in Puerto Galera, a popular tourist destination in Oriental Mindoro, failed water tests.
Only nine sampling stations—Small Lalaguna and Big Lalaguna shoreline, Balete, Central Sabang shoreline, Coco Beach, Batangas Channel, Paniquian, Balatero and West San Isidro Bay—met the criteria for water quality guidelines on oil and grease contaminants set by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
In a joint statement with the DENR, the DOH advised the public to refrain from consuming water and exercise caution when conducting water-related activities.
The public is also advised to avoid eating contaminated fish, shellfish and other seafood products.
“I hope we can avoid recreational and occupational activities in Puerto Galera because this might cause harm to the health of communities,” Vergeire said.
According to the DOH, exposure to oil and grease may cause rashes and blisters, respiratory diseases, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Those who have suspected exposure to contaminants or who start to experience symptoms of suspected poisoning are advised to visit the nearest healthcare facility in their area and consult their medical provider.
They may also call the following Poison Control Centers for initial assessment and management:
- UP National Poison Management and Control Center - 852-41078
- East Avenue Medical Center - (02) 8928-0611 loc 707
- Batangas Medical Center - 09189456879 or (043) 7408307 loc 1104
Further studies
Last week, Oriental Mindoro Governor Humerlito Dolor said that Puerto Galera and nearby areas failed four consecutive water tests, deeming them unsafe for swimming and other water activities.
The declaration comes as tourists flock to beaches to escape the summer heat.
In a briefing on Tuesday, Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones said that further studies are needed to confirm the source of the contaminants considering the economic and human activities in Puerto Galera even before the oil spill.
“What is clear to us, out of the sampling stations, only nine passed the standards. Whether it came from the vessel (MT Princess Empress) or from other vessels that dock in Puerto Galera, the results showed that most of the sampling stations failed the tests,” Leones said partly in Filipino.
Tanker MT Princess Empress, which was loaded with 800,000 liters of oil, sank off Oriental Mindoro on February 28.
The oil spill is disrupting the livelihood of fishers and tourism workers in the province, and threatening the area’s rich marine biodiversity.