Some 25,145 farmers and fisherfolk across several provinces are currently affected by the industrial fuel that spilled out of the capsized MTKR Terranova, according to the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD) latest report.
The ship sank off the coast of Bataan province but its effects are being felt in the shorelines of the Calabarzon region.
In Cavite, which is one of the five provinces of Calabarzon, official estimates put the amount of damage at P1 billion.
The oil spill has constrained authorities to declare the waters of Cavite a no-catch zone for fish and shellfish, and placed the province under a state of calamity.
The OCD also reported that fish stalls in the coastal town of Noveleta were closed due to the impact of the oil spill.
Seafood retailers lamented that even their sales of fishes grown in fresh water ponds have decline significantly.
“Even if we say that the bangus or tilapia that we are selling came from fishponds, they just don’t want to try eating them,” a fish seller said in Filipino.
The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said in a statement that it is still waiting for the results of the sample testing from the province.
In the interim, the agency has been distributing relief goods to affected fishermen.
As this developed, ACT-CIS Representative and Deputy Majority Floor Leader Erwin Tulfo is looking into the possibility that MTKR Terranova and two other oil tankers recently involved in mishaps were being used to facilitate oil smuggling.
The lawmaker said that the three oil tankers hay have been involved in a modus operandi called “paihi,” when they were caught by harsh ocean conditions caused by the combined effects of Typhoon Carina and the southwest monsoon
The solon asked why the oil tankers did not drop anchor near an island to shield it from the typhoon?
“While they are anchored away from the watchful eyes of local authorities, some foreign oil tankers will offload their cargo of oil unto local oil tankers, such as the ones that recently sank,” Tulfo noted.
Earlier, Justice Secretary Crispin Remulla said his office is looking into the possibility that the three ill-fated ships were involved in illegal activities.
After meeting with Philippine Coast Guard officials, the DOJ chief said it is looking more likely that the ships were being used in illegal activities at the time they were met with misfortune.
It can be recalled that motor tankers MT Terranova and MT Jayson Bradley, sank in Limay and Mariveles, Bataan during the height of Habagat last July.
A few days later, the MV Mirola 1 ran aground in Mariveles, Bataan.
Editor’s Note: This is an updated article. Originally posted with the headline: “25k farmers, fisherfolk in Calabarzon affected by Bataan oil spill—OCD”
