Approximately 60% of the oil spill that reached the waters of Oriental Mindoro and other nearby areas has been successfully cleaned up, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said.
In a Laging Handa public briefing on Thursday, March 30, PCG Deputy Commandant for Operations Vice Admiral Rolando Punzalan Jr. said that PCG, together with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, local government units, other international coast guards from Korea and Japan, and experts from France and the US Navy have already reached out to help clean up the oil spill.
PCG reported that five out of eight tanks in the MT Princess Empress suffered structural damage. Of which, three tanks may be containing oil.
“May tatlong tangke na aming hinihinala na may laman. Sigurado tayo na hindi na ito ‘yung quantity at marami [nang] nakatakas na langis, ang presumption natin is there is still oil para maganda ‘yung ilalatag na paraan para sa susunod na hakbang na kukunin,” Punzalan said.
The joint effort of various agencies are intended to prevent the spread of the oil spill to other locations involving marine resources, such as Verde Island.
“‘Nung nalaman natin ang posibilidad na kumalat sa Verde Island, agad tayo naglatag ng mitigating measures [sa] pinakahuling ulat, as much as may oil na nag-escape sa booms, it was minimized,” he added.
The PCG said the “end point” of cleanup operations of the oil spill is yet to be identified.
“Sa kasalukuyan, medyo mahirap po natin siyang matatantya, ngunit ang maaasahan po natin ay ang puspusang pagtatrabaho ng mga troop natin sa Coast Guard, kasama na ‘yung galing sa mga ibang ahensiya ng gobyerno, kasama na rin ‘yung ibang volunteers, at lalong-lalo na ‘yung mga residents,” he added.
“Siguro po sa mga darating na araw [ay] magkakalinaw na tayo, kung kailan mahi-hit ‘yung end point na ating inaasam,” he continued. – Katrina Gracia Consebido/with reports from Naomi Tiburcio/cf
