The authorities have produced almost 900 spill booms to help contain the effects of the oil spill in Limay, Bataan, the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) said on Thursday.
According to OCD, different government agencies took action to contain the said spill after an oil tanker MTKR Terranova capsized and sank 3.6 nautical miles east of Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan on July 25, resulting to one death of a crew member.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) was reported to have allocated additional 954 boxes of oil absorbent pads to DENR Calabarzon.
48 teams were also deployed in fabrication sites in Pampanga Lubao Bamboo Hub and Tarlac Modern Mechanized Forest Nursery and have produced a total of 885 spill booms.
These were distributed to high-risk areas and provinces like Bataan, Bulacan, Pampanga to mitigate the impacts of oil spill.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) created a joint team to probe the three ships involved in the Bataan oil spill for possible smuggling.
The owner of MT Terranova, one of the ships that sank, already denied allegations that the tanker was involved in oil smuggling.
“Regarding the relationship between the three ships on possible smuggling in Bataan, the PCG has reached out to the NBI and we have already formed a joint investigation team,” said PCG Bataan Station commander Lieutenant Commander Michael John Encina on Wednesday.
The estimated cost of damage due to the oil spill that is affecting the areas of Cavite has reached P1 billion, according to the provincial government on Saturday.
OCD also said that the Department of Social Welfare and Development has a standby fund of 2 million pesos for Region 3 and Calarzon and other 11 million pesos for other field offices to support the relief needs of the families affected by the oil spill.
