The local government of Calapan has enlisted the assistance of partner agencies and community volunteers to monitor and protect the city's seawater, which is now threatened by the oil spill that hit the neighboring town of Naujan.
In a televised interview on Wednesday, Mayor Malou Flores-Morillo stated that they have been monitoring Calapan's waters and have declared them safe for the time being.
She noted that there is no ban on fishing yet because marine products are still safe to consume.
However, Morillo stated that they requested water sampling from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources for residents' peace of mind.
The local government had previously formed a task force to address the spill's impact on the environment as well as the residents' health and livelihood.
Morillo stated that they had been coordinating with the relevant agencies and partners, including international organizations such as the Blue Alliance and marine experts, for preventive measures.
The University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP-MSI) reported on Sunday that while the majority of the oil would still end up along Naujan town and Pola Bay in Oriental Mindoro, the weakening of the northeast monsoon winds could cause the oil previously seen to flow south to northern Palawan and north to Verde Island Passage by March 16.
Meanwhile, the town of Naujan is 69 kilometers south of the Verde Island Passage, while the town of Pola is 109 kilometers south.
The spill was caused by the oil tanker MT Princess Empress, which was carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil when it sank on February 28 while traveling from Bataan to Iloilo province after its engine overheated.
