MANILA (UCAN): More than 60 residents of Pola town in Oriental Mindoro province, the Philippines have fallen ill due to water pollution caused by an oil spill resulting from the sinking of the MT Princess Empress, which was carrying 800,000 litres of industrial fuel oil, sank off the coast of nearby Naujan. A state of calamity has been declared.
“This environmental tragedy has caused us great trouble. It did not only pose a threat to our marine life but endangered the lives of our residents,” Pola mayor, Jennifer Cruz, told reporters on March 10.
Cruz said the greatest damage was caused to potable water sources.
“We have more than 60 people who have been affected. They felt nauseous and sick. They suffered headaches and loose bowel movement,” Cruz added.
More than 30 beaches have been closed resulting in 30 million pesos [$4.13 million] worth of losses, Humerlito Dolor, governor of Mindoro province, told reporters on March 10.
The spill has affected as many as 20,000 hectares of coral reefs, 9,900 hectares of mangroves, and 6,000 hectares of seagrass, according to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.
We have more than 60 people who have been affected. They felt nauseous and sick. They suffered headaches and loose bowel movement,
Jennifer Cruz, mayor of Pola
The Philippines’ tourism ministry has raised concerns over popular diving destinations, including the Verde Island passage, as the spill is spreading.
Cruz said she would file a formal suit against the tanker that sank off the coast of Mindoro province on February 28. All the crew was rescued by another ship before the vessel went down.
“One had an asthma attack. Of course, the breeze carries the particles … there is also air pollution in the area,” Maria Rosario Vergeire, officer-in-charge of the department of health, told reporters on March 9.
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“The water that we got did not look like it was contaminated. It was clear just like before. It also did not smell like something was wrong. We thought if the water was infected, it would turn unclear,” a Pola resident, Jenny Segovia, said.
Segovia said her husband, Alfredo, had diarrhea two days after she complained of a headache.
“My husband felt another illness … we both went to a hospital and the doctor confirmed that what we were feeling was due of the oil spill,” Segovia added.
The locals here drink from their deep well. It [the oil spill] has also infected the water system beneath
Mark Sogoanon
Another resident, whose child’s asthma was purportedly triggered by the oil spill, said they had spent more than 20,000 pesos [$2,750] at a private hospital.
“I am an ordinary public government employee working at the municipal hall. I spent almost the same as my monthly salary on an illness triggered by oil spill. The private shipping line should pay us,” the child’s parent, who wished to remain anonymous, said.
Local physicians have advised residents to wear facemasks to prevent lung infection.
“Face masks reduce the possibility of lung infection. The scent of oil is harmful to the lungs. It could trigger asthma and emphysema,” Mindoro physician, Mark Sogoanon, explained.
“The locals here drink from their deep well. It [the oil spill] has also infected the water system beneath,” Sogoanon added.
Authorities have imposed a fishing ban until the spill is cleaned up, affecting more than 18,000 fishermen across 60 villages.
We call on the Philippine government for the most urgent action to contain the spill, assess the severity of damage, and prioritise the welfare of impacted communities who must receive livelihood support and protection from health impacts
Father Gariguez
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) has sent aid to 250 affected families.
“Caritas has sent food packs and donations. Their fishermen could not go to work so they have nothing to eat,” Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, told Radyo Veritas on March 9.
For its part, the Archdiocese of Lipa, which includes Mindoro, said it would also send food items.
“The relief goods will be distributed once the beneficiaries’ list has been finalized,” Oriental Mindoro Diocesan Social Action director, Father Edwin Gariguez, said.
The Philippines Coast Guard has been making efforts to contain the spill and is reported to have located the Philippine-flagged vessel. The coast guard is verifying how much oil is left inside the tanker.
“We call on the Philippine government for the most urgent action to contain the spill, assess the severity of damage, and prioritise the welfare of impacted communities who must receive livelihood support and protection from health impacts,” said Father Gariguez, who is also lead convenor of Protect VIP, a coalition that seeks to protect the Verde Island Passage, CBCPNews reported.
“We also demand accountability from the owner of MT Princess Empress, RDC Reield Marines Services, and the fuel supply it contains,” he said.
The oil spill has put at risk more than 30 of Oriental Mindoro’s marine-protected areas, and has affected other provinces like Antique in Western Visayas, CBCPNews reported. At least 18,000 fisherfolk in the province have been robbed of their livelihood as fishing activities are forcibly put on hold.
“We thus join local residents in lamenting what would be a prolonged suffering of the local fishing industry … as impacts of the oil spill are expected to be felt for years to come,” Father Gariguez, former executive secretary of Caritas Philippines, said.
