Oil spill set to reach Metro Manila today

MANILA, Philippines — The oil spill from the sunken MT Terra Nova last week would reach Metro Manila today, the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute (UP MSI) said.

“Through the collaborative efforts of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Philippine Space Agency, UP MSI and other national agencies, an oil spill trajectory model was run to
 forecast the transport of the slick based on prevailing weather patterns and conditions and on recent information on the location of the slicks,” a UP MSI bulletin reads in part.

The model, it added, shows a possible transport northwards to Bulacan as confirmed by oil slick sightings and from the slick observed by PhilSA last Friday.

“Considering the continuous release of oil from the tanker, coastal areas of Cavite City may also be affected with the eastward change of forecasted winds,” the bulletin also reads.

The UP MSI said the models are generated to inform the public on the potential direction of the oil spill and help direct the response efforts.

Interior and Local Government Secretary Benhur Abalos yesterday said an inter-agency task force was formed to consolidate all necessary containment efforts and mitigation measures to address the oil spill off Lamao Point in Limay, Bataan.

Abalos said President Marcos has directed all concerned national government agencies to provide the necessary support for affected local government units (LGUs), using the lessons from the experiences in the Oriental Mindoro oil spill.

Cavite Gov. Jonvic Remulla confirmed that the spill has reached the coastal barangays of Ternate, Maragondon, Naic and Tanza towns.

“(The presence of oil spill) is slightly felt (yesterday) morning,” Remulla said on X, adding that a team has been tasked to provide assistance.

Environment Undersecretary Juan Miguel Cuna said a special map has been developed to identify potential ecosystems and other critical areas that could be affected by the spill in the provinces of Bulacan, Cavite and Pampanga.

“For coastal mangrove forest, for Bataan possibly to be affected are 395 hectares; Bulacan, 822 hectares; Cavite, 246 hectares and Pampanga, 144 hectares. For seaweeds and seagrass beds, Bataan, 770 hectares; Cavite, 68 hectares. For coral reefs, Bataan, 1,757; Cavite, 479 hectares. There are also marine turtle nesting sites, 56 turtle nesting sites in the province of Bataan which could be possibly affected,” Cuna said.

He also cited UP MSI data that show at least 132.35 hectares of the 195-hectare mangrove forest and at least 4,390 hectares of fishponds in Bulacan alone could be affected.

Cuna said the DENR is doing daily water monitoring and would soon release water sampling results for Regions 3 and 4 and the National Capital Region. — Evelyn Macairan