Philippines Coast Guard personnel and volunteer residents in Pola, Oriental Mindoro use absorbent pads to remove oil from rocks (Photo: philstar.com)The Philippine government has banned fishing, the islanders'main source of income, and prevented them from entering the water since thePrincess Empress, which was carrying 800,000 litres of industrial fuel oil,encountered engine trouble and sank on February 28.
Authorities said the oil spill has reached coastal areas inat least three western Philippine provinces, affecting over 100,000 people.
Jennifer Cruz, mayor of Pola where half of the coastal townshowed traces of the oil, said the ban on fishing can remain in effect as longas the sunken vessel is out there. The government began paying residents of thetown 6 USD per day to scoop the oil and put up fence booms as the spill isbeginning to threaten mangroves.
The international community has joined hands in helping thePhilippines handle the incident. The International Tanker Owners PollutionFederation, a London-based oil spill responder that has sent a team to thePhilippines, said that a remotely operated underwater vehicle will be deployedlater this week to assess the condition of the tanker and determine exactly howmuch oil is leaking.
Japan has dispatched a team of oil disaster responders tohelp the Philippines contain the spill. On March 13, the Japanese governmenthanded over dozens of oil snares, oil blotters and protective equipment to thecountry./.
VNA
