MANILA (LiCAS News): The oil spill from the oil tanker which sank in Manila Bay off the coast of Limay, Bataan, the Philippines, has reached the shorelines of Tanza, Cavite, according to a report from the Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas [PAMALAKAYA] on Monday, July 29.
The MT Terra Nova capsized and sank in 34 metres in rough seas in the midst of Typhoon Gaemi [Carina] early on July 25 after setting out from Manila for the central city of Iloilo. It was carrying 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel.
“What we feared has happened; the oil has spread throughout Manila Bay and is disrupting the livelihoods of many fishermen,” said Ronnel Arambulo, vice chairperson PAMALAKAYA.
Arambulo said that more than 5,000 fisherfolk in Tanza will be affected if the oil spill is not contained immediately.
According to PAMALAKAYA, residents and fisherfolk in Tanza were met with a strong odor linked to the oil spill on the morning of July 29, raising concerns about its impact on local fisheries.
Fishermen fear that the oil slick will contaminate their resources, potentially leading to a decline in fishery yields and a subsequent drop in farm gate prices.
Arambulo criticised the Philippine Coast Guard [PCG] and other authorities for their perceived lack of urgency in addressing the extent of the damage caused by the spill.
The ongoing threat to the livelihoods of Manila Bay’s fisherfolk came amid recovery efforts from Typhoon Gaemi and the southwest monsoon, which had been battering the region.
PAMALAKAYA plans to conduct an on-site inspection of municipal waters in Cavite to assess the full impact of the spill and is calling for immediate and concrete measures to rehabilitate the affected communities and resources.
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Authorities postponed the siphoning of fuel cargo from the sunken vessel on July 28, deferring it to July 30 to allow divers to seal nine leaking valves first, Philippine Coast Guard spokesperson Rear Admiral Armando Balilo told reporters.
Greenpeace also reported a “thick layer of oil” coating the sea about four kilometers off the coast of Hagonoy, near Bulacan.
The coast guard warned that it would be an “environmental catastrophe” if the entire cargo were to leak.
