Philippines Coast Guard personnel and volunteer residents in Pola, Oriental Mindoro use absorbent pads to remove oil from rocks. (Photo: www.philstar.com) Manila (VNA) - The massive oil leak from a tankerthat sank off Oriental Mindoro province last month has reached one of thePhilippines' marine reserves and sanctuaries, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG)said on March 20.
Captain Victorino Acosta, PCG Batangas station commander, saidthe oil slick was discovered on March 20 morning in the Verde Island Passagebetween Batangas province on the mainland Luzon, south of Manila, and the northeasterntip of Mindoro island.
The area is described as one of the global centres of marinebiodiversity with the high concentration of coastal fishes, corals,crustaceans, mollusks, sea grasses and mangroves.
It is also home to endangered and threatened species such ashawksbill turtle, whale sharks, manta rays and dugongs. Verde Island Passage isalso a favourite spot for divers.
The MT Princess Empress was carrying 800,000 litres ofindustrial oil when it sank off Oriental Mindoro on February 28, causing awidespread oil spill in Oriental Mindoro and the neighbouring areas.
Data from the Philippine government showed that the spill affected nearly152,000 residents in 131 villages. Dozens of people have also fallen ill due tooil toxicity. Pola town in Oriental Mindoro is the most affected of thenine municipalities of Mindoro province./.
