Sunken Empress’ ‘location’ detected

MANILA, Philippines — A vessel of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) may have found the location of the oil tanker M/T Empress, which sank in the waters off Naujan, Orienal Mindoro with 800,000 liters of fuel on board last week.

The DENR said that its BRP Hydrographer Ventura may have detected the possible site of the Empress, although it said the information needs verification.

“We are pleased to report that through the efforts of the BRP Hydrographer Ventura, we may have detected the possible site where the vessel is actually located. That site is about 1,200 feet or approximately 400 meters below sea level. It is located about northeast of Pola town, but is believed to have moved southeast from its last known position, where it completely submerged,” the DENR said in a report.

The Ventura is owned by the National Mapping and Resource Information Authority, an attached agency of the DENR. It arrived from Subic on Saturday night.

“This will require verification with the deployment of a remotely operated vehicle. The ROV will allow us complete visualization should the water current and weather permit,” the DENR said, adding it was preparing to access an ROV to determine the actual location of the Empress and the trajectory of the oil spill.

The DENR said it relayed the development to President Marcos on Sunday night and was allowed to share the information with the public.

The agency said it is coordinating with local government units (LGUs) and the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) on the  possible location of the Empress

The UP-MSI said the oil spill would reach Cuyo Islands and could get closer to Northern Palawan within a week.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said it has applied 1,000 liters of oil dispersant in Naujan to help remove the oil that has spread through the seawater.

Oil dispersants break oil into small droplets, making the oil easier to dissolve.

Marine protected areas in Pola and beach resorts in the province have been affected by the spill, according to the Department of Tourism.

Ten municipalities in Oriental Mindoro including Pola are affected by the oil spill.

Water, air quality monitoring

Department of Health (DOH) officer-in-charge Maria Rosario Vergeire ordered health officials in towns affected by the oil spill to coordinate with concerned agencies the results of the the monitoring of water and air toxicology in their areas.

Vergeire said that municipal health officers should actively work with all stakeholders in assessing the water and air quality in coastal communities.

“We will continuously cooperate with other agencies in order to protect the health of our citizens,” Vergeire said in a statement.

Vergeire has discussed ways to strengthen the oil spill response with representatives of the municipal and provincial health offices, the departments of environment and natural resources, and interior and local government as well as with health care workers in Pola town.

During the meeting, Vergeire stressed the need to swiftly implement quality health response.

She said it could be done by ensuring strengthened surveillance of symptoms that may be experienced by affected people as well as transfering residents to safer areas while the government works to stabilize the situation.

Probe sought

A maritime labor union is seeking a thorough investigation by the Senate on the sinking of the Empress.

The United Filipino Seafarers said an investigation is necessary as the incident “poses serious threats to our marine protected areas.”

“There was no storm when the vessel sank. Force majeure cannot be used as an excuse in this case,” the group said in a statement.

They said the vessel was built only a year ago and was not heavily battered by the waves.

Meanwhile, although the oil spill may not reach the shores of Boracay Island, the municipal government of Malay in Aklan is monitoring the situation in cooordination with the PCG and barangay disaster risk reduction and management councils.

The LGU said it has laid out oil spill booms in areas identified to be susceptible to oil spill.

It said it is using indigenous materials as a second defense against the spill. – Rhodina Villanueva, Ralph Edwin Villanueva, Jennifer Rendon, Mark Ernest Villeza

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