Defense Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr. said that the United States government is committed to assisting in cleaning the oil spill in Oriental Mindoro.

In his report to President Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr., Galvez said he spoke with US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and promised to send naval units with the clean-up operation.

Galvez said that he spoke with the US Secretary at 7:45 pm and that the US is committed to helping in coordination with Japan and other countries

Secretary Austin assures the Philippine government that the US Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR) team ‘is now on their way to help and provide assistance in managing the oil spill,' Galvez said.

Galvez added that he recommended actual HADR operations in relation to the oil spill as part of the exercise scenarios in the upcoming ‘Balikatan Exercises’.

To control the oil spill in Mindoro, the Philippine government will carry on searching for expertise and technical support from other partner countries, like France and the United Kingdom, Galvez said.

“As of yesterday, the oil spill has already affected 32,661 families in MIMAROPA and Western Visayas. Although a total of ₱28.3 million worth of humanitarian assistance alone from the government, LGUs (local government units), non-governmental organizations, and other partners, was already provided to the affected families, we will sustain this assistance to them,” Galvez noted.

The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has already briefed the foreigners who will assist with the oil spill clean-up operation, Galvez added in his report to the President.

Meanwhile, a Japanese remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) arrived to help in the cleanup efforts in Mindoro.