A TEAM of Japanese oil spill control experts is now in Oriental Mindoro to assist in ongoing efforts to contain the oil slick caused by the sinking of an oil tanker carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil last February 28.
Japanese Ambassador Koshikawa Kazuhiko confirmed the arrival of the team in the province, saying in a tweet: “The JDR Expert Team just arrived in Oriental Mindoro to commence their assessment of areas affected by the MT Princess Empress oil (spill).
“(The) expert Team is committed to work with preventing further marine contamination and restoring the marine environment,” he added.
He earlier said the team will work with the Philippine Coast Guard for the ongoing oil removal and control activities for the sunken vessel.
Local authorities have banned fishing and swimming in contaminated waters in 78 coastal barangays from nine Oriental Mindoro towns that have declared a state of calamity, namely, Naujan, Pola, Pinamalayan, Gloria, Bansud, Bongabong, Roxas, Mansalay, and Bulalacao.
The MT Princess Empress sank after encountering engine trouble on its way to Iloilo from Bataan.
Last Saturday, PCG Commandant Admiral Artemio Abu said the oil spill is still under Tier 2 response and does not yet require foreign assistance.
Under the National Oil Spill Contingency Plan, Tier 3 is considered a national-level response and may call for assistance from the international community.
Foreign experts and coast guard personnel from other countries are sending their teams to meet with the PCG today, Monday, to assist in addressing the oil spill.
DSWD ASSISTANCE
More than P18.867 million worth of food and non-food relief items have been provided to 31,278 families or 141,058 persons affected by the oil spill in Regions IV-B (Mimaropa) and VI (Western Visayas), the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) said yesterday.
Data from the DSWD’s Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center showed the affected families were from 122 barangays in Regions IV-B composed of 115 barangays from Oriental Mindoro (19,785 families or 97, 692 persons) and three from Palawan (3,106 families or 13,140 persons) and four in Region VI composed of four from Antique (8,387 families or 30,226 persons).
The DSWD has more than P2.023 billion worth of standby funds (P745.9 million) and stockpile (P1.277 billion) that are ready to be tapped and distributed.
The DSWD, through its Field Office MIMAROPA, in coordination with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), has started to provide a Cash-for-Work (CFW) program to residents affected by the oil spill.
The department said 70 fishermen were deployed to Barangay Batuhan in Pola, Oriental Mindoro to collect available materials in the community that will be used in making improvised spill booms and oil absorbent as part of the CFW program.
Each beneficiary will receive the daily regional minimum wage every five days, for a total of 15 working days.
Last Friday, the DSWD also distributed P5.58 million of financial assistance to affected residents through the Assistance to Individuals in Crisis Situation (AICS). A total of 1,116 beneficiaries from 740 families in Barangay Algeciras and 376 in Barangay Concepcion, both in the Aguyata town in Palawan, received P5,000 in cash.
The Department last Saturday augmented family food packs (FFPs) in Oriental Mindoro with the delivery of 34,589 food packs, including 19,665 FFOS given to fishermen and in Culasi and in Semirara Island, both in Antique, which received 3,400 FFPs.
