MARCH 25, 2023, it was a very sunny day on Mindoro Island, but the air was filled with a very foul smell and the beaches and rockpools are covered with black sludge. A massive oil spill from the tanker Princess Empress, which sank on February 28, carrying 800,000 liters of industrial fuel oil, off the island's eastern coast. The 75-mile-long oil slick that resulted threatens not only the biodiversity of more than 20 marine protected areas, but also hundreds of fishing communities close to Pola. 

 

                                          Credits: Philippine Star

A state of calamity has been issued for nine districts. Locals in the town have witnessed a decline in their standard of living, including fishermen. Fish was the main component of their daily meals but now, they eat vegetables and their remaining livestock. A total of 21,000 families are impacted throughout the province. People who depend on the sea are having a hard time getting by because the oil leak has an impact on their daily life, local businesses and tourism. The toxic oil spill has also impacted the health of islanders. They have been reportedly experiencing difficulty breathing, itchy throat and difficulty in swallowing food. Other symptoms reported include vomiting, diarrhea, coughs, dizziness, eye irritation and fevers. 

 

                                                Credits: DSWD

Toxicologists are monitoring and treating people affected. The government says it has distributed at least 20 million pesos in cash aid and food packs to people affected. However, the list of those in need keeps on growing as the spill spreads. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is assessing biodiversity sites and has designated affected coastal towns as “exclusion areas”. With all of these efforts of saving the life in the Mindoro Island, the restoration will consume a very long time, will need a lot of budget and will truly be a health-risk mission. Oil spills can be prevented by not overfilling fuel tanks, regularly inspecting through-hull fittings often to reduce the risk of sinking, keeping spill control equipment readily available and many more. Proper fuel oil management should be strictly applied, as it does not only affect the lives of who are at shore but mainly the biodiversity of the ocean. Oil spills are deadly toxic to life and it spreading at the sea where it is unreachable by humans, the damage it caused will forever be irreversible. Remember, spread the word, not the oil.

                                         Credits: GMA Network

Learn more about the harmful effects of oil spill and how to mitigate it.