Oil spill reaches Calapan

MANILA, Philippines — The oil spill from the sunken MT Princess Empress has reached the shoreline of Calapan in Oriental Mindoro, according to Gov. Humerlito Dolor.

“I confirm that at 9:58 p.m. last night, officially the oil slick reached Calapan. At least 500 meters long of a thin line of oil reached the shoreline,” Dolor told a radio interview yesterday.

He cited the projection of the University of the Philippines-Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) that the direction of the oil spill would be north of the province if the northeast monsoon or amihan continues to weaken.

Dolor said the incident could have been prevented if concerned government agencies had done their job.

“It is saddening as we are currently harvesting palay. The weather is also ideal for harvesting fish, which we supply locally and outside, but because of the tragedy, people don’t have livelihood,” Dolor said.

“We built improvised spill booms but the oil slick still reached the shoreline,” he said.

Dolor said the owner of Princess had offered to send relief packs for residents.

UP-MSI associate professor Irene Rodriguez had earlier warned local officials in Batangas, Puerto Galera and Calapan to prepare amid the threat of oil spill.

Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is coordinating with other government agencies to facilitate the arrival of a Japanese vessel to help in oil spill response operations.

In a Viber message, the PCG said its crisis management committee met to strategize and fast-track Customs, immigration, quarantine and security procedures of the DPV Shin Nichi Maru, which carries a remotely operated vehicle to be used to search for Princess.

The PCG said it has so far collected 1,313 sacks and 22 drums of oil-contaminated materials along the shore in 13 barangays in Naujan, Bulalacao and Pola.

As this developed, the Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) said it is considering grounding the fleet of RDC Reield Marine Services, the owner of Princess Empress.

Sen. Francis Escudero said authorities should investigate possible corruption involving the PCG and MARINA, noting that Princess Empress sailed without the needed permits. – Robertzon Ramirez, Paolo Romero, Emmanuel Tupas