The actual location of the sunken motor tanker that triggered an oil spill in a number of areas in Oriental Mindoro has already been decided, Governor Humerlito Dolor mentioned Monday.
Dolor made the announcement following a cellphone name from Environment Secretary Maria Antonia Yulo-Loyzaga amid a media convention on the updates of the submerged MT Princess Empress.
“Natagpuan na po ang exact location ng barko [The tanker’s exact location has been found],” the governor informed reporters. “She’s [Yulo] going to see me tomorrow to show me the analyzed data of the exact location…Kailangan maghanda ang Pola kasi nandoon sa area na ‘yun nakita [The municipality of Poa must prepare for this because the tanker is there]. It was facing Pola,” he mentioned.
MT Princess Empress sank on February 28 off Najuan whereas carrying 800,000 liters of commercial gas. Oil spills have been reported in a number of areas in Mindoro, prompting the coastal city of Pola to declare a state of calamity.
On Sunday, Dolor briefly prohibited residents from securing water from underground water pumps or “poso” whereas the standard of the water has but to be examined.
Fishing actions have been likewise suspended within the province earlier in response to the well being and security hazards of the huge oil spill.
Asked concerning the “concern of efforts” of the native authorities models (LGUs), Dolor mentioned it will be on stopping the remaining industrial gas from reaching the shores.
“Ang concern of efforts natin ngayon ay paano mape-prevent ‘yung nasa dagat form reaching the shores. At least one problem down. Kasi kung ‘yung nasa dagat mahahangin pa sa shores, kahit pa maglinis tayo ngayon, bukas ganun na naman. Sayang lang effort natin,” he added.
(Our efforts right now are to determine hot to prevent the oil on the sea from reaching the shores. At least one problem down. Because if the oil in the sea is blown toward the shoes, even if we clean up today, tomorrow it will be the same all over again. Our efforts will be wasted.)
The owners of the tanker’s operating company said they would help the LGUs in cleaning up the oil spill and provide alternative livelihood for the affected fisherfolks.
Oil spill reached Palawan Island
Meanwhile, two barangays in Agutaya town in Palawan have reported oil in the area.
According to a report on “BaliTanghali, the Palawan Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction, and Management Office said they have sighted oil residue in the water lines of Barangay Concepcion and Barangay Algeciras.
Residents have already crafted makeshift spill booms to prevent it from further spreading due to its risk to their livelihood as seaweed farmers.
Malay town on ‘heightened alert’
For its half, the coastal city of Malay in Aklan mentioned it’s already on “heightened alert,” with the specter of the oil spill reaching its shores, together with Boracay.
The municipal authorities mentioned it’s working with barangay catastrophe threat discount and administration councils and the PCG in “conducting continuous monitoring of our coastal areas.”
“Based on the direction of the wind, we have identified the nearest susceptible areas. We have pre-positioned oil spill booms to these areas as our primary defense,” it mentioned in an announcement.
“The LGU is also preparing oil containment defense out of indigenous materials for our secondary defense. Despite the low probability of the oil spill reaching our shores, we cannot be complacent,” it added.
Further, the Malay LGU mentioned it’s getting ready for the “worst-case scenario” however no sighting of the attainable oil spill was reported of their space in addition to in Boracay. — BM, GMA Integrated News
Source: www.gmanetwork.com
