By Gabriela Baron
The oil spill in Oriental Mindoro threatens over 20,000 hectares of coral reef in the area, according to marine experts from University of the Philippines (UP) Systems.
Approximately 9,900 hectares of mangroves and 6,000 hectares of seagrass may also be affected by the oil slick.
Meanwhile, among the coastal sites that may be at risk are several marine protected areas (MPAs), including the reefs in Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro, coastal barangays of Pola and Mansalay and Caluya Island in Antique.
The earlier bulletin reported that the oil also reached the shores of the coastal towns of San Teodor, Calapan City, Baco, Puerto Galera, Pinamalayan, Bongabong, Bansud, Gloria, and Roxas in Oriental Mindoro.
Also seen to be affected by the oil spill are Magsaysay and San Jose in Occidental Mindoro, and municipalities in Palawan, including Coron, Culion, and Magsaysay, ang Cuyo.
The experts also warned that the oil may reach the southern tip of Mindoro “in only a matter of days, hastened by the effects of prevailing wind.”
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) on Saturday, March 4, also confirmed the presence of an oil spill in Antique.
This, after the MT Princess Empress ship, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial oil, submerged in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro on Tuesday, February 28.
Marine experts from UP Systems, Mindanao State University-Iligan (MSI), the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and PCG are moving to address the effects of the oil spill.
“The agencies are already looking into possible measures to address the spread of the oil, which is exacerbated by prevailing strong winds and waves,” they said.
A multi-agency team, including representatives from the MSI, has been mobilized to assess and assist on-site.
Experts are also considering hydrodynamic modeling to help forecast where the oil might reach given the current weather conditions. -cf