Some 352,179 residents of coastal barangays in Cavite province are affected as industrial fuel from a capsized oil tanker further envelope their shores, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Friday.
In a statement, OCD-Calabarzon also said that among those affected are 25,145 fishermen who are losing an estimated P18 million in income every day because their livelihood has come to a halt.
“At present, based on the update of the Cavite [Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council], the Provincial Government issued a ‘No Catch and No Sell Zone’ for all shellfish in the coastal areas of the province,” the agency further stated.
Resorts and similar businesses in Calabarzon are also reeling from the impact of the oil spill, with 36 tourism establishments affected, according to Department of Tourism Regional Director Marites Castro.
A state of calamity is now in effect in nine coastal local government units (LGU) the province due to the oil that has spilled out of the ill-fated MTKR Terranova, which sank off the coast of Bataan on July 25.
One crew member died while 16 others were rescued when the vessel capsized along with its cargo of 1.4 million liters of industrial fuel around 3.6 nautical miles east of Lamao Point in Limay town.
The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) earlier reported that the oil seeping out of the tanker is under control and is “minimal.”
As this developed, Lieutenant Commander Michael Encina, who commands Coast Guard Station Bataan, said the fabrication of capping bags to temporarily seal the leaking valves of MTKR Terranova is underway.
He said fabricating the capping bags and installing them will take one week.
For his part, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Benjamin Abalos Jr. emphasized that the owner of MTKR Terranova should be prosecuted because the oil spill it caused is not only health hazard but brought much anxiety to affected residents.
He said it is necessary to review maritime protocols in the area to find out why there have been so many ships sinking recently.
Meanwhile, the Department of Health (DOH) called on the public to avoid drinking water that may have been drawn from areas near the oil spill.
The agency assured that it water sampling activities in oil spill affected communities continues.
DOH Undersecretary Gloria Balboa said her office has received reports that some residents have developed coughs, skin diseases in the affected areas but it is uncertain if these cases are related to the oil spill.
She urged residents to stay away from the contaminated water because inhaling the oil can result in skin diseases, dizziness, increased heart rate, stomach ache and vomiting.
