Aid to oil spill victims reaches P1 billion

MANILA, Philippines — Nearly P1 billion in cash and other assistance have been provided to 40,733 families affected by the oil spill from the sunken tanker Princess Empress.

Raffy Alejandro, spokesperson for the Office of Civil Defense, said various government agencies are helping address the problem through a whole-of-nation approach.

The actions taken by concerned government agencies were discussed during a meeting of the National Task Force on Oil Spill Management at Camp Aguinaldo yesterday.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development reported that it has provided P430.9 million in assistance with the distribution of family food packs and non-food items as well as cash aid under the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situations program, emergency cash transfer and cash-for-work.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said early recovery assistance worth P517 million was distributed to 96,256 beneficiaries in Mimaropa, Calabarzon and Western Visayas.

The DENR is conducting water quality monitoring and waste management activities in the affected shorelines.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said 84.26 percent of the affected coastlines have been “acceptably” cleaned as of Wednesday.

The PCG said joint shoreline surveys and activities with the DENR and Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources as well as collaboration with contracted oil waste collectors and international agencies for oil spill containment and recovery operations are ongoing.

The Department of Health has been conducting surveillance of drinking water resources. It is also monitoring individuals exposed to chemicals.